Posts by Marty Dodson
Songwriters: Learn To Speak Music Business
Lots of songwriters in SongTown just want to become better writers for their own pleasure – and that’s awesome! We love helping people get more out of their writing just because it makes them feel good. Another significant group in “Town” is trying to write commercially and break into the music business. If that’s your…
Read MoreSongwriters: Are You Still Writing Mostly Ballads?
One of the biggest “ailments” I see when I mentor songwriters is that they are writing WAY too many ballads. It seems like many of us default to slow songs. While a well written ballad can be very successful and meaningful, there are also many reasons it is NOT a great idea to write…
Read MoreClay and Marty React to Viewer Comments
SongTown co-founders and multi #1 songwriters, Clay Mills & Marty Dodson, give their reactions to viewer comments. Heartfelt, funny, and always real. 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 Writing : Check It Out The Songwriter’s Guide…
Read MoreSongwriters: You’ve Got This!
One of the most common questions people ask me is “Do you think I have what it takes to do this?” They are usually referring to their music. In reality, the current quality of their music is not the primary factor in answering that question. When I got my first writing deal, I didn’t have…
Read MoreSongwriter Quicksand: Don’t Fall Into These Common Songwriting Traps
Here are 4 areas of songwriter quicksand that are hard to get out of. Watch where you step! 1) The “I can’t play this for anyone until it’s perfect” quicksand. I can’t count the number of people who have told me that they are not going to let anyone hear their music until it’s perfect.…
Read MoreEmpowered Songwriters Vs. Non-Empowered Songwriters
It struck me recently that there are basically two kinds of writers I work with. There are empowered songwriters and non-empowered songwriters. Empowered songwriters write confidently and take chances. They don’t complain about the state of the music business or whine about someone not getting them cuts. They realize that THEY are in charge of…
Read More4 Tips To Help Songwriters Get Better Song Critiques
Sometimes, people get frustrated with the kind of feedback they get on their songs, but when we dig into the issue, we discover that they really didn’t give the feedback giver much to go on. Here are some tips to help you get better song critiques back on your songs: Don’t submit finished demos if…
Read More9 Universal Songwriting Emotions To Write Songs About
Over the course of my career as a pro songwriter, I’ve learned that most songs boil down to 9 universal songwriting emotions that work in songs. Love No surprise here! Songs like “Eight Days A Week”, “I Honestly Love You” and “Endless Love” are still standards. Unrequited Love “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and…
Read More5 Ways Songwriters Shoot Themselves In The Foot And Sabotage Songs
In a 20+ year music career as a songwriter, I’ve shot myself in the foot so many times that it’s amazing I can walk. I thought I’d share some of them to help YOU avoid doing the same thing. Here are some of the worst “shots” I’ve taken in the foot. Getting too excited over…
Read MoreHow KISS will Transform your Songwriting
Hit songwriter Tom Douglas once said, “You can’t write a great song trying to write a great song.” Over the years, we’ve listened to many songs that fail because they try too hard to be brilliant, either lyrically or melodically. Douglas and co-writer Allen Shamblin wrote Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” – a…
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