Songwriting Tip of the Day #13

Tip #13: Don't be scared to pull from your dark memories

So something unique about songwriting is, no one has to know if your songs are true or not, all they have to know is that they believe what you are singing.  You can easily hide your secrets in your songwriting.  You can hide them layered in metaphors, or you can put them right on the surface in your lyrics.  But the beauty is, no one but you has to know what is true and what is fiction. So don't be scared to pull for your darkest memories, deepest fears, or most heart wrenching regrets! 

(Also just on a human to human note, holding your secrets in isn't good for you! Songwriting can be an excellent way to just spit them out, even if you never show anyone the song!)

Songwriting Tip of the Day #12

Tip #12: Be aware of current events

Being aware of current events will make your writing more relatable to a mass audience.  By writing about a world issue or world news, you allow your song to reach people everywhere who are also being affected by this event.  Here are a few pieces of songs I love that were written about what was happening in the world at that time!

The Times They Are A-Changin’
Bob Dylan

 Come writers and critics
 Who prophesize with your pen
 And keep your eyes wide
 The chance won’t come again
 And don’t speak too soon
 For the wheel’s still in spin
 And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin’
 For the loser now will be later to win
 For the times they are a-changin’

 Come senators, congressmen
 Please heed the call
 Don’t stand in the doorway
 Don’t block up the hall
 For he that gets hurt
 Will be he who has stalled
 There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’
 It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
 For the times they are a-changin’

For What It's Worth
Buffalo Springfield

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
You step out of line, the man come and take you away

Songwriting Tip of the Day #6

Tip #6: Use dominant 7 chords 

While moving from your 5 chord back to your 1 (i.e. D back to G in the key of G) try using a D7 instead of just a D major.  When you make your 5 chord a dominant 7 it makes the listeners ear really REALLY want to hear the resolve back to the 1! Trust me, try it!

How to play a dominant 7 chord:

The chord is made of the 1, 3, 5 and b7

Below are examples of movable dominant 7 chords starting with the root note (shown in red) on the E, A and D strings of a guitar.