5 Things To Do Before You Pitch Your Song
Pitching songs that are not ready or that are not in the ballpark for the artist you are pitching to is one of the fastest ways to burn bridges. In fact, doing either of those things is effectively pouring gasoline on the bridge. Way too many people pitch songs prematurely and significantly hurt their chances…
Read More#SongwritingHack 1.18 – “Top 5 Songwriter Guitar Hacks For The Broke A$$ Writer”
Today I’ve got five songwriter guitar hacks that are free for all – check them out. 1. Capo Trick When you’ve come up with that great guitar idea, and you want to come back in a few days and remember what you did, your iPhone can perfect for recording a short little video. Simply grab…
Read MoreHow To Rewrite Song Lyrics
One of the biggest things most people could do to improve their writing is to master the art of rewriting song lyrics. For my whole career, I’ve heard the saying… “Good songs are written but great songs are rewritten.” I have found that to be true in most cases. Sometimes, a song just falls out…
Read MoreAre You A Pro Vs. Aspiring Songwriter? Great Songs Don’t Care!
Over the weekend someone tagged me in a Facebook thread that had over 500 comments debating heatedly over whether or not a lyricist was an actual “songwriter”… All I can say is who cares? I don’t mean that in a harsh way. You see, I’ve been fortunate that over 150 major artists have recorded my…
Read MoreIn The Writer’s Room With John King
Artist and hit songwriter John King joins us in the SongTown Studio to sing his hit song “We Went” sung by Randy Houser and to talk about how songwriters can better understand writing for artists. 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 MoreThe Songwriter Business Plan: 5 Steps To Success
One of the things I discovered when I started mentoring writers is that very few of us have a songwriter business plan. That may be the curse of the creative mind – we get so lost in making stuff up that we lose sight of the business side of things that must be tended to…
Read More5 Fun Songwriting Exercises: Improve Your Writing AND Have A Good Time
Here are some writing exercises I do when I want to sharpen my songwriting skills and just have a good time with it, putting no pressure on myself. Ready for some songwriting fun?!? Thumb through a magazine looking for song ideas. Sometimes when I’m on an airplane, I pick up the inflight magazine and challenge…
Read MoreSongwriters: Do You Want Something You’ve Never Had?
The Definition of Songwriting Insanity… I’ve read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. I believe there is a lot of truth in that statement. If you want something you’ve never had, then you are going to have to do things you’ve never done. It’s shocks many people…
Read MoreMoments That Change Your Songwriting Fate Forever
Multi #1 songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson share the key decisions and moments that pushed them into full-time songwriting careers. Learn to recognize your moments and make the most of them. Kickoff 2024 with the SongTown MasterClass for Songwriters. Led by multi-#1/Grammy nominated songwriters… Clay Mills & Marty Dodson. Our students have gone on…
Read MoreAdd New Skills To Your Songwriter’s Toolbox Like A Pro
Songwriters, like any craftsmen, rely on skill. But skill is largely based on your ability to consistently add tools to your songwriter’s toolbox. Here are 4 steps to get you on the path to adding new tools, break out of old ruts, and level-up your writing. Practice Active Listening. When we’re listening to music, it’s…
Read More