melody

Neel plays with a polymeter for his songwriting challenge answer

For Neel’s answer to the 2025 songwriting challenge, he wrote a baroque-esqe song using multiple time signatures and polymeter sections.

Download the lyrics to Vice and Rack to follow along.

We talked about:

The song Cup of Coffee by Garbage and how they used a polymeter (which Neel incorrectly labelled compound time)
How Neel incorporated four different time signatures in his song, including a polymeter of “3 against 4” (3/4 and 4/4 simultaneously)
Using a 7/4 time signature with alternating 3+4 and 4+3 emphases
The appearance of odd time signatures in classical Indian music
How Neel’s approach to the bridge resulted in a modulation for the final chorus
How Neel used a metronome and selectively muting tracks to compose the polymeter section

… Read the rest

Alex Whorms and writing with a producer mindset

by Neel Modi

Singer, songwriter and keyboardist, Alex Whorms stopped in to talk about writing her latest song “Wrong”. Download the lyrics to follow along.

We talked about:

Our episode Mistakes that “amateur” songwriters make and feedback from a listener
Using syncopation and misalignment of lyrical phrasing and melody to introduce tension
Editing your song through iterations to make it better
Writing your bridge just in time for the recording session
Writing with a producer mindset
Writing the lyrics as the last thing
Our songwriting challenge for 2025 to write a song in an odd time signature.

… Read the rest

Writing a love song with a metaphor with Sherry Jacoby

by Neel Modi

Sherry Jacoby is a Newmarket, Canada–based singer-songwriter who brings personal stories to life through song. Blending acoustic pop/rock with indie folk, she crafts music for the romantic heart, drawing inspiration from Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, and Colbie Caillat.

Her musical journey began with piano lessons from her mother.… Read the rest

Breaking the rules with intention with Zoe Thiessen

by Neel Modi

Zoe Thiessen is a singer/songwriter, guitarist and violinist now based in Toronto after years of living abroad. Her finely crafted songs always have a hint of the fairy tale about them, and she delivers them with a warm alto that has a timbre all its own.… Read the rest

Songwriting through writer’s block with Dexter Sloan

by Neel Modi

Dexter Sloan has built his sound around a blissful blend of intimacy and introspection, celebrating the deep connections between nature and humanity. Imbued with fables and folktales, he delivers truth like a puppet show, often playing characters to protect his privacy.… Read the rest

Revisiting a song with Danny Marks

by Neel Modi

Few names carry the weight of Danny Marks in the Canadian blues and roots scene. From his early days as a founding member of Edward Bear, opening for the likes of Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie, to his decades as a torchbearer of the blues with BLUZ FM and beyond, Marks has remained a perennial force—a man whose time comes, again and again.… Read the rest

Jason Kirkness: Developing as a songwriter

by Neel Modi

Nationally celebrated for his modern Country sound, Jason Kirkness has established himself as a standout figure in Canadian Country music, capturing audiences with two acclaimed albums. Awarded Male Artist of the Year title at the 2023 Manitoba Country Music Awards, Kirkness gained impressive traction on the Canadian Billboard Top 50, where his single “Anywhere the Night Goes” spent 18 weeks.… Read the rest

Indigenous Country Songwriting with Desiree Dorion

by Neel Modi

JUNO-nominated singer-songwriter Desiree Dorion unveiled her seventh studio album, “Remember Your Name” in the Fall of 2024, stepping beyond her signature Country roots to explore the rich and soulful landscapes of Roots/Americana. Blending vulnerability, strength, and personal growth into every lyric, Dorion’s latest project marks a bold evolution in her musical journey, finding a new sonic home that compliments her artistry.… Read the rest