How To Write A Song: Instinct And The Karate Kid - by Chen Neeman

You know that part in the Karate Kid, where the wise old teacher promises to teach the hero (Daniel) the art of Karate, but instead makes him paint his fence, sand his floors, and wax his cars?  And then when Daniel confronts him, the old man throws a punch and Daniel instinctively blocks it using the same motion he used to paint the fence?  R ...

10 Tips for Singer/Songwriters - by Dan Kalisher

1. Be functional on at least one instrument

Many of the best singer-songwriters were also great instrumentalists, and many famously were not. Being at the very least functional on at least one instrument will open many doors for you to create freely. If you have a guitar and capo and know 4 chords, you can pretty much ...

The Language Of Melody, And The Melody Of Language - by Chen Neeman

Usually this opening paragraph is where I try to sound funny and charming.  I tell some sort of relatable disarming joke or anecdote, and hopefully you the reader then think to yourself, “Oh he’s funny, I think I’ll read what he has to say about songwriting instead of scrolling through Reddit while I’m on the can.”   But ...

The Art of Not Networking - by Neara Russell

Are you an introvert? Yeah, I am too. Do you get the sense that success as a musician is all about “who you know”? You’re right. Does the thought of networking send you burrowing into a tunnel of social anxiety and nights at home with Netflix? Yep, been there.

Here’s the deal with networking. People freak me out. If y ...

How to Write a Song - by Chen Neeman

If ever there was a competition for the most ambitious blog title ever, “How to write a song” would probably win first prize.

“Well, geez Chen” you’re probably asking, “Will I know how to write a song after reading this article?”

No, don’t be silly.  I did not in fact lay out the keys to mastery of one of the ...