Most songwriter work intuitively
so they can't explain it to you...
At EpicSongWriting,
I teach intentional strategies
taking the random out of songwriting
so you can write the songs you want to write!
What do you need to learn?
100+ articles are organized by category
Some articles are in multiple categories
Each category has multiple pages...
Table of Contents
Featured Content
Daily Songwriting
Write songs consistently… no more “I don’t have time” excuses! Know what you’ll write about before you sit down, drop into the writing flow instantly and find the joy in songwriting again!
Parts of a Popular Song
Learn how to write lyrics and music for a chorus, verse, pre-chorus and bridge, and how each part of a song fits together to create a popular song structure!
Songwriting Reference Tracks
Learning and improving your songwriting by studying the songs you love by using reference tracks… don’t ask the internet, figure out your own answers!
Songwriting Foundations
Write Less, But Say More
Edit your lyrics to focus them… tell the story and evoke emotions in your audience. Everything else is distraction!
5 Rookie Songwriting Mistakes
Every songwriter experiences these rookie mistakes at some point. Learn how to solve them before you get stuck, frustrated or give up on songwriting!
The Instant Song Myth
The Instant Song Myth is a dangerous lie… learn the truth about songwriting so you learn to finish your songs instead of throwing them out.
Recent Articles
Making More Time for Songwriting
There are better ways to make time for your songwriting than sneaking it in after the family is asleep.
Songwriting Advice: 21 Things They Don’t Tell You
Songwriting advice everyone should know… but they don’t tell you. Professional songwriters don’t consciously think about it and assyne beginners already know this…
Songwriting Tips Don’t Help
We all love songwriting tips, even when most songwriting tips don’t help! Learn to actually improve your songwriting and manage that songwriting tips addiction.
Lyric Writing
Accidental Songwriting Lessons
Songwriting lessons: mistakes happen, life gets in the way of your plans. It’s not the problems you face but what you learn from them that is important!
Songwriting Games
Songwriting games… a better way to find the fun and beat songwriter’s block. Don’t smash your guitar or beat your head against your keyboard… play a game!
How to Fix a Bad Song
If you’ve ever written a song and been disappointed with how it turned out… learn how to fix a bad song and improve it instead of trashing it!
Songwriting Psychology
Songwriting Problems are Opportunities
Improve your songwriting by focusing on the hidden opportunities in any “problem”… focus on what you want instead of what you don’t want!
When is My Song Finished?
Finishing songs… it’s easier to start songs than finish songs. How to avoid the endless song write… and what to do after your song is finished!
Songwriting: 7 Healthy Side Effects
7 Healthy Side Effects of Songwriting…exploring the healthy benefits of songwriting, including action steps to enhance the effects…
Songwriting Productivity
How to Fix a Bad Song
If you’ve ever written a song and been disappointed with how it turned out… learn how to fix a bad song and improve it instead of trashing it!
Lyric Writing Games
Lyric Writing Games… stop fighting with your lyrics, play lyric writing games to build your lyric skills and find ideas to use in your songs…
Which is Better for Songwriting: Handwriting or Typing?
Which is better for songwriting, handwriting or typing your song lyrics? How do you minimize friction so that you can write at the speed of thought?
Video Lessons
Mixing with EQ
Stop faking your EQ moves and learn how to set the EQ to improve your song tracks and build solid mixes you can’t wait to share!
Recording DI Guitar into Your DAW
Stop struggling with your memory and your recording software! How to record your electric guitar DI (direct input) to capture your best song ideas…
Factory Fresh
My song Factory Fresh, with complete lyrics and an analysis to help you write better songs… Factory Fresh is a social commentary song about our relationship with food.
Songwriter Interviews
Songwriter Interview with Ian Sherwood
Ian Sherwood talks about his ideal songwriting process, how to write better songs and his best advice for new songwriters…
1k Listens Without Really Trying
A songwriting success story, over 1000 listens in 2 days with a picture video on FaceBook: no publicity, no YouTube channel, no email list and no website….
Songwriting Sprint
How to write more in a songwriting sprint! Ian Sherwood had more than 40 songs ready to record for his album… why he took time off to write more songs,,,