Learn Songwriting your way with a TakeLessons expert

Want to add a cool slow-down effect to your music? Learn how in this Logic Pro tutorial from Brevard, NC teacher John C... If you've listened to popular radio in the past several years, and I’m guessing you have, you've heard either a vocal melody line or an instrumental part of a song make a particular effect. Listen to the following Fall Out Boy song and pay attention to the music in the background at 00:27 seconds, again at 1:27, and once again at 2:27: Did you hear it? That's the

When you're learning how to write a song, looking at how other songs are structured can be a great place to start. Like looking at a map before you go on a roadtrip, checking out the basic elements of songs you love gives you a sense of how they were written and what you need to do to write a song of your own. If analyzing all your favorite songs sounds like a daunting task (it is), you're in luck. The Billboard Experiment wanted to know if there was a formula that could determine which songs

Are you perfectly content performing the pieces of famous composers and lyricists... or do you want to make your own contribution? If you want to learn how to become a songwriter, check out this guest post by teacher Eric C...   The world of music is as vast as the world that we live in. Some genres have existed for thousands of years, while others are still being created today. This is all because music is constantly evolving. The evolution of music comes from songwriters and comp

Every songwriter runs into writers' block at some point in their career. To help you dig your way out of the dreaded doldrums of songwriters' block, we put together 25 songwriting tips and prompts plus great songs to inspire you. Check out these songwriting tips and find your muse today!   Bonus: Take the quiz to find out what you should write your next song about! Write about your day. Think your life is boring and you have nothing to say? Check out the lyrics to this

As you develop your musical skills, you may become interested in writing your own music. While learning to play an instrument and being able to play others’ music is a wonderful skill, nothing compares to the ability to make sheet music full of your own compositions! Once you have a strong music foundation, you can let your musical creativity run wild.  As a budding songwriter, you’ll need to add some additional skills to your repertoire. Writing music can be as simple as putting a pen

There are many singing methodologies out there, and each teacher has their own way of teaching.  Some methods use a vocal range chart, while others forego this tool. So, what's the controversy?  Let's take a look at the pros and cons of using a vocal range chart in order to help you make a decision for your own singing.  What Are the 5 Voice Ranges? A vocal range chart highest to lowest ranking will generally include these five voice ranges: Soprano Mezzo-Soprano Alto Te

Are you curious about whether you have songwriters block - and what to do about it? Chances are, if you’re any kind of creative professional - be it a songwriter or a novelist - you’re going to struggle with writer’s block at some point in your career or another. Fortunately, songwriting writer’s block is something you can conquer - and once you know how to deal with it, you’ll be able to continue writing creative, inspiring songs many years into your career.  In this post,

Have you been writing songs for awhile but are finding yourself stuck lately, lacking inspiration? Are you good at starting songs but struggle to finish them? Maybe you come up with great sounding chord progressions, but your lyrics are lacking in substance and rhythm. Or maybe the converse is true; you can come up with lyrics easily but your chord progressions all sound the same. If this sounds like you, read on for some tips to overcome writer’s block and get creative again! Change Your Min

Think you're ready to write your own song and record it? Songwriting can be an arduous process - but seeing the final product is an amazing feeling. Read on for a helpful pre-recording checklist from Perth Amboy, NJ teacher Jeff S...   Whether you're singing your own song or hiring a vocalist to sing on your demo or master, there are many layers of preparation needed to ensure optimum results. Some songwriters like to wing it and hope that things will magically work out because they

Interested in learning how to write lyrics and songs? Here, New Jersey guitar teacher Matthew H. explains an easy 3-step process to follow...  Songwriting is not easy; just ask any composer or lyricist. While the musical composition is highly important (making sure the melody is catchy without sounding too trite), having a strong, relatable message to go along with a great tune is just as, if not more, important. Here are some tips on how to write lyrics for a good song. 1) What is