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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Do you want to know what in the world the odd sounding word onomatopoeia means? Do you need help learning how to write them? We’ll define the word and have examples from writing, songwriting, and poetry. Keep reading “What Exactly Does Onomatopoeia Mean in Writing” to learn what it is and how it’s used. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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Have you heard about MIDI and need to know what it is? Do you want to know how it can help you create music? MIDI is short for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. It’s an industry-wide open-source keyboard design protocol proposed by Sequential Circuits in the 1980s, and it’s still relevant today. Keep reading “Powerful Popular MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface)” to find out what it is, and what it can do for you. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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Do you want to know what cliches are and how to avoid them? Cliches are phrases that have been used so often that they lose their impact on your audience. Writers, poets, and songwriters need to be aware of them, because they can drain emotional energy from your work. Keep reading “How to Avoid Writing Annoying Cliches” to learn what they are and how to stay away from them. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Do you want to know what the word modulation means in music? Do you want to know how to make key changes in your songwriting? Modulation is when you use chromatic harmony to switch the tonal center of the music you’re writing. Doing this can make for dramatic, ear catching changes to the sound of your composition. Keep reading “How to Unlock Music Key Changes with Modulation” to learn what it is and how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Do you want to write a parody song? Dav Pilkey asserts, “You can’t just steal someone else’s idea… but you can make a parody” (Cat Kid Comic Club: Collaborations 68 – 69). Keep reading “How to Write a Parody Song without Being Sued” to find out what it is and how it works. Estimated reading time 3 minutes.
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Are you clueless about arpeggios? An arpeggio, or broken chord, is a basic musical figuration that’s used in multiple musical genres and playing styles. It adds grace and elegance to your music, allowing you to achieve a lighter and more sophisticated sound. Keep reading “Basic Arpeggios Explained in Less Than 3 Minutes” to learn what they are and how they work. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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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.
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Are you confused about what an octave is? Or are you a music teacher with a student that doesn’t understand how they work? Octaves are one of the most fundamental music theory concepts. When teaching music students, it helps to demonstrate them on a keyboard instrument, so I’ve created a keyboard diagram you can reference. Keep reading “How to Explain an Octave to an Absolute Beginner Musician?” to dive into the theory. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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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.
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Do you want to know what are the best free music notations apps? In our modern web-based world, there are many software options to choose from. They can help both novices and experts create professional looking scores. Keep reading “The 5 Best Free Music Notation Apps” to help you choose from the wide variety of free music notation software. Estimated reading time 2 minutes.
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