We Interviewed 100 Pro Songwriters (Here's What They ALL Said)

[@SongTownUSA]

We Critiqued 2,000 People's Songs (Here's What We Learned). kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHy9hqmJrt16gaM

[@bjarnyg]

3:32 so true. and that goes for all genres, not only country music. when i listen to or read interviews with the great songwriters they all seem to have that one thing in common, they're connected to the songs of the past as well as present stuff. most songwriters seem to write the same kinda songs that they grew up with, they somehow got struck in that era. but stuck won't get you cuts.

[@SongTownUSA]

💯

[@Meekoh]

First time watcher, you got a sub my friends. Well dome. 🚀

[@SongTownUSA]

Appreciate your comments! Write on! -CM

[@briansmyth5625]

Showing up is the biggest thing ... thanks for that suggestion, SongTown!

[@tonycampbell4982]

Another great video packed with wisdom thanks.

[@SongTownUSA]

Glad it was helpful! CM

[@saggygnaw]

5:17 I learned many years ago to find out who influenced my influences and on down the line. It’s such a great way to learn about music history and find “new” old artists.

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! ~CM

[@joedorseymusic]

4:02 Great advice on learning your history. A few weeks ago I watched Ken Burns' film "Country Music". Hearing the reverence for the founders by icons in the field was inspiring.

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! ~CM

[@LeoDizonMendoza]

One of my favorite songwriting channels just posted 😃

[@SongTownUSA]

Thanks for being here! ~CM

[@daveandthebox8119]

Really great perspective guys. I needed to hear this. Thanks again for what you both do for us all. I am very grateful for your words of wisdom 🤙🏼😊

[@SongTownUSA]

We appreciate you letting us know ♥ Write on! ~CM

[@ojoyful1]

👍🏼

[@jrholmes79]

Thanks guys. Still working towards my pivotal moment!

[@SongTownUSA]

Here’s wishing you several!

[@MacMillenMusic]

Thanks guys, ALWAYS good stuff!

[@SongTownUSA]

YW!

[@dandtintennessee7675]

I've got about 7 songs written, three of which I'm in the process of recording and I'm 100% sure they'll all be hits 🙂. On a serious note though I've really enjoyed working on them. At 52 I'm new at this but I'm having fun doing it.

[@SongTownUSA]

Fun is the most important thing! Write on! CM

[@robertgold2643]

Glad to see I’m not the only one starting on this in their 50’s…. I’ve learned more about myself writing songs past couple years than my whole life before it

[@dandtintennessee7675]

@robertgold2643 I'm glad I'm not alone too.. lol. After a two decade battle with alcohol and now 15 years of sobriety I have a lot to say and a lot of experiences to draw inspiration from. Sure I write some drinkin songs but it's a different sort of drinkin song...lol

[@mikehall6e]

@@robertgold2643 I started at age 67 - I consider my songs better than average, which to me is a good start.

[@dandtintennessee7675]

@Trentstone121 Thanks for your input but I don't think you've heard anything I've recorded. When a song comes to me I typically hear the finished version in my head and do my best to reproduce what I hear. Are some chord progressions similar? Of course they are but the notion that I'm writing poems and then pasting them on someone else's progression is a lot to infer without ever hearing anything I've recorded. But thanks for your input.

[@azcoyote007]

So much good advice here. You guys have really helped move me forward this year. Thanks for that!

[@SongTownUSA]

Awww, that's so awesome to hear! Write on! ~CM

[@nickywhite_music]

Thank you guys for sharing this condensed wisdom! You guys are are true treasure! Keep it up! Can't wait to meet you one day

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! CM

[@RobbieKaye]

Such great wisdom Clay and Marty!!! Thank you!

[@littleshrederdude]

Thank you guys!

[@SongTownUSA]

Thanks for watching! CM

[@mdpoolefame]

Always learn things thank you guys!💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! Thanks for letting us know. Does our hearts good! ~CM

[@thetruthchannel349]

Ya I had a writer in LA several years ago say 'I wrote 200 songs this year' & it just came out of my mouth 'Oh ya? How many are any good?' I refuse to attempt to develop an idea I know sucks. I will not sit there because of an obligation 'to finish' or write '200 songs' this month. Writing doesn't mean you're even working on a 'song' per se. I'll have a song Ive decided to develop & Ill write maybe 8 verses or maybe I'll use the extra material & write 3 different competing versions of that one idea. Ive found thats the most constructive way to write. Doing & finishing important? You betcha. Doing & finishing a fully developed idea that is stellar? Way better. Just sitting & writing whatever comes to you & then developing more ideas out of that is a really under-explored way of approaching song writing I've found. Looking at like a writer does a script instead of as a poet trying to lock in a meter. You can always lock a meter. having an IDEA. that makes the difference.

[@deanmueller3500]

love it guys!

[@SongTownUSA]

Thanks Buddy! CM

[@peterlaws1653]

good work boys

[@SongTownUSA]

Thx. Write on! CM

[@thesongwritersjourney]

My walk away from this: Show up and write! Love these stories from the trenches.

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! Thx for joining in the conversation!

[@jMerkyJJ]

My biggest challenge as a song writer is arrangement. Any suggestions?

[@SongTownUSA]

Great question. I learned from studying my fav arrangements and picking up tricks from them. Trying things and experimenting. Seeing how a great arrangement has a rise and fall of energy throughout. Your other option is to co-write with good arrangers and pickup techniques from them or just let them do the arranging. Most of our SongTown members co-write and we have great arrangers and producers in the community. Write on! CM

[@thetruthchannel349]

just butting in my 2 cents here. If it hits you go with it if not it didn't cost you anything. If i were a writer starting out? I wouldn't worry about 'arrangement' so much as I would format. Theres a lot of good arrangers. Lot of good musicians. There aren't as many good writers. Look at different formats & find something you like & try & emulate those parameters. Look at the measure counts, look at melody shapes, ask yourself 'Why did this writer do this at this point in the song>?' or just pay attention to things in a track that made you feel something & then put your microscope on that 2 bar phrase or that one lick or chord or whatever it is. But I wouldn't concern myself with being an arranger. that'll come naturally. The biggest challenge I see with writers is just having an Idea. thats my biggest frustration with songwriters especially the past few years. I think a great IDEA is the soul & spirit of any good/great song. I haven't heard many great ideas lately. I don't think we've run out. I think people are just worn out.

[@jMerkyJJ]

@@SongTownUSA thank you.

[@jMerkyJJ]

@thetruthchannel349 i love this, especially the recommendations to focus on the 2 bars for instance. That makes sense. Thank you.

[@thetruthchannel349]

@@jMerkyJJ You're most welcome. A song isn't a moment. It's an event made up of moments. Lean into those moments that move you.

[@Patrick-ryan-collins]

Us mortals have to Study music theory and orchestration. I also like my rhyming dictionary

[@SongTownUSA]

I hear ya. I studied arranging at Berklee. I haven’t used a rhyming dictionary on pro writes though. Things move at a fast clip. -CM

[@jcmacmusic]

Thank you ❤

[@SongTownUSA]

You’re welcome buddy! CM

[@stevemyers2092]

what about the music ? I write both words and music. Sorry if the question is weak, 1st time on your channel.

[@SongTownUSA]

Thanks for watching! Yes we cover music as well. CM

[@tjmitch57]

It's evedit from those paying attention to 'songwriting' credits on songs these days that it's not unusual to have 5 to 10 names on a song that back in the day would have 1 or 2. A long list of names on what to trained ears seems like a fairly simple chord progression can be odd. My question is have either of you had the experience with a unheard songwriter that knew he/she had strong material & were unwilling to share credit on something they have crafted and looked as being as results of the 10,000 hours they put into their writing. To be clear this sort of writer is usually a performer than have been playing with some sort of local success so they're confident in their abilities and what they have.

[@hackwilson1467]

Dave loggins always had something in the works but would finish what seemed to him as original.

[@SongTownUSA]

Love it! CM

[@prettyOP]

Oof, haha writing through those bad songs can be a challenge sometimes. Gotta just treat it like an exercise and bleed it out 😅

[@SongTownUSA]

So true! CM

[@BobBeckley-by2sy]

Another angle here: I once had an afternoon writing appointment with a major hit songwriter and HE showed up drunk and unable to write.

[@SongTownUSA]

Not every pro is professional! For sure. In my personal experience, the ones that have long careers are real pros in every sense. -CM

[@JeffBostick222]

I'm just barely starting to scratch the surface on writing good songs.

[@SongTownUSA]

Write on! CM

[@GeneoVanEngers]

Awesome stuff. long story short risk it and drive your car over there with the expired tags. I would a chanced it.

[@SongTownUSA]

Songwriting is like gambling. Gambling that you'll write something that matters each day. Sometimes it's gambling that you won't get. a ticket! 😂

[@EmperorKamikaze]

Most hit country songs feature lyrics containing "whiskey, truck, tipsy, chevy, beer, alcohol in general, the word Country, and the name of a previously successful country artist (for illusory credibility). Write this and you'll do just fine.

[@SongTownUSA]

Ha! Most of mine and Marty’s songs didn’t talk about any of those things and we’ve done alright. Probably why we’ve had success in a lot of different genres outside of country :) -CM

[@jimmystuckeysongs3859]

Truth Y'all, written over 1000 but maybe fifteen or twenty are good, not great, just good; lol !

[@darrellhouston4647]

Do you feel many great writers never get their words out .

[@SongTownUSA]

Not sure I know what you mean :)

[@darrellhouston4647]

@@SongTownUSA Note everyone gonna leave their hometown. Is there a site online where artists can look at lyrics then contact the writer and go from there.

[@SongTownUSA]

@@darrellhouston4647 Absolutely, we have a 3- week program where you can submit lyrics to label artists. Registration just opened. Past artists have recorded and released songs from the program so a great idea will get an artists attention. songtown.com/songwriting-course-writing-for-artists/

[@spooky1304]

I think if you really FEEL something it should not take 200.

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Some songwriters only write the songs they use. Instead of writing ten songs, they work ten times more on that song to get it there. There are too many songs in the world.

[@SongTownUSA]

Absolutely, works great if that one song is magic. Can also depend on what stage of your writing skills development you are in. For me it’s about finding what works for you and be flexible in knowing that it can change over time. Write on! CM

[@ronnyskaar3737]

@SongTownUSA Kind of you to respond. Yes! Write on. Cheers

[@tailgunner6948]

Write till you get ehat you're looking for..messaging...feeling...work on that 1 song till its great...why waste time working on 200 songs if they're all mediocre...1 great song is like writing 200 songs at the same time..understand?

[@SongTownUSA]

From my own personal experience and most of the great writers I have worked with, there are different seasons in a writers development. Writing more songs develops your skills in numerous ways that writing an occasional song doesn't. After mastering some craft, you can slow down and nail each one with a higher level of skill. But you always need to write enough to keep your skills sharp. It's a muscle. Write on! CM

[@spooky1304]

Do you really need to write 200 songs to get one good one..? Seems like a lot.