The Best Songs From The ESC (SHORT Reviews From A Songwriter’s Perspective)

The Best Songs From The ESC (SHORT Reviews From A Songwriter’s Perspective)

There's a lot of talent present at this year's ESC. I've taken the time to listen to all of the tracks to help you decide on which ones you might want to listen to. There's a lot of great songwriting to be found in a lot of these songs and with each mini-review, I want to give you a little insight into why I think this song is great or why it's not. …continue reading →
3 Classic Tells That You’re An Amateur Songwriter (And How To Fix Them)

3 Classic Tells That You’re An Amateur Songwriter (And How To Fix Them)

I’ve been a student of songwriting my whole life. I’ve had guitar lessons since I was 5, went to 2 different conservatories, studied jazz guitar, classical and pop music, I’ve written for bands, orchestras and big bands. And with all of this experience I also learned a thing or two. When I listen back to my first songs I can hear that I didn’t understand a couple of simple concepts that I now use all the time. Listening to your contributions on Feedback Friday (my youtube show where I review your songs for free) I now see that I’m not the only one with these problems. There really are 3 things I hear amateur songwriters do repeatedly that tell me they don’t know what they’re doing. …continue reading →
7 Productivity Techniques That Will INSTANTLY Speed Up Your Workflow

7 Productivity Techniques That Will INSTANTLY Speed Up Your Workflow

Probably the most undervalued factor in becoming a professional songwriter is speed. Being able to write a song in a day or two dramatically increases your output and therefore possibilities.
  • The more songs you write, the more artists you can write for.
  • The more songs you write, the more you can upload for your fans.
  • The more songs you write, the more you can sell (hey, we all gotta make a living, right?)
  • It simply feels great to be able to write a song quickly.
  • There's no overthinking things, you have to rely on your intuition, meaning your songs don't mutate
  • You are always the first to be heard in pitches if you can send in your songs first.
…continue reading →
3 Major Ways In Which Songwriting Has Changed

3 Major Ways In Which Songwriting Has Changed

Growing up with my parents's favorite bands such as the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel, I recently noticed 3 major changes in how songs are written now as opposed to 30+ years ago. Understanding these 3 major changes in the songwriting industry is important because the consequences are very present in which songs make it to the radio (thus, your audience) and which don't.…continue reading →