Posts by Marty Dodson
Songwriters: Stop Doing These 3 Things
Want to write better songs fast? Learn pro songwriting tips and advanced songwriting techniques from hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson. Avoid common songwriting mistakes and start creating songs that truly connect with listeners. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish them faster. CLICK HERE to…
Read More9 Things Songwriters Need to Quit
Are these common habits holding you back as a songwriter? In this episode of the SongTown Podcast, hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson break down the things pro writers stop doing to grow their careers. From ditching unproductive co-writes to letting go of outdated songs, they reveal real-world, advanced songwriting techniques that lead to…
Read More5 Traits That Separate The 1% Songwriters From Everyone Else
In this week’s SongTown on Songwriting Podcast episode, multi-hit songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share 5 ways the top 1% songwriters separate themselves from everyone else. The duo drop pro songwriting tips learned from working with thousands of pro songwriters, artists, and producers. Get ready to level up your songwriting game! Clay & Marty’s…
Read MoreWhen Songwriting Feels Like a Job—Here’s What Brought Me Back
By Marty Dodson – SongTown Co-Founder After I’d been writing for several years, there came a point when songwriting started to feel like… a job. And not the fun kind. I’d look at my calendar and actually dread some of the co-writes I had scheduled. Not because the people weren’t great, but because I just…
Read MoreStop Comparing—Start Creating: How I Found Confidence as a Songwriter
By Marty Dodson, SongTown Co-Founder Years ago, when I first started songwriting, I constantly found myself comparing my abilities to the writers around me. I mean, some of these writers could do it ALL—write killer melodies, craft emotional lyrics, and even produce fully finished tracks from their laptops. Meanwhile, I was just a lyricist. I…
Read MoreWhen You’re Not Sure You’re Getting Better… Do This
By Marty Dodson, SongTown Co-Founder There have been seasons in my songwriting journey when I honestly couldn’t tell if I was improving or just spinning my wheels. It wasn’t that I wasn’t writing — I was. It wasn’t that I didn’t care — I cared deeply. But the growth wasn’t obvious. I didn’t always hear…
Read MoreHow Musical Theatre Can Improve Your Songwriting – In Any Genre!
In this episode, multi #1 songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson explore how writing for musical theatre can powerfully impact your songwriting—no matter the genre. Fresh off a successful theatre production in NYC, Marty shares key lessons from the stage that every songwriter can use to level up their writing. Learn how understanding character, story…
Read MoreWhen Doubt Creeps In: A Songwriter’s Battle with Imposter Syndrome
by Marty Dodson, SongTown Co-Founder Sometimes, I find myself staring at a blank page, not because I don’t have ideas, but because of the voice in my head that whispers, “You’re not good enough.” Maybe you’ve heard that voice too. Am I any good as a songwriter?Do I even belong in this writing room?Will people think my…
Read MoreWhy I Didn’t Quit Songwriting (And Why You Shouldn’t Either)
By Marty Dodson, SongTown Co-founder Years ago, I found myself in a place I think many songwriters reach at some point — standing at the crossroads of doubt and desire. I had poured countless hours into writing, co-writing, editing, and pitching songs… and still, I wasn’t seeing the results I hoped for. No cuts. No…
Read MoreThe 10,000 Hour Theory And Songwriting
The 10,000 hour theory… I was reading a magazine on an airplane the other day and ran across an article about Dan McLaughlin, an Oregon man who quit his job and decided to try to become a golf pro by testing out the 10,000 hour theory made popular by Malcolm Gladwell in his book “Outliers”…
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