Skip to content
Disc Makers Blog
  • Music Business
    • Disc Manufacturing & Design
    • Free Guides
    • Music Business & Music Management
    • Music Industry News
  • Music Marketing & Promotion
    • Crowdfunding for Musicians
    • Social Media for Musicians
    • YouTube & Music Videos
  • Performance & Rehearsal
    • Booking Shows & Touring
    • Live Performance
    • Musical Equipment & Gear Reviews
    • Singing Tips
  • Recording & Mastering
    • Audio Recording
    • Film and Authoring
    • Home Studio
    • Audio Mastering
    • Studio Gear
  • Songwriting
    • Music Licensing, Copyrights & Publishing
    • Songwriting tips
  • DISCMAKERS.COM

writing songs

writing lyrics

Writing lyrics with depth

March 19, 2018March 19, 2018 Chris Huff

If you are interested in writing lyrics with depth, you need a deep artistic well to draw from. All output requires input, and as a lyricist, I recommend you begin with words. Read More.

flat-six chord

Supercharge your music with the flat-six chord

March 13, 2018April 2, 2018 Scott McCormick

Borrowed chords (chords “borrowed” from a key’s parallel minor) are commonly used in music influenced by the blues, including rock, jazz, R&B, even country and folk. Today we’ll focus on the flat-six chord. Read More.

brian wilson arrangements

Scott McCormick discusses Brian Wilson’s production and arrangements with the M3 podcast

February 27, 2018February 27, 2018 Scott McCormick

“Mentoring for the Modern Musician” podcast producers Adam and Michael Scharff caught up with musician/author/Disc Makers Blog contributor Scott McCormick to dig deeper into Scott’s three-part DM Blog series on the inimitable Brian Wilson. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation. Read More.

Sixth Chords

Sixth chords can add subtle complexity to your songs

February 19, 2018February 19, 2018 Scott McCormick

Sixth chords have an inherent lack of identity and purpose that can be riveting — a sixth chord can provide ambiguity, set curiously dark moods, and add a layer of complexity to your music. Read More.

good vibrations and smile

“Good Vibrations” and Smile: A complex album built on a song

January 22, 2018January 22, 2018 Scott McCormick

Not only does “Good Vibrations” provide a structural template for Smile, it also gives the album its tonal language. Nearly every song or song section is written in one of “Good Vibrations” chords. Read More.

three guitarists

Three guitarists you may have overlooked (and why you should check them out)

January 3, 2018January 4, 2018 Chris Huff

There’s nothing wrong with big, noisy rock, but here’s a perspective from three guitarists who use their instruments to create a vibe rather than flex their muscular musical chops every chance they get. Read More.

write a great melody

How to write a great melody, Part 2: Putting the rules to work

December 18, 2017December 18, 2017 Scott McCormick

To write a great melody, throw in a dramatic flourish to enhance a moment, but sing the way people speak: It sounds better and makes a melody more memorable. Read More.

how to write a great melody

How to write a great melody, Part 1: What makes a melody great?

December 12, 2017December 12, 2017 Scott McCormick

While I can’t give you an exact recipe for how to write a great melody, I can point out some common traits great melodies have to help improve your melodic skills. Read More.

Bob Dylan

Why Bob Dylan is important to songwriters

December 6, 2017December 6, 2017 Chris Huff

Love him or hate him, there’s a lot about Dylan’s career arc that is important and inspirational for songwriters, from his transforming song form to the fact that he’s kept writing almost non-stop for six decades. Read More.

song structures of Roy Orbison and Kendrick Lamar

Subverting song structures: Roy Orbison and Kendrick Lamar

November 27, 2017March 2, 2018 Scott McCormick

Taking liberties with traditional song structures can be a great way to stand apart from your peers, keep listeners on edge, add a sense of drama, and make even a short song seem like an epic. Read More.

Brian Wilson songwriting

Brian Wilson’s songwriting tricks and techniques

October 18, 2017January 22, 2018 Scott McCormick

We look at recurring songwriting and chord techniques Brian Wilson used to create some of the most beloved and enduring songs in 20th century popular music. Read More.

songwriting lessons from John Lennon

Songwriting lessons from John Lennon

September 26, 2017March 19, 2018 Keith Hatschek

We settled on three compositions that provide virtual songwriting lessons from John Lennon: “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “Julia,” and “Watching The Wheels.” Read More.

musical arrangements of Brian Wilson

The ingenious musical arrangements of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys

September 19, 2017January 22, 2018 Scott McCormick

Not only is Brian Wilson a unique talent in terms of songwriting, he was one of the most influential producers of his era, renowned for his ingenious musical arrangements. Read More.

music theory rules

3 songs that break music theory rules – and are better for it

August 28, 2017November 27, 2017 Dave Kusek

Sometimes going against common music theory rules ends up being exactly what a song needs. Read More.

microtones

Microtones: the notes between the notes

August 23, 2017January 24, 2018 Scott McCormick

Join us for a journey – with lots of videos – and travel in between the notes to the beautiful, mind-bending world of microtones. Read More.

Posts navigation

  Older posts

Recent Posts

  • learn new music

    8 tips to help you learn new music … fast

  • offstage music careers

    Want to work in music? Consider these offstage music careers.

  • work for hire

    Work For Hire agreements from a musician’s perspective

  • women in rock

    Women in rock — three luminaries who made their mark

  • hiring musicians online

    Five tips for hiring musicians online

Featured Partners

Merch.ly: 50 t-shirts. Any color  for only $4.99/shirt!

Disc Makers Resources

10 Effective  Strategies  to Get  Your Music Noticed
Disc Makers $999 Album Drop Bundle
Our free checklist will help you plan your next album from beginning to end.
YouTube for Musicians

Resources

Disc Packages & Vinyl
Services
Help
Pricing
Free Resources
1-800-468-9353

Connect on Social

  • Join us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Join us on YouTube
  • Join us on GooglePlus
  • Follow us on Instagram
© 2018 Disc Makers Blog. All Rights Reserved.