Just Keep Going: Why Progress in Songwriting Doesn’t Have to Be Fast to Be Real
There’s a truth that most seasoned songwriters quietly understand. And that is: The real key to writing songs isn’t talent or inspiration. It’s persistence. It’s easy to romanticise the process, waiting for the muse to strike, expecting songs to arrive fully formed in the middle of the night. And sure, once in a while, that […]
The Power of Routines in Songwriting
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page, guitar in hand, brain full of static, you’re not alone. I’ve been there more times than I can count, flicking through chord progressions like they’re TV channels, waiting for the muse to show up like it’s fashionably late to the session again. That’s why I […]
Should Songwriters Have Eclectic Taste or a Signature Sound?
Once you’ve made the decision to really listen to music as a songwriter, the next question usually pops up pretty quickly: “What should I be listening to?” Should you go deep into the genre you write in? Or should you open the floodgates and take in everything from Mongolian throat singing to glitchy lo-fi hip […]
The Art of Listening: Why Songwriters Must Be Music Fans First
When people ask me how to get better at songwriting, one of the first things I say is: “Are you listening to enough music?” Not just having it on in the background, but actually listening. It sounds simple, almost too simple in fact, but listening to music with intention is one of the most underrated […]
The Originality of the Song Comes From the Songwriter, Not the Song
As songwriters, we often find ourselves chasing originality like it’s some rare, mystical treasure buried beneath layers of chords and lyrics. We tinker with song structures, search for that one chord nobody’s ever used (good luck), or try to find the “newest” way to say something. But here’s something I’ve come to believe after years […]
How Do We Write More Songs? Write More Songs.
It sounds a bit cheeky, doesn’t it? “How do I write more songs?” Well, the simple answer is to write more songs. But honestly, I think there’s something really powerful in that short, direct response. Way too many songwriters (myself included at times) just over-complicate the process. We wait for the muse to show up, […]
The Songwriting Process As Science and Soul
I recently stumbled across an article over at Speed Songwriting that really struck a chord with me, one that vibrates somewhere between the analytical and the emotional, the structured and the spontaneous. It’s titled “Creative Science: The Songwriting Process”, and it dives into something many of us feel instinctively but don’t always articulate clearly: that […]
When Doubt Creeps In: The Songwriter’s Secret Side Battle
Let’s be honest, there are days when writing a song feels like breathing, and then there are days when it feels like drowning. If you’ve been in the game long enough, you’ll know exactly what I mean. One moment you’re feeling creatively invincible, and the next you’re wondering if you’ve ever written anything worth hearing. […]
True Creation Is Messy and Chaotic And That’s a Good Thing
When people think about songwriting, they often imagine it as a smooth, inspired flow, like the songwriter just sits down, strums a few chords, and out pours a perfect song. I wish it worked that way every time. The truth? Real songwriting is messy. It’s chaotic. It’s full of false starts, awkward phrases, doubt, discovery, […]
Songwriting: How to Start (Even When You Don’t Know Where To Begin)
Let’s face it, starting a song can feel like trying to open a locked door without knowing where the key is, or even what kind of key you need. You sit with your instrument, notebook, or DAW open, hoping that inspiration will show up and say something profound. Sometimes it does. Most times, it doesn’t. […]