Songwriting

Songwriting Tips Links and Resources

Christian songwriting - the singer songwriter

It is important to develop your songwriting skills. Songwriting is a craft that can be learned like any other. There can be no substitute for the skill of a writer using the basic tools of songwriting - things like melodic shape, variety versus repetition, structure, the craft of lyric writing, harmonic interest, making sure the song has a "hook" etc- all these things are important and can and should be developed over time.

"Making His praise glorious" means we must be masters of our craft.
There is no room for "good enough for gospel" here.

I believe we should be doing everything with excellence, and I have included some links to assist the aspiring songwriter to gaining access to some of the necessary tools for developing their craft in this way.

We are entering a new era of christian songwriting that cannot be so easily taught or acquired - it is the prophetic dimension. For examples of this style of songwriting go to The Secret Place.

Songwriting tips forum Send me your questions.

Ray Watson
Yours in the joy of songwriting

Masters of Songwriting by Dennis R. Sinnott   Everything you need at your fingertips, from creating, marketing, publishing, to becoming a hugely successful global songwriter, is revealed in this book.   Click Here!

Related Resources

Building a Home Recording Studio

Muselinks - songwriting websites, songwriting lessons, songwriting techniques, free songwriting tips
This is one great site for a songwriter! - resources, links, inspiration. You have to dig around a bit because there is just so much here, but honestly, it's worth your time.

Songwriting books
If you would like to write a song and need information about rhyming, writing, lyric form and structure, how to get published, recording, melody, a rhyme dictionary, how to make and sell your own CD's, typical songwriter mistakes, songwriting ideas and tips and the music business the BOOKS are listed here. Alot of the other links don't work or are out of date so I found this a bit disappointing, but a good selection of BOOKS are listed here for you to buy.

Here are the categories ...

Overall writing books
500 Songwriting ideas
88 Songwriting wrongs
Craft of lyric writing
Craft - business of songwriting
How to make a good song a ...
How to write a hit song
Rock troubadours
Songwriting ~ creative process
Songwriting fundamentals
Songwriting made easy
Songwriting in Nashville - vid
Songwriting words music money Songwriters idea book
Songwriters workshop Successful songwriting
Writing better lyrics
You can write song lyrics
Inside classic rock tracks

Specific writing techniques
Essential guide to rhyming
Lyric form & structure
Melody in songwriting
Modern rhyming dictionary
Rhyming dictionary Cahn's
Rhymesaurus rhyming dictionary software

Publishing & Promotion
2002 Songwriters market
Booking promoting and ...
Have your hit song published
Make & sell your own CD ..
Music publishing - songwriters
Songwriters guide to demos

Recording
Basics of sound systems
Hot tips for recording studio
Click here for more recording

Songster database software
Songworks composition notation

Craft Of Songwriting, How To Write A Song, Resources

Stategies for success - We all need inspiration from time to time or we are are tempted to give up! Here is a portion of an article written by Sara Light at the "Craft of songwriting website." Recommended

"Take Chances - I've heard it said that it's better to take a risk and fail, then fail to take a risk. In an industry as competitive as this one, we cannot afford to let our fears of failure hold us back. To "take a chance" means something different for everyone. We all have different strengths and weaknesses and different "comfort zones." What might feel like a risk to one person might be a piece of cake to another. But, as my favorite T-shirt says, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take." I've been told that Jodee Messina walked right up to the head of Curb Records, Mike Curb, and told him that he needed a redhead on the label. If she hadn't done that, who knows if today she'd have three number one singles and a platinum album. So keep in mind that if you're not writing a song today, someone else is. If you're not calling a certain publisher, someone else is. If you're not booking a gig - well, you get the point. If we never step outside of what feels comfortable to us we can't learn the skills we need to succeed. We must be willing to accept possible rejection or failure and keep going in spite of it. A good example of this kind of perspective and persistence is exemplified by what Thomas Edison said to his wife while watching his laboratory burn down - that's a good way to get rid of all those mistakes I was making in there.

You've already taken a huge step, just by allowing yourself to pursue your dream. It's not always an easy thing to do, but don't let yourself give up too easily. You can do it!" Sarah Light