Graham English

Posts Tagged ‘songwriting techniques’

Songwriting Challenges – Where Do I Begin?

One of the most common challenges I hear about songwriting is not knowing where to begin. With the lyrics? With the music? Or something completely different? It’s a rather simple challenge to find a solution to, really.
Start with a single note or single word
Play a single random note and just listen to your imagination. Does [...]

The Perfect Song Title – 5 Things To Remember

Place Your Song Title At Key Points In The Chorus
Your song title is more likely to be remembered if it is placed in the first or last line of the chorus.
Place Emphasis On Your Song Title In The Chorus
Support your song title by giving it a rhythm, melody, and harmony that sounds natural and intuitive. [...]

Hit Songwriting Tips Podcast 09-29-06

Topics covered: Songwriting for busy people, capturing song ideas, GTD (Getting Things Done), organization, productivity, iTunes, GarageBand, Logic Pro, inspiration, motivation, tagging, mood markings, songwriting techniques, review, Hit Song Cheat Sheet, and much more…

How Do You Develop New And Interesting Chord Changes?

Here’s a handful of my top techniques that I use to develop new and interesting chord changes.
1. Stick with I-IV-V
I know, it’s not new, but I-IV-V doesn’t have to be uninteresting. There’s a reason why these chords are so fundamental to our harmony. So master them. Use their constraints to challenge your songwriting ability.
2. Copy [...]

The Astonishing Hit-Making Magic of Song Titles

Why almost everyone is completely wrong about what makes a good song title… and why this is a tremendous advantage for anyone who knows the secrets.
Most people – and shamefully, most so-called experts in songwriting – wouldn’t know a good song title if it bit them on the ass. The fact is, there is more [...]