The Secrets of Songwriting
As a music therapist, I get asked a lot about writing songs. What’s the process like? How do I write a song? Can you share your secrets with me? The thing is, there is no big secret to writing a song, and during the course of this blog I hope to share a little bit about my own process, and in turn get you interested in the songwriting process!
Songwriting can be defined as a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. Usually for the self, or based around ideas that the musician has about their perspective in the world – But this wasn’t always the case! In fact, for a long time songwriters were, in effect, a hired hand. Songwriters worked for publishers and created material that others would perform as their own! Often, a song was put together with a particular musician in mind (a practice still around today!), and included elements that would illustrate the strengths of that musician. A songwriter might well perform their song for the artist in question, but few of them considered making a transition from the piano to the performance! They hoped for a hit, and then hoped for another hit after that, this was how they made money.
Unlike “professional producer songwriters” (sorry to my professional producer songwriter ex-boyfriend) true songwriting and strength to this therapist comes from within. Together in music therapy we can work together to determine the following for you:
How to Write A Song
What is YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE and how can you use it for your strength in writing?
Do you have a favorite summer memory? How does the ocean make you feel? What about snow? Where were you the night of June 16th?
What sounds in music INSPIRE you?
Is it a bird chirping? Do you like glockenspiel? Reverb vocals? 80s big boom drums with low attack and high reverb/echo effects? Are you secretly Phil Collins?
Are you comfortable sharing YOUR SECRETS with me?
Being vulnerable is the biggest challenge I find in people who want to write a song. They might be able to express how they feel on a surface level, but close up when it comes to sharing their feelings on, say, how their job really makes them feel, or their issues and complaints with Capitalism (in this economy??)
Together we’ll answer these questions, create playlists of music together, and start to build up confidence, stories, memories, and process how all of these things make you feel. This could transition into making an Expressive Music Journal, or potentially just writing one song. Whichever way it goes, I am here to help guide you on that journey.
Songwriting is an expressive form of self-processing. I, as a music therapist, will work with you to help you process through the feelings that come up about it, and we can make a song that is in your style, with your voice, that expresses YOUR JOURNEY!
So what are you waiting for? Reach out for a free consultation today!