Songwriting
The 9-Minute Songwriter Workout
The 9-Minute Songwriter Workout consists of three songwriting exercises designed to get you into the flow of writing without overthinking it. Your best ideas come from the subconscious, and you can tap into this with regular practice. Remember to do these exercises quickly, spending three minutes on each in rapid-fire succession. I like to set…
Read MoreWhat Do Publishers Look For In Songs (Revised 2023)
For many songwriters and artists, trying to figure out what publishers look for in songs can often feel like stumbling through an endless maze. Often this search for what someone else is look for leaves an artist or writer losing touch with their own talent and uniqueness. Throughout my career I’ve managed to navigate this…
Read MoreThe 10 Co-Writing Commandments For Songwriters (Revised for 2023)
Co-writing: The art of sharing your heartfelt ideas with another person and trusting the two of you will create songwriting magic. Co-writing songs can be tremendously rewarding and often frustrating. But there are some guidelines to make this experience more often than not a great one. If Moses came down from the mountain with a tablet for…
Read MoreStarting Your Song On The 5 Chord
Hey Song Meisters! Are you stuck in a chord rut? Well, I’m going to give you a trick I’ve used when writing hits like Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It by Darius Rucker. It’s all about placing the 5 chord in an unexpected place. This is a short video but will go a long…
Read MoreI Dare You: A Songwriter’s Challenge
One of the first things I did when I decided to seriously pursue writing as a career was to attend an NSAI Song Camp. I submitted my application and nervously awaited a response to let me know if I was accepted or not. Finally, the day came. There in the stack of mail was a…
Read MoreSongwriting Takes a Lot of Balls!
Today, being a successful songwriter is not just about sitting down with your instrument and pouring out your heart and soul. Now it resembles more a juggler in a circus act. It takes songwriting balls! Once a song is completed, you can pat yourself on the back. But then you must throw the next balls…
Read MoreWill You Be Ready When Your Songwriter Door Opens?
“He got lucky. That will never happen again.” After celebrating my first number one song, “Beautiful Mess,” a friend of mine told me that a big successful songwriter spoke these words about me. I can’t blame him, he had been writing big songs for years and he’d seen a lot of young writers come and…
Read MoreIs it Crazy To Chase Your Music Career Dreams?
I remember announcing to all my friends one day that I was moving to Nashville, TN to follow my music career dream. It never occurred to me that it might sound crazy to all of them. In fact it sounded so crazy that they staged a small intervention laying out very rational points. 1. I…
Read MoreThe First Rule Of Improv and Co-Writing Songs: Say Yes-and!
Stage Acting, Improv, and Songwriting… Recently I went to see my friend and talented actress Becky Wahlstrom doing improv night at Bongo Java’s in Nashville. The group she performed with, the Nashville Improv Company, were amazingly witty, intelligent, and lightning quick in making stuff up. I was struck at the similarities between actors, improv, and…
Read More4 Common Songwriting Mistakes – And 4 Fast Fixes
Are your songs not getting results? Is that latest greatest song you’ve written not having the impact on your audience that you were so sure it would? Often the difference in a good song and one that moves the listener is a simple quick fix. Here are 4 fast fixes for 4 common songwriting mistakes.…
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