Category Archives: songwriter

Start Thinking Like a Songwriter: Find 10 Title Ideas Everyday

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Songwriting from a Title

Many hit songwriters with tell you that one of the most efficient ways to write a song is to start with a title. The title gives so much info and DNA for your song. It can inspire a story, give you a hook, lead you to fun wordplay, rhythms, etc.  One way to keep your songwriting hat on all day is to keep a notebook full of titles. Throughout your day as you listen to things people say, or things you see….take notes and write down title ideas….or phrases that you think would make a good song title. Set a goal for yourself that you want to find 10 good song titles everyday…

By making yourself have a goal of 10 titles everyday, it helps you keep your eyes and ears open…and it helps you think creatively on a more frequent basis. Pay attention to every magazine, book and TV show to see if you can find good title ideas.  I personally have multiple notebooks full of title ideas, and I also have files on everyone of my computers that have title ideas.  Make it your goal to find 10 every single day….you will be amazed how many great ideas start to appear. Then on those days you don’t feel very inspired, or if you are trying to find ideas, just thumb through your book….something may jump out at you.

Here are a couple of links to help you find titles and also what to do with them once you have them. Let me know if you have any other title source ideas.

Places to Find Titles

Steps to Writing a Song from a Title

Thanks for reading, if you enjoy my blog, please let me know. Also let your friends know :) ~~ Chad

“Sweet Corn” a Song I Co-wrote is Released!

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A song that I co-wrote with Luc Doppler called, “Sweet Corn” has been released on his CD! The project was recorded in Nashville. Luc is a talented country singer-songwriter. He and I worked together on a few songs and ‘Sweet Corn’ was the first one we did, and it made the record! You can preview and purchase ‘Sweet Corn’ and the entire disc on iTunes. You can also order the CD at http://www.lucdoppler.com/LucDoppler/Home.html

Click here to download on iTunes

Songwriting and Working Out

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I love songwriting. I really do. Songs are what I am passionate about. I try to make songwriting part of my life with the intent of writing the best songs I can. That is great, but I still find days where I don’t want to write. I mean, I want to write, but I don’t want to write. I know how to, but I’d rather do something else, or do nothing at all. I get like this with working out, too. I want to be fit, I know how to be fit, but sometimes I’d rather sit on my ass and eat a tub of ice cream. Is this bad?

I used to think it was bad to want to do nothing, or chow down on some junk food. But now I think I am ok with it. I am ok with it, if it is the exception, and not the rule. I used to put so much pressure on myself because I was not writing. I thought if I had free time I needed to be writing something or I was failing. But I am not a machine. I am a person. I am not perfect. It takes imperfections to make the perfect times stand out. Just like the weather changes, so does my motivation, inspiration and drive. I think that’s ok, as long as I am doing something that makes me happy, and helps me live life…..like eating a tub of Ben and Jerry’s. How can I capture life in a song, if I don’t live.

So if you are stuck in a rut and don’t feel like writing, that is ok….as long as at some point you get back on that horse and write about the things you have been doing in the mean time. Don’t get down yourself as a songwriter if you don’t feel like writing. Everything has a season. But you should still learn as much as you can about the craft, so when the bug bites you again, you know how to finish your song….and you will find that you know what to do if inspiration doesn’t strike.

Why am I writing this? Well, over the last couple weeks I have not been writing. I feel my gears getting rusty, but I have been busy mixing and mastering a project that I have been recording with a client. Been feeling a bit nervous and stressed that I need to write 5 or 6 songs by Sept 18 when I perform on a regional cable TV show. But you know what….it’s all good. Do you have times like this?

Facebook Songwriting Exercises – Use it to spark your creativity

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We all log on to Facebook, and even carry it with us in our pockets on our so-called smart phones. So it is time to use Facebook for something productive. Time to use it for your next songwriting exercise. There are two things I want you to do with it. 2 fun writing exercises you can use to spark ideas for your next song. Try them out….

1. Find the first picture in your news feed and write a song based on that image.

2. Another option is to take one of your friends status updates and use it as a song starter, or title.

Go ahead, take 10 minutes now and get started doing one of the above suggestions. If you don’t write actual lyrics right away, at least write a summary of the song’s story and plot progression. I dare you to do this everyday for 5 days. I can almost guarantee that you will find something that will spark your next great song.

Chad

Interview with Songwriter Gordie Sampson – Cool Advice

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I found this awesome interview from a Canadian broadcaster. It is an interview with songwriter Gordie Sampson. Gordie co-wrote the song, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” and lots of other great songs, and hits. He gives some very insightful answers to the questions. If you are a songwriter. This is a great look into the world of a hit writer.

One of the sections I LOVED was….

“The key, he said, is making sure the words are general enough so that anyone listening can relate. So if a country crooner warbles a tune about a “her,” Sampson says the lyric should work whether the listener thinks the pronoun refers to his wife, his mother or his dog.”

READ THE WHOLE INTERVIEW

Musician Launcher – Helpful Music Resource Video

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Ryan at MusicianLauncher.com has compiled some online songwriting and music related resources into a cool video. I am featured in the video, but so are some other great sites and people that can help you improve your songwriting and playing! Check out the video and Ryan’s site! ~ Chad

http://www.musicianlauncher.com/2012/06/making-music-great-resources.html

YouTube Songwriting Publishing Deals

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Did you hear about this? YouTube has reached agreements with some of the big music publishers to share some revenue for online streams. This is, I hope, the beginning of songs making more money for not just big artists…..but more importantly…US, the little guys who may have music being streamed out there. I am sure we are a long way out, but someone will work it out.

See the latest here: http://www.musicweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=1049816&c=1

Another new song I wrote: “The Past I’m Running From”

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Here is another song that I wrote. Check it out, it is called, “The Past I’m Running From” ~~ Chad

The Past I’m Running From
by Chad Shank

On wet gravel
A tear slips down my face
I push the pedal
And try to drive this hurt away

The sky is black
The rain it pounds
I’m not sure where I’m going now

So I just drive away
Make my escape
But I’m haunted
By choices made and my mistakes
I’m trying to find some answers
Speeding down this dirt road
Struggling
With the Past  I’m Running From

Ugly demons
Staring at me from the backseat
‘Cause I hurt the
One closest to me

I cheated
And I told some lies
And now I’m in this storm tonight

CHORUS

Bridge:
From the bottom of my heart
I never meant to tear our world apart like this
Lost out on these muddy roads
The first and last place that I should go is to you

CHORUS

©2012 Chad Shank, Rowley Street Music

Free Songwriting Lesson/Coaching Session

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People usually understand the idea of a songwriting class, or seminar…but I find that, at first, my clients are a little confused by 1 on 1 songwriting lessons.  They understand piano and guitar lessons, but maybe not quite songwriting lessons…..Doesn’t everyone know how to write songs? You just write.   Well….yes and no.  We all have been listening to songs since our parents played or sang us lullabies.  Songs are not in short supply. We hear them all the time. We know what great songs sound like, so we can write them, right?  You do hear them, but do you really know what is going on mechanically with the lyrics, melody and harmony that make it a great song?

In my songwriting lessons, it is my goal to share with you the knowledge and know-how to write better songs than you have ever written.  Songs that people not only like, but LOVE. Songs that connect and get people emotionally….and maybe even financially invested in you. (Insert smiley faces and dollars signs)

How can I teach that? Well in my lessons, I break down songwriting concepts into very basic and fundamental theories and ideas. Some of those concepts are hidden in plain sight, we hear them subconsciously and don’t really know what is happening….but what if you DID know what was happening and could do it on purpose? THAT is what songwriting lessons are about. We will look at your current writing….or maybe you haven’t written yet, but want to know how. We will break it into very simple, yet powerful chunks and nurture your creative songwriter.

So right now I am offering anyone who emails me, and lives in the Minneapolis or the Twin Cities area a free 1 hour songwriting lesson/coaching session. Yes, I said, if you live in Minneapolis, I will meet with you in-person and give you a free 1 hour lesson/session. That is worth $60!  —- WAIT….but what if I DON’T live in Minneapolis?  Well for you guys, I am offering a free song critique. I will critique one of your songs and give you some pointers on how to make it better. That is a $20 value….FREE.

All you need to do is EMAIL ME.  Also be sure to follow this site and sign up to get my email updates….I am working on booking some new songwriting classes, workshops, and I am working on some new songwriting E-Books!

~ Chad

Get Out of Your Songwriting Comfort Zone

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We all have one. That style of writing that we know just works. It just works, it does. It sounds good, it is right smack dab in our style. It feels good when we sing it. The chords work. The melodies work. It just works. We use it over and over….Wait. This is a problem.

Do you ever feel like your songs kinda sound similar? Sure style is one thing, but think about it….do your songs REALLY sound similar?  Mine do. Mine really do and it gets bad and frustrating sometimes. Why? Well when I catch myself writing in ‘my style’ and what ‘feels natural,’ that means I am swimming in familiar waters and writing in my comfort zone. Recently I have come to believe that means I am not growing. I am at a plateau and risking doing things I have done over and over…even though I do them pretty damn good.  It’s OK everyone does this, and it isn’t always bad….but we need to know how to NOT do that.

How do you get out of your comfort zone? Here are a few ideas on how to break out of your songwriting comfort zones:

1. Work with a new cowriter

2. If you write chords first usually…..start with lyrics

3. If you write lyrics first usually…..start with just a melody

4. If you write words and music at the same time usually…..stop and break it into each part and do only 1 at a time

5. Copy chord progressions from songs you like, but would never attempt writing

6. Copy the title of a hit song and try to write your song about a story that is completely different from the original

7. If you write your songs from start to finish…example: start with verse, then write chorus, then bridge…..do it backwards. Start from the end of the song

8. Take your favorite standby chord progression and play it backwards

9. If you write songs using 3 or 4 chords, try writing a whole song with just 1 or 2 chords

10. If you usually write slow songs, write fast ones for awhile or vice versa

11. Does it take you a weeks to write a song? Try writing a full song in 1 hour! remember it doesn’t have to be perfect, just write the damn thing, even if you feel stupid and lost.

12. If you usually write melodies based on chord tones….try picking notes that are not in the chords. Practice singing those notes over the chords…..start retraining your ear to not hear the same things all the time (I am VERY guilty of this one)

So there are just 12 ways you can start getting out of your comfort zone. There are more. Do you have any you can share? Post them below….  The idea here is to not get stuck in that rut of writing your same 5 songs over and over again.  Have fun in not being perfect, have fun with the process of experimenting and trying new things. I am very sure that some of your tests will result in some cool songs. You can post those too, if you like.

~~ Chad