Success Music Studio

The Craft of Songwriting

 

The Craft of Songwriting - turntable and computer.jpg

 

The Craft of Songwriting Blog Category

Do you like writing songs, but get stuck when inspiration dries up? Do you enjoy the songs you’ve made, but feel they could be better? Songwriting is both a craft and an art. That’s why I named the category The Craft of Songwriting, so I can help you learn how to write well-crafted songs.

 

The art happens when ideas seem to come out of nowhere, sometimes coming together like magic. The craft comes in when you look at what you have written and ask yourself, “Hmm… can I make this better?” Then, you use songwriting strategies to sculpt and shape the raw ideas in your song.

 

Also, how do you defeat writer’s block? It can be a pain when inspiration ditches you. What do you do then?

 

Let me tell you a story.

 

My Story

Back in 1988, I got my worst case of writer’s block ever. Up to this point, when I wanted to write a song, I just did it. But suddenly, the ideas just would not flow. Dealing with my writer’s block forced me to also work on my craft and actually made my writing a lot stronger.

 

Fast forward a decade, I became involved with the Boston Songwriter’s Workshop (BSW). I started sharing my starter ideas and writer’s tips in articles for the BSW Newsletter. When I became the director of the BSW, I organized and taught special events as well.

 

Now I am going to share these starter ideas and writer’s tips with you too in the blog category The Craft of Songwriting.

 

Songwriting and More

The Craft of Songwriting blog category obviously focuses on writing lyrics and music. However, the Rock Star series of posts from the Intonation Blog Category has information on playing in alternate tunings that guitarists will find helpful. Singers should check out the Singing in Tune Blog Category.

 

Posts

Cornerstone Category Post:

 

Songwriting Posts:

 

Related Content

Guitar:

 

Ensemble:

 

Singing in Tune:

 

The previous topic lists will be updated periodically. See the post grid below for the full list and full descriptions with featured images.

 

– Geoffrey Keith

 

© 2022 Geoffrey Keith

 

Back to the Successful Music Student Blogs page

 

What's Assonance and What’s the Best Way to Use it in Writing - Person Typing on a Computer

What’s Assonance and What’s the Best Way to Use it in Writing?

Do you need to know what assonance is? Do you want to know how to use it in your writing? When you write, you need to make each word count. It’s not just the meaning of your words, but also the sound of the words themselves that can impact the feel of your prose, poetry, or songwriting. In addition, assonance opens up more options when you get struck searching for a rhyme. Keep reading “What’s Assonance and What’s the Best Way to Use it in Writing?” to learn what it is and how to do it. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

How to Orchestrate Enchanting and Powerful Music - Orchestra

How to Orchestrate Enchanting and Powerful Music

Do you want to know how to orchestrate music for both orchestra and rock ensembles? Writing for multiple instruments is all about balancing their sound. Because of this, this post will go heavy on videos. Keep reading “How to Orchestrate Enchanting and Powerful Music” to learn how to create effective musical arrangements. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

What Are Some Elegant Examples of Polyphony - Score with Rose - The 5 Best Free Music Notation Apps

What Are Some Elegant Examples of Polyphony?

Are you confused about what polyphony is? Do you want to know how to write counterpoint? Elegant can mean tasteful, but it can also mean well-designed, which these example pieces are. Counterpoint and polyphony appear in arrangements in many different styles and will enhance your writing skills no matter what type of music you write. Keep reading “What Are Some Elegant Examples of Polyphony” to learn what it is and how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Pronoun Definition & Meaning - Unlocking Your Knowledge [Video] - Vintage Typewriter

What Does Pronoun Mean – Can Pronouns Keep My Writing Focused?

Do you need to know how pronouns work? How do you unlock the power in these small yet potent words? These words will have a colossal impact on your writing, poetry, or songwriting. The magic happens when you substitute them for other words, making it so your writing becomes concise and (by extension) less wordy. Keep reading “What Does Pronoun Mean – Can Pronouns Keep My Writing Focused?” to find out how they work.