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After the Song Works

Now that you have a great song, what's next? That depends on who you are and why you write songs. First, take a deep breath and congratulate yourself. You did the work. You finished a song.

Now, ask yourself a few questions. What are your goals? Are you performing it live? Do you want to record it? Who's going to sing it - you or someone else? Should you make a demo? How's your playing and singing? Wanna get better? How about getting that song to an artist who might want to put it on their next recording project? Is there a cause that you believe in that could use a theme song?

Whether you're a "do it for the fun of it" writer, a performing singer-songwriter, or interested in getting your songs in film and tv, these videos will help you show off your song at its very best, and provide insight on how to take things to the next level.

Video Lectures

Music Theory

Nashville Numbers (Major Key)
0:13:48
Thinking in numbers is a GREAT starting point.
Demystifying the Circle of Fifths
0:12:41
Start building the framework for holding all your music knowledge, right here with the Circle of 5ths.
Time Signatures
0:12:38
Make rhythmic structure work for you.

Guitar

Dynamics and Rhythmic Depth
0:17:48
Two powerful but often overlooked tools in songwriting.
A Capo Does More Than Change the Key!
0:05:35
A capo is more useful than one might think.
The Drop D Capo
0:08:40
The beginning of a very deep rabbit hole.
Coloring Chords With Open Strings
0:08:05
Open strings and chordal color create wonderful, new sounds!
Creating Yumminess With the Short Cut Capo
0:10:48
The Short-Cut Capo opens a whole new universe.
Drop D Tuning
0:09:48
Build a solid foundation for your song to walk on.
Integrated Pick-Strumming for Guitarists
0:10:57
Integrated right-hand technique is a good thing.
More Yumminess With the Short Cut Capo
0:09:37
With the short cut capo, the universe expands.

Recording and Producing

Pre-Production Arrangement and Instrumentation
0:32:09
There's a lot to think about before you go into the studio to record a song.
Techniques for Recording Acoustic Guitar
0:22:02
How to mic acoustic guitars and use different mic setups for different results.
Fundamental Concepts of Mixing
0:20:34
What should you really consider when you're mixing your track? How do you choose what to focus on? Use the rule of three and other ideas, too.
Choosing Mics for Singers
0:16:43
How to select the right mic for the singer's voice.
Knowing the Differences Between Mics
0:23:06
Find out what the basic types of mics are and what they're most often used for.

The Music Business

Publishing Deals: A Publisher's Point of View
0:09:15
What are publishers are looking for in writers?
Publishing Deals: A Writer's Point of View
0:12:55
Here are some things to think of if you're considering a publishing deal.
Navigating Nashville
0:07:29
So you want to move to Nashville? Here are a few tips you might like to take with you.

Performance

Supporting And Using Your Voice
0:12:38
Connecting to your voice, and using that tool to communicate: priceless.
Breaking Patterns
0:24:13
Make magic by making changes!
Breath and Body
0:11:13
The essential connection between breath and body.
Breathing
0:36:21
The real scoop on "Breathing for Singing!"
Choosing a Key That Works For You
0:17:13
How to make the most of your voice and your performance.
Quick Tips
Imagery and Emotion in Songs
0:03:26
How to use imagery and emotion to your advantage.
Prosody
0:03:11
How well matched are your music and lyric?
Songforms
0:03:41
We have many choices when it comes to song forms.
What Do I Have? What Do I Need?
0:03:25
Sometimes taking a good look at what you've written may shed some light on what you need to write.