"Many aspiring songwriters ask... “So where do you start when you're writing? Melody line, chord progression, lyrics, chorus?"
Mike Myers' career spans four decades. Although Mike has had countless hit records, awards and accolades, selling over 40 million records worldwide and is credited with writing more than 75 single and album hits, he is best known for the song I'm In the Mood For Dancing.
1 . There's no rule about how you start writing a song. Sometimes it's a phrase, a title, a melody, a chord progression, a riff, something you feel or want to express - perhaps even none or all of these elements. It's about letting your imagination go! It really doesn't matter how you get there.
2 . If you are writing the song for a specific project, it's a different matter. The more finished the track sounds, the more chance you have of getting the song across. If it's a heavy rock song for a female artist, it's no good getting a guy to sing and play it on piano hoping others can imagine it as the songwriter can. If you're pitching a song for Beyonce, your song or demo should sound like Beyonce. It's vital to "put their stamp on it". Their signature sound is what people identify with.
3 . It's a good idea to be able to record your ideas before you forget them, even if you are able to write music. I have two portable recorders - a small handheld and a Zoom H4. I usually drag the audio files directly into Cubase as soon as I'm in the studio.
4 . Some of the best songs I've written were for me and the ones that came quickly and naturally. Unfortunately that doesn't mean they were the ones that were the most commercially successful. Try to stay in touch with what’s happening and what’s not.
5 . What next? It’s no good sitting back or hoping that someone is going to discover your material on the internet. Try to get your material out there. PRS for Music is always happy to help!
Songwriter and record producer Mike Myers is an Ivor Novello Award Nominee for Songwriter Of The Year and for Most Performed Work. He has been writing songs for over 35 years, has sold over 40 million records to date and had 72 chart entries.
Mike’s studio which is based in the Algarve, Portugal, is starting a new series of Songwriter Workshops in 2012. Each workshop lasts for four days and is limited to just four to six guests, so they'll be plenty of time for guests to work closely with Mike on their songs. They'll discuss lyrics, melody, delivery, structure and rhythm. Guests will also have full use of the studio to record their songs. There are several apartments and a spacious house to accommodate visiting guests, with beaches only minutes away.
www.tinman-creative.com
Mike Myers' career spans four decades. Although Mike has had countless hit records, awards and accolades, selling over 40 million records worldwide and is credited with writing more than 75 single and album hits, he is best known for the song I'm In the Mood For Dancing.
1 . There's no rule about how you start writing a song. Sometimes it's a phrase, a title, a melody, a chord progression, a riff, something you feel or want to express - perhaps even none or all of these elements. It's about letting your imagination go! It really doesn't matter how you get there.
2 . If you are writing the song for a specific project, it's a different matter. The more finished the track sounds, the more chance you have of getting the song across. If it's a heavy rock song for a female artist, it's no good getting a guy to sing and play it on piano hoping others can imagine it as the songwriter can. If you're pitching a song for Beyonce, your song or demo should sound like Beyonce. It's vital to "put their stamp on it". Their signature sound is what people identify with.
3 . It's a good idea to be able to record your ideas before you forget them, even if you are able to write music. I have two portable recorders - a small handheld and a Zoom H4. I usually drag the audio files directly into Cubase as soon as I'm in the studio.
4 . Some of the best songs I've written were for me and the ones that came quickly and naturally. Unfortunately that doesn't mean they were the ones that were the most commercially successful. Try to stay in touch with what’s happening and what’s not.
5 . What next? It’s no good sitting back or hoping that someone is going to discover your material on the internet. Try to get your material out there. PRS for Music is always happy to help!
Songwriter and record producer Mike Myers is an Ivor Novello Award Nominee for Songwriter Of The Year and for Most Performed Work. He has been writing songs for over 35 years, has sold over 40 million records to date and had 72 chart entries.
Mike’s studio which is based in the Algarve, Portugal, is starting a new series of Songwriter Workshops in 2012. Each workshop lasts for four days and is limited to just four to six guests, so they'll be plenty of time for guests to work closely with Mike on their songs. They'll discuss lyrics, melody, delivery, structure and rhythm. Guests will also have full use of the studio to record their songs. There are several apartments and a spacious house to accommodate visiting guests, with beaches only minutes away.
www.tinman-creative.com
