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Picking the Perfect Chords
January 24, 2022
As songwriters we often start with a chord progression, using it as a framework to add lyrics, melodies,…
Psychology of Creativity
The Value of Art
Uncategorized
Why do we bother making art?
January 10, 2022
It’s a question that haunts me. According Maslow, art should be something that we only bother with once…
Chorus Writing
Creative Practice
Music Theory for Songwriters
Songs I Love
Wisdom from Songwriters
6 Songs That Taught Us How to Write Songs
January 8, 2022
One of the best ways to learn how to write great songs is to learn from great songs…
Uncategorized
writing
My 6 Favourite Books of 2021
January 2, 2022
Top 3 Fiction A Deadly Education, Naomi Novik I snuck this one in in the last week of…
Generating Ideas for Lyrics
Language
My writing
Song Starters
Uncategorized
Examples of Sense Writing
January 1, 2022
The first exercise I run in any lyric writing class is called ‘Sense Writing,’ which is essentially the…
Creative Practice
Habits of Success
Uncategorized
How to Successfully Network as a Songwriter—my answer to a slightly petulant question on my YouTube channel
December 27, 2021
I was recently asked a question on my YouTube channel that went something like this: The most important…
Chorus Writing
Uncategorized
Getting to Great Chorus Lyrics
December 15, 2021
A great chorus is more than just the bit where the lyrics repeat. This video dives deep into…
Uncategorized
Wisdom from Songwriters
writing
George Saunders, Janis Ian, and Paul Simon—Where Meaning Comes From in Story
December 12, 2021
In a recent newsletter by one of my favourite writers, George Saunders, he writes of one of his…
Uncategorized
December 5, 2021
Write your best songs. We transform beginners into pros by teaching proven methods we use ourselves. To get…
Uncategorized
Why Having a YouTube Channel is Awesome
November 30, 2021
…because an awesome person you didn’t know before creates a beautiful graphic recording of a video you made,…
Creative Practice
Habits of Success
Psychology of Creativity
The 3 Things I Did This Year to Write Over 20 Songs
November 17, 2021
In this video, I share the three pillars of my creative practice that ensure I write even when…
Language
writing
Drunk in the day – and other tips on writing well
October 26, 2021
Writes William Zinsser in, “On Writing Well”: …you have to strip your writing down before you can build…
Music
Music Theory for Songwriters
Understanding Musical Genre for Songwriters
October 25, 2021
Professional songwriters often need or want to write in specific genres. This video explains 5 different ways to…
Creative Practice
How do you actually get better at songwriting?
October 3, 2021
A student emailed me this question today, and I thought it was beautifully simple, direct, and honest. Here…
Creative Practice
Generating Ideas for Lyrics
Uncategorized
Wisdom from Songwriters
writing
The Best Method for Writing a Good Song
August 11, 2021
From a recent interview with John Mayer: “Whenever I want to write a big song, I can’t. And…