The Craft of Songwriting

Want to know what the word transpose means in music? Do you need to know how to change the key of a song? There are a bunch of reasons you might need to change the music’s key: 1) it’s the wrong range for your voice, 2) you need to make it fit your instrument’s range, 3) or you may play a transposing instrument (such as Bb trumpet) but need to read some music written at concert pitch. Keep reading “How to Effectively Use Music Theory to Transpose Music” to learn how to do it. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Do you want to know what the word attenuation means? Do you need to know what the attenuation control on your soundboard does? If you want the songs and demos you produce in your home recording studio to sound good, you need to understand how your gear works. This includes volume-related equipment such as limiters, compressors, and your soundboard’s various gain and attenuation controls. Keep reading “What Exactly Is Attenuation for Home Recording Studios” to find out what attenuation is and how it works in sound recording. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Do you need to know what a groove is? Do you want to learn how to write incredibly cool songs? The groove is the part of your song that makes you want to move to the beat. However, writing successful songs isn’t magic – it’s a skill that can be learned. Keep reading “What’s a Groove? (Including How to Write Hot Songs)” to learn how to write a killer groove. Estimated reading time 4 minutes.

Do you want to know what a song accompaniment is? Do you want to know the basics for writing them? An accompaniment is an arrangement for the backing instruments that support your song’s principal melody. Keep reading “What’re the Basics of an Accompaniment in a Song?” to learn more about what it is and how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.

Do you want to know what the word equalization means? Do you want to know how to EQ your song mix? Equalization (EQ) is a potent means for creatively sculpting the sound of your song’s mix. However, if you want to be really good at applying EQ to a mix, you need to train your ears to hear what the mix needs. Keep reading “How to Employ Effective Equalization on Your Song” to improve your listening skills. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.