Guitar Nine Columns: Songwriting Composition Theory

Displaying 43 - 84 of 96

Enjoy over 25 years of staff columns, guest columns, interviews and more!

February-March 2004
Bryon Thompson

Bryon Thompson on discovering new ways of writing stronger and more original material.

April-May 2004
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess is back with a second installment on how creativity can be enhanced to improve songwriting and improvisation.

August-September 2004
Randy Ellefson

Creating a harmonic relationship between sections and adding to the sense of forward motion - Randy Ellefson is here with some great ideas.

December-January 2004
Alan Lennon

Let guitarist Alan Lennon take you through the basics of writing songs, starting with the fundamentals of chord progressions.

February-March 2005
Dan Keller

Interested in an aural and methodical inspiration? Let the Sultan of String show you his thematic ideas.

April-May 2005
A-J Charron

Guitarist A-J Charron is here with his ideas on writing from the heart (not the checkbook).

April-May 2005
Mike Walsh

Hess guitarist Mike Walsh has got a great use for your next spare Benjamin.

April-May 2005
David LaMotte

Ready to quit your day job? Get some thoughts and advice first, from one who`s done it.

April-May 2005
Scott Tarulli

If you learn other peoples solos or listen to other people`s music, will it ruin your own creativity? Scott Tarulli gives his personal opinion.

February-March 2006
Jason Sadites

Developing riffs and melodies into complete, interesting and listenable pieces of music.

June-July 2006
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess urges you to get beyond `guitarist` and `musician` to uncover the `artist` within.

October-November 2006
Robert Walker

Most guitarist are predominantly one or the other. Here`s some ways to achieve some balance.

April-May 2007
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess with ideas on selecting and using a compositional process that works best for you.

June-July 2007
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess with even more ideas on selecting and using a compositional process that works best for you.

June-July 2007
Kole

The process and benefits of writing down and charting specific details of the things the composer wishes to express is explained.

August-September 2007
Michael Knight

Michael Knight looks at some activities for versatile composition and soloing.

August-September 2007
Kole

The second part of the process and benefits of writing down and charting specific details of the things the composer wishes to express is explained.

August-September 2007
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess with his third installment on ideas on selecting and using a compositional process that works best for you.

October-November 2007
Tom Hess Opus 2

Tom Hess with his fourth installment on songwriting, with more advanced, yet simple and overlooked concepts.

October-November 2007
Kole

A theory borrowed from psychology but adapted by the author to the musical realm.

December-January 2007
Kole

You can get so much from exposure to unfamiliar music styles.

April-May 2008
Kole

An introduction to the most familiar way of analyzing and composing music for many of us.

June-July 2008
Kole

Kole supplies you, the songwriter/composer with three tools that will help you kick writer`s block `night in the ruts`.

August-September 2008
Kole

Kole goes beyond rut-busting, with tips on how to surpass all ruts.

December-January 2008
Kevin Ferguson

Kevin Ferguson offers guiding principles used to transcribe and arrange Vivaldi (and other Baroque) violin concertos to electric guitars.

December-January 2008
Kole

The often misunderstood and underappreciated interval - the minor second.

April-May 2009
Kole

Adding color to the bland, unifying lyrics, and other compositional techniques.

December-January 2009
Kole

No matter your level, these five tips will greatly improve your compositional ability.

December-January 2009
Lou Lombardi

Is the ability to write songs a gift, or can it be learned? Lou Lombardi has the answer.

October-November 2010
Kole

Kole teaches three essential and very effective concepts for making music.

December-January 2010
Brian Hunsaker

Here are nine songwriting tips you can use right away, regardless of your current level of technique.

August-September 2012
Joe Pinnavaia

When you find a group of musicians that you write, perform and hang with and can trust, well you may have won a lottery in life.

October-November 2012
Jerry Kramskoy

Shedding light on modes for those of you that are reaching out for new ideas to add to your musical armoury.

December-January 2012
Jerry Kramskoy

Connect with our audience; stirring up emotions while avoiding negative emotions.

June-July 2013
Ryan Buckner

Most guitar players have a tendency to use a single (often limiting) approach to songwriting that holds them back from achieving the results they want.

August-September 2013
Ryan Buckner

Unity and variety in songwriting are essential to keeping a song balanced and maintaining interest throughout the entire piece of music.

October-November 2013
Ryan Buckner

It does not necessarily have to take you a very long time to gain the skills needed to accurately express yourself through music.

December-January 2013
Mike Campese: The Fire Within

Mike Campese is back with ideas on how to compose - anytime, anywhere.

December-January 2013
Ryan Buckner

There are four mistakes that you can fix that will drastically increase your musical creativity and help you come up with songwriting ideas much faster.

December-January 2013
Tommaso Zillio

You might think that the pentatonic scale is just an easy scale but with no depth - well, you are wrong.

February-March 2014
Mike Campese: The Fire Within

Mike Campese is back with additional ideas on how to compose - anytime, anywhere.

October-November 2014
Tom Hess Opus 2

You`re going to like having the ability to write guitar solos that are highly melodic, expressive, and passionate.

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