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Best Substitutes for Minor Pentatonic Scale

By Charles Martin Published September 25, 2020

Play minor pentatonic scale on acoustic guitar

Be it guitar players, keyboard players, or any other instrumentalists – playing lead sections always comes with its challenges. And that’s especially the case if you’re either improvising or writing your own solos. These days, it seems as if everything has been tried. And knowing how much the minor pentatonic scale has been (ab)used, it gets harder to come up with something that sounds original. Of course, you can always use the same old licks and maybe rearrange a few things here and there. However, if you’re really planning on sounding unique and “reinventing” your approach to soloing, here are a few great substitutes for minor pentatonic.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: modes, pentatonic, scales | Comments Off

Know how listening to slow music can help in practicing mindfulness

By Dhaval Patel Published May 6, 2020

Listening Slow Music Practice Mindfulness

It is a well-known fact that surviving in today’s world is much more difficult than how it used to be. There is a lot of stress floating around, and the kind of lifestyle led doesn’t play any role in reducing it in any way. Since this stress can affect a person immensely, some steps should be taken to avert it. One such endeavor is known as mindfulness.

In simple terms, it is the ability to remain in the present and be completely aware of what is around. It helps you to pay complete attention to the current situation without wandering too much. There are different ways of practicing mindfulness. Listening to music is one of them. The importance of music in practicing mindfulness has been discussed in detail here.

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How to Write Effective Content for Online Piano Courses

By Daniela McVicker Published April 20, 2020

Human beings are social beings. The outbreak of COVID-19 sends the world into a frenzy of social distancing, something not obvious for anyone. Most people probably have nothing to do indoors. Some want to take that new course they desired. The only way now is to get it on the internet. You probably work from home as a content writer, writing content for such online courses can be a timely thing to do. There are multiple courses you may want to write about.

An example is an online piano course. You may be wondering how possible it is to write content for an online course on the piano. Well, join us as we take you through the steps to writing effective content for online piano courses.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: music course, Piano | Comments Off

Stuck At Home? Enter the John Lennon Songwriting Contest

By John Pape Published March 25, 2020

NEW WEEKLY GIVEAWAYS
OF HOME STUDIO GEAR

Over its 23 year history, The John Lennon Songwriting Contest (JLSC) has recognized the talent of entries from several people who have risen to stardom – Meghan Trainor, American Authors, MAGIC!, Gaby Moreno and more. Now, in response to the Covid-19 crisis, the Lennon Contest has created weekly ‘Stuck At Home’ opportunities for songwriters to win studio gear to improve your songwriting experiences at home. The first deadline for entries is Sunday, March 29 at midnight EST with the winner announced on Monday, March 30.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: JLSC, John Lennon songwriting Contest | Comments Off

How to Write a Mainstream Song

By Kathrin Garner Published March 3, 2020

Let’s be real – there’s no blueprint on learning how to write a hit song in 2020. It’s not an easy thing to do. Very little music reaches the top within this competitive music industry.

Let’s be honest, it’s really hard to make music hit these days. As there are thousands of music released every day, a very small amount of that music makes it to the top. To reach the top, you’ll need to take the necessary steps to start your music career successfully.

But another thing is that nobody is really into making mainstream music. But if you want to create hit music and know what makes a song popular, then this article is for you.

We’ve researched for you! So, sit back as in this article, we’re going to know What Makes A Popular Song Popular and How To Write a Mainstream Song.

With that being said, let’s start!

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: hit song | Comments Off

How to Write a Hit Song in 2020

By Jenine Wing Published February 13, 2020

Songwriting is a magic-like process for many. When famous hit makers are asked how they write songs, most often, they talk about inspiration and other unconscious things. Although every activity has its tricks and ready-made templates. Let’s explore some ideas on how to write a hit song.

Do you have a desire to write a hit at the start of this year? But as a songwriter, do you know exactly – what, how, why, where, etc.? There are many questions, but no answers. We will help you with that. It doesn’t matter if you already have some fans or not. In the digital world, songs become viral very fast.

The most talented songwriters have managed to stay at the top of the music industry for six or seven years. Then they run out of resources for creativity. As a result, they are replaced by new talents. This means you always have a chance to become a leader on a list of local or even world hits.

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8 Essentials For A Long And Lucrative Music Career

By Edward Smith Published February 10, 2020

Long and Lucrative Music Career Gold Records Hall of Fame

Many people dream about breaking into the music industry. The idea of making a living by playing music, possibly with fame and fortune, is something that has appealed to most people at some point in their life.

Unfortunately, those who do put in the time and effort to learn how to play music eventually find out how difficult it is. The music industry can be very tough; offering a great deal of reward for those who manage to achieve popularity but stark little for those that do not.

Here we will look at 8 essentials any aspiring musician must consider if they are hoping to create a long and lucrative music career.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: academic music career, Music Careers, Music Industry Career | 1 Comment

John Lennon Songwriting Contest Announces Love Songs Contest for Valentine’s Day

By John Pape Published February 7, 2020

The John Lennon Songwriting Contest (jlsc.com) announces a special “Love Song” contest to celebrate Valentine’s Day. It’s a short window so go to the website and submit your original compositions before February 13 and the winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day.

Prizes will include products from Audio Technica, Copperpeace, Focusrite, Genelec, K&M, Mackie, Neutrik, OWC, Reason Studios, Sonicbids, and Yamaha.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: song contest | Comments Off

3 Ways A Vocal Coach Improves Your Singing Voice

By Ian Garrett Published February 5, 2020

Improves Your Singing Voice Singing vocal lesson instruction coach

Learn to control your breathing

One of the first skills learned in a vocal lesson is how to control your breathing. Learn how to support the air properly. Experienced artists have control over the exhalation of air and they don’t allow themselves to use the throat at all in order to maintain the quality of sound.

Avoid singing from the throat and keep in mind that it should just be used as a passageway for the air. A vocal coach will work on ways for you to avoid going into the throat while you’re singing. This is an area most students work on when they’re learning how to sing which improves your performance dramatically.

A singer controls their voice by learning how to breathe properly. A vocal coach will teach you how to control the diaphragm and other muscles in the body that are involved in inhaling and exhaling the air your body takes in. A lot of people end up shouting rather than controlling the muscles in their body to keep the air from coming out to quickly.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: Improves Your Singing Voice, singing lessons, vocal training | Comments Off

5 Places To Find Songwriting Inspiration On Campus

By Michael Gorman Published December 20, 2019

Find Songwriting Inspiration Person writing in the park

Inspiration can hit at any point, and anything can be inspiring—people, nature, books, travel, sadness, a melancholy mood, or even your own thoughts. Without inspiration, you cannot be creative, and if you’re not creative, you cannot write an original piece.

Sometimes, it can be hard for an artist to look for inspiration. Thus, you need to figure out how to boost your ability to inspire and be inspired.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: Creativity, inspiration, songwriting ideas | 1 Comment

The 5 Main Steps to Starting Your Music Career

By Ellie Coverdale Published November 29, 2019

Starting Your Music Career Guitar notation

So your goal is to become a DJ, producer, songwriter or musician, but you’re not sure where to start. It can be hard to break into an industry that seems over saturated, and it’s difficult to navigate the ins and outs of the music industry. It takes a lot more than writing a hit song and waiting for the rewards to roll in, and the process can be a little daunting. Read on for the 5 main steps for starting your music career and what you should be doing as a musician to get your music heard.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: music career | Comments Off

5 Steps You Can Take Today to Become a Better Composer

By Lewis Robinson Published November 26, 2019

Music is a universal language that creative people have used to express their thoughts for centuries. Crafting a well-composed piece of music is challenging, as there are many practical and theoretical factors to consider. While the old joke about how to get to Carnegie Hall is true – you do have to practice – there are other incremental steps you can take to sharpen your skills as a composer. Here are five things you can start doing today to become a great composer.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: artistic creative process, composing, music composing | Comments Off

Home Studio Essentials for Songwriters on a Tight Budget

By Monica Rodriguez Published November 22, 2019

Music is perhaps the most beautiful thing that has ever been invented by humanity. It helps us cope with any experiences. When we are sad, it comes to the rescue, and in the days when happiness overwhelms us, music contributes to the extension of this amazing feeling. In this post you will learn about home studio essentials that will allow sharing songs with the world.

But, creating a musical masterpiece requires a lot of strength and supporting materials. The costs that are needed to ensure high-quality recordings can prevent talented musicians from creating their products. But your music is simply obliged to please your fans, the present, and future ones.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: audio cables, Audio Interface, DAW, headphones, microphone, recording | Comments Off

9 Different Places to Submit Music

By Becky Holton Published November 21, 2019

Making music demands a lot of time and creativity, but many musicians consider it to be easier than promoting their works among millions of other artists. The music industry is growing and evolving thanks to the Internet and streaming services, but the number of distribution channels is so big that it’s hard to find the right places to upload your albums.

If you want to identify the best sources, you better prepare for thorough research and hours of digging through online music review directories. An easier option is to keep reading this article and learn more about nine great channels where you can place and promote your music.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: apple music, itunes, SoundCloud, spotify, submit music, SubmitHub, YouTube | Comments Off

10 Best Songs for Writers and About Writing: The Ultimate Writing Experience

By Tiffany Harper Published November 7, 2019

Resistance is the number one enemy for most writers. Every writer knows that the hardest part about writing is not in writing itself but the ability to sit down and start. Some writers plan their work extremely well but they are big failures when it comes to execution.

Sitting down to write is not easy. And even if you manage to sit down, starting your task or project is daunting. Writers who don’t fight resistant never achieve anything worthwhile.

Posted in Songwriting Basics Tagged: Cake, Elvis Costello, Every day I Write the Book, I Typed for Miles, I’m writing a Novel, Jets to Brazil, John Misty, Losing it, Mr Writer, Open Book, Oxford Comma, Rewrite, Rush, Stereophonics, Vampire Weekend | 2 Comments

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Songwriter Tip:

Here’s a tip to assist you when the day comes that you are asked to write for a specific band or artist. Arrange a meeting with the band or artist in question. The purpose of this meeting is for you to find out about their individual strengths and weakness as songwriters themselves. Why do they want to hire you? It will be important for you to know the answer to this question.

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