Recording - April 2013 - 22

Interview by Lorenz Rychner
Robin Frederick is a former Director of A&R for Rhino
Records, executive producer of more than 60 albums, and
an in-demand lecturer on the music industry. She has
written and produced hundreds of songs for television,
records, theater, and audio products. In her two books,
Shortcuts to HIT Songwriting and Shortcuts to
Songwriting for Film & TV, both of which we reviewed
in this magazine, we found a treasure trove of good
advice of the kind that can only come from someone who
knows whereof they speak. Ms. Frederick has that kind of
track record.
In this issue of Recording we focus on the recording
songwriter, and we asked Ms. Frederick to address the
kinds of questions that we trust will be on many readers’
minds.—LzR
Q: I want to make some money—how do I know
what songs to write to make that happen?
A: Like any business, you need to give the music
industry something they can sell in today’s market.
The best way to do that is to study current hit
songs. If you have a genre in mind when you write,

it will help a lot when you’re ready to approach the
industry. To find a genre you’re comfortable with,
check out the music charts online and in music
industry magazines. Look for hit songs you like.
(Don’t study the ones you don’t like!) If you’re not
familiar with these songs, listen to them on iTunes
or a stream-on-demand music site. Ask yourself
what it is about the song that appeals to you. How
does it make you feel? Is there a lyric or melody
technique you could try in a song of your own?
Q: How can I “emulate” a song without stealing from it?
A: Studying hit songs is the quickest way to pick
up new songwriting techniques. You’re not looking
to write a new song based on the hit—it’s a way to
learn and practice songwriting craft. Songwriting is
a lot like learning to ride a bicycle. You’ve got to
get a feel for it, find your balance, before you can
really ride on your own. Emulating a hit song is a
little like putting on training wheels. It will help
keep you on track and heading in the right direction as you develop new skills.
To practice songwriting with a hit song as a guide,
find an existing hit with a well-defined structure—
easy to identify verse and chorus sections—and a
good hook. The hook is usually the first or last line
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RECORDING April 2013

of the chorus. It should be memorable and sum up the overall
feeling of the song. Learn to sing the hit song’s melody. Once
you can do that, write a lyric line of your own that you can comfortably sing to the hook melody of the hit. (Again, the hook is
probably the first or last line of the chorus. If you’re not sure
which one, then just pick one to work with.) Wherever the hook
appears in the original, repeat it in your “training” version.
To get a feel for how your lyrics sound when sung to a contemporary hit, fill out your chorus. Write more lines that support your new hook, its meaning, its emotion. Be sure they fit
comfortably into the hit song melody. You don’t have to stick to
every note and syllable, just get close.

Recording - April 2013

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