active listening
How Wide Should Your Musical Listening Be as a Songwriter?
If you want to become a better songwriter, one piece of advice comes up again and again: “Listen to more music.” But what does that actually mean? Should you stay inside your chosen genre and master it? Or should you explore everything from jazz to metal to electronic to classical? If you go too narrow, […]
What Hemingway Can Teach Us About Listening (And Writing Better Songs)
“When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you’re going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe… You should be able to go into a room and when you come out know everything that you saw there and not only that. If that room gave you any feeling you should know […]
The Difference Between Passive Hearing And Active Listening For Songwriters
As songwriters, our greatest tool isn’t our voice, our instrument, or even our pen. It’s our ears — or more specifically, how we use them. There’s a subtle but profound difference between passive hearing and active listening, and once you grasp that difference, your songwriting can evolve in unexpected and powerful ways. This distinction may […]
How 30 Minutes of Conversation Can Unlock 100% of Your Song Ideas
Discover how 30 minutes of casual conversation can unlock limitless songwriting ideas. Learn how to turn everyday words into song titles and concepts. This article, written by Graham English on Speed Songwriting, explores how everyday conversations can be a wellspring of inspiration for songwriting. By actively listening to the language and emotions people naturally express, […]