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.
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.
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.
Cornerstone Category Post:
Songwriting Posts:
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
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“Can I write a song if I don’t play an instrument? If I have a melody and lyrics in my head, how can I create backing tracks for my song?” Good news! You too can write songs, even if you can’t play an instrument. Click to read, “How can I write a song without an instrument?” Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Do you need talent to write music and compose lyrics for a song? Or can you get by using music theory and compositional techniques? We’ll talk about that and a whole lot more in today’s post. Click to answer the question, “Do I need talent to write music and compose lyrics for a song?” Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Frustrated that you can’t get the mood of your music and lyrics to match? Do you have problems getting the syllables of your lyrics to work with the music? If you answered, “yes,” you have problems with prosody in your songwriting. Read more to answer the question, “How do I get the music and lyrics to match together in my songwriting?” Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Have you ever stared at a blank page, trying to come up with a lyric idea? Do you ever ask, “Where do I get inspiration for my lyrics?” Look no further! I’ll give you three lyric writing starter ideas to help you get the juices flowing. Read more to learn how to get back on track with your writing. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Do you have a melody and need chords to go with it? Do you feel clueless when working with harmonies? This post will explain how to find just the right chords for your song. Read more to learn how to find cool chords for your song. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Are you stuck on how to begin writing your song? Have you been staring at a blank page and need help with structuring your song? You’ve come to the right place! Read on to learn more about 7 songwriting templates to get your ideas flowing. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Do you find yourself falling into ruts in your songwriting, making your song lyrics boring or repetitive? Help is on the way! In today’s post, you will read about the best lyric writing tools for you to buy. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Not sure about how to write a pre-chorus or a bridge? Are you confused about how to shape the form of your song? Look no further! Read more to learn the elements of songwriting construction. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Do you ask yourself, “What in the world is point of view anyway?” Does your audience sometimes get confused about who is singing in your songs? You may have problems with your point of view. Read more to learn about the narrator’s point of view in your songwriting. Estimated reading time 7 minutes.
Are you confused about how rhyme schemes work? Do you want to get away from using the same old rhyme scheme on every song? You’ve come to the right place! Read more to learn how to create songwriting rhyme schemes. Estimated reading time 5 minutes.