Posts by Marty Dodson

A Songwriting Degree… Several years ago, I attended my son’s freshman orientation at Belmont University. He was headed into the Music Business program. During the parent’s session, one mother raised her hand and asked (In all seriousness) “So, if my daughter gets a songwriting degree from Belmont, she is pretty much guaranteed a slot on…

Today, I met with a songwriter friend who is very talented and very frustrated with her lack of music business success. She was describing to me how she had thought she would be so much farther along by the time she reached the birthday that had just passed. I told her my story. It took…

Here are 5 simple tips that I use to make my songs better every day. Get in the habit of doing these things and your songs will be better than they have been before. 1) Map your song out before you write. Write a simple, one sentence summary of what you want to say in…

Almost all of the people I write with are trying to get their songs recorded and make a living by doing so. It is easy to get so caught up in the pursuit of something commercial that I lose sight of the reasons one started writing songs in the first place. Those reasons, if lost…

1) I can write only 10 songs and have several hits in the bunch. Songwriting is a craft that takes years to develop. No painter paints a masterpiece within his first ten pieces of art. Most people have to write hundreds of songs before they write a hit. 2) I can move to Nashville (Or…

Songwriting can be a wonderfully, beautifully frustrating pursuit.  But it can be especially maddening if your singular goal is something outside of your control like focus on the songwriting summit. So, let’s say your obsession and songwriting summit is a Bruno Mars cut… There are several reasons that you are going to likely spend the…

In my mind, the single biggest distinction between pro and amateur writers is their way of thinking. Here are some of the most significant differences I’ve seen over the years in my day to day life as a full-time staff songwriter: 1. Amateurs think “Somebody is going to steal my song.” Pros think, “I’m going to…

Many writers that I mentor struggle with the idea of getting themselves in position to succeed. In fact, I see two extremes play out. Sometimes writers adopt the idea that “all I have to do is write a great song”. Others go to the extreme of trying desperately to “meet the right people” while ignoring…