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
How to Write a Pre-Chorus
Learn how to write a pre-chorus so you build a bigger chorus they will sing along with you, and spin a story that keeps them listening right to the end…
How to Write a Song Bridge
How to write bridges in a popular song: what’s a bridge, why you need to write them and practical advice for writing song bridges that make your songs sing!
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!
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
5 Songwriting Exercises – Explained in 4 Minutes
5 Songwriting Exercises for specific songwriting skills to develop your craft and write better, more interesting songs your listeners will love!
Basic Rhyme Schemes
Getting started with rhyme schemes… learn what rhyme schemes are in songs, why rhyme schemes are used and how to use rhyme schemes in your own songs.
Who is Premier McNeil?
A song by a music teacher from the perspective of a young elementary school student trying to understand why the Christmas Concert was cancelled… while teachers “work to rule” in Nova Scotia, December 2016, #NSTUnited #ReadyToTeach #FocusOnEducation
Songwriting Psychology
Solving Songwriter Envy
Turning negative emotions , like envy and jealousy into positive action, writing better songs and living a happier life!
Reasons Why You Want to Quit Songwriting… and How to Solve Them
Songwriting seems like it should be easy… so, many people try to figure out songwriting on their own, leading to a struggle, either you figure out songwriting or you quit.
Improve Your Songwriting Workflow
Are you writing your songs as effectively as possible? Is there a better way to catch and edit your song ideas, so you don’t forget the great ideas you get?
Songwriting Productivity
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%!
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
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…
Video Lessons
Need Your Love
Need Your Love: a love song about your one love… a breakdown and analysis of an original song so you can learn to write better songs…
Seizing Songwriting Opportunities
Don’t miss out on or waste musical opportunities… seizing songwriting opportunities takes some planning. Learn how to be ready for opportunities before they happen…
5 Ideas for Songwriting Inspiration That Always Work
5 ideas for songwriting inspiration that always work! You don’t have songwriter’s block… you need to learn how to find great ideas for your songs!
Songwriter Interviews
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,,,
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…
Songwriter Interview with Shirley Jackson
Songwriter Interview with Shirley Jackson, including: songwriting as cooperation, being open to inspiration and songwriting as transformation and therapy.