Posts Tagged ‘Articles’

I can’t count the number of times I have had songwriters tell me… The music business is “trying to keep them out” or that they can’t break into the “cliques” in Nashville, LA, or wherever they are trying to break in. I’d like to give a different perspective on all of that. I put forward…

Most of us tend to gravitate toward the same kinds of things when we write.  We write grooves and feels that we like.  And we tend to write topics we like as well. Here are 5 tips for songwriting outside your box. Use these exercises to stretch your writing boundaries. Write songs from the point of…

Writing a great second verse is often the difference in a good song and a killer song. Here are my tips for leveling-up your second verses. Map out an outline of the song as soon as you decide on a hook. Knowing where you are going helps you avoid saying too much before you get…

As a long time professional songwriter, what used to be an occasional tool for co-writing long-distance, has turned into an everyday affair. In these days of social distancing, co-writing on Zoom has become the norm for scores of creatives around the world. And as a result, many SongTown members have asked me to share my…

I can’t count the times that I’ve heard a songwriter blame their lack of success on the radio, publishers, a “closed circle in the music business”, A&R people who “can’t hear a hit”, bad co-writers, just plain bad luck and the list goes on and on and on. While any of those factors COULD potentially…

We have many people that come to SongTown wanting to learn how to write a song for the first time. Others have written for a short time and want to learn good techniques and habits. I love to help people who are just starting out. I believe it’s especially important start off on the right foot and not…

I’ve been reading a book called “Big Magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of “Eat, Pray, Love”, that was given to me by SongTownian Lance Sims. In the first few pages of the book, Ms. Gilbert writes… “If you argue for your limitations, you get to keep them.” That hit me squarely between the eyes.…

Ahh, boys. Men. Boyz II Men. (hang on, be right back) Ok sorry. I had to stop typing for a minute so I could scream sing “ALTHOUGH WE’VE COME, TO THE END OF THE ROAD” but it’s mostly out of my system now STILL I CAN’T LET GO..okay..okay I think I’m good. Today, what’s on…