I feel like you have to write a book based on the exact premise of this Substack: HOW various artists have wiggled through. What they did to keep ‘getting it up’ again. Including interesting moments like you focus on in this post--moments when they changed their swing (Tiger Woods reference). When they shook up their approach and did something different.
Aw, thank you, Courtney — that does dovetail with what I'm thinking about for what's next. And that's certainly why I keep reading artist biographies and interviews: to see how people got over or around or through the unique obstacles in their path.
I started writing and performing songs in my early 30's, songs built on traditional folk, country, blues structures. But I came from a writer place more than a musician place and as I kept writing, recording, and performing, my songs became more personal, more irregular, and in some cases complex. Not complex because I knew what I was doing, but because I didn't. I needed to build songs around writing that didn't necessarily follow song forms. So his observation..."it's much less about thinking up something to “say” in a song and more about uncertainty, experimentation, and building up a song from fragments with any predefined outcome in mind" resonates with me. It's good to hear. These days it seems I'm cycling back to basic forms - not intentionally - and wishing I could capture that lightning dust again.
It’s interesting how uncertainty can be both fear-inducing and liberating - one more- exhausting. Too much uncertainty and my nervous system begs for a tidy resolution to something. I try to remind myself there are no real mistakes, no wasted time, only data collected from the laboratory of life. I can let go of self-judgments, expectations, and sit in my curiosity.
Yes — love this. Uncertainty is hard, but it's also what makes for compelling work; I think the audience can tell when the creator really worked through something. And I agree that there's no such as "wasted" time (or effort) — it's all feeding into something, if we can just stay with it.
Operating in a different mode. Makes me think of how easy it is to act differently if I'm wearing a kooky wig or an extravagant coat. Even thinking of some extraverted friend or artist as I write or talk with people helps me "lift out of myself" to express from a more abundant collection of ideas.
Ooh, yes, good point, Mary — I love all the little rituals that artists use to trick themselves into operating in a different mode, like wearing a particular outfit or item of clothing. Or thinking of an extroverted friend as you work! I'll have to try that — thanks.
I just saw Madison Cunningham is offering a songwriting class too. It’s great seeing these artists find different, and more intimate and independent ways, to share their art and their process, and connect with their audiences.
Yes, I was really impressed with the School of Song! The whole thing felt very authentic and intimate — I would absolutely do another one of their songwriting workshops, just for the window into different musicians' processes. And I hope it's a way for these artists to make some extra income, too.
But - but - but - how did he know what the new, different mode was going to be?
When his 3rd album came out, I'd never heard of him to that point but I came across some interviews with him and bought the album practically on the strength of just liking him as a person. I became very attached to the album and played it tons... I've just recently pulled it out and started playing it again. I saw him live in a small club in Montreal with my daughter in 2017. I'd love to know more about his songwriting process.
I saw him in a smaller venue in LA in 2017, too, and it was magical. I hesitate to share *too* much more from the workshop because I feel like that would be giving away content that he and the School of Song created for ticket buyers — but you can get a little taste of his process in this Substack post from 2022: https://perfumegenius.substack.com/p/potteryceramics
As for your first Q — how did he know what the new, different mode was going to be? He didn't! He fumbled toward it, following his gut, building it up through trial and error. The usual! If it were easy, everyone would do it?
As someone in the early stages of writing an EP, I find this fascinating! Curious if there was any mention about creating a musical "architecture" for the song prior to creating the lyrics, or if that is a process that goes back and forth?
Without giving away too much from the paid course (which I really do recommend if you can swing it): He's more about letting himself explore musical ideas in a very loose, undefined way, and seeing what emerges from that — and usually the lyrics and the song structure emerge later in the process. It's like the fragments lead the way, if that makes sense.
From talking to other songwriters and musicians, my observation is that there is no one set way that songs are written. Some people start with lyrics, a verse or a chorus, some people sit at piano or pick up a guitar with some basic ideas and start building or creating around a melody or a fragment of one, some people have a chord progression or hook and write around it.
Talk about a clue from the universe—I changed Substack delivery to app only to help with my inbox overload, so I’m just reading this now. I used to think of myself as a singer who interpreted other people’s music, but I have been wanting to write my own music for some time. But how? This class, and School of Song speaks to me. Thank you, Mason.
I feel like you have to write a book based on the exact premise of this Substack: HOW various artists have wiggled through. What they did to keep ‘getting it up’ again. Including interesting moments like you focus on in this post--moments when they changed their swing (Tiger Woods reference). When they shook up their approach and did something different.
Aw, thank you, Courtney — that does dovetail with what I'm thinking about for what's next. And that's certainly why I keep reading artist biographies and interviews: to see how people got over or around or through the unique obstacles in their path.
Oh, great! Can’t wait to read whatever you explore, Mason.
I started writing and performing songs in my early 30's, songs built on traditional folk, country, blues structures. But I came from a writer place more than a musician place and as I kept writing, recording, and performing, my songs became more personal, more irregular, and in some cases complex. Not complex because I knew what I was doing, but because I didn't. I needed to build songs around writing that didn't necessarily follow song forms. So his observation..."it's much less about thinking up something to “say” in a song and more about uncertainty, experimentation, and building up a song from fragments with any predefined outcome in mind" resonates with me. It's good to hear. These days it seems I'm cycling back to basic forms - not intentionally - and wishing I could capture that lightning dust again.
Love this, David — thanks for sharing.
I thought of you when I read the sentence you've quoted here!
It’s interesting how uncertainty can be both fear-inducing and liberating - one more- exhausting. Too much uncertainty and my nervous system begs for a tidy resolution to something. I try to remind myself there are no real mistakes, no wasted time, only data collected from the laboratory of life. I can let go of self-judgments, expectations, and sit in my curiosity.
Yes — love this. Uncertainty is hard, but it's also what makes for compelling work; I think the audience can tell when the creator really worked through something. And I agree that there's no such as "wasted" time (or effort) — it's all feeding into something, if we can just stay with it.
Operating in a different mode. Makes me think of how easy it is to act differently if I'm wearing a kooky wig or an extravagant coat. Even thinking of some extraverted friend or artist as I write or talk with people helps me "lift out of myself" to express from a more abundant collection of ideas.
Ooh, yes, good point, Mary — I love all the little rituals that artists use to trick themselves into operating in a different mode, like wearing a particular outfit or item of clothing. Or thinking of an extroverted friend as you work! I'll have to try that — thanks.
I just saw Madison Cunningham is offering a songwriting class too. It’s great seeing these artists find different, and more intimate and independent ways, to share their art and their process, and connect with their audiences.
Yes, I was really impressed with the School of Song! The whole thing felt very authentic and intimate — I would absolutely do another one of their songwriting workshops, just for the window into different musicians' processes. And I hope it's a way for these artists to make some extra income, too.
But - but - but - how did he know what the new, different mode was going to be?
When his 3rd album came out, I'd never heard of him to that point but I came across some interviews with him and bought the album practically on the strength of just liking him as a person. I became very attached to the album and played it tons... I've just recently pulled it out and started playing it again. I saw him live in a small club in Montreal with my daughter in 2017. I'd love to know more about his songwriting process.
I saw him in a smaller venue in LA in 2017, too, and it was magical. I hesitate to share *too* much more from the workshop because I feel like that would be giving away content that he and the School of Song created for ticket buyers — but you can get a little taste of his process in this Substack post from 2022: https://perfumegenius.substack.com/p/potteryceramics
As for your first Q — how did he know what the new, different mode was going to be? He didn't! He fumbled toward it, following his gut, building it up through trial and error. The usual! If it were easy, everyone would do it?
Haha, of course he didn't know---what a stupid question on my part! I must have been in a trance when I asked it.
To be clear, I wasn't asking you to reveal his process 👀. Was just expressing my desire to know. Thank you for the link!
And... we must have seen shows from the same tour!
As someone in the early stages of writing an EP, I find this fascinating! Curious if there was any mention about creating a musical "architecture" for the song prior to creating the lyrics, or if that is a process that goes back and forth?
Without giving away too much from the paid course (which I really do recommend if you can swing it): He's more about letting himself explore musical ideas in a very loose, undefined way, and seeing what emerges from that — and usually the lyrics and the song structure emerge later in the process. It's like the fragments lead the way, if that makes sense.
From talking to other songwriters and musicians, my observation is that there is no one set way that songs are written. Some people start with lyrics, a verse or a chorus, some people sit at piano or pick up a guitar with some basic ideas and start building or creating around a melody or a fragment of one, some people have a chord progression or hook and write around it.
Talk about a clue from the universe—I changed Substack delivery to app only to help with my inbox overload, so I’m just reading this now. I used to think of myself as a singer who interpreted other people’s music, but I have been wanting to write my own music for some time. But how? This class, and School of Song speaks to me. Thank you, Mason.