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
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!
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!
Songwriting Foundations
Turning Your Song Ideas into Lyrics
If you’ve ever started turning your song idea into lyrics, only to have them vanish as you try to get them down… this is why it happens and how you solve it…
Let Your Lyrics Breathe
How to save the song you’re writing, when you don’t know why it sucks and you feel like trashing it….
3 Chord Progression Songwriting Games: Writing Chord Progressions Using Only 3 Chords
Songwriters, let’s play a songwriting game! Here are 3 quick games to help you explore and write chord progressions, even if you only know how to play 3 chords!
Recent Articles
Why Your Lyrics Sound Cheesy
You’ve written lyrics but they sound cheesy and amateur. Listen, it’s normal and totally fixable, so let’s level up and fix your amateur lyrics.
Building Your Songwriting Superpowers
Discover and explore your songwriting superpowers because you can do things that regular people only dream about.
Setting Songwriting Goals You’ll Actually Achieve
When you’re creating goals to push yourself and your songwriting three common mistakes will cause you to fail… solve these 3 mistakes so you achieve and surpass your goals!
Lyric Writing
Songwriting in Self-Isolation
7 Activities to stay sane and keep songwriting during self-isolation… the world just went sideways but you can improve and thrive instead of just surviving
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.
Songwriting Patterns
Songwriting Video Lesson: three frameworks to evaluate and control patterns in your lyrics, melody, chord progressions, arrangement and production.
Songwriting Psychology
When Your Plan Fails
How to deal with songwriting setbacks and what to do when you plan fails, including 8 positive alternatives to complaining or getting frustrated…
Setting Songwriting Goals You’ll Actually Achieve
When you’re creating goals to push yourself and your songwriting three common mistakes will cause you to fail… solve these 3 mistakes so you achieve and surpass your goals!
Songwriting Using the 80/20 Rule (the Pareto Principle)
How to improve your songwriting using the Pareto Principle (the 80/20 Rule)… What is it? How it works for songwriting & how to get more of that magic 20%!
Songwriting Productivity
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…
Using Songwriting Criticism Constructively
How to use songwriting criticism so it is constructive instead of destructive… and recognizing and dealing with negativity so it makes you stronger!
What’s the Best Way to Write a Song?
What’s the best way to write a song? Here’s how to figure out the best songwriting process for yourself… they don’t tell you but it’s easier with this help!
Video Lessons
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.
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!
The Fastest Way to Memorize Songs
The Fastest Way to Learn Songs… how to learn and memorize songs so you can perform them or transcribe and analyze songs. I explain the entire process and then transcribe “Dig That Hole” by Ian Sherwood live on video
Songwriter Interviews
Songwriter Interview with Mark Lorenz
Songwriter Interview with Mark Lorenz… stay true to your voice, finding song ideas and how to promote yourself as an artist and as a songwriter
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…
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,,,