Liven things up with eleventh chords
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.
songwriting tips
Add drama with a flat-six chord
The flat-six chord can add drama to your music, and with some exceptions, is best used sparingly in your songwriting. Read the post.
Sixth chords add moody complexity to your music
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 the post.
Ninth chords add ambiance to your compositions
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.
Use substitution chords to spice up your songs
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 that stand out
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” — A case study for indie artists
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 Dos and Don’ts
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.
Songwriting advice: Cry when you write, dance when you produce
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.
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.
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.
Every song has a story
You can find inspiration from anywhere – every song has a story, even if the song has nothing to do with the source of its inspiration. Read More.