Mantius Cazaubon
www.UltimateSongwriting.com

In this issue we focus on using ghost songs as a guide to writing originals. The following are a few suggestions you may like to consider. These ideas work for me.

Recently, I have been experimenting with using ghost songs to write originals. And I have found that this works very well. What I do is choose a hit song that I like and write new words to it. I write on a completely different topic but follow the pattern of the ghost song. The words must be able to fit into the ghost song melody. Sometimes I don't even write an entire song; I simply write a verse and chorus to begin with. Only after I have a melody and a chord progression do I complete the lyrics.

After writing a verse and chorus, I forget about the ghost song completely and try to come up with a new melody and different chords. I like changing the key since I feel that it makes it more difficult to fall into the trap of having my new song sound like the ghost song. Remember that the melody of the ghost song is protected by copyright law.

Until now, I have not been using the chord progressions of other songs too much but it is something I've been thinking of trying out. You see, chord progressions cannot be copyrighted. My thinking is not to re-invent the wheel but to follow what has been proven to work. So instead of struggling to come up with new chord progressions I can simply use existing ones.

Usually, I write my chord progression before writing the melody. If the chord progression is completely different to that of the ghost song it's very unlikely that your melody will sound similar.

Even if you do not write lyrics, you can still use a ghost song as a guide. It can provide you with a good song structure, and even a chord progression. Simply alter the song progression a little, according to your personal taste. Do you only write lyrics? A lyricist can use a ghost song as a pattern for writing original lyrics and work with a collaborator.

How about making a list of hit songs you like? Most of the time, these songs have good song structure and form. Then use them as ghost songs to write songs that can sell in today's market. This seems to be going very well for me. I hope it can work for you too.

Recommended Resources:

The Guerilla Music Marketing Handbook is one of the best works I've come across on music promotion. If you want your music to make money, this handbook is a must.

Lyricist - It's been labeled the songwriter's best friend. It's perfect for those who want to make songwriting an easier, more hassle-free process. Learn more here.

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