Nekujak
My muse is demanding better working hours
A few years ago, I stumbled onto the Beatles Songwriting Academy blogsite by songwriter and music teacher, Matt Blick.
He's done an incredible job of analyzing, explaining, and cataloging key songwriting techniques employed by the Beatles, and provides not only reference examples from Beatles songs, but also songs by other artists past and present.
At the heart of the blog is the Tickets To Write page, that lists 78 songwrting and arranging techniques gleaned from the Beatles' oeuvre. Each item in the list links to a page with expanded details and examples.
Some of the items are obvious and likely to be second nature to those of us who've been writing songs for a while, however the list still serves as a handy reference and reminder, and probably contains a few tasty ideas that we haven't considered before.
If you're at an impasse trying to figure out how to finish a song or take it to the next level, a quick glance at this list can often provide an inspired way forward.
As a teaser, and to not steal views from Matt's website, here are the first 15 items from the list. You can view the entire list on the website.
TICKETS TO WRITE (excerpted)
by Matt Blick
1: Use the flat 6 (bVI) chord in a major key song (e.g. F major in the key of A major)
I Saw Her Standing There, With A Little Help from My Friends and Suffragette City (David Bowie)
2: Take out every unnecessary section, repeat or other element
From Me To You, Please Please Me and Song 2 (Blur)
3: Create catchy, melodic, rhythmic or sonic 'hooks'
Please Please Me, Here Comes The Sun and Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
4: Create intros, outros and solos by mutating the main sections of the song
Piggies, She Loves You and Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
5: Make each section contrast with the others
Please Please Me, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window and Creep (Radiohead)
6: Avoid using the root chord, especially as the first chord in the song
All My Loving, The Long And Winding Road and That'll Be The Day (Buddy Holly)
7: Avoid using all three major chords early in the song
Ask Me Why, Get Back and 505 (Arctic Monkeys)
8: Use the minor 4 (iv) chord in a major key song (e.g. Dm in the key of A major)
In My Life, Nowhere Man and Don't Look Back In Anger (Oasis)
9: Develop melodic or chordal fragments to create longer ideas or new sections
Piggies, Something and Dance Little Liar (Arctic Monkeys)
10: Finish a major key song on the 6 (vi) chord instead of the root (e.g. Am in the key of C major)
From Me To You, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and Every Breath You Take (The Police)
11: Have the whole band play the vocal rhythm to emphasise a key line
I Want To Hold Your Hand, The End and Tracks Of My Tears (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
12: Use contrary motion between different instruments
I Me Mine, Something and In The Light (Led Zeppelin)
13: Make the vocal line stay on non-chord tones
Day Tripper, Help
14: Write an in-key melody over out-of-key chords
Julia, Martha My Dear
15: Change time signatures between sections
Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Here Comes The Sun and Paranoid Android (Radiohead)
...63 more items on the Tickets To Write page.
Happy songwriting!
He's done an incredible job of analyzing, explaining, and cataloging key songwriting techniques employed by the Beatles, and provides not only reference examples from Beatles songs, but also songs by other artists past and present.
At the heart of the blog is the Tickets To Write page, that lists 78 songwrting and arranging techniques gleaned from the Beatles' oeuvre. Each item in the list links to a page with expanded details and examples.
Some of the items are obvious and likely to be second nature to those of us who've been writing songs for a while, however the list still serves as a handy reference and reminder, and probably contains a few tasty ideas that we haven't considered before.
If you're at an impasse trying to figure out how to finish a song or take it to the next level, a quick glance at this list can often provide an inspired way forward.
As a teaser, and to not steal views from Matt's website, here are the first 15 items from the list. You can view the entire list on the website.
TICKETS TO WRITE (excerpted)
by Matt Blick
1: Use the flat 6 (bVI) chord in a major key song (e.g. F major in the key of A major)
I Saw Her Standing There, With A Little Help from My Friends and Suffragette City (David Bowie)
2: Take out every unnecessary section, repeat or other element
From Me To You, Please Please Me and Song 2 (Blur)
3: Create catchy, melodic, rhythmic or sonic 'hooks'
Please Please Me, Here Comes The Sun and Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
4: Create intros, outros and solos by mutating the main sections of the song
Piggies, She Loves You and Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
5: Make each section contrast with the others
Please Please Me, She Came In Through The Bathroom Window and Creep (Radiohead)
6: Avoid using the root chord, especially as the first chord in the song
All My Loving, The Long And Winding Road and That'll Be The Day (Buddy Holly)
7: Avoid using all three major chords early in the song
Ask Me Why, Get Back and 505 (Arctic Monkeys)
8: Use the minor 4 (iv) chord in a major key song (e.g. Dm in the key of A major)
In My Life, Nowhere Man and Don't Look Back In Anger (Oasis)
9: Develop melodic or chordal fragments to create longer ideas or new sections
Piggies, Something and Dance Little Liar (Arctic Monkeys)
10: Finish a major key song on the 6 (vi) chord instead of the root (e.g. Am in the key of C major)
From Me To You, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da and Every Breath You Take (The Police)
11: Have the whole band play the vocal rhythm to emphasise a key line
I Want To Hold Your Hand, The End and Tracks Of My Tears (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles)
12: Use contrary motion between different instruments
I Me Mine, Something and In The Light (Led Zeppelin)
13: Make the vocal line stay on non-chord tones
Day Tripper, Help
14: Write an in-key melody over out-of-key chords
Julia, Martha My Dear
15: Change time signatures between sections
Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Here Comes The Sun and Paranoid Android (Radiohead)
...63 more items on the Tickets To Write page.
Happy songwriting!
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