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Unlocking the Power of Lyrical Hooks in Songwriting: A Comprehensive Guide

Every great song has a secret weapon, a melodic nugget that embeds itself in your mind and refuses to let go. It’s that irresistible phrase or catchy line that has you humming along, even when the music has stopped. This magical element is what we call a “lyrical hook,” and it’s the heartbeat of any unforgettable song.

In the world of songwriting, lyrical hooks are the holy grail. They are the difference between a song that’s quickly forgotten and one that resonates with audiences for generations. From “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles to “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, lyrical hooks have been the cornerstone of countless chart-toppers, weaving their way into the fabric of our lives.

But what exactly are lyrical hooks, and how can you harness their power to elevate your songwriting? This comprehensive guide aims to demystify the art of crafting lyrical hooks and provide you with the tools to make your songs stand out. Continue reading Unlocking the Power of Lyrical Hooks in Songwriting: A Comprehensive Guide

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Decoding the Role of a Music Producer: Do You Really Need One?

In the ever-evolving landscape of music production, the journey from a raw musical idea to a polished, professional track has undergone significant transformations. Technological advancements and the democratization of music-making tools have empowered musicians like never before, blurring the lines between amateurs and professionals. In this dynamic environment, the role of a music producer has become a subject of both curiosity and contention.

The Evolving Landscape of Music Production

Music production is no longer confined to elite recording studios with high-end equipment and seasoned producers. Today, anyone with a laptop and some creativity can create music from the comfort of their own space. Digital audio workstations (DAWs), virtual instruments, and online collaboration tools have opened new avenues for artists to craft and share their work.

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What chord progressions work well in 2023

In this blog post, I’m going to write about what chord progressions work today. And if you have read any articles or seen any videos on this topic, you will be surprised to see that what most people teach is completely wrong.

What everyone is teaching about pop music, is completely false. I see it all the time, people saying that the “Axis chord progression” is the most typical chord progression in pop music and that’s a chord progression you can use to write a hit song.

But they are wrong.

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How You Waste Your Money On “Music Promotion”

Today, it’s relatively cheap to buy video views through paid ads, whether it’s Facebook Ads or Youtube Ads. Many musicians put a few dollars into “boosting” the number of views on their music videos.

While you may think you are promoting your music this way, and getting real views, it is actually almost completely useless and a waste of money. In this article, I will explain why this is ineffective and offer a much better strategy to promote your music with paid ads. Continue Reading

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The Problem With “Flowers”

About three weeks ago, Miley Cyrus published a new song called “Flowers,” which you probably already heard. If you haven’t, here’s the music video:

When I first heard it, I didn’t like it, particularly the chorus. At first, I didn’t care much about it and thought it was just another song I didn’t like.

With the promotion of the song, which probably included paying big influencers to promote it on TikTok, I heard the chorus in more and more videos, particularly on TikTok.

At one point, when I heard the song again, I switched on my conscious mind to figure out the melody notes and the chords and I realized why I didn’t like the chorus. Continue Reading

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The Most Powerful Practicing Method Nobody is Using

How do you know if you made a hit song

You might think you know how to use a metronome, but chances are, you don’t. After working with hundreds of professional musicians for the past 20 years, I have found that almost all musicians don’t know how to use a metronome – even though they think they do.

If you have read my book, you already know what I’m talking about… but I still feel like I can share more thoughts on this topic. Continue Reading

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Instagram for musicians? Here is the truth

instagram for musicians

If you read any blog posts or watch advice on Youtube about how to get more followers on Instagram, they will talk about posting quality content, using hashtags, finding your audience, and things like that. But nobody talks about what you SHOULDN’T do on Instagram, even though it’s at least as important as what you do.

While my band is not active for the past 2 years because I’m doing another music project right now, I did gain 14,000 followers for the band, and I have some experience regarding what works and what doesn’t work on Instagram. ( https://www.instagram.com/barriolatino/ )

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How to use AI as a musician

In the past few weeks, many AI (Artificial Intelligence) tools have been published, and they have become extremely popular. One of the first tools was DALL-E, an AI image generator, which flooded social media sites within the first 24 hours after it was published. Chat GPT, an AI language model, became even more popular – more than 1 million people registered on the site in only 5 days.

It’s not a question that AI is the future, and we just have to learn to use these tools – the sooner the better. The question is, how can musicians use AI tools to make their lives easier? I have spent some time experimenting with these tools, so here are some ideas.

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“So where is YOUR hit song?”

Many people sent me a message or commented on my posts: “so where is YOUR hit song?” – or something like this.

I know that these people are not asking an honest question, they don’t really want an answer. And I almost always ignore them. The only purpose of these comments is to “attack” and argue. New ideas like The Rhythm Code can cause serious cognitive dissonance, which means, people have a hard time adopting something new. Continue Reading