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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Why does one person say a song is great and another says it stinks? In the “Art vs Commerce” post, we looked at two versions of the song “32 Flavors” and how the Boston Songwriters Workshop members reacted to it. Then, we looked at how and when the art vs commerce question arose. Finally, we asked, “How do you measure a song’s success?” Read more to learn the answer.
Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
Ever wonder if writing a hit song means you’re selling out? When pitching songs, do you worry about losing creative control? The question of art vs commerce has only been with us a relatively short amount of time. Read more to find out what changed.
Estimated reading time 6 minutes.
Tired of using the same old chords in your songs all the time? Want to create excitement in your songwriting? Adding a key change to your song can make your listeners sit up and take notice. Read more to learn about changing keys in your songwriting.
Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Do you want to add depth to the characters in your songs? Writing about a celebrity or historical figure can be a great way to get the lyric crafting juices going. Read more to learn how to use archetypes in songwriting.
Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
Want to be able to write catchy, memorable songs? Rhythm helps us to distinguish one melody from another. It can also add unity and variety to your melodies. Read more to learn about writing great songs using rhythmic motifs.
Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Are you stuck in a rut like the guy in the picture above? Do you want to know how to come up with vivid and memorable titles? Most of the songwriting experts agree that you should first write your hook, which often ends up being paired with your title. This means you need your title at the beginning of the songwriting process. Read more to learn how to go about brainstorming your song titles.
Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Have you ever had trouble coming up with songwriting ideas? A creative dry spell can be one of the worst things for a songwriter to have happen. Read more to learn how to jumpstart the creativity in your songwriting.
Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
Want to write better songs? Want to have your listeners sit up and take notice? You need to develop your skills if you want to write effective songs with compelling music and strong lyrics. Read more to learn the elements of writing well crafted songs.
Estimated reading time 5 minutes.
Do you want your song to be catchy? If people can’t remember your song, you’ve got a problem. Therefore, you need know how humans remember things. Read more to understand the connection between memory and songwriting. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.
![music of words in songwriting, (i.e., the music of the words) impacts your songwriting, music of words into your songwriting - writing lyrics - jumpstart the creativity in your songwriting - Pronoun Definition & Meaning: Unlock Your Knowledge [Video]](https://successmusicstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/write-notebook-pen-4491416-682x1024.jpg)
Do you want to add more zing to your lyrics? Want words that pop off the page? It’s not just what you say, but also how you say it. Read more to understand how to capture the music of words in your songwriting.
Estimated reading time 3 minutes.