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Songwriting, Honing Your Craft

Jul 3, 2019 06:00 AM

Charlotte Yates

10 Myths About Songwriting Busted!

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This article originally appeared on Soundfly.

I’ve been teaching songwriting for a long time. But for a long time before that I’d been hearing all kinds of excuses from songwriters going through writer’s block and friends who say, “Oh, I could never write a song,” which is like saying “I can’t succeed” or “I won’t even bother trying.” Wake up, people! Don’t get caught in your own productivity traps.

Here I’ve tried to counteract some of the dumber things people have said to me about my favorite part of music: songwriting.

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Songwriting, Honing Your Craft

Jun 26, 2019 06:00 AM

Alper Tuzcu

5 Techniques to Beat Writer's Block and Write a Great Song

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No matter who you are — from Leonard Cohen to your favorite subway busker — if you’re a songwriter, you’re bound to hit some creative roadblocks from time to time. Some days, creativity just pours out of you, and some days, things just do not click. Instead of letting writer’s block get you down, try these five strategies to break through creative blocks and write great songs. 

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Songwriting, Honing Your Craft

May 27, 2019 06:00 AM

Dan Reifsnyder

The Secret Behind "Old Town Road"? Toplining. Here's What It Is and How to Do It

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I had been writing for years the old fashioned way – with an instrument, voice, and maybe a co-writer or two. That's why I was perplexed when I heard about a supposed “new way to write.” Once I understood, it actually made perfect sense – it's a great time-saver and an interesting way to break new ground musically.

Toplining — the process of writing lyrics and melody to a pre-recorded music bed/track — has been around for years in the Rap and R&B genres, but has been gaining popularity in the mainstream. In this article, I'll dive into it and explain how you can utilize this new technique to up your writing game.

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Songwriting, Honing Your Craft

May 6, 2019 06:00 AM

Caleb J. Murphy

7 Expert Songwriting Tips From the Masters to Help You Write a Hit

Photo by Dana Nalbandian via Shutterstock

Whenever someone uses the word “should” when talking about songwriting, ignore them. There are no "shoulds" or "should nots."

Songwriting has one rule: there are no rules. Instead, there are tips, suggestions, and learning from other songwriters whom you respect. So here are seven songwriting tips from some of the most respected songwriters. All of these people have written numerous hit songs.

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Songwriting, Musician Success Guide, Strategies for Success, Honing Your Craft

May 1, 2019 06:00 AM

Caleb J. Murphy

Does Weed Help You Make Better Music?

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You’ve heard the theory: “Smoking weed helps you make better music." But is there any validity to that? Is it just a theory, or can we call it a fact? Read on.

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