10 WRONG Things Amateur Songwriters Focus On
This week on the SongTown Songwriting Podcast, multi-hit writers Clay Mills and Marty Dodson reveal 10 common mistakes that hold amateur songwriters back. Discover how to share your truth in a way that connects with artists—and moves audiences. Adopting the pro mindset can take your songwriting skills to the next level! Clay & Marty’s 10-day…
Read MoreSongwriting: The Most Subtle Art On The Planet
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard aspiring songwriters lament that their songs are just as good or better than the songs that major artists are recording. They can’t understand why their songs aren’t getting the attention they deserve or being recording on records. They haven’t yet grasped that songwriting is a subtle…
Read MoreAre Your Songs “Too Personal” To Be Commercial? (Songwriting Pro Tips)
This week on the SongTown Songwriting Podcast, multi-hit writers Clay Mills and Marty Dodson reveal how to write deeply personal songs without losing commercial appeal. Learn how to share your truth in a way that still connects with artists—and moves audiences. Don’t fall into the trap of getting so personal that no one else can…
Read More5 Songwriting Tips You Might Not Have Thought Of
These are 5 songwriting tips that you might not have thought of. Over the course of my pro songwriting career I have picked up many such tips but these are my top 5 to share with you today! Your songwriting rhyme scheme helps the listener keep up with where they are in the song. You…
Read MoreWriting From The Heart : A Guide for Songwriters
Music has the power to move us, to stir our emotions, and to compel us to take action. Yet, many songwriters struggle with a common challenge: creating songs that are technically sound but fail to resonate emotionally with listeners. In today’s digital age, where streaming platforms dominate and 100,000+ songs a day are uploaded, the…
Read More7 Positive Thoughts For Songwriters
I’m a big believer in positive thinking. Here are some positive thoughts for songwriters that can help keep you moving forward and help you enjoy the journey. 1) The only person I have to beat is me. If I continually work at writing a better song than I wrote yesterday, then I will someday be…
Read MoreAre Near Rhymes Cheating? How PRO SONGWRITERS use RHYME!
Are near rhymes cheating when it comes to songwriting? In this episode Hit writers Clay Mills & Marty Dodson dive into the world of advanced songwriting techniques and explore how pro songwriters use rhyme to craft great songs. Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series: This video series will help you level-up your songs and finish…
Read MoreSongwriting Hack – “From Song Idea To Major Label Cut”
We’re going to do something special today. Since the beginning of SongTown, I’ve had members ask me if I would break down a song – from the beginning of the idea and inspiration, how he wrote it, to how it became a major label cut. And I’ve always been hesitant because songs don’t always start…
Read MoreWhy Have A Songwriting Mentor?
Songwriting mentors can help you avoid huge mistakes… I am a huge believer in finding a songwriting mentor. My songwriting mentors helped me avoid so many mistakes and they cut years off the learning curve I would have experienced if I had to figure out everything on my own. Little statements from my mentors still…
Read MoreDon’t Live With Songwriting Regret
I spent the first 2/3 of my life to date living in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of risk. Fear of conflict. Fear of performing or speaking in public. Fear of God striking me down if I misbehaved. The list goes on an on. And, around that 2/3 mark, I noticed that those fears began…
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