Steve Seskin on Writing a great story song

Send us a text

Steve Seskin is a hit songwriter and artist.  He plays one of his hit songs and walks us through how the song came to be step by step, sharing his thought process and craft.  He shares his insights on what it takes to write a great story song.

Show take aways:

• Try writing your chorus first asking "What is the big pictures idea".  Try to write so that your choruses grow in meaning each time you hear them.

• Try writing to the following chord progression:

I     VImin   IV   V  =  C  Amin  F  G

• Rewrite, Songwriting isn't a race, take as long as each song needs whether it's 3 hours or 75 hours, serve the song.

• Write what you care about, it doesn't have to have happened to you.

• There are songs that entertain and there are songs that make you think and sometimes we get lucky and we get both at the same time: "Believe" by John Mayer.

https://www.steveseskin.com

"The Craft of Songwriting: Music, Meaning and Emotion: https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1638411380&sr=8-2

"What's in a Song" co-written with Otto Gross

Recorded and performed by Otto Gross: 

@OttoGrossProduction (instagram)
@OttoGrossMusic (Youtube, facebook, TikTok)

https://biglink.to/ottogrossmusic

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's website:

https://www.scarletkeys.com

Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/

To purchase Scarlet Keys' book "The Craft of Songwriting:

https://www.amazon.com/Craft-Songwriting-Music-Meaning-Emotion/dp/0876391927/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2PP55NU6E9ST6&keywords=the+craft+of+songwriting&qid=1659573139&sprefix=the+craft+of+songwritin%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1