https://blog.gigfanatic.com/ Straight talk on writing songs people remember and building a real career from them, from the co-writer of "It Wasn't Me." en-us Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:06:10 +0000 https://blog.gigfanatic.com/ascap-or-bmi/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/ascap-or-bmi/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Music Business I've been with ASCAP for many years and I'm happy with it. Here's how I joined, what a PRO actually does for you, and why the choice matters less than people think. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/ai-songwriting-tools/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/ai-songwriting-tools/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting AI can write a decent song now. I watched ChatGPT write one in my style in a couple of minutes. Here's why I'm still not worried, and how I think you should use these tools. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/how-to-pitch-songs-to-artists/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/how-to-pitch-songs-to-artists/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Music Business I started writing with Shaggy, Maxi Priest and Brian & Tony Gold through introductions, not cold pitches. Here's exactly how each one happened and what you can copy. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/how-to-co-write-a-song/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/how-to-co-write-a-song/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting Here's how a typical co-writing session runs for me, from the first melody to the next-day listen, including the one session with Shaggy where we had no music at all. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/do-songs-have-to-rhyme/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/do-songs-have-to-rhyme/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting Songs don't have to rhyme, but most good ones do. The trick is that the rhymes don't have to be exact. Here's how I use rhyme and the one place I break the rule. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/write-songs-without-instrument/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/write-songs-without-instrument/ Thu, 01 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting Yes. I've written hit songs without officially playing any instrument. Here are the two ways I write, and how to get the music in your head out to the musicians who can play it. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/write-the-chorus-first/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/write-the-chorus-first/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting Yes. Writing the chorus first gives every verse a destination, cuts your options down, and makes you far more likely to finish the song. Here's why it works. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/is-my-chorus-strong-enough/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/is-my-chorus-strong-enough/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Songwriting A strong chorus is the part people remember, sing back, and type into a search bar to find your song. Four simple tests to check yours before you write anything else. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/poor-mans-copyright/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/poor-mans-copyright/ Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Music Business Mailing your song to yourself doesn't protect it. The US Copyright Office says so directly. Here's what actually protects your songs and when registration is worth the fee. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/the-limitations-of-recording-at-home/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/the-limitations-of-recording-at-home/ Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Recording Recording at home is the right place to start, but rules, space, mixing, family and isolation can all get in the way. Here's what to plan for. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/8-different-ways-to-make-money-from-your-music/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/8-different-ways-to-make-money-from-your-music/ Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Music Business Live shows, endorsements, sales, streaming, radio airplay, publishing, sync fees and merchandise. Here's where the money in music actually comes from. https://blog.gigfanatic.com/when-you-set-up-a-home-recording-studio-never-go-cheap-on-these-items/ https://blog.gigfanatic.com/when-you-set-up-a-home-recording-studio-never-go-cheap-on-these-items/ Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Recording Studio monitors, microphones, cables, an audio interface, headphones and a sound engineer. These are the home studio items where going cheap costs you more.