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Alireza Ghafouri Creates Captivating Piano Single Inspired by a Dream

7/29/2023

Acclaimed composer, music producer, and sound designer, Alireza Ghafouri, has enchanted audiences with his latest piano single, drawing inspiration from the vivid dream of his friend, Mohammad Tajeran. With an impressive background in music production and composition, Alireza Ghafouri continually pushes artistic boundaries to deliver exceptional works across various mediums. Having collaborated closely with renowned Iranian pianist and composer, Anoushiravan Rohani, Alireza's dedication to his craft is evident in every mesmerizing note of his compositions. His latest single takes listeners on an evocative musical journey, weaving a poignant tale of nature and dreams.

The genesis of this piano masterpiece, "White Line of The Road", lies in Mohammad Tajeran's extraordinary vision as he traverses the globe on his bicycle, advocating for respect towards nature and tree planting. One night, during his adventurous travels, he experienced a profound dream centered around water, leaving an indelible mark on his soul. Upon waking, Mohammad realized that this dream deserved to be transformed into music, shared with the world. Captivated by Mohammad's dream and inspired by his message, Alireza Ghafouri eagerly embraced the task of translating the dream into a musical reality. As he delved into the creative process, a beautiful piano composition emerged, capturing the essence of the dream and the profound connection between nature and the human spirit.

As Mohammad Tajeran listened to the finished piece, he felt a profound sense of honor, knowing that his dream had been immortalized in music by his dear friend Alireza Ghafouri. The piano single not only encapsulates the dream of water but also paints a vivid picture of a soul touched by nature's embrace, surrounded by thousands of beautiful hearts resonating with its melodic beauty. The creative synergy of Alireza Ghafouri has resulted in an enchanting musical experience that deeply touches the hearts of listeners, leaving an enduring impact.

With the release of this captivating single, published by Flipside Productions and available on all major streaming platforms, the world eagerly anticipates Alireza Ghafouri's future projects, inspired by the dreams of individuals like Mohammad Tajeran and brought to life through his exceptional artistry. As audiences worldwide embark on this extraordinary musical journey, they can expect to be captivated by the magic that Alireza Ghafouri weaves through his soul-stirring compositions.

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HOW DO SONGWRITERS GET PAID?

6/27/2023

Songwriters are wonderfully creative people with the ability to dream big with their hearts and minds. But often, understanding how we get paid is not our forte. So, here’s an overview of how songwriters get paid.
Publishing Draws for songwriters.

This is a monthly amount a publisher pays to a writer that is on an exclusive staff publishing deal. A publisher might give the writer $1000-2000 per month to help the writer avoid having to work full time at something else. This frees up the writer’s schedule to write more songs. A publishing draw can be very helpful, BUT there’s a big drawback to a draw.

BLUEPRINTING YOUR SONG

6/20/2023

Something that has changed my songwriting in a radical way is a technique I call blueprinting your song. With this technique, I’ve developed into a much better communicator with my lyrics, and it has cut my writing time in half (writing fast is not a goal, but it doesn’t hurt to save time). It also stops me from ever getting stuck when I’m trying to write verse 2 and it helps me get all of my co-writers aligned if I’m writing with other people.
By using this technique of blueprinting your song, or mapping your song, if you learn to do it well, I predict you will experience the same results.

THE MAGIC BEHIND ONE CHORD SONGS

6/13/2023

I’m obsessed with looking under the hood of great songs to figure out what makes them hum. If we listen closely, some feature cool rhythm patterns in the melody, others defy the norms of form, while other songs showcase unique chord progressions. But, what kind of voodoo pulses through the veins of one-chord songs?

Let me unravel some of the mystery—there’s even a playlist of songs to get you in the mood. So, start spinning, it’s time to get this one-chord party started!

Some Examples of One-Chord Songs
Aretha Franklin – “Chain of Fools”
Pink – “Get This Party Started”
Blake Shelton – “Neon Light”
Bob Marley – “Get Up, Stand Up”
Beck – “Loser”
Creedence Clearwater Revival – “Run Through The Jungle”
Steely Dan – “Show Biz Kids”
Harry Nilsson – “Coconut”
Eddie Grant – “Electric Avenue”
Bo Diddley – “Bo Diddley” and “I’m A Man” (Both sides of Bo’s first single were one chord songs!)

ARE YOU A PRO OR ASPIRING SONGWRITER? A GREAT SONG DOESN’T CARE!

6/6/2023

Over the weekend someone tagged me in a post that had over 500 comments debating heatedly over whether or not a lyricist was an actual “songwriter”.

All I can say is, who cares? I don’t mean that in a harsh way. You see, I’ve been fortunate that over 150 major artists have recorded my songs. I have had my fair share of Billboard hits. And you know what? I have been on co-writing sessions where I contributed ONLY lyrics. Other times, there were sessions that I did ONLY the music. And often BOTH music and lyrics. Some days I play an instrument on the session and others I won’t. In fact, I know Hall Of Fame lyricists that have written some of the most iconic songs of all time.

WHEN DOES A SONGWRITER NEED A PUBLISHER?

5/30/2023

In the simplest terms, a songwriter needs a publisher when they have a number of songs that are ready to be placed in a commercial market AND the songwriter doesn’t have the connections to get those songs recorded on their own. For instance, if I was Bruno Mars’ college roommate and he loved my writing, I wouldn’t really need a publisher. I would have a direct route to getting my songs recorded by a major superstar. Most of us are not in that boat. So, we find ourselves trying to figure out if our songs are good enough, or exactly what we need a publisher to do for us. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question, but here are some guidelines I use with writers I mentor:

STEPS FOR ELIMINATING ROADBLOCKS TO YOUR SONGWRITING SUCCESS

5/23/2023

Songwriters, does this sound familiar? You start out with good intentions to write a new song today and then the phone rings, or you remember an errand you forgot to do, and there’s that email you need to reply to. Before you know it you have spent the whole day doing anything and everything else but writing? Here’s some tips on how to stay focused and start that new song!

Make an appointment to write with a co-writer. This is the #1 thing that helps me show up to write. By making a commitment to write with someone at a specific time and place, it is twice as likely to happen. If you are home by yourself there are projects around the house that need to be done, emails to answer, etc; all easily becoming distractions that keep you from writing today.

5 KEYS TO BUILDING A BETTER SONG CATALOG

3/28/2023

Write, write, write! There is no substitute for this. A catalog is a collection of songs. You need to write every day if possible. At least as often as you can! But the bottom line here is “the more the better”. This not only helps you become a better writer but also gives you more variety of material which increases the odds that you’ll have the right song for a particular project.

Don’t write just one type, style or genre of song. A great catalog has an array of subject matter, tempos, emotions, styles, and genres. The goal is to have a song ready for you or your publisher to pitch in every situation. If an artist is looking for an uptempo party song, you got it covered. If an artist is looking for a message song with a deeper lyric about the state of the world, you got it covered. You see where I’m going with this. It doesn’t happen overnight obviously, it takes time, but this is something you do by design.

SUPPORTING YOUR SONG’S BIG IDEA

3/21/2023

There is a famous quote by Michelangelo that says “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” That is a beautiful description of what songwriters must learn to do. We get a song’s big idea and we see the “angel” inside it. So we carve and carve until the whole world can see, or hear, what we saw from the beginning. This line of thought can be particularly helpful to aspiring songwriters who are just learning how to craft a masterpiece song.

The most common problem with young songwriters is that they include lots of information in their songs that don’t really support the big idea of the song. They are leaving lots of “non-angel” pieces of granite attached to the angel. The result is songs that aren’t clear and that obscure the view of the angel that the songwriter saw originally. Usually, when I see one of these lines, I ask the songwriter “How did you see this line supporting your big idea in this song?” Generally, the response is something along the lines of “I don’t know, but it rhymed.” Or “We thought it was a cool line.”

HOW TO TURN EVERYDAY CONVERSATIONS INTO GREAT SONGS USING THE TALK-SING METHOD

3/14/2023

Early in my songwriting career, I was driving to a co-writing session with a very big shot songwriter and I was supposed to meet him in a studio that his label has provided for us to write in. Traffic was extremely slow that day. I rushed into the writing room and frantically said, “I’m so sorry that I’m late.” Immediately, he sang what I had just said: “I’m so sorry… that I’m… late.” Having just met him and the young me being impressed by his presence, I wasn’t sure if he was serious, joking, or messing with me. I chuckled, but when he continued to repeat little things I said throughout the co-writing session and at lunch that day, I got a little annoyed. However, over the next few weeks, I found myself doing the same thing in everyday life. Without realizing it, I was turning everyday conversations into songs, and thus was born the Talk-Sing Method!

TECHNIQUES TO GET YOU WRITING AGAIN

3/7/2023

At least twice a week I get an email seeking advice on how to overcome writer’s block. For many songwriters the worst part of the whole writing experience is just getting started. Those times when we sit down to write, and nothing comes out. We feel like we have nothing to say. Well here are some techniques I’ve used to permanently eliminate writer’s block and free up creativity.

Writing a little every day. Songwriting has much to do with momentum and confidence. And we feel more confident when we do something every day. We get into a creative groove. I’ve often noticed that after I return from a vacation and sit down to write is when I struggle the most. I have to get back into that groove. It doesn’t need to a perfect song every day but on each given day you should try your best to write the best you can. Even if it is not the perfect song, you can keep it in your achieve and you never know when you will come back to it and turn it into the perfect song.

WHAT IF THESE ARTIST HAD SAID “I ONLY CREATE WHEN I’M INSPIRED”

2/28/2023

Do you find yourself choosing to only write songs when your inspired by heartache or some other major life event? Here’s a quick list of some truly great art the world would never know if the artist had said, “I only create when I’m inspired, otherwise I will just be forcing it”:

Michael Angelo spent four years painting the Sistine Chapel. He painted daily for years, embracing his work (labour). He didn’t want to take the job at first because he considered himself a sculptor not a painter. But once he committed to the job, he didn't wait for inspiration to strike. He began and inspiration found him daily.

Monet painted the Japanese Bridge in his gardens at Giverny 71 times. He didn’t wait until he felt inspired to paint the perfect version of this bridge. He painted it from different angles in different light all day long and let the work inspire him. I doubt he even thought to himself, “this one looks like the last 70!”

REASONS YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP WRITING SONGS

2/21/2023

Songwriting is grueling, brain-numbing work with little reward. Then, there are the difficult aspects. It’s easy to get discouraged and I’ve had many friends and co-writers lay down the pen. So, in dedication to those who have given up writing, I want to offer a few reasons that we should all keep writing, even when it’s hard:

You have something to say that no one else can say. Your life experience gives you a perspective that no one else on earth has. If you don’t write your story, no one ever will. That little piece of humanity is lost without you telling YOUR truth.

Your voice deserves to be heard. In a world where many don’t feel like they have a voice at all, writers do. People will listen to what you write. They want to hear what you have to say. It may be tens of people or millions of people. Either way, let your voice be heard.

WAYS TO KNOW IF A SONG IDEA IS WORTH PURSUING

11/22/2022

A lot of people DM me asking if I can tell them whether an idea is good and worth pursing. Though I’d love to give an answer, I generally believe it’s better to teach a man to fish, than hand him a fish. This is what my mentors did for me and I’m lucky they didn’t give me the answers for every time I asked the question and instead, they gave me questions! So, I’d like to share with you some questions I ask myself before spending too much time on an idea:

Does your song idea feel real or clever? Real always trumps intellectual or clever in my book! I like to find a lot of ideas that happen naturally in conversation. Like when I, or the person I’m talking to, says something with conviction. I’ve gotten some of my biggest songs this way. Especially with artist co-writes. Artists are great at expressing themselves. That’s their job! So, I like to take things they say and feel — and then write it! And that’s our job as the writer.

WHERE DO YOU FIND SONG IDEAS?

11/15/2022

I’m often asked where I find song ideas. More than most people, I do actually go out and try to “discover” great ideas for songs. Many people just keep their antennae up and listen for unique things that others say in daily life. I do that as well. I’m always ready to add an idea to my “Idea Note” in my phone if I overhear something cool. Sometimes I hear a quote which I can relate a lot, it goes to my list. Sometimes I hear some story of something that happened to someone, I might take it as is, or I might make some changes (for dramatic purposes) and add it to the list.

When I actually sit down to look for ideas, I tend to start with quotes. Notable quotes are notable because they say something in a unique way. So, I go to sites that feature movie quotes or I search for site that have quotes organized by topic.

HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SONGWRITERS

11/8/2022

Here are some habits that I’ve noticed are common to highly effective and successful songwriters. The first step toward becoming a professional songwriter, or for this matter for becoming a successful person in any industry, is to learn to think and behave like one. Here are the common habits I see in my friends who are successful songwriters.

They are always on the lookout for great ideas. Their antennae are always up when they watch movies, read books, or just in everyday conversations. They are constantly looking for anything that is said in a unique and interesting way. The ideas they have for a song might not necessarily be their own real-life experience, but it is a unique idea for sure because they had already paid enough attention to what is going on around them and they had selected the best ones. Being sharp and trying to always be notified of what is going on is an important key here.

DOES A SONGWRITER NEED A PUBLISHER?

11/1/2022

This is a question that I get all the time. Like most things in life, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer to the question. In general, I explain it to people this way: It’s very similar to the way I would answer the question “Do I really need a mechanic to fix my car?”. The answer is, “It depends”. If you have all of the tools you need to fix your own car, you have access to the parts required for the job, and you have been trained in fixing cars like yours, then probably you don’t need a mechanic. You’ll invest your own time into fixing it, but there’s no need to pay a mechanic for something you know how to do yourself. The problem is that most of us don’t have all the tools required. Neither do we have access to parts. And, we don’t have training. Therefore, we take our car to a mechanic.

SONGS CAN SOUND GOOD AND MAKE SENSE

10/25/2022

A couple of years ago, I was scheduled to write songs with a pretty well-known rock band. They wanted to write at 9 PM at a remote house they had rented for a month so they could write their record. When I arrived, I first noticed the kitchen table COVERED with mostly empty Jack Daniels and Jim Beam bottles. Several of the guys were on the back-deck smoking something a little funny. It was nearly 10 PM when we finally started writing. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that they started throwing out CRAZY lines that didn’t have anything to do with anything.

I tried to be diplomatic and gently lead them toward lines that were better than the ones they were contributing. Finally, one of them turned to me in frustration and said “Dude, it doesn’t have to make sense, it just has to SOUND good.” I knew we were at a turning point in the evening. I was either going to get myself invited to leave or we were going to write a good song.

THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE TO SONGWRITING SUCCESS

10/18/2022

6,000 demos to get 100 artist cuts. By now, you have heard me countless time saying that I have demoed over 6,000 songs and have just over 100 cuts. That’s not a great cut to demo ratio. I don’t even want to know what percentage that would be. But I have discovered that one of the keys to being successful is failing a lot while keeping your enthusiasm up. My first song catalogue contained over 2,000 songs. From that catalogue, I had 1 top ten hit, one major album cut, one single that died at 37 on the chart and a few independent cuts.

Quantity songwriting is your education. Those 2,000 songs were my “education”. I was learning to write while I wrote them, and I was getting better all the time. Almost all of those cuts came in the last year of a 3-year deal.
In catalogue #2, I had two multi-week #1 songs and quite a few cuts. Things started to pick up significantly. I had learned a lot from the first catalogue, and I was writing much better songs.

THE SONGWRITER’S ACHILLES HEEL

10/11/2022

When I first started trying to write as a profession, I gave myself 2 years to chase my dream of becoming a songwriter. At the same time, I was producing for artists as a freelancer and I was working in a music recording studio in Tehran as the sound engineer. The one-year mark came and went quickly, and I was almost nowhere near the first-year checkmark of my two-years plan. I had made a tiny bit of progress, but not much. The thought crossed my mind that I was halfway through with my “plan” but I told myself that I still had another year to get things going. When I got to the 18-month mark, I began to freak out a little. I really wanted it to work. I had bet everything on this career change. And I had 6 months to do what I had not been able to do in 18 months. The pressure was on. The pressure was not only on. It was debilitating. Smothering. I froze up. I could hardly write at all or when I was writing it was just keep getting rejected and I was very frustrated by all the rejections. And I didn’t succeed by my deadline. I did have one glimmer of hope on the horizon that convinced myself to change the plan a bit and give myself some more time.

DON’T LOSE YOUR SONGWRITING INNOCENCE

10/4/2022

Your innocence is your major asset. One of the things I love about working with young writers and artists is just the innocence they bring to the writing process. They aren’t bitter or jaded. They aren’t worried about what radio will think – this can be good or bad. They just want to write a great song – a great song that they love. While I am writing this, my current example of this kind of writers is Sam Veil. He used to be a busker for years until we met in 2017 and he joined Flipside and I started mentoring him and producing for him. In his busking years, he wrote a lot of songs and when we met, he was singing his songs on his guitar and I was stunned. Not only by his creativity, but mainly for the feeling these songs had. It was a very long time I hadn’t had the chance to sit with such a fresh writer who is writing songs so simple yet so pure. His songs had the innocent of a child and the experience of a grown man! Perfect combination. That was the reason when we met, on the same day I offered him to work together, and two years past today and we are still working together and in fact Sam is an established singer / songwriter in Singapore now.

THINGS CREATIVELY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE DON’T DO

9/27/2022

Creatively successful people have healthy mental habits. They not only have mastered their art, but they have learned to master their habits, attitudes, and emotions. They understand this mastery allows them more creative space in their mind and spirit. Check out these things creatively successfully people don’t do so you too also become a master of your creativity and destiny.

Give their power away. Creatively successful people don’t blame circumstances or other people if they are not having the success, they feel they should be having. They rest all the responsibility for their success squarely on their own shoulders. They empower themselves and it drives their creativity to improve their art.

They don’t shy away from change. Creatively successful people don’t try to avoid change. They understand that change is inevitable and welcome it. They believe in their abilities to adapt.

COMMON SONGWRITING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

9/20/2022

Are your songs not getting results? Is that latest greatest song you’ve written not having the impact on your audience that you were so sure it would. Often the difference in a good song and one that moves the listener is a simple quick fix.

Keep your intro under 15 seconds. One of the most common mistakes in commercial songwriting is the long intro. As a rule, intros should be 15 seconds or less. You will only have the listeners valuable attention for a short time. It’s important to keep that attention and get to the meat of your song. 15 seconds gives you enough time to set the mood and groove of your song and wet the listeners appetite for more to come! Basically your first 30 seconds of your song is the time you have to attract listener’s attention and make sure they are going to sit there and listen to your song. Don’t waste much of this precious time on a long intro.

THINGS SKILLED SONGWRITERS DO DIFFERENTLY

9/13/2022

Throughout my 15 years as a professional songwriter, I’ve noticed there isn’t always a large difference in talent level among creative people. Why, then do some songwriters seem to have an over abundance of fans buying their music while others struggle to sell the first song? The answer is there is not a huge difference in skill most writers process, but there is a little. And that extra 5% makes a big difference. I absorbed that the skilled songwriters share some common mental habits. The good news is that these habits can be adopted through practice. Here are some traits that can help us over the hurdles to accomplishing our songwriting goals.

Skilled songwriters write whether they feel inspired or not. I think this would the one single thing I am keep telling all writers. To keep writing. Don’t wait for inspiration, and don’t even wait for a reason, excuse or a topic to write. Start writing and the inspiration comes.

SIMPLE WAYS TO UNLEASH YOUR OWN CREATIVE SONGWRITING POWER

9/6/2022

As a professional songwriter, I am asked often how I walk into a co-write with superstars create songs “on-demand?” Well, I didn’t start out doing this, but I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that’ve allow me to train my creativity and tap into it anytime, anyplace. The good news is, you can do the same too! These simple strategies go a long way in the songwriting business.

Make it clear that you mean business. Developing a writing routine shows yourself and others that you are in your creative zone. By sticking to a fixed scheduled you remind yourself and others around you that you are doing it professionally and not for fun. Not only do you need to show others when it’s okay to interrupt your writing and when it’s not, but also, your own creativity needs trained as well. Studies show that writing at a regular time each day allows the subconscious to be prepared to create more easily “on demand” than when you have no set routine.

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