Posts by Marty Dodson
You’re Only As Good As Your Next Song
I read an article with Adele after she had broken the record for the biggest debut for an album ever. She was asked why it took her 4 years to come out with a new album. She had recorded more than another album’s worth of songs in the meantime and scrapped all of it to…
Read More5 Ways To Improve Your Songwriting Instantly
There are some simple steps you can take to improve your songwriting instantly. Try these steps to see a dramatic improvement overnight: 1- Write with someone who is strong where you are weak. Years ago, my mentor told me to identify my strengths (honestly) and to let him know what I thought I was world class…
Read MoreWhat NOT To Do While Co-Writing (The Worst Songwriting Fails)
Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share epic cowriting fails. With over 10,000 co-writing sessions between them they have seen it all… and it’s not all good! Don’t make these mistakes! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to begin! SongTown Press…
Read MoreWe Critiqued 2,000 People’s Songs (Here’s What We Learned)
Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson critiqued over 2,000 member songs in 3 years at SongTown. These are the most common songwriting mistakes they found. Don’t make these! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to begin! SongTown Press Books: Mastering Melody…
Read MoreCo-Writing Songs: Understanding The Roles In The Room
“Understanding your role in the writing room on any given day is key to a songwriter’s success.” 16 time #1 Hit Songwriter Jon Nite gave this advice in a SongTown on Songwriting podcast episode. And I agree 1000%! All successful co-writing begins with learning the roles in the room. As I start writing each day, I’m…
Read MorePerspective and Encouragement: The Most Important Issues Songwriters Face
I write a lot about encouragement and perspective because I believe they are two of the most important issues that songwriters face at any level. For me, I stay in my “happy place” when I see progress every day. It can be the smallest bit of progress, but I need to feel a little momentum or movement in…
Read More5 Questions To Ask When You Write With An Artist
Here are five key questions you should ask each time you write a song with an artist… What kind of song are you looking for? Hopefully, they will answer more than just “a hit”, but unfortunately that’s the most common answer I get. Their response to this question can tell you a lot about the…
Read MoreHow To Weather The Ups and Downs of The Music Business
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.” ~Hunter S. Thompson There is no doubt that the music business is tough. But so is the “Medical” business, the “law” business, the “teaching business”,…
Read MoreSomeone Is Singing Along
I have had a number of amazing experiences because of songwriting. I’ve been able to travel the world and see places like Barcelona, Malmo, Nassau, Vancouver, and Toronto simply because I wrote songs that became hits. I’ve met and worked with people from all over the globe. Those experiences have shaped who I am and…
Read MoreWhen Should I Give Up My Songwriting Dream?
About two years after I started trying to write professionally, a friend of mine staged an intervention of sorts. He approached me very kindly and asked me how my writing was going. I told him my frustrations and I told him the truth – I didn’t have much of anything going on. He asked me…
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