For songwriters, it’s a perennial question: “Which should I write first, music or lyrics?” …
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What’s the REAL Difference Between a Poem and a Lyric?
Poetry and music share a long history of mutual inspiration and collaboration. Modern song lyrics are just the most recent way that music and poetry have come together. …
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The Lyric Idea Sketch: An Easy Way to Finish the Songs You Start
One trick for finishing the songs you start is to write a lyric idea sketch. It takes just a few minutes, and it can save you a lot of trouble. …
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How to Listen like a Songwriter
When’s the last time you sat and listened wholeheartedly to a piece of music? …
What are Your Top 5 All-Time Favorite Pieces of Writing?
What pieces of writing do you find yourself returning to again and again in your thoughts? They could hold the key to your unique voice as a writer. …
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How to Escape Conformity and Write a Song Tonight
In a world of mass-produced goods and music, how can you set yourself apart as an individual? …
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Hit “Mute” on Your Inner Critic and Write Better Songs
Warning: this one bad habit can become a serious drag on your desire to write songs. …
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11 Ways to Find Fresh Song Ideas When You Haven’t Got a Clue
Song ideas are all around you. You can train yourself to notice these gems, capture them into a notebook, and kindle the promising ones into new songs. …
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Rediscover Your Songwriting Groove, Part 2: Organize Your Audio Files
Somewhere on your hard drive there's a folder you've been avoiding. It's full of such solid gold hits as: AUDIO001.WAV AUDIO002.WAV AUDIO003.WAV And who could forget such timeless classics …
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Rediscover Your Songwriting Groove with a New Lyric Writing Notebook
Get a fresh start with a new lyric writing notebook — and all the inspiration that brings. …
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Your Favorite Songwriter Was a Beginner Once, Too
Popular opinion says that some people are born with creative brilliance — a gift for melody, a way with words, or brilliant command of a musical instrument. What about the rest of us? …
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How to Write a Chorus That Your Listeners Will Never Forget
Some songs get better and better the more you hear them — even after dozens of plays. How can you write a song that your listener will want to hear again and again? …
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