How do you keep your listeners engaged and excited to hear what comes next? The principle of Movement in songwriting is all about creating a sense of forward momentum -- inviting your audience to journey alongside you through your musical story.

Struggling with writer’s block or feeling like your songs lack cohesion? Discover how the principle of repetition can enhance your songwriting! Repetition isn’t just about repeating lines or melodies—it’s about creating patterns that give your music structure and familiarity, helping both you and your audience connect to the song.

Imagine a song where every note feels the same, every rhythm blends together, and no moment stands out—it would be easy to tune out, right? Contrast is all about creating meaningful difference in your music—highlighting key moments by pairing opposites like high and low, soft and loud, or short and long.

Discover how the principle of balance can transform your songwriting! In this video, we’ll explore what balance means in music and how you can use it to create songs that feel cohesive, engaging, and emotionally resonant. Whether it’s balancing lyrics and melody, rhythm and harmony, or tension and release, this principle is key to crafting unforgettable music.

Often, our new musical ideas don't come to us fully formed. They start as a seed of an idea, and need to be extended and shaped until they express our vision for it. Today I talk about this refining stage of songwriting, and share why I use design principles -- not music theory -- to help me grow my ideas.

If you've started exploring melodies or chord progressions on the piano, you're ready for the next stage in your songwriting journey: collecting and refining your musical ideas! Deciding which of your musical ideas to work on can be frustrating if you don't have the right mindset -- the pressure to write music that other people will like can stifle our natural musicianship.

Does the fear of being acceptable to others keep you from writing music from your heart? I know from experience that trying to impress other people isn't a sustainable way to motivate your piano journey!

If you'd like to write music, you'll probably enjoy yourself more if you don't put pressure on yourself to write a hit on your first try! Too many of my students throw their ideas away too early, without appreciating the joy and gift of creativity while it's happening.

The act of creating will magnify the true motives of your heart more than any other force on earth! That's why I think it's so important for us musicians to be honest with ourselves -- and cultivate a good mindset -- so we can truly enjoy our journey of learning and writing for piano.