How to Build Cool Major Chords
What’s a major chord? It’s a fundamental harmony that’s at the core of Western music theory. Click to learn how to build major chords. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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The Craft of Songwriting
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:
- Overcoming Writer’s Block in Songwriting
- Songwriting – Let Her Scream
- Ten Ways to Spice Up Your Melodies with Melodic Variation
- The Plot Thickens: Focusing Your Songwriting Story Ideas
- How to Extract a Melody from Your Lyrics
- Rhyme and Reason in Songwriting
- Understanding Prosody in Your Songwriting
- The Music of Words in Your Songwriting
- Memory and Songwriting
- How to Jumpstart the Creativity in Your Songwriting
- Brainstorming Your Song Titles
- Writing Great Songs Using Rhythmic Motifs
- Changing Keys in Your Songwriting
- How to Use Archetypes in Songwriting
- Art vs Commerce in Songwriting
- Measuring a Song’s Success
- How to Create Songwriting Rhyme Schemes
- The Narrator’s Point of View in Your Songwriting
- Learn the Elements of Songwriting Construction
- Lyric Writing Tools for You
- 7 Songwriting Templates to Get Your Ideas Flowing
- Do You Want Cool Chords for Your Song?
- Where Do I Get Inspiration for My Lyrics?
- How Do I Get the Music and Lyrics to Match Together in My Songwriting?
- Do I Need Talent to Write Music and Compose Lyrics?
- How Can I Write a Song Without an Instrument?
- What is Required of Me to Write a Good Song if I Have No Experience with Songwriting?
- Can Someone Explain Roman Numeral Analysis in Layman’s Terms for Me? (Part 1)
- Tonic vs. Root in Music Theory: Are They the Same Thing? (Part 2)
- What Exactly Does I7-vi7-V7, I-iii-IV-I, and IV-V-I-V Mean? (Part 3)
- How Do I Write Good Songs Using Metaphors and Similes?
- What’s the Deal with These i-VII-VI-V and iv-V-VII Chords and Stuff? (Part 4)
- Is There Any Method to Help with Writing Descriptions?
- 17 Songwriting Ideas to Get You Unstuck
- 12 Simile Examples That Aren’t Cliches (How to Write Them)
- How to Write a Song with a Catchy Chorus (Including Lyrics)
- How Do I Write a Song That Actually Sounds Good?
- Alliteration Meaning: Examples of Alliteration in Poetry and Songs
- Noun Definition & Meaning (Video Noun Examples & Types of Nouns)
- What Does Pronoun Mean – Can Pronouns Keep My Writing Focused?
- What Does Adjective Mean, and Can I Have a Cheat Sheet?
- What Exactly Is a Ballad and How Do You Write One?
- What Is an Adverb? Learn About Amazing, Adaptable Adverbs
- What Are Some Elegant Examples of Polyphony?
- How to Orchestrate Enchanting and Powerful Music
Related Content
Guitar:
- How to Tune Like a Rock Star
- Play Like a Rock Star with Open G Tuning
- Sound Like a Rock Star with Open G Tuning
- How to Tune the Classic Rock Open G Sound Using Harmonics
- Tune Your Ukulele Like a Hawaiian
- How to Tune the Blues Rock Open D Sound Using Harmonics
Ensemble:
Singing in Tune:
- Ear Training Exercises for Harmonizing in Tune
- Harmonize with Sing-Along Songs
- Singing Exercises with Harmony
- Harmony Singing Examples for Children
- How to Hear the Notes When Harmonizing
- Singing Major and Minor Harmonies in Tune
- 10 Elements That Impact Singing in Tune
- Harmony and Melody Tune Differently
- Vibrato Impacts Singing in Tune
- A Harmony’s Length Impacts Singing in Tune
- How to Harmonize in Minor Keys
- Sing in Tune Like a Rock Star
- How Can I Tell When I’m Singing in Key
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
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What Is Basic Figured Bass in Music?
What is figured bass in music? It was a musical shorthand used by harpsichord and organ performers during the Baroque period. However, its influence is still felt today, because it’s at the heart of most college level classical music theory classes. Keep reading to learn what it is and how it works. Estimated reading time 2 minutes
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How to Write Cool Kids’ Songs
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How to Best Use Family Chords
Do you need to know what family chords are and how they work? It doesn’t matter if you’re writing songs, or playing piano, guitar, or accordion, understanding how harmonies relate to each other within a key is your first step toward unlocking the secret of how music works. Click to learn how to best use family chords to expand your mastery of music. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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How to Write Beautiful Songs in English
Is English a second language for you? Do you want advice on how to write songs in English? Are you a world music artist and want to transition into a pop music career? If you want to write Western pop, you must understand pop music styles and have good English vocabulary and grammar skills. Click to learn how to write beautiful songs in English. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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How to Write Beautiful Sad Songs
Do you want to know how to write poignant sad songs? Sad song lyrics have an unrivalled ability to affect our emotions, stirring our hearts and offering comfort when times are tough. Click to learn how to write beautiful sad songs. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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How to Write Heavenly Worship Songs
Do you want to know how to write heavenly worship songs? Do you need help learning how to craft both good lyrics and music? Writing praise and worship songs that have uplifting music and lyrics is both an art and a ministry. Click to learn how to strike that balance. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
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