Thanks for signing up to our mailing list and downloading this content. We’re going to cover the three most important rules for songwriting, hoping to help musicians both new and old.

Whether you are completely new to songwriting or experienced in this matter you will undoubtedly be aware that thousands of new songs are written every singe day.

Most of these thousands of songs will never get published because supply vastly outstrips demand.

You may be great at writing songs but if no-one else wants to record, play, or sync them, then you will never have the satisfaction of hearing your own music on the radio or of receiving income from your songwriting. A note from the Author:

You may be thinking who are we to tell you how to write songs? So I thought I should share some of my experiences within the music industry.

I had a triple billboard hit in 2014 with “Falling Into You” which was performed by Michigan’s “Ultimate Taste Band”, which even made the top 20 in their indie charts and the top 30 in their R&B charts as well as doing well in the overall top 200.

I have also made the finals and semi-finals with several of my other songs in international songwriting competitions as well as receiving many commendations. I have been signed by three indie labels and have turned down other contracts as unsuitable. I only discovered rule one recently by the way. I write as Peterthelast and I can provide documentary evidence of my quoted credentials.

I wish you all the very best of luck in your songwriting, and if this helps you even just a little bit in your journey then it’s been worth it.

Yours

Peter G Last

email: ([email protected]) Rule Number One: Take inspiration from the best

Now, as a musician, of course, you already listen to and analyse music but you really need to pay special attention to the stuff that is popular.

It is essential that you listen to the current Billboard top 40 songs in your chosen genre every single week. Listen to the songs over and over until the song structures have sunk into your mind.

This is because the first rule is to write songs in the format of those that are already successful: or in other words, you should take inspiration from the best out there at the moment.

Pay particular attention to:

 How the lyrics are developed throughout the song

 What the length is of each track

 What instruments used

 How early the hook or chorus come in

 How the songs build and release tension

This is because your songs need to bear resemblance to those which are already in demand. Of course, there is plenty of room to be creative and put your own spin on things but your song needs to be CURRENT to stand any chance of being picked up in an already overcrowded market.

By analysing those who are successful you can tweak your music to produce something that is more likely to appeal to a wider audience. You may be writing great material anyway, but if it is not currently in demand then it is unlikely to be picked up by anyone in A&R who can actually offer you a deal. Rule Number Two: Write from the heart

As a species, we are an emotional bunch, and as such, we love stories and music that comes from the heart. The day to day nuts and bolts of what you do with your day aren’t interesting, but how it made you feel is.

Much of the best music taps into emotions and feelings, whether something powerful and relatable like Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ or dark and poignant like Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. You only need to glance through the top 40 singles of today to see that most of them have a feeling or emotion within the song.

So, write music from your heart!

That may sound obvious but it actually takes a great deal of courage to be emotionally honest and vulnerable with your public face. It is very scary for most of us, and it can feel incredibly risky to share your innermost feelings and vulnerabilities with strangers.

When I wrote what remains arguably my best song, I could hardly believe what I had done and I had to summon up a great deal of courage to go public with it.

Just think of Dolly Parton and her song “Coat Of Many Colours” as another great example of writing from the heart. If you want to check out a heartfelt instrumental, just listen to The Chieftains Danny Boy with James Galway on flute, no vocals but huge emotion. As you may well know they have collaborated with artists including Mick Jagger and Sinead O'Connor among many others.

Now, rule two doesn’t apply to all genres or types of music. Lots of dance music is without strong emotion or feeling, as are many pop songs. It does however apply to many of the great classics such as Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. This album was made by a band in emotional turmoil as inter-band relationships melted and realigned. Out of this heartbreak emerged a truly great and timeless classic album.

Another example would be Simon and Garfunkel. They ended up hating each other immensely, yet they created the masterpiece Bridge Over Troubled Waters. Out of great pain, great beauty can emerge. And, often emotional music can be a source of comfort to those who listen to it.

True stories are often very poignant. One of my favourites is The Days of Pearly Spencer by David Mc Williams. Billy Joel’s Piano Man sounds true to me and I love that also. As humans, we have a need to listen to songs that we can interpret and relate to in our own ways. It’s often musicians who can take emotional turmoil and create something beautiful and relatable with universal appeal. Rule Three: Seek collaborations

Collaborating with other artists is a fantastic way to grow and develop yourself as a songwriter.

So, as soon as you have three great songs under your belt you should be searching for people to collaborate with who are more successful and experienced than you are. You can think of it as jumping up a few rungs on the ladder, as you will learn an unbelievable amount in the process.

Here’s why collaboration is great for new songwriters

 Learn from those you collaborate with

 Reach a wider audience through your collaboration partner

 Gain valuable experience working with other musicians

I started looking for collaborations a number of years ago through music gateway. I was turned away by the first two people that I approached, but I replied to both rejections anyway and said ‘Listen, just let me write some lyrics to your music and if you don’t like them you can just tear them up’.

They both agreed and both loved the work I produced. They requested more of my work and were continually happy with what I produced for them. That was several years ago and I still work with these people to this day. Finally…

I hope that you’ve gained something from this document to help you improve and grow as a new musician. Having been where you are, I am proof that with work, perseverance, and knowledge you can make it within the music industry.

You should know it is virtually impossible to critique your own work as you become too close to the project to sit back and examine it as an outsider. I have used song critique services in the past to improve my music, and will always have a professional within my close network listen to my music and give me their feedback. Please do not expect an unbiased review from your friend and family for obvious reasons.

We offer music critiques as part of our services at the song cabin, and if this is something that is of interest to you we would love to work with you.

For now, I wish you the best of luck with your songwriting, and hope to one day hear your music somewhere.

Peter G Last