Using augmented chords in your songs
Augmented chords can add drama and tension, as shown in these examples from popular songs from the ’60s through the ’80s. Read the post.
Songwriting tips
A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that include songwriting tips and advice from master songwriters and independent successes.
The magic of Nashville tuning
While Nashville tuning uses the same notes as a standard guitar tuning, used by itself and in layers with other guitars, this tuning can bring an articulate presence to a recording. Read the post.
Seven Things Every Lyricist Should Know
This post is excerpted from The CLIMB podcast, Episode #125, “Seven Things Every Lyricist Should Know.” Realizing these points has really helped me in my songwriting career. This is more mindset stuff, so this will be helpful no matter what you do. Read the post.
Need songwriting inspiration? Try alternate guitar tunings.
This post explores some common — and some of the more obscure — alternate guitar tunings to inspire you to write your next masterpiece. Read the post.
How to play eleventh and thirteenth chords on guitar
For some extended guitar chords — like a fully voiced thirteenth — there are more notes in the chord than there are strings. That’s where slash chords come in … with a little help from your bassist. Read the post.
The lush world of eleventh chords
Eleventh chords can liven up music in any genre, but they can be confusing. Here are some charts and examples to help guide you in your pursuit of extended chords. Read the post.
![Scott McCormick is a musician and the author of the Mr. Pants series of graphic novels for kids. His new audiobook, Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World, has been described as “drunk history for middle-grade kids” and is available on Audible. Scott can be reached at storybookediting@gmail.com. [hana-code-insert name='Guide Songwriting' /]](https://blog.discmakers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SongEnding_Facebook-440x230.jpg)
The song ending: How are you gonna do it?
The fade out, the cold ending, the endless loop, the key modulation… there are so many approaches to a song ending — at least on record — so, how are you gonna do it? Read the post.
Wow ‘em with your song intro
As an independent music artist, you’ve got a few seconds — at most — to reel a listener in to your single or lead-off track. Here are some strategies to craft a song intro that will make your listeners pay attention. Read the post.
One note to rule them all: The pedal point
A pedal point is the repetition or sustain of a single note throughout various harmonic changes that can make a standard progression more interesting or ground a complex progression in something familiar. Read the post.
Constructing a song from a melody
When you’re constructing a song, think of it in relation to the human body. You build the skeleton first, which can be a melody, and develop your song from there. Read the post.
Songwriting tips to help you stay creative
Not all these songwriting tips deal with the minutes and hours you’ll spend with your instrument in your hand, but that’s partly the point… your life outside your music studio should be rich and inspiring so that the music you create is too. Read the post.
Key change! How to wow ‘em with a chorus modulation
A song can take you on a journey, and including a key change — or modulation — can produce various emotional effects, from brightening the mood to creating a sense of unease. Read the post.
You need to work at being creative (creativity is NOT a talent)
Being creative is not an innate ability that you either have or you don’t. Creativity is not, in and of itself, a talent. Creativity is not related to IQ. Creativity is a way of operating. Read More.
Writing lyrics with depth
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 the post.
Supercharge your music with the flat-six chord
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 the post.