I would say one of the most unspoken skills of a great songwriter is learning how to be objective about your own songs. This can be hard because when you are creating any piece of work it can feel like it’s your baby.  You can…

So following up on my last post about what chord extensions are (read it here if you need a refresher What are Chord Extensions?). I wanted to expand more on how to use them practically in songwriting.  In general, chord extensions can be used to…

Developing your songwriting style is really a lifelong process of experimentation and tweaking.  It’s likely going to change in some degree with every album because as a songwriter you probably don’t want to get stuck with all your music sounding the exact same all the…

I think it’s interesting how similar all creative fields are. From painting, to sculpting, to writing, the medium changes, but the intention to create and express ourselves is always there, and often follows many of the same general principles.  Among the wide array of creative…

While it’s really useful to use common chord progressions and song structure templates to edit songs, it can become a bit limiting and rigid when trying to come up with new song ideas.  For this reason, improvisation can breathe new life to your songwriting and…

Many artists write a ton of songs and eventually pick out the best ones and put them all on an album in a way that they flow well. This is totally fine. However, there are other formats for an album besides this.  One of these…

Where to begin? Sometimes that’s a tough question to answer because songwriting can get overwhelming quickly and give you paralysis by analysis.  The answer is often the same every time, just start simple, don’t overthink it.  Sometimes you won’t even think of an intro until…

For most artists there’s a few releases that are quite common and have different purposes. It’s good to know these because you will most likely have at least one of each over time.   The main types of music releases are the demo, single, EP, LP,…

All guitar players start in the same place, knowing absolutely nothing about guitar. So for many, if not all, these are the very first chords they will learn. So it’s safe to say that although they are considered very basic beginner-level chords, that is precisely…

Writing music in minor keys is a tool that should be in every songwriter’s belt, but nowhere is this more important than for those who are writing some form or subgenre of rock or metal.  These genre’s are generally characterized by aggressive, darker sounds because…

If you write a lot of songs there will come a time when inspiration and ideas start running low and you may start wondering how you’re going to come up with enough great ideas to fill several albums. Especially if you are writing a lot…

Maybe you’re a solo artist, maybe you don’t have a band yet and want to get out there and play, maybe you just want a chill song on your next album. Whatever your situation, you’ve decided to write an acoustic guitar song and that’s what…

Modes are the key to making songs that evoke complex emotions. When you make a song only in a Major or Minor key, the emotions might be a bit limited to sounding happy or sad. But modes give you access to a much wider emotional…

You’re probably writing a new song and putting some chords together or even using a standard chord progression. The problem you’re having is that the chord progression sounds basic, like a stock photo, but in song form. Let me first say that there is nothing…

Arrangement is a big topic, but we’re going to try to look at it as simple and practical as possible. There are a few best practices when it comes to writing rock songs and arranging all the elements so everything sounds clear and organized, both…

Finding someone to teach you songwriting can be difficult. It’s definitely not as easy as finding a guitar teacher or a singing teacher. Because of this, you might want to learn how you can teach yourself songwriting. But since you don’t know what you don’t…

As inspiration will ebb and flow, it can really help to know when it is a good time to write songs. Let me share a few times I have found it best to write songs. These may help you get the creativity flowing so you…

Many people may think that writing songs and being creative is a talent you are born with. While there are definitely talented musicians out there that seem to have a gift for it, songwriting is as much a skill as any other craft. And It…

I have good news and I have bad news, and it’s both the same news.  It’s very hard for someone to tell you if your song is bad or good.  This is because whether a song is bad or good is so much a subjective…

So you wrote a bunch of songs and they are great general frameworks of the overall tracks. Now you’re wondering how to start detailing so you can make your songs more unique and interesting. I’m going to show you a few tips to do just…

If you are reading this, you are most likely a complete beginner and you may be writing some of your first songs ever. Let me start by telling you that there are many approaches to writing songs, and you will probably make up your own…

You’re writing a song and you’ve been staring at the ceiling for 1 hour without a single inch of progress. You don’t know what to do, you’re hoping the inspiration gods will look down at your sad sad face, take pity and throw you a…

Knowing where to get inspiration for songwriting is one of those things that everyone struggles with no matter how good they are. Since inspiration comes and goes, we have to learn to be ok with it and find ways to put ourselves in a place…