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Let me tell you a little story.

I started singing/recording songs for fun when I was 14. I knew I wasn’t great. I was ok but I was never happy with my voice. And I always struggled listening back to recordings of myself. Over the years I’ve stopped performing for friends and family, writing songs or singing loudly in groups.

I realized I would never be a performer so I moved behind the scenes, focusing on learning how to record and mix music and trying to find other people to sing songs I had helped write and produce.

A few months ago a US engineer got in touch and offered to mix my songs and help teach me more about recording. I started singing more. I became motivated enough to do vocal exercises every day and suddenly I found myself able to sing better than I ever had.

Which brings us to this video. I had the idea to cover some Grammy nominated songs and after researching Trap Queen I thought it would be an interesting challenge, since it’s a completely different genre to what I’m used to.

And after a few days of working at it, I DID IT. I recorded a one-take cover that sounds dare-I-say-it GOOD. And I don’t mind listening to it! I can’t even believe it’s me to be quite honest. I’m so proud of this song and this video (lyric mishaps aside) and I am SO excited for all the songs I’m planning to cover (my brain won’t stop coming up with ideas). So if you like this video, please do me a favour and like/share/reblog the life out of it. It would mean the world. And if you hate it, that’s fine too. Just, you know, ignore this and go on to the next post ;) xxx Jess

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I helped you buy a diamond ring

You made me try it on and everything

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I Don't Know How To Remember Things

I have very few memories of…well, life in general. Apart from a few vague images, primary school is a complete blank. My high school memories haven’t aged much better. In fact, I barely remember most of my university career.

Most of the memories I do manage to dredge up have one thing in common: music. The only reason I have any memories of my grade 4 camp is because we rewrote the words to “Summer Holiday” from Mary Poppins to speak about what happened. A small selection: 

 “The sun didn’t shine so brightly, 

 The rain fell down all day. 

 We went into the forest, 

 And completely lost our way!” 

 Not too shabby for a bunch of 10 year-olds. My point is this: without that song, I would never have remembered getting lost in the forest at camp. This technique has worked particularly well for studying as well. I will forever remember the difference between a simile and a metaphor after hearing “similes and metaphors are similar but nothing more than a comparison in different ways” repeated in a chorus over and over again. 

I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced the power of music in evoking memories. Or even feelings. A certain Imagine Dragons CD makes me feel the slightly queasy yet excited feeling of being on a plane on the way overseas. On a not so great note, I still feel car sick every time I hear certain 60’s songs, just because they always played during our family road trips. Psychosomatic musical reactions should definitely be studied at some point in the future, if they haven’t been already. 

But what’s the point of all of this? If you’re like me, it lends itself to an interesting idea. Designing a soundtrack for your own life could be the key to keeping track of it! We might not all get to live in a musical (sadly) and sing and dance our way through life, but we can connect songs to people or events and relive them later on. Plus, trying to find songs to represent the people in your life can be an incredibly entertaining experience. Making specific road trip playlists for holidays can increase the chance of making a connection between a song and an event. Perhaps the most effective thing you can do, if your pride allows it, is to dance your way through life! 

This is exactly what we will be attempting. On an upcoming trip to visit a friend, we will be choosing a soundtrack of songs and choose one song for each location we stop at. Ensuring we have a portable form of music playing, we will then play our chosen song and proceed to dance in an embarrassing manner. 

Chances are, I will probably remember this road trip. 

JJ is a primary school teacher with a serious music and series addiction. She began writing for AMP under protest but now happily attempts to write an article bimonthly. These articles cover tangentially musical topics and other musings on life. 

 For more, visit http://aminorproduction.com.

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I Don’t Know How To Nae Nae

I grew up with the Spice Girls. S Club 7. Westlife. What has amazed, and slightly worried me, is how few of the songs I assume everyone knows…anyone knows. Particularly the new generation. And I am not that old.

Despite what the kids I teach say.

I have had the opportunity to test the musical knowledge of the primary school population and have come to a sad conclusion. I am out of touch. They may not know the entire rap section of “Wannabe”, but I have yet to master the whip and nae nae. In fact, until a few weeks ago I didn’t even know such things existed. (If you have no idea what I’m talking about, check out the video below.)

Will the children of the future know how to nae nae? Is it possible to tell the songs that will stand the test of time and still be sung in 20 or 30 years? Will ANY of the songs we sing now be around then?

If you were expecting an answer, you’re out of luck. I don’t have a definite answer. It could be based on how meaningful the lyrics are, how popular the song gets in its own time or whether it can be attached to a specific event. This doesn’t even include factors like different cultures and socio-economic factors which could help or hinder parents passing their own music and musical knowledge onto their children. The internet and the speed at which information travels in the 21st century could also play a role in whether songs are carried on or cast aside. There are more artists, more types of music and more songs being produced now than ever before. It takes a special type of song to stick around when there are so many new songs and fads appearing to knock it out.

Perhaps we could hypothesise this: the more a song changes and impacts a culture or a time period, the more likely it is to be remembered. Artists like Elvis and the Beatles, who achieved hysterical heights of popularity, are still household names today. But will modern bands with rabid fans like One Direction achieve the same success? Only time will tell.

What do you think makes a song’s popularity last? Which songs do you think we could still be singing in 20 years’ time?

Perhaps the only way to make a song truly long-lasting could be this: turn it into a dance move! Of all the songs I played for primary school kids, the only one that everyone knew was one I never expected: the Macarena. Do parents actually sit their kids down and teach them the dance? Or is it being genetically transferred down the generations? Sometimes, no matter how much we like to think we can dissect music and explain its popularity and longevity, we have to admit that the continued popularity of certain songs is simply unexplainable!

For more articles like this visit http://aminorproduction.com/.

JJ is a primary school teacher with a serious music and series addiction. She began writing for AMP under protest but now happily attempts to write an article bimonthly. These articles cover tangentially musical topics and other musings on life. Whether she continues to succeed in meeting her deadlines or not remains to be seen.

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Acoustic cover of Pompeii by Sasha Taylor. What do you think?

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KEYBOARD BASICS

Learning to play a musical instrument is daunting. And when it comes to the keyboard, most are too scared to start. It looks so complicated - how do they make their fingers move so quickly across the keyboard? Luckily, all of those fancy-sounding songs are usually quite easy to play. So here are some hints and tips to get started by teaching yourself how to play your favourite song on the keyboard.

Choosing A Song

As soon as you have decided what song you want to play, download the guitar chords and lyrics online. We like using  Ultimate Guitar or E-Chords.

How Do I Play the Chords?

Watch this tutorial to learn how to play the primary (1-4-5) chords:

Use the chords you downloaded to play octaves in the left hand, usually keeping the beat. With your right hand you can change between the chords by playing them in triplets. You can download an explanation of what a triplet is and other keyboard basics here. If you are more of a visual learner, head over to one of the following YouTube channels for some excellent keyboard and music theory tutorials:

Piano Online Blog

The Online Piano Tutor

Starling Sounds

Lypur

After you have mastered that, you can play the chords in different rhythms that suit the song and start improvising.

Improvisation

Improvisation is one of the highest and most demanding forms of music composition. It doesn’t come easy and is a combination of instrumental technique and spontaneous response to the audience. It takes time to master, but the more you practice a song, the easier it will be to branch out and try new rhythms or notes.

Improvising really depends on the song and what sounds good. Improvise using the chord that has to be played for the certain part but instead of playing it all at once, break it up. For example, you could play it in a scale or an arpeggio. Watch this tutorial to see how:

Functions on the Keyboard

It is also important that you know how the functions on your keyboard work. Each keyboard is unique and they often do not have the same functions. We'll cover one or two of the most common functions available. The voice function can be used to change the sound being produced when you press a note. You can also the style or rhythm of the song you are playing. To do this, make a note of what time signature your song is written in. Then you can press the tempo function to change the speed of the music to a tempo you are comfortable with.

It is important that you choose the correct functions for the song you want to play. It’s fun to play around and use your creativity to create a unique sound.

Improvising and testing your creativity takes time. The best way to learn is to practice one new skill at a time and as soon as you have mastered that, go on to the next skill. It would be best to first master playing the chords, after that changing the functions and improvising if you are comfortable enough with it.

Learning to play an instrument very well doesn’t happen over night. Give yourself enough time and make sure you have fun while doing it!

Angela has been fulfilling her dream of teaching piano/keyboard, guitar and singing for more than a year now. She loves helping her students learn how to play a new song and seeing the end product of their hard work.

For more, visit our website: http://aminorproduction.com.

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We have a new blog on the website! What songs are in YOUR Spring playlist? 

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I've been struggling with keeping up with #SongwritingSeptember but I did write some of my favourite lyrics ever! Who else has been taking part?

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KACEY MUSGRAVES - PAGEANT MATERIAL: A SONG-BY-SONG REVIEW

More than two years ago, Kacey Musgraves released her debut album Same Trailer Different Park under Mercury Nahsville. It was praised for its incredible songwriting, won the Grammy for the Best Country Album and is one of my favourite albums from the last five years. Today, Kacey releases her much-anticipated second album Pageant Material and I decided to write down what I thought of each song as I was listening to the album for the first time. Below is a mostly unedited song-by-song review of the entire album.

Not since the release of 1989 have I been this excited to listen to an album. Just reading through the track list I am filled with anticipation. I can only image the wonderful stories and perfectly crafted couplets I’m about to experience. So let’s get started, shall we?

High Time

And just like that my hopes are dashed. I’m all for bringing back some good old country, but I feel like I stepped into a time-machine and was transported back 50 years. And the apparent invention of said time-machine doesn’t even excite me. Why was this chosen as the opening track? If this is supposed to represent the album then I’m worried.

Best line: ‘Nobody needs a thousand dollar suit to take out the trash’

(After listening to the album a few more times, I feel like High Time definitely represents the message of the album, but still shouldn’t have been chosen as the opening track.)

Dime Store Cowgirl

Ooh…this sounds better. So sweet and cute! A Willie Nelson name-drop? Check! Obligatory song  about new-found fame and fortune?  Double check. But unlike all the other songs of this nature, Kacey somehow manages to talk about ‘making it’ without it feeling like she’s bragging.

The story behind the title is beautiful too:

Best line: “Just ‘cause it don’t cost a lot, don’t cost a lot, don’t mean it’s cheap.”

Late to the Party

I love this unconventional love song. Adorable lyrics and an unexpected lilt when she sings 'with you' in the chorus.

Best line: ‘Gonna look real good, gonna look rude, sorry I’m not sorry.’

Pageant Material

Now this made me smile. There’s the small town truth-telling Kacey we know and love.

Notable line: ‘I wish I could but I can’t wear a smile when a smile what I’m not feeling’ – probably referring to this moment when Miranda Lambert won Best Female Vocalist at the CMA Awards and the cameras captured Kacey's frowning resting face and everyone made a big deal about it.

Best line: “And it ain’t that I don’t care about world peace but I don’t see how I can fix it in a swimsuit on a stage’.

The fact she made this work in a chorus earns her some big brownie points.

This Town

Hmm interested opening speaking part. This is gonna be a story song!!

Best line: ‘Somebody’s momma knows somebody’s cousin and somebody’s sister knows somebody’s husband and somebody's daughter knows somebody's brother and around here we look out for each other. ’

I find it a bit contradictory – listing all the good things about small towns but then saying ‘this town’s to small to be me’. Although, I can relate to that feeling all too well. I feel like I need a couple of listens to fully appreciate and digest the details.

Biscuits

And we get to the first single! I’ve heard this quite a bit already… it's reminiscent of ‘Follow Your Arrow’ and has a really wonderful message. Kacey has a great way of taking an important concept and writing it into two simple lines that rhyme and sound like you’ve heard them a thousand times before.

She always puts a fresh twist on all those old sayings we've heard so many times and is able to say basically the same thing 10 different ways without it sounding like she’s trying too hard to find a rhyme (as songs often do).

Best line: ‘Most of us have cheated, the rest of us have tried.’

That bridge though <3

Somebody to Love

Strings that sound like bagpipes??

Does she have an encyclopedia of sayings memorised?? Another really sweet song - inspirational and motivational. When I’m having a bad day this is going to be what I’m listening to. It almost makes me want to cry and play it on repeat a few times. I always feel like I need to listen a few times to catch all the nuances and clever lyrics – a sign of great songwriting.

Best line: ‘We’re all trying to get heaven but not today.’

Miserable

I feel like this is the exact opposite of ‘Biscuits’. We all know that person whose ‘neighbour’s laundry’s always cleaner’

Best line: “You want happiness but you ain’t happy ‘less you’re miserable’

Only problem is that the song kinda makes me a little miserable. I can’t decide if all the minor chords make the song better. I feel like some majors would contradict nicely with the lyrics.

(After listening a few more times I think the chords perfectly fit the song - just a bit jarring on the first listen.)

Die Fun

I think I'm actually loving her choice to pair an inspirational message with minor chords and a slow tempo. It makes for a nice juxtaposition and suits her musical style. The little lilt on ‘They say it’s now or never and all we’re ever getting is older’ gives me happy little goosebumps.

Best line: ‘Let’s love hard, live fast, die fun’ – I want that on a poster stat!

Family is Family

I couldn’t type because I was so entranced with every word and rhyme. So accurate - it perfectly describes the family dynamic. Definitely my favourite so far!

Best line: ‘Don’t get you at all but the apple don’t fall to far from ‘em.’

‘You might look just like them that don’t mean you like them, but you love ‘em’

It was hard to stop myself from typing out the lyrics to the whole song.

This behind the scenes video made me love the song even more:

Good Ol’ Boys Club

From the title it appears we have a feminism song – I'd be surprised if we didn't have one.

Rage against the machine! Interesting song – especially when you think about the current music industry. Especially country music which is dominated by male artists (a trend that has been spoken about a lot in the media lately). Subtle dig at the current state of country music and a not so subtle dig at Big Machine Records – the label that signed Taylor Swift, The Cadillac Three and Tim McGraw. Thank you Kacey, for saying it ‘Shouldn't be about who it is you know but about how good you are.'

Best line: ‘Cigars and hand shakes – appreciate it but no thanks.’

Cup of Tea

Since mine has just cold – it's time to make another cup!

Best opening line so far! ‘Maybe your jacket is a hand-me-down/Maybe you slept with half your home town.’

Man, she’s great at this songwriting thing. I can tell I’m going to be playing this hundreds of times over the next year. So good at reminding us that ‘hey life goes on’. Jealous of her easy-going attitude.

Thank you for always reminding us that ‘We’ve all got the right to be wrong.’

Best line: “Nobody’s everybody’s favourite so you might as well just make it how you please.’

Fine

I’m so sad that this is the last song!! Wait, it’s almost 8 minutes?? This is going to be good.

Ooh a waltz!

Is this the first pining/breakup song on the album??

Aww it’s not a breakup song - it's a love song!

Best line: ‘My heels on the hardwood echo down the hall.’

Oh not an 8 minute song – a SECRET song! Even better!

Two for the price of one!

A duet! With Willie Nelson! Well if that isn't the cutest thing, especially after listening to Dime Store Cowgirl, then I just don't know what is.

I’m glad they made this a secret song – it’s a little too slow and doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the album.

Best line: "So look around you and take a good look at all the local used-to-bes."

And that's it! If you got this far (wow - I didn't think I'd have so much to say!) comment below with the title of your favourite song from the album. Which album should I live blog listening to next?

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MUSICIAN OF THE MONTH: EWAN MAZZEI

Hailing from a family of musicians, 18-year old Ewan Mazzei has used the opportunity to gain skills and hone his own talent in order to develop his personal sound and style.

Mazzei, who resides in Norwich, England, is currently working on his first album “Stuck in Limbo”.

“I hope [people] will feel like the album is almost like a story. I'm hoping it will grip people, and I hope it's appreciated,” says Mazzei of his project. He has already released one of the tracks from the album, In The Dark, which you can listen to below.

His songwriting process starts with the music - “ I usually come up with a guitar melody first, then get some lyrics down. A lot of the time, my songs are written in a time where something is happening, whether it be positive or negative.”

Stuck in Limbo will be a collection of tracks including heartbreak tunes and love songs, with a mood tending toward the bleak.

“I would say the current album I'm working on (my first album) is probably based on a more negative side of things. I do seem to get a lot of joy from writing about teenage soppy stuff. But the end product never comes out ‘soppy’”. Over the past few years, Mazzei has been uploading covers and originals to his Facebook profile. 

Although his music tastes encompass multiple styles, from Muse to 30 Seconds to Mars, his biggest musical influence is probably Ed Sheeran, saying "It's almost impossible to not be inspired by such an amazing musician - especially when you own a little baby guitar just like he does."

Not just a studio musician, Mazzei also enjoys performing live. He takes a ‘fake it ‘til you make it“ approach to onstage confidence and admits although he can get anxious, he tries to do his best and puts on a brave face on stage. "But I feel like with more confidence I could thrive so much more,” he says.

Mazzei's album "Stuck In Limbo" will be released later this year

Look out for Ewan Mazzei and his album Stuck in Limbo, which will be available online later this year!

Want to hear more from Ewan? Follow him on Facebook, YouTube, SoundCloud and Instagram.

Who should our next Musician of the Month should be?

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ADVICE FOR GUITARISTS: HOW TO KEEP YOUR MUSIC MOVING

I’ve played guitar for about ten years and over this period I’ve had moments of major breakthroughs in developing my skills and moments when I feel like I’m actually getting worse! So here are three things that I have experienced that have contributed to my moments of magical music breakthrough.

GO OUT OF STYLE

I’ve found that I make my biggest breakthroughs when I branch out into a new style/genre of music. When you force you ear and guitar playing to adapt to a new style of music, it expands your arsenal of techniques that you can use in your own ‘jamming’.  For example, try listening to some Blues. If you have never played Blues before, you will need to pick up a completely new strumming and chord progression technique. You will learn new chords that are characteristic of the genre, which you can bring into other area of your own playing. Once you’ve picked up a new technique, be sure to play to over a good couple of times solidifying the technique into your finger memory.

GET A NEW GUITAR (or borrow one - they're expensive!)

Only recently have I come to understand how various guitars are designed in certain ways to make particular sounds. With this in mind, what I’ve found helps learning new styles and techniques are playing on different guitars. Now I know what you thinking, “I’m not going to now go buy a new guitar”. That’s where fellow musicians can be helpful, go visit a friend who has a different style of guitar to yours. The most prominent/obvious change I have experienced, that seriously reignited my passion, was moving from an acoustic guitar to electric. Seriously, if you are a guitarist and have not played both you are missing out. Another example would be moving from steel string to nylon stings.

STOP PLAYING

One’s own playing can sometimes get a bit repetitive. My last suggestion, is if you find yourself playing the same stuff over and over put your instrument down and take a little break to get some inspiration. Find some new music, get into it a bit and try simulating it when you pick your instrument up again.

What advice would YOU give other guitarists who have reached a plateau in their playing? Are you going to try out some of these tips? Leave a comment below and we'll see you next week with another guest post!

Richard Baker is a student at Rhodes University and musically is a “jack of all trades”. He plays many instruments ranging from guitar to didgeridoo and explores a wide range of genres.

For more, visit http://aminorproduction.com.

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I DON’T KNOW HOW TO WRITE ABOUT MUSIC

When I was asked to write an article for this website, I almost said no. However, I have severe doormat tendencies and a “yes” came out instead. I soon realized that I have very little actual knowledge of music. I can tell you what a minim and a crotchet are and that the rhythm of a song is the part that makes you want to get on the dance floor, but these things are not particularly article-worthy.

I dreaded the fact that I would have to pull out a keyboard and try to create something worth reading on something I wasn’t sure was worth writing about. Halfway through my morning dance routine waiting in traffic (and after earning a few odd looks) on the way to work I realized the error in my attitude.

Music may be the one thing that anyone can write about! Not because everyone listens to music, but because music affects everyone. Whether it’s indie rock, rap or jazz, music is the thread that connects the world. And that is definitely worth writing about. So here I go, waxing lyrical (ha ha!) about my musical musings on the internet.

I recently read a poem that changed the way I think about the way I think about things. Basically, it explained that we choose the way that we see the world. We choose to interpret the people around us the way that suits us best. It means we can interpret a smile from the same boy in a hundred different ways depending on how we feel that day. Tired of being the only single one in a group of committed relationshippers? That smile sets your heart racing and wondering if maybe you do have feelings for him. Even if you’d never have considered it before. Been messed around by one too many people that week? That smile immediately hints of mockery and earns him a glare in return.

What does this have to do with music?

We don’t just listen to the songs that we relate to. The songs we listen to change the way we relate to our lives. Because what affects our moods more than music? Changing the music we decide to listen to can change the way we live our lives! Does this mean we should try playing peace and love songs to criminals or to kids in detention to get them to change their ways? Probably not. But on a smaller scale we can use music to re-evaluate our priorities.

Finding myself on the single side of the spectrum, I’ve been eating a little too much cake at my own pity party while watching my friends with their significant others. Quite against my own better judgement and, I hope, character, I have fallen into the habit of considering every male friend a possible future boyfriend – whether I actually like them or not. As you can imagine, this is not the best way to foster good friendships.

What I have realized is that my playlist is not doing my attempts at reversing my thinking any favours. When more than half the songs on your playlist sing about how great it is to be in a relationship or how much “you belong to me”, it’s difficult not to think the same thoughts. And when the lyrics get stuck in your head and you find yourself whistling them as you go about your day, you realize that maybe it’s time for a change. Fewer love lyrics and more self-empowerment songs? I’ll let you know if it works.

We might not all take the time to think about the way that we see the world and the things that affect the things we want. What does your playlist say about you? Better yet, if people were to look at your life would they be able to guess the lyrics stuck in your head?

For more, visit http://aminorproduction.com.

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HOW TO WRITE A BAD SONG

Last year I was watching Ed Sheeran talk about his upcoming album X and he was asked if he had any advice for musicians who were just starting out. While explaining his writing process and the 10 000 hour rule, he said something that made me re-evaluate the way I have approached songwriting ever since.

He said that writing songs is like turning on an old faucet. At first, only rust and junk comes out, but the longer you leave it running and the more water that comes out, the cleaner it gets.

He said that writing songs is like turning on an old faucet. At first, only rust and junk comes out, but the longer you leave it running and the more water that comes out, the cleaner it gets.

This can be applied to songwriting (and pretty much any other skill-based talent). In order to write a great song, you need to write many, many awful ones first.

This sounds easy, right? I can write a bad song. I'll be winning awards in no time! But as easy as it sounds, it’s even easier to become unmotivated and stop writing at all. I would know - it’s been a few months since I’ve written a song at all - good or bad. So to motivate myself (and hopefully encourage one or two of you), I’ve compiled a list of tips for writing bad songs...and how to make them better.

Write a little bit every day

This is not groundbreaking advice by any means. In fact, it’s probably the first tip any songwriter will give you - but it really is that important. When you write every day you train your mind to subconsciously think of new ideas, even when you’re not writing. I always find that I get inspired more often the more I’ve been writing. A self-fulfilling prophecy. But I struggle with the motivation to actually take those few minutes a day to write some new lyrics or pick up my guitar. If you’re like me, try printing Karen Kavett’s “Don’t Break the Chain” calendar and spend 15 minutes a day writing something - anything - and crossing off each day. I’m going to be trying to spend every day in September writing for 15 minutes a day and I’ll be posting my progress on our Instagram using #SongwritingSeptember. Follow us and stay motivated by posting your progress.

Analyze your songs

As a songwriter one of the best tools in your arsenal is the ability to critique your own songs. It’s no good writing 30 bad songs if you’re not sure why they’re bad….or even worse, if they don’t help you to improve your writing. Taking the time to reflect on why a song isn’t turning out the way you hoped is imperative if you want to develop and improve your songwriting.

And once you have written enough songs to put together an album or a set list, you need to be able to objectively decide which songs to pick. I’ve heard many musicians state that when it comes to deciding which tracks make the cut, they use the “best song wins” policy - basing their decision purely on the merit of the song. It is incredibly important to be as non-biased as possible when deciding whether a song is good enough to add to your repertoire and not letting who or what the song is about influence your decision. Even if you write and create music for yourself, if you want to release a song intending for it to be heard by an audience you need to keep that audience in mind. So take a step back and analyze your songs from an outsider’s point of view.

Change up your style

Sometimes when you get to the stage where you’re consistently writing songs that you feel happy about, you reach a plateau in the process. If you feel like you’re not improving and notice a similarity in the structure of your songs, the rhyming scheme or the chords you use, it could be time to change it up! Get some new ideas by browsing through one of the songwriting websites below.

Songwriting Scene

Educated Songwriter

Song Written

American Songwriter

The Essential Secrets of Songwriting

Learn from the Best

And for those days when you have lost all motivation, we have compiled a list of things of some things to do for inspiration:

Go back and listen to those songs that made you want to write in the first place.

Find that lyric that you still can’t believe someone thought up (it’s just so good - how did they think of that?!?)

Or that melody/riff that makes you smile every time you hear it

Watch a DVD special of your favourite musician performing live

Read a book or watch a movie - maybe you can write a song based on a character’s situation or write from their point of view

In the end, remember that songwriting is a way for you to express yourself. And if you're doing that - you're already doing it right. But now we want to hear from you! Do you have any songwriting tips of your own? What do you think of Ed Sheeran's tap analogy? What do you do when need writing inspiration? And don't forget to share your #SongwritingSeptember pictures with us on Instagram.

For more, visit http://aminorproduction.com.

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ADVICE?

We have a new blog going up tomorrow! What advice would you give guitarists who were struggling to improve after reaching a plateau in their playing?

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“Finding myself on the single side of the spectrum, I’ve been eating a little too much cake at my own pity party while watching my friends with their significant others. Quite against my own better judgement and, I hope, character, I have fallen into the habit of considering every male friend a possible future boyfriend – whether I actually like them or not. As you can imagine, this is not the best way to foster good friendships.”

New blog series on the website! Check it out! Reblogs always appreciated <3

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Struggling to come up with the lyrics I need for the song in working on. How are you guys doing with your 15 minutes today? 🎸 #SongwritingSeptember #songwriters #music #musicianslife #guitar #lyrics

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In order to write a great song, you need to write many, many awful ones first. This sounds easy, right? I can write a bad song. I'll be winning awards in no time! But as easy as it sounds, it’s even easier to become unmotivated and stop writing at all. We’ve compiled a list of tips for writing bad songs...and how to make them better.