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

Songwriting tips

A collection of articles from the Disc Makers blog that include songwriting tips and advice from master songwriters and independent successes.

instrumental covers

Turning popular songs into instrumental covers

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021 Michael Gallant

Interpreting pop songs as instrumental covers can be a challenge. Here are tips to take your musical transformations in exciting directions. Read the post.

conversational lyrics

Writing conversational lyrics: Say it like you say it

April 28, 2021April 5, 2022 Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

Song lyrics are not poems put to music. Lyrics can be poetic and should be interesting, but there’s power in conversational lyrics that sound like something the character in your song would actually say. Read the post.

eleventh chord

Liven things up with eleventh chords

March 9, 2021July 19, 2022 Scott McCormick

Eleventh chords can provide lush texture to your songs, but they can be confusing. We’ve got charts and real-world examples to help you better understand these extended chords. Read the post.

flat-six chord

Add drama with a flat-six chord

February 9, 2021February 23, 2021 Scott McCormick

The flat-six chord can add drama to your music, and with some exceptions, is best used sparingly in your songwriting. Read the post.

ninth chords

Ninth chords add ambiance to your compositions

December 22, 2020March 9, 2021 Scott McCormick

There are many kinds of ninth chords, and they can be used in different ways. This post explores different kinds of ninth chords and how you can use them, with plenty of examples of their use in popular music. Read the post.

substitution chords

Use substitution chords to spice up your songs

December 3, 2020December 3, 2020 Scott McCormick

Jazz musicians know and integrate substitution chords on a regular basis, but musicians who play other genres of music can also employ this concept to great effect. Read the post.

writing pop songs

Writing pop songs that stand out

September 17, 2020October 15, 2020 Bobby Borg

Bobby Borg talks with Anika Paris — an award-winning singer/songwriter, classically trained pianist, and published poet and author — about ways to write unique pop songs. Read the post.

Ben Folds "2020"

Ben Folds’ “2020” — A case study for indie artists

July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 Michael Gallant

From songwriting ideas to recording technique, there’s a lot you can learn from the songwriter’s tragi-comic recording-in-quarantine project. Read the post.

songwriting

Songwriting Dos and Don’ts

May 4, 2020May 10, 2022 Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

A recent “Play For a Publisher” event featured Stacey Willbur, VP of Publishing and A&R for Full Circle Music sharing her feedback about 10 songs that were selected to be showcased. Read the post.

mixolydian

Get bluesy with Mixolydian and the Mixo-Dorian Blues

February 25, 2020February 25, 2020 Scott McCormick

Study up on the Mixolydian Mode, queue up a nice Mixo chord progression, and you’ll see why guitar masters like Eddie Van Halen, Angus Young, and Duane Allman all love Mixo-Dorian Blues. Read the post.

songwriting advice

Songwriting advice: Cry when you write, dance when you produce

February 19, 2020March 26, 2020 Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter

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.

Neapolitan chord

Use the zesty Neapolitan chord in your songs

October 22, 2019March 24, 2020 Scott McCormick

A touch of exoticism could be all you need to lift your song up from the mundane. The flat-second, a.k.a. Neapolitan chord, can be just the ticket. Read the post.

songwriting tips from the beatles

Songwriting tips from the Beatles’ “Help!”

September 26, 2019May 31, 2022 Scott McCormick

Few popular songs meld music, lyrics, and theme as potently as the Beatles’ 1965 hit single, “Help!” Here’s how they did it. Read the post.

right key

Choose the right key for your songs

September 19, 2019March 22, 2021 Michael Gallant

There are a lot of factors that play into choosing the right arrangement for a song — but choosing the right key for you and the musicians might be the most important. Read the post.

smash hit Southern Cross CSN

How Stephen Stills turned an unreleased leftover into the smash hit “Southern Cross”

July 9, 2019March 17, 2020 Scott McCormick

This is the second in a series that examines cover songs that went on to be huge hits, even though the original versions were mostly unknown. This post covers Crosby, Stills & Nash’s “Southern Cross.” Read the post.

  Older posts
Newer posts  

Newsletter Signup

Recent Posts

  • man playing a power chord

    What makes power chords so powerful?

  • music producer listening to a pre-made loop

    How to alter pre-made loops to get a customized sound

  • audio engineer with hand on mixing board fader

    Home studio recording: How to record and mix

  • superfans at a concert

    How to make a superfan in 90 seconds

  • Allen Woody with Gov't Mule

    When the bassline makes the song

Disc Makers Resources

The Disc Makers Audio Catalog
Making a Great Master
The Home Studio Handbook
How To Make More Money With Music - The Complete Guide

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
  • Follow us on Instagram
© Disc Makers Blog. All Rights Reserved.