Category: WHAT’S ON THE SITE

The 30-Minute Songwriting Workout

Songwriters, do you find yourself sitting on the couch watching TV when you should be writing? Does it seem like too much effort to workout in your home studio? Haven’t got the time to lift your guitar, do a few reps on the piano, or stretch those vocal cords at the mic?

Well, I’ve got the perfect life hack for you!

In just 30 MINUTES A DAY you can have the creative muscles you’ve always wanted. Wishing won’t make it happen. But if you’ve got a half hour a day to dedicate to your creative life, you can get your songwriting in the best shape ever!

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8 Ways to Add Character to Your Songs

Have you ever started reading a novel or watching a movie and instantly found the characters so intriguing that you couldn’t stop? While we wouldn’t dream of reading a novel that didn’t have interesting characters in it, we don’t often think about the characters in our songs. Yet a character is often the first thing that a listener reacts to. Do they like your characters? Identify with a character? If so, they’ll stick around and listen to your song, maybe more than once.

So let’s take a deeper look at how you can create characters that capture the listener’s interest.

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Writing Songs for Film & TV

Movie Slate

Thousands of songs are used in TV shows, films, and commercials each year. For every song that’s placed, many are auditioned—often hundreds—but only one is chosen. And you want that song to be yours.

The song that will get the job is the one that enhances the emotion and memorability of the scene for the viewers. Is a character discovering real love for the first time? The song needs to evoke that feeling of innocence, yearning, and wonder for the audience. Is the film set in a small town in the 1950s? The song needs to make us feel that we’ve traveled back to another time and place.  And the right song can bring the whole thing to life!

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Practice Songwriting: 6 Exercises

Everyone knows what we mean when we say “Practice makes perfect,” whether it’s whacking a golf ball over and over, repeating those dance steps until you can do them in your sleep, or playing the same riff on guitar till it’s smooth as silk. We know things will improve with enough repetition because we can see the results.

But how do you practice songwriting? You can practice piano or guitar to improve your playing, which is good, but it’s not songwriting. You can improve your singing with practice so you can hit notes with confidence, character, and emotion. And that’s really useful, but it’s not songwriting either.

You need to practice writing lyrics that move listeners. You need a workout that strengthens your melodies and provides more choices when writing. Where do you find the repeatable exercises that help you get better at those things?
Answer: By breaking it all down into manageable bits and focusing on areas where you’re having difficulty. So, let’s do it.

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Set Your Songwriting Goals

Set Goals!

Setting goals can shift your songwriting into high gear and help you achieve your dreams. But it’s important to choose your goals carefully.

Pick goals that are achievable. Make sure they’re something you have control over.  Avoid vague goals like “I’m going to write a hit song.” Instead, make them specific, break them down into small steps and create a timeline.

Don’t try to do too much – that’s a set up for failure. Instead, pick three or four things you really want to accomplish. Write them down then keep that list where you can see it.

Here are four goals that can get you started. 

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