6 Steps to Songwriting Success
Mainstream and niche song styles. Information is well laid out and readable. Also includes chapters on pitching and publishing deals.
Author Posts
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OVqeFBUZgM httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2MrG8bxR_Y httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYxVX39NwOk
Books
Mainstream and niche song styles. Information is well laid out and readable. Also includes chapters on pitching and publishing deals.
Songwriter Tip: Use Contrast To Get Attention!
by Robin Frederick (c) 2008.Based on “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell” available at Amazon.com. Imagine you and I are standing in a room full of people. If I suddenly start yelling, I will get everyone’s attention. But if I keep on yelling at the same level for awhile, what happens? Pretty soon they all get bored and stop listening (and probably leave). It’s natural to think that being loud, is an attention-getter but if loudness becomes the norm then it ceases to be something we are interested in. We are ‘hardwired’ to notice...
What’s The Hardest Part Of Songwriting?
by Robin Frederick I share so many of my own songwriting gripes and difficulties in my articles and books, by now everyone pretty much knows what I wrestle with. But I often wonder what OTHER songwriters find difficult about songwriting. So, I decided to take a poll on my Facebook site. I’ve had over 180 responses so far. (In just a moment, I’ll give you a link to the poll so you see the results and weigh in, if you haven’t already.) The question was “What do you think is the hardest part of songwriting?” I started out with just...
How Songwriting Is Like Riding A Bicycle
by Robin Frederick Remember when you learned to ride a bike? It wasn’t easy! You fell down a lot, but you kept trying. At first you needed someone to hold on, keeping you steady. Then you used extra training wheels to help you stay upright as you pedaled. Then, finally, you were able to ride on your own. You had found that complicated thing called BALANCE. After that, it was a breeze! The process of writing songs is a lot like riding a bike. It’s all about finding a balance! => Balance Melody, Chords, Lyrics – Writing a song that is...
Increase Potential Film & TV Use For Your Songs
by Robin Frederick For every song that’s placed in a film, TV show, or commercial, many are auditioned – often hundreds – but only one is chosen. The song that will get the job is the one that most effectively heightens the impact and memorability of the scene for viewers. Is a character discovering real love for the first time? A song can be used to underscore and enhance that feeling for the audience. Is the film set in a small town in the 1950s? A song can vividly recall the era. Always remember: the song serves the needs of...
Get The Most From Simple Chord Progressions
by Robin Frederickbased on “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” available at Amazon.com Current hit songs in all mainstream commercial genres tend to stick to a few basic chords and lean heavily on repetition. For accomplished musicians there’s a real temptation to overwrite. You may be better off if your chord palette is limited to C, D min, F, and G! You can hear this type of chord progression in big four-chord hits like Kris Allen’s “Live Like We’re Dying” where the basic approach works best. So, how do they make that work? The secret to the success of today’s repetitive chord progressions...
Write A Universal Lyric That’s Exciting And Fresh
Have you ever noticed how some people can describe a simple everyday occurrence and make it sound hilarious or tragic or just plain interesting, while another person can tell the same story and have you snoring with boredom in an instant? If the language you use is vivid and fresh even a familiar event or idea can come to life but if it’s trite, overused, and predictable–in other words, if it’s filled with clichés–even the most exciting story can become dull. People often speak in clichés.It’s an easy form of shorthand that doesn’t require much thought and ensures that everyone knows...
Keep Your Listener By Your Side
by Robin Frederick, author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” When I’m coaching songwriters, they often give me a lyric to read while I listen. This is useful because I like to make notes as the song goes along but I have to be careful to remember that the average listener won’t have that lyric page in front of them. Sometimes I grasp the meaning of a song only because I’m reading the lyric or because the songwriter has told me something about the song before playing it. But when that song is played on the radio, the writer won’t be...
Give Your Song A Memorable Title
by Robin Frederick, author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” The title of a song is almost always a featured line in the song itself, often the first line or last line of the chorus, making it the line that listeners remember long after the song is over. A good title is intriguing, evocative, and memorable. The best titles sum up the heart and soul of a song, recalling the whole experience for listeners, making them want to go back and listen again. Keep it brief. Long titles can work but may be difficult for listeners to remember. These longer titles may...
Study Hit Songs To Learn Your Craft
by Robin Frederick, author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” Most hit songs demonstrate at least three or four techniques you can use to broaden the emotional impact and commercial appeal of your own songs. That’s why it’s a great idea for aspiring songwriters (and even successful pro’s) to study recent hits! It’s important to study songs you admire, not the ones you can’t stand! Look for those hit songs that move you, the ones that appeal most to you, and then ask yourself what that song is doing that draws you in. Of course there are times when I go...
Start Your Song With A Universal Theme
by Robin Frederick, author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting” Some songwriters spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting for inspiration. Waiting for an idea. Just waiting. Well, I don’t want you to wait. I want you to start doing, writing, creating. Now. One of the things songwriters most often seem to wait for is an idea that will launch them into the deep emotional waters of a song. Not only is it unnecessary to hang around hoping an idea will magically appear, it can lead to repetition and stagnation of your creative muscle. It’s funny how, once an idea has...
Songwriting And Inspiration
by Robin Frederick (author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting”) Most songwriters sit down to write when they are going through an emotional time, when feelings are running high. Many great songs — many hit songs — have been written from a songwriter’s private life – the joy, love, grief, and anger of the writer’s own relationships. So, what happens when a songwriter who has been writing solely from personal experience begins to (or wants to) earn a living from their writing? Let’s say you’re a singer-songwriter with a record deal and you have to write ten new songs for an...
Songwriters On Songwriting
62 great interviews with hit songwriters. Learn from the pros!
Tunesmith
As much an autobiography of a great songwriter as it is a manual of craft and inspiration.
The Craft & Business Of Songwriting
Song craft – melody, lyrics, structure -plus pitching and publishing your songs, Braheny covers it all well.
Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell
126 proven songwriting techniques that take you from inspiration to finished rewrite. 117 “Do It Now” exercises make this a hands-on book!
Playing With Melody
by Robin Frederick (author of “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting”) Question: If I listen to a particular song I like, I feel inspired to write a song but when I sit down and try, I end up writing the melody I have just listened to. Do you have any tips? Answer: Melodies can easily get stuck in our brains. A hit Pop/Rock or Country song melody is very catchy; that’s a large part of the reason it’s a hit. But you’re right; this can be a problem for songwriters. Try this exercise to send your melody in a completely new direction: 1) Start...
Building Your Song The Hard Hat Way
Robin Frederick (author, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting) Let’s say that you’ve decided to build a house. You’ve gathered a big pile of lumber and you’ve got a hammer and some nails. Good, that’s a start! But if that’s ALL you have, your house is probably going to end up looking very strange. Without a saw, a screwdriver, a level, and the rest of the homebuilder’s toolbox, your house will look very odd indeed. If you try to sell this house, most buyers won’t be interested. For some reason, they seem to like solid construction, square windows, and a door that works. ...
Write Your Songs In A Genre
Robin Frederick (author, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting) Most of the time, when you start a song, you’re thinking solely about what you want to say, and that’s the best way to approach your songwriting. However, by keeping a little corner of your brain focused on the genre you want to write in, you can add strength to your song, the kind of strength that could help your song find its audience. Like ice cream, songs come in different flavors: strawberry, chocolate, peach, and rocky road. And, like ice cream flavors, there are very real differences between the four mainstream music genres...
From Inspiration To Finished Song
Robin Frederick (author, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting) Another great question from a songwriter… Q: “I find that I have an easy time finding a first verse and chorus (or rather, it finds me) but I’ll have trouble coming up with two more verses or a verse and bridge. The lyrics tend to sound forced and I feel trapped. Is that just how it goes when you’re trying to stick to a form?” A: For a lot of songwriters, this is how a song gets started. The first verse or chorus of a song may come to you full-blown, music and lyrics together. But...
Whose Melody Is It?
Robin Frederick (author, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting) From my email bag… Q: “After I write a song, how do I make sure I’m not copying someone else’s melody? Is there some kind of software where you input your music and it compares it to a database of music to make sure you are not replaying a song you heard from somewhere else?” A: That’s a good question! There is no software that I’m aware of. If the melody sounds familiar to you and it’s a nagging feeling that won’t go away, try playing it for friends to see if anyone recognizes...
Holiday Songs – It’s A Gift!
Robin Frederick (author, Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting) We’re heading into the holidays which is the cue for all of us songwriters to begin scribbling like mad. Holidays are a time of festivities and nothing brings out the festive spirit like songs and music! Beloved holiday songs are part of our holidays year after year after year. After a while, though, wouldn’t it be nice to hear a new “standard” or expand the old tradition to include something a bit more up to date? That’s where you come in! Get in the holiday spirit to write your song: Be on the lookout for...