News, Views and seeking the Muse!

If only there was a formula

If there was a formula for the perfect song we'd all be following it and we'd all be successful. We're not, so can we presume then, that there is no formula! Right place - right time, nepotism, hard graft, never giving up, a lucky break, a provocative video, maybe all part of the formula. A pop song has to be 3 mins long, so why was Bohemian rhaposdy so successful. Diane Warren keeps knocking them out but it took 12 years before anyone gave her a chance. My inspiration is Niel Finn absolutely brilliant song writer, voted best song writer by Q and only had 1 number in 1 county in his whole brilliant career (Canada) - that keeps me going! His formula is this - a)unusual chord progressions  b) seamless melody and hooks  c) texture/atmos  d) subtle lyrics  e) light and dark. Try it!