Wednesday 17 February 2010

Tickets To Write


You can find this post in a new and updated format on
Beatles Songwriting Academy


Welcome to the master post for all those little songwriting tricks that are just waiting to be ...ahem...borrowed by you to write your own killer tunes. After each summary there's a list of songs by The Beatles (and others) that use this idea. Follow the link to find out a little more about the ticket in context. If it's not linked it means I didn't mention it in the post or I haven't got to that song yet. If a ticket is really useful or really common I'll give it it's own post, which again will be linked.



T1 The bVI switcheroo. Rather than landing on the I or 'root' chord (e.g. D major) at the end of a section delay the resolution by playing the bVI (Bb) instead then end on the I.
P.S. I Love You, With A Little Help from My Friends, also I Saw Her Standing There


T2 Brevity – try cutting away all the excess – ask of each section/repeat “is this part really necessary?” Remember, the song is finished "not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away".
Please Please Me, From Me To You

T3 Make everything a hook.
Please Please Me


T4 Create intros/outros/solos from existing parts of the song.
Please Please Me, She Loves You, From Me To You, Can’t Buy Me Love, Help also P.S. I Love You


T5 Have a bridge that contrasts with the other musical sections fast/slow, wide/narrow range etc.
Please Please Me

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