One of the most important jobs I have as a teacher is to identify and share the common elements I observe in successful songs while steering students clear from the pitfalls in songs that fall short. If you want to learn how to write a country song, here are some of the biggest lyric pitfalls to avoid. Read more.
Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter lean on some sage songwriting advice Brent got from veteran songwriter Ralph Murphy: deliver a positive tempo. Read the post.
You have full control over who gets on your guest list, so use it to invite bookers, journalists, bloggers, music supervisors, and businesspeople you want to influence. Read the post.
LA Philharmonic’s Gustavo Dudamel embodies principles and practices that will benefit music-makers of any style and genre. Read the post.
In music, a mode is a formula for creating a musical scale. The Ionian (major) formula is W–W–H–W–W–W–H. The Lydian formula (W–W–W–H–W–W–H) can give your melody or progression an uplifting and yearning feeling. Read the post.
Whatever your relationship to music is, the manufacturing process for CDs and vinyl is just plain cool to see in action. Let’s take a look! Read the post.
Nothing spurs creativity like a deadline. Get your songwriting started by signing up for the RPM Challenge or February Album Writing Month and create an entire album in the month of February. Read the post.
From new wave pioneers to hip hop artists who were just making their mark, the list of music icons and notable musicians who died in 2019 is lengthy and significant. Read the post.
Perfecting your song order when you sequence an album can mean the difference between a great artistic statement and a nice mixtape. Read the post.
Writing about yourself and your music can be more difficult than you’d think. These pointers will get you on track to craft the words that match your music. Read the post.
Here are 10 posts from the Randy Chertkow and Jason Feehan (AKA The Music Money Guys) that will help you make more money with your music in 2020. Read the post.
With the explosion of music streaming, physical media appeared to be out for the count. However, the majors are now reporting physical music revenue growth compared to 2018. Heck, even cassettes are making a comeback. Read the post.
There are many reasons why finding a local, experienced vocal teacher might not work for you, so an online vocal program might be your best option. I took on the “Master Your Voice” online class from Ramsey Voice Studios to get a taste of what online vocal lessons can do. Read the post.
Kick 2020 off right by making achievable goals and plans now. Use this list to help you decide where to put your time and energy to set music goals for 2020 and make it your best music year ever. Read the post.
Taylor Swift’s latest industry tussle raises lots of questions for music artists. Who’s right, who’s wrong, and most importantly, what can you learn so you can avoid having to fight for your master rights? Read the post.
While the mediant (iii chord) isn’t as structurally integral as the tonic, dominant , or subdominant, employing it can provide an unexpected surprise that will make listeners’ ears perk up every time. Read the post.