How To Write Songs

Category: Analyzing Songs

  • The Unexpected Secret Behind this Popular Song

    The Unexpected Secret Behind this Popular Song Many songwriters think that there are only a few traditional song forms which they can use to write with. However, the truth is that song form is modular – you can write a song arranged in any way you wish. To help you understand how to do this,…

  • Paul McCartney’s Secret Technique for Beautiful Chords

    Paul McCartney’s Secret Technique for Beautiful Chords Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” is not only one of the most iconic songs of all time, but it’s also a masterclass in how simple chords can create sophisticated sounds on the guitar. In this post, we dive into the secrets behind the song’s beautiful two-note chord voicings, explore the…

  • Uncovering Songwriting Techniques with Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now”

    Uncovering Songwriting Techniques with Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” Joni Mitchell is a songwriting legend whose techniques continue to inspire musicians and lyricists around the world. In this article, we break down one of her biggest hits—“Both Sides Now”—to reveal six signature songwriting moves that you can incorporate into your own creative process. This article…

  • Songwriting is “Easy” According to John Lennon

    Songwriting is “Easy” According to John Lennon In a 1983 interview with Molly Meldrum, David Bowie talked about how much he admired John Lennon’s songwriting capabilities. He recalled a time when Lennon said to him, “It’s very easy…all you have to do is say what you mean, make it rhyme, and put a backbeat to…

  • 10 Essential Chord Progressions for Songwriters

    10 Essential Chord Progressions for Songwriters If you’re a songwriter looking for inspiration then look no further! In this article, we take a look at 10 essential chord progressions and some classic songs that use them. This article is a summarised transcript of our video “10 Chord Progressions Every Beginner Songwriter Should Know”. Click here…

  • Songwriting Tip #7 – Using Unconventional Song Forms

    Songwriting Tip #7 – Using Unconventional Song Forms In songwriting, it’s common practice for most of us to adhere to common or popular song forms such ABAB or AABA. However, this doesn’t mean that these are the only song forms we should ever use. Through analysing Queen’s “We Will Rock You”, we’ll discuss how using…

  • Chord Tips to Learn from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”

    Chord Tips to Learn from “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is one of the Beatles most popular and well-known songs. Buried within this masterpiece are some truly amazing chord sequences! In this article, we’ll break down those chord sequences so that we can learn from them and use…

  • Songwriting Tip #6 – Keep It Short

    Songwriting Tip #6 – Keep It Short A common issue that songwriters often struggle with, is how to determine the length of their song. In this blog post, we’ll learn the importance of song length, by studying Queen’s famous rock anthem, “We Will Rock You”. This article is a summarised transcript of the sixth part…

  • Songwriting Tip #5 – Listening to Your Audience

    Songwriting Tip #5 – Listening to Your Audience As songwriters, we’re often focused on the details of our songs and the creative process. However, it’s important for us to remember that our audience deserves to feel like they’re a part of our songs as well. Through analysing Queen’s song “We Will Rock You”, we’ll discuss…

  • Let It Go – A Lesson in Songwriting

    Let It Go – A Lesson in Songwriting The song “Let It Go” from the Disney musical Frozen is a song that solves an age-old problem that songwriters face: how to repeat something, but make it get more interesting, not less interesting. So, whether you’re into Disney or not, take a moment to read this…

  • Songwriting Tip #4 – Turning the Chorus into an Anthem

    Songwriting Tip #4 – Turning the Chorus into an Anthem The goal in most songs is to shine a spotlight on the chorus, and really ensure that the hook sticks in our listener’s minds. In this blog post, we’ll analyse how “We Will Rock You” by Queen turns their chorus into a powerful anthem. This…

  • Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline

    Songwriting Tip #3 – Moving the Story Through a Timeline A common problem that songwriters face is not knowing how to structure our verses. Through analysing Queen’s hit song “We Will Rock You”, we’ll learn one of the ways we can develop the storyline of a song. This article is a summarised transcript of the…

  • Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument

    Songwriting Tip #2 – Using the Voice as a Percussive Instrument Usually when we write songs, we focus a lot on using a good amount of variation between our verses and choruses. This is so that we can create a build-up of tension, followed by resolution in the chorus. However, it’s entirely possible to place…

  • Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity

    Songwriting Tip #1 – The Power of Simplicity As songwriters, we try hard to distinguish ourselves and create memorable songs. Unfortunately, many songwriters often feel as if things need to be complicated in order to stand out – this is inaccurate. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the power of simplicity through studying Queen’s classic…

  • Discovering the Magic Chord Modulation

    Discovering the Magic Chord Modulation The magic chord modulation is a powerful songwriting tool that can help us establish key changes and special moments in our songs. Here, we will learn what is the magic chord modulation, examples of songs that use it and how we use this in our own songs. This blog post…

  • Songwriting Tips to Learn from Queen’s “We Will Rock You”

    Songwriting Tips to Learn from Queen’s “We Will Rock You” “We Will Rock You” by Queen is arguably the greatest rock anthem of all time. In this blog post, we look at some of the songwriting secrets buried within its seemingly simple form. This blog post aims to summarise our video “How to Write a…

  • Learning About Secondary Dominant Chords

    Learning About Secondary Dominant Chords Although the “secondary dominant chords” may sound intimidating, it’s a simple concept to grasp once you understand the formula behind it. In this blog post, we’ll discover what secondary dominant chords are, have a look at some song examples and learn how to make this technique our own. This blog…

  • Exploring Minor Line Clichés

    Exploring Minor Line Clichés Since we previously learnt about major line clichés in this article, we will now learn about its darker cousin – the minor line cliché. Among the topics we’ll discuss are what is a minor line cliché, examples of songs with minor line clichés, and how we can incorporate them into our…

  • Explaining Major Line Clichés

    Explaining Major Line Clichés There are many techniques we can use to spice up our chord progressions, and the one we’ll learn about today is major line clichés. Some of the topics that we’ll cover include what is a major line cliché, and how can we incorporate them into our songwriting. This blog post aims…

  • Chord Tricks to Learn from “Something” by The Beatles

    Chord Tricks to Learn from “Something” by The Beatles George Harrison’s song ‘Something’ (on The Beatles’ iconic 1969 album Abbey Road) contains 4 exquisite chord moves – once you know what they are and how to use them, you can use them in your own songwriting to create some of the same harmonic sophistication that…

Weekend Songwriting Intensive - January 4-5

Ignite 2025 with an immersive weekend of songwriting, led by Keppie and Benny.