Ralph Murphy Talks Laws of Songwriting at ASCAP Expo

Posted on April 24, 2013

Billboard reports that songwriter Ralph Murphy shared some tips and advice at the ASCAP "I Create Music" Expo. Ralph was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Don Williams and Cliff Richard are some of the artists that have recorded Murphy's songs.

Murphy says beats per minute (bpm) is one of the most important aspects of songwriting. He says most country hits are under 100bpm and pop songs tend to be over 100bpm.

Murphy advises songwriters to seek feedback from unbiased listeners - not friends and family. He emphasizes that songs should be easy to sing. He says songwriters should understand the power of pronouns, such as "You." Another one of Murphy's tips is to avoid contrived rhymes.

You can find more tips in the Billboard article. Murphy has published a songwriting book called Murphy's Laws of Songwriting. He also offers some analysis here of recent country hits.