Unlike radio hits that burst on the scene then fade away, holiday songs have a long, long lifespan. Every major artist records at least one album of holiday songs. Plus there’s an avalanche of holiday movies and TV shows that need these songs, too. Sure they include the classics that everyone knows and loves, but they need to sprinkle in a few potential new holiday hits, too.
Category: WHAT’S ON THE SITE
The 7 Habits of Successful Songwriters
I know I give you a lot of advice and sometimes you probably wonder if I know what I’m talking about. (Hey, I wonder the same thing about other people all the time.)
So, in this post, I thought I’d give you songwriting advice that comes straight from the mouths of songwriters and artists with incredibly successful, long-running, world-wide fame and success. I won’t include their bios or track records because you already know who they are. So, here are “7 Habits of Successful Songwriters” straight from the source!
1. DEVELOP A SONGWRITING PROCESS
Your songwriting process is the way in which you approach creating lyrics, melody, and chords. Maybe you’re a lyrics-first person. Or maybe you grab your guitar and come up with a groove and chords first. Here’s how a couple of successful songwriters approach their own songwriting.
Paul Simon
“I work with my guitar and a legal pad…. I get going fairly early in the morning, because my mind is sharp, and start by dating the pad and putting down personal comments, such as how I am feeling that day, so that it becomes a diary of sorts. … The first page might have all sorts of lines that will never be used, but as I turn the pages, a little thought might come forward and suggest potential for development.” (Making Music, book by George Martin)
Cover Songs Are a Big Deal
I’ve been hearing a lot of great cover songs in TV series and commercials lately. Last week, The Handmaid’s Tale featured a spooky, electro cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain” by Kerala Dust. VRBO is re-airing a commercial with John Legend covering the Johnny Nash hit “I Can See Clearly Now.” An INXS cover version of “Never Tear Us Apart”—a hit for both Tom Jones and Joe Cocker—is currently being used in a long-form commercial for Michael Hill Jewelry. And recently NCIS: Hawai’i used Kina Grannis’ great guitar/vocal cover of “Shut Up and Dance” originally by Walk the Moon.
Cover songs are giving old favorites a new life and new, indie artists added traction!
Overcoming “Collab-o-phobia”
I’d Like to collaborate but I’m not sure how or whether it’s even a good idea. Can you help?
Lately I’ve been nudging songwriters toward more co-writing. Joining up with someone to combine your skills, resources, ideas, and energy will help you pick up your songwriting speed, finish more songs, find more opportunities and outlets, and so much more.
But my nudges are often meet with resistance. A lack of confidence or worry about looking foolish can really put the brakes on this idea. I call it collab-o-phobia: fear of co-writing. Here’s list of great tips that will banish it forever!
Your Songwriting Career: Are YOU In the Driver’s Seat?
Picture your songwriting career as a car. Just for fun, let’s say it’s a Ferrari. It might not feel like one right now but that’s because it’s not going anywhere very fast.
It could be that your car is driving in circles, starting and stopping, or stuck in neutral. Maybe the driver is asleep at the wheel or doesn’t know how to get where they’re going. Wouldn’t it be better if the driver woke up, checked the GPS, took hold of the wheel, and harnessed the power of that amazing engine to get to a real destination?
You are the car’s driver. The engine that powers this car is your Energy, Inspiration, Desire, and Excitement. There’s plenty of potential there but unless the you have a real idea where you’re going and how to get there, the car can’t take you there on its own.
Start your engine
A successful journey starts with a clear destination in mind. Do you want to…
- Have a career as a recording artist?
- Write songs for other people to sing?
- Write songs for film and TV?
- Be a songwriter-producer?
- Make money with your songs or write for friends, family, or your community?
Maybe you want to do all of these. Destinations can change, of course, but it’s a good idea to start your trip with one clearly in mind.
WRITE DOWN A DESTINATION YOU WANT TO REACH. If you can’t decide on just one, pick the one you want to go to first, then list the others.
The road starts at your front door. If you wait for someone to come along and pave a road just for you, it’ll never happen. You have to make your own road. At the end of this post, I’ve included four ideas to get you started.