Posts by Marty Dodson
Chasing Ideas Vs. Chasing Truth
By SongTown Co-Founder Marty Dodson I’ve been in more co-writing rooms than I can count. And over the years, I’ve come to recognize a moment that happens more often than most people would expect—it’s the moment when a subtle creative tug-of-war begins. If you co-write long enough, you’ll be there too. We’ve all been there.…
Read MoreHow to Write a Bridge in a Song (8 Pro Tips)
Multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills & Marty Dodson break down 8 pro bridge tips to bring fresh momentum, new sounds, and real emotion to your songs. Learn when you actually need a bridge, how to create contrast with melody/chords, and ways to set up that last-chorus lift. Perfect for leveling up your songwriting and sharpening your…
Read MoreOwn Your Path: What Taylor Swift Taught Me About Songwriting Success
By SongTown Co-Founder Marty Dodson Several years ago, I watched a video that stopped me in my tracks. It was Taylor Swift, learning in real time that her latest album hadn’t been nominated for a Grammy. Surrounded by friends and family, you could feel the tension and disappointment in the room. People were quick to…
Read More7 Tips From Publishers That Every Songwriter Needs To Know
Level up your songwriting with Clay Mills & Marty Dodson as we share 7 real-world tips from top publishers inside our SongTown Edge Groups. From conversational lyrics to chorus lift and word-to-melody flow, you’ll learn how to build a diverse, pitchable catalog that artists can’t ignore. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series…
Read More5 Reasons Your Songs Sound the Same (Pro Fixes)
Stuck writing the same song on repeat? In this quick SongTown songwriting tips lesson, multi‑#1 hit writers Clay & Marty show how to write a song that doesn’t all sound the same—fixing grooves, lyric habits, themes, and instrument limits. Try new grooves, move the hook, sing before you play, and swap instruments to spark fresh…
Read MoreThe WORST (but most helpful) Exercises for Songwriting
Hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson break down The Worst—but Most Helpful—Exercise For Songwriters. Learn how pro writers sharpen their skills with tough melody and lyric workouts that build your rhythm vocabulary and make your songs more hooky. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same patterns, this exercise will help you unlock fresh…
Read More5 Reasons To Co-Write
People often ask me, sometimes skeptically, why I almost exclusively co-write instead of writing alone. I have some reasons that I find pretty compelling, so I thought I’d share them. 1) Not many people I know are world-class at melody AND lyric. There are plenty of people who do both, but doing both and excelling…
Read MoreSongwriting Is A Marathon
By SongTown Co-Founder Marty Dodson When I started out in songwriting, I was surrounded by an insanely talented group of peers. And honestly, most of them were more skilled than I was. They could sing. They played guitar or piano like pros. They produced tracks in their home studios. They wrote incredible melodies and killer…
Read MoreHow to Write a Song: From Idea to a Great Song — Pro Co-Write
Hit writers Clay Mills and Marty Dodson take a raw idea (“Love This Side of Town”) and show a simple, repeatable way to turn a spark into a song—pick the unexpected angle, sketch verses, set up the chorus hook. If you’re wondering how to write a song using pro songwriting techniques, you’ll see the real-world…
Read MoreFrom Frustrated to Fired Up: The Mental Shift That Changed My Writing Forever
By Marty Dodson – SongTown Co-Founder There was a time in my songwriting journey where I hit a wall. I was showing up. I was writing. I was pitching. But nothing was happening. No one was cutting my songs. The feedback I was getting felt vague at best. And worst of all, I started losing…
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