In this edition of “Talking Points,” Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Robyn, breaks down a lifetime of turning emotion into artwork.
On Alban Berg’s Great Musical Palindrome
Hidden in plain sight in a second act interlude of Berg’s monumental Lulu, sits a full orchestra musical palindrome unlike anything in music history.
Seven Beats to Heaven: Our 10 Favorite Songs in 7/4 and 7/8
Here are our 10 favorite songs written in the time signatures of 7/4 and 7/8. Check out what makes them tick and hopefully they’ll give you some ideas!
How the Circle of Fifths Can Help Your Songwriting
The circle of fifths sometimes gets a bad rap. But it can be one of the single most important tools in the songwriter’s toolbox.
Homeward Bound: A Look Back at Paul Simon’s Songwriting Journey
As Paul Simon said farewell to performing music in September in his childhood home of Queens, NY, we revisit the ups and downs of the songwriter’s career.
5 Familiar Chord Progressions to Start Any Song
The first chords of your song will set the emotional precedent that your lyrics should ultimately follow. Here’s a few suggestions for starting strong!
Why Singing Actors Need to Learn Music Theory
Most singing actors can memorize a melody without too much trouble, so why learn theory? We’ll explore this question with Amy Marie Stewart.
How Do You Make an Audience Feel Nostalgic with Music?
Writing music for a show or film? Check out this beginner’s lesson on creating a sense of nostalgia in your music to fit the narrative.
3 Tips for Getting Out of a Lyric Rhyming Rut
Stuck in “rhymer’s block?” We enlisted a professional songwriting coach to show us three creative schemes for helping to write song lyrics that rhyme.
3 Atonal Techniques for Adventurous Songwriters
Inspired by Arnold Schoenberg and the Second Viennese School, here are three ways to use atonal composition techniques in your pop music-making!