hi there! funnily enough I also go to school for songwriting (kinda, I'm a music production major but I'm in songwriting class with all of the songwriting majors and have been writing for a long time as well). if there was one text I'd recommend for working on your songwriting and lyric building process it'd be the exercises in the book "How to Write One Song" by Jeff Tweedy. he basically just shows you how to jumble up your current way of thinking about writing and finding new ways to put words together that you never thought you could do.
P.S. your line about wanting to creating lyrics that move people is very relatable and I understand that want very much and know you probably already are moving people and that as much as we want to be able to write like our heroes as soon as possible, our own just as powerful sound will come eventually with slow and hard work. I'm sure you know this but I thought I would say.
feel free to message me if you'd like to talk songwriting more—happy writing!
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my dad was a signed songwriter in the 80’s who has now been teaching a songwriting class for 20 years and we have a family friend who became a very established songwriter in LA before he passed. the thing i remember them both saying is you have to just keep writing songs. sometimes it will take hundreds to get a few you like. also this applies to all artistic practices but figure out the things you can do that best inspire you whether it’s listening to certain artists you respect or going for a walk or whatever. all that shit matters too
Feb 28, 2024
I keep this taped up in my bedroom studio from a songwriting workshop I did at the Berklee school of music in Boston like 10 years ago. Still holds up to this day and I tend to focus in on 1, 2, and 9. Hope this helps!!
Feb 28, 2024
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there’s this band called Big Star that started releasing records in 1971 that capture an indie rock/folk sound i think more clearly than any artist had before, but had no real success while they were first active in the 70s.
their sound was so undeniable that we start to see a new generation of musicians that discover the band and create music inspired by it with much greater success, an inspiration that can be undoubtedly heard in these musicians’ writing.
my favorites of these Big Star Influenced artists:
Elliott Smith (and thru him, phoebe bridgers)
The Replacements
R.E.M
Wilco
Teenage Fanclub
Jeff Buckley
(and many more)
Sep 30, 2024
such a hauntingly beautiful record — will forever be associated with big life changes and with fall
Sep 30, 2024
just you try and tell me that this song doesn’t immediately transport you to a better place.
i’m seeing her on saturday at the roxy in LA and i’m very excited !
Oct 3, 2024