Sometimes you think you have to reinvent the wheel in your song’s rhyming scheme. But often the most basic form will work. It’s at least a great starting point. Think of your favorite nursery rhyme. It will likely be four lines rhyming in aabb. For example, as you know (or your parents have failed), “Humpty […]
On Songwriting: Try Nursery Rhyme Form Read More »
I’ve started selling my watercolor paintings on Bandcamp to help raise money for “Up North,” a concept album about northern Minnesota. If you’d like an original painting, plus a handwritten thank-you, go check them out on the merch page.  View/Buy Paintings >>
My Paintings Are for Sale Read More »
Do you get upset when you or your song gets compared to another artist or their work? John Hi John – Yes. Well, at least initially. It’s my lizard brain signaling fight, flight, or freeze. Like someone’s about to eat me. It’s been found out that I’m an imposter, I’ve been faking this whole music
“Up North.” It refers to the northen part of a region. It’s a phrase commonly said by locals or former locals of the upper Midwest. Probably other parts of the world as well. The Helgesons have a lake cabin up north. Or He’s headed up north for deer season. Isn’t it a bit redundant? Up
And the Name of the Concept Album Is… Read More »
You probably remember your high school English teacher talking about how you should show more than you tell. Still, let’s cover it here. It’s easy to gloss over and think you’re doing it. But if you really comb through your song and try to hear it from the listener’s perspective, you’ll probably find that you’re
On Songwriting: Showing vs. Telling Read More »
Great lyrics and a bad melody. I once sent this combination to my publisher. They sent it right back to me and basically said, “Don’t waste good lyrics on a bad melody.” It hurt my feelings, but then I realized they were right. I scrapped the entire melody and rewrote it, improving the song immensely.
On Songwriting: Why Rewrite Finished Songs Read More »
Baby, You’re Gonna Be Mine This first one is a fun, gritty collection of modern short stories by Kevin Wilson. I’d never read him before but my wife said I’d love him. She was right. I love situational tales that don’t really resolve, they just make you ponder a bunch of stuff you wouldn’t have
Two Books I Recommend Read More »
Hi Aaron, my name is Jörn and I am from Germany. I am listening a lot to your very inspiring songs and wanted to thank you. I really like the cover of your single “The Kindness of Strangers” – it gives a lot of interpretation but warms my heart. Where and how did you come
Did you lose someone important to you? I just learned of you yesterday and so many of your songs go straight to my heart! I lost my son 18 months ago. Karmen Hi Karmen – I’m so sorry about your son. I can’t even imagine what you must be going through. I have four boys,
AMA: “Did you lose someone important to you?” Read More »
There was this scene in a cartoon my son was watching where two kids wanted to be rock stars. They started writing a song but realized they didn’t have enough life experience to say much in their lyrics. So they went out and started doing a bunch of things to expedite the process. I laughed
On Songwriting: If You Lack Life Experience Read More »