Why Songwriting Feels So Vulnerable — And How to Trust Your Creative Voice Again

In this episode, we'll talk about taking actual action steps to finally start songwriting. A lot of singers think about writing their own songs- but how do you get started when it feels so overwhelming? Take these steps to begin this new chapter in 2026. 

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Transcript

0:03

If you are tired of not making progress and you're ready to be the artist, you know you're meant to be, you are in the right place. You are listening to the Singers Path podcast. The Path or performing artist training hub will cover everything including singing tips that actually work, advice from top industry professionals and life-changing mindset shifts out with the Starving artist and in with the Thriving Artist. I'm your host, Sarah Bishop, professional singer. Actor, educator and entrepreneur. I'm not afraid to speak the truth and stop the gatekeeping of quality information so you can actually become the artist you dream of being. So let's get on the path, shall we? Even though we're all on our own journeys, it always helps to have a guide. Hello. Hello. Welcome back to the Singers Path podcast. It's me, your host, Sarah Bishop. Um, you kinda hear me having morning, morning radio voice because, uh, I got up early and I decided that I wanted to do this right away. Um, and also 'cause my brain tends to be in a better. Flow state to speak about things actually, actually in a less scattered way most of the time in the morning, it's when I'm the most creative and it's also my birthday weekend. So technically my birthday is tomorrow when I'm recording this. Um, but I decided. I wasn't gonna work today and then I woke up immediately and was like, you know what I wanna do, I wanna work. So I guess that's the benefit of caring a lot about what you do, um, but also, you know, wanting that never ending monster of having a never ending to-do list to have some temporary relief. What do you want for Christmas, Sarah? I want some things checked off my list. That's what I want. So if you relate to that, um, I see you, I see you. Um, I'm actually reading this book, I think it's like the EEC or the e, the E Myth or something like that. It's like one of those famous business books for small businesses, and it basically talks about like how. Like a lot of entrepreneurs end up burning out and their small businesses, I mean, I'm only on like chapter two or three or something, so we're going to get to the point at a certain point, but right now he's just like empathetically, like leaning in hard to the experience of the entrepreneurs and how, you know, it's. You do something you love and then it, and then, and I think he was describing it, this author, author who I can't remember. So, oh my God, I should probably look that, look that up. But um, they talk about when you own a small business, like the entrepreneur has the idea, and then there's like the more or less like the worker who was like, good at the skill. Who was like the person that, you know, wanted to do this in the first place because they were so good at what they did and the entrepreneur has the crazy ideas and then there's like the manager that's like very practical and like has to get everything done. And it's true, like when you have a business, I know it looks like, you know, I don't. I don't teach privates like I used to and like I used to have my calendar, especially on the e km website. We'd put it up and then it would completely fill up and you know, I would be teaching. I had like a very full studio, especially with singing. It was like, I mean, it was over 40 students a week. It was 40 hours a week, but some, you know, some lessons are half an hour, so they're. You know, it was just a lot. And especially, I was actually talking to my one friend Laura, who's a professional trombone player, and she also has a very full student load teaching trombone. I can't imagine like how tired she gets with her arms and her face, like playing the trombone. But um. Like talking all day, like that was super hard. Um, and like, I try not to, I mean, I do talk a lot, obviously. This is why I love the podcast so much. It gives me a place to like verbally dump my, all the thoughts that go on in my head, um, and not have to do it in a minute, like on TikTok. But, you know, you try not to talk or sing when it's someone else's lesson. Right. But like, it just gets to a point, like, it doesn't matter what you're doing. Like if you're seeing like eight to 10 clients a day, like. You're exhausted. Right? So anyway, the point is, is like my job has morphed so much away from just. Teaching. Um, I do teach, but it's like actually the reprieve of it all. Like when I do get to have my one-on-one clients, which I do have a few, it's just very selective and like very handheld and kind of like white glove service. Um, so if you're ever interested and, and you really want to work privately with me, it's like a whole thing. Like you do need to apply and, um. I can try to remember to put the application in the show notes, but that it's, it's very, it's for specific people. It's for people like I, you know, I have an audition season coming up that's really important to me, and I, you know, finally need to like, catch up and my vocals so that I, you know. Book work.'cause I know that this is the one thing that's holding me back and I'm willing to put down a lot of my time, energy, and money to get this done and to, to really focus on this and harness this. So it's like quite intense. Um, the other clients that I've had that they're preparing for specific roles, they're preparing to do a concert series, they're preparing to, they've written their own show and they're touring it. Um, they have an album that they're going into the studio and they're recording it and they're also. So touring and, you know, they're primarily a different instrumentalist and they're coming in and so it's, it's really focused on people that really need to prepare for something specific. It's not like, oh, I just like voice lessons and I wanna learn to sing. And, you know, there's so many other ways to do that at, and at this point, um, again. If you specifically wanna work with me and like, because, because this type of intense work is not gonna be for everybody. In fact, it shouldn't be for everybody.'cause again, it's, it is really intense. It's a, it's an emotional and physical process that requires time and commitment. Um, so. But if you're like, well, I still wanna work with you somehow. Well, that's why I have group lessons, right? And those, you get, you get individual attention. Like you get to sing, everybody gets to sing. It's a really small class. Everybody's so awesome. I adore group lessons, guys, because I adore my students. Like that was the hardest transition about being like, well, I'm destroying my own voice. And like when I was working 40 hours a week. And I'd get like, I was finally getting also better at auditioning'cause I was focusing on acting and like, I was spread way too thin guys. But I, my skill was getting better. Like my voice was getting so much better. My acting was getting better in its technicalities. And I was also too tired like. By the time I had to actually do the audition at night or like I had to tape on the weekend, my, I was so fatigued that even when I got these like dream auditions, like I remember I got an audition for Beetlejuice, for Barbara. That's a really Harding really hard singing and I had, you know, just been able to function up. Those high notes that she needs to sing, but like my vocal health was compromised because I was so exhausted. And so I just remember like barely kind of squeaking that out. Um, I remember I got an appointment for Wicked and I was really vocally fatigued and I, I got an appointment for, um, well operation when I got like Operation Mince meet this year and those kinds of things. Like I got Titanic and Operation Mince meet this year and, um. Those auditions went a lot better because my vocal health was better. But basically, basically what was happening was like when I'm spread so thin, first of all, I don't think I serve people to the best of my ability. Like when I can concentrate and focus all of my energy on that person and I have an opportunity to restore, that gets poured so much more into that person they get, I think they get so much more out of it. I wasn't trying to play the game of like. Spreading my energy all over the place and like, just ending up not being supportive for anyone. Because even if you, even if you are paying for one-off lessons, like, like we do offer that, like Lily and Jeremy do that, like you're still putting money down and you deserve to like have a teacher that's like completely 100% focused on you And, um. And if, and this is my opinion, like if a teacher is just, is experiencing that they're getting spread way too thin and like they just can't be present for you, um, and you're giving them money, like, I don't know. I think it's an integrity to figure out a different way to serve people. And I'm big on integrity. On in here, because again, I know how, how your money is hard earned. And not that my products are cheap by any means because they're highly valuable, but I, I really care about making sure they're good and there's a lot of shitty things out there. So if you're gonna come to a private lesson with me, like I've invested fucking. Hundreds of hours and money into making sure you fucking leave feeling lit as hell and like you know where you're going and you're making progress. Anyway, I'm getting on so many tangents. I was like, yeah, in the morning my mind is clear. Yeah. Okay. So maybe not today. I'm, I do feel like an alto today. You're alone. Love my voice. But again, all this to say, I guess if you're interested in working with me, I. We'll try to remember to put that link in the show notes if you're interested in applying. Um, again, remember this is not for everybody. This is very intense. It's already booked out until April. Um, and, but you can apply. Just email us at singers path@gmail.com if the link in the show notes isn't there. I don't put that on my website. It's not a public thing, so you would probably have to reach out. To apply, um, if it's not listed already. And if you're like, well, I still wanna take private, like it depends on what you want, right? Like, if you're like, oh, like. I do wanna just learn to sing, but like, you know, I kinda, I'm a beginner. Well, okay then start with pitching musician and pillars, right? And then if that's a lot, then you can get into group lessons with me and we can like work together. Um, and I can answer all your questions and make this system easier for you. Um, or you can get in with, Lily and Jeremy are amazing. Like there's literally all kinds of ways to work on your singing and they're all, I really worked hard to make sure that like. They're valuable and that they hit different people's needs. You know, pillars and Pitch Musician In Advanced Mix, which are the three levels, pitch Musician is the easiest level. It's the beginner, like you need to learn to sing on pitch and music theory pillars is for basically for everybody. It's like the functionality and efficiency of the instrument. And then advanced mix is the hard one. That's for like advanced singers that already know vocal balance, like. There was many, there were many hours and attention and time and focus and expertise and like testing and all kinds of stuff put into those. Um. I guess like the tangent that I'm on a little bit today, which has nothing to do with the topic of today's episode, um, is I guess I'm a little bit frustrated when I see other educators like charging a lot of money for things that are bad. Like I think, uh, that's, that's what it is. I don't know if I got up a little bit spicy today, but like, and I know that because I've either seen it or done it like their stuff or I've seen what they offer online and. I just go like, you listen, you can't be taking people's money and give them such fucking trash, like, come on. Anyway, I'm so spicy. Okay. I also like on, on the other end, I also like respect other like, yeah. You're like, yeah, right, bitch. Like, but like I, I do respect, like there's a difference. Okay. There's a difference between an entrepreneur and someone that's good at marketing. And is really visible and like maybe, maybe what they're actually selling is joy, right? Maybe what they're actually selling is like a feeling of accomplishment versus actually selling vocal development like those two, like what's more marketable, right? Like on a mainstream front, like people when they see like a prodigy child, like. Singing expertly and there's someone standing next to them being like, yeah, right? Like of course. And, and it's a very positive, like that's what's being sold. It's like positive vibes. And listen, we all do need some positive vibes. And if you watch videos like that. And they make you feel good and you like them, then like then maybe that's for you. You know what I mean? So it's not like, it's not like there isn't a place for that. Right? Clearly there is. There's the market for that. And I think there also should be a market if people actually wanna get better at singing. So. I'm trying to bridge the gap between both. Um, and you don't have to do private listens to do that. There's many ways to do that and do, and work in different ways and work in the way that works best for you. Anyway, that was incredibly long as a tangent. Um, but I don't know why I. I don't know where we went, but we're coming back. Okay. If you've been chasing your dreams and you still feel stuck, exhausted, or secretly wondering if you missed your shot, it's not your talent. It's your subconscious wiring and your nervous system. That's why I created the Singers Path Inner Circle, which is an exclusive membership that gives you access to career counseling, to live calls, to exclusive content, and. The very special spotlight system program that we built with a therapist using real neuroscience and nervous system regulation tools, you'll heal the blocks that kill your momentum, your money, story, stage, fright, fear of being seen, and finally create from confidence, not chaos. And right now, if you take advantage of this founding member launch, that's only happening until January 7th. You can get in for less than $2 a day. That is less than a subway ride, guys. And that rate, if you get it while this founding membership thing is going on, you get to lock it in forever. Even if the price goes up later, no, if you join before January 7th, 2026, you get to keep that rate forever. Doors open Thanksgiving unless you're listening to this and I decided to release it earlier. So let's make 2026 the year you stop surviving your dream and you finally live it. Details are in the link in the show notes, or go to Sarah Bishop focal studio.com to check it out and I'll see you in there. So today I actually wanted to talk about, um, something that's more of like a wanna like. A straight up, like not technical, like it is still creative and like we will talk a little bit about the witchy woowoo stuff on how to do this properly. But I really do wanna focus today on songwriting and basically the one-on-one. Steps 1 0 1 on 1, 1 0 1. Steps of songwriting. Like how, like how do we start songwriting? If, if you've ever wanted to write your own songs, um, like what's the process and how can you make it systemized? How can you make it easy? How can it not feel overwhelming? Because I remember like, especially even in college, like earlier in college, I always kind of was drawn to the songwriting. Like I was like, oh, I'd really love to. Express in this way. I was really impressed by it. In fact, I was really, I really, really loved lyrics. I was really drawn in by the emotion and the rawness of the lyric writing and the vocal performance of these people and like I was a choir kid and all this stuff. So I loved like weird. Fricking harmonies. I loved all this kind of weird stuff, right? So when I was in college and I like, just wished from the bottom of my heart that I could song write when I tried to sit down, it just kind of felt like, well, well now what? Like, how, how do we, like what do I write about, right? Like, what do I, and so this is, so there's a couple different steps to songwriting that we can simplify here. But the first step is. More or less, you gotta pick something to write about. So, and then, and then you can actually divide it up so that it's a little bit more specific. So you gotta, like, at first, like pick a title, right? Like, not, not even a song name, but just like a subject line. Like what is this song about? And the more specific you actually get. Kind of the better, which doesn't, you know, you might be like, oh, well if it's, where am I gonna go? Well, you know, if you're, if you're writing, if, especially if it's lyrics.'cause you can write songs and not have lyrics by the way, like, actually my first songs that I wrote were instrumental, but even those instrumental songs were like about something. There was a, it was, there's some journey happening that I was expressing musically and telling musically. So no matter what, you still need to know what the fuck. You are playing or singing for. Okay. Or, or speaking for. Right. So, um, one of my first. Songs, even if the music, the musicality aspect, right? Like I, one of the first songs I ever wrote was, it's called Road to Courage. I am gonna probably publish it this year. This is another reason why we're doing this as we're going into the new year, and I've been talking about the Inner Circle membership a lot, and this creativity, I totally acknowledge, like I need, I've been writing for a long time, but haven't, like, I've been sabotaging up to a certain degree, like part of this inner circle and like artistic healing and like. Returning and reclaiming your creativity that it offers. And all of this, like inner work has like made me realize like, oh, I need to be doing this myself. So like I'm also in there doing all of the same work and my biggest thing for 2026 is basically surrendering to what my own creative intuition was to do. And that includes releasing my own songs. So Road to Courage will be released at some point. It's a piano song, but the story of the piano song, it was about, it's basically about my. Decision to go against the grain and like follow doing what I love. It starts out, it's, it's like the melody of it is one that kind of was in my head and called to me and kind of haunts me a little bit. And like, it's, it's similar to like how a dream can like lay in your heart and it could be there for years. And you don't really rec, you don't see it until you do or you like know it's there, but like, until you put the spotlight on it and you focus on it, you're not gonna act on it. Right. So the melody is kind of this swirling. You know, melody that's focused on, um. This, this calling, right? Being pulled towards this dream and then eventually it kind of builds. And how you, you take that, that act of courage to act on that dream and, and fulfill that dream. And then, you know, on the other side of that you're like, wow, I really did that. So, like, that's actually what the story is of the song. It's doing something really brave for yourself. And even though you know you don't know where you're going. Coming out on the other side and being like, whoa. And if you ever listen to it, um, maybe that's what you'll hear, or maybe you'll interpret it a different way. The cool thing, especially about instrumentals, I mean, any kinda music is like, you can interpret it the way you want, but. But, and this is actually guys, um, marketing's kind of the same way. Like the more specific you get, even if you're talking to a version of yourself or you're writing a story that's deeply personal, the more specific and emotional and personal it is that actually reaches people more, you would think like, oh, if I make it more vague, that's better. No. That's not better. Like the more personal that you can make the subject of the material, the, the lyrics, the situation. I mean, think about like, think about like epic songs that are like notorious. If we're just looking at a lyrical lens, like you are so vain that, or like you ought to know like Alanis Morissette, like these two fucking like slam songs. They're clearly talking about someone's. The fuck. You know what I mean? But it's like, oh my God, it just bites you. Um, another song that's like absolutely heartbreaking lyrically is, I think it's called Anyone by Demi Lovato. Like, she's like preying out about her drug addiction and her like depression. Like, oh my God. Right. And like, it's an actual, like, prayer that's so specific her the lyrics of like, I feel stupid when I pray. Like all of that, sorry, morning voice, but like, oh my. God. Like how honest? Like it gives me goosebumps to think about it. Um, or if we're back to the Alanis Morissette song, um, when she's like, I still feel your hands down, my back. I know you feel it. Like there's just so many. Anyway, there's so many lines that make the story come alive. So all us to say, whether it's in the subject that you're writing about or it's the lyrics that you're about to write, just make sure you're like, okay. I'm gonna sit down, I'm gonna write a song about how I'm upset with this particular person for not calling me back. And, you know, and it's showing me how this pattern has affected other relationships of mine. Um, another song that I've written that I hope to get produced is called Send My Regrets. And it's very specifically, I wrote it. Um. It's actually one of my favorite lyrical songs. And actually, you know, dude, you're gonna, we're gonna talk about how process is gonna be different for each person, but. I wrote it like immediately after this situation happened. So it was so fresh. It was like not hard at all to kinda like word vomit these lyrics because it was like genuinely how I was feeling in that moment. Um, so if you write while you're activated to kind of regulate yourself, or, I mean, I don't know, I don't know your process 'cause maybe it would be more dysregulating to write when you're already activated, but you do what's best for you. But in that moment I was so humiliated and embarrassed and being just like, what the fuck that I. I had, it was like almost like I had to get this out. I had to write this down because there was no other way for me to fucking digest what just happened. And in the Send My Regret song, there was like this person that I had been dating. Before COVID and like I, you know, really liked this person but just like didn't work out and, but they were really awesome. So like, I was pretty sad 'cause you know, actually the last person I dated before my husband, so like, I was so close to like meeting the right person, but like, it just wasn't it. And, um, we actually broke up because they were like, I don't know why, but we're like, we're not supposed to be together. Um, and I was like, I agree.'cause like I had that feeling too. Um, but I sort really liked them. You know, I really enjoyed this person. So, um, so we ended up not dating and then the next person they met was their wife, and then the next person I met was my husband. But in that, in-between phase where I hadn't met my husband yet, I had made a songwriting group with like other songwriters that I knew, um, during CID to like. Get together and like write some music and like check them in with people. And it's actually really great if you have a group of friends that like to write music to do this 'cause it keeps you accountable and it helps you to show up. Actually, I really hope that in the Inner Circle membership, some stuff will be started like that where you guys, you know, the benefit of having an Inner Circle membership. Not only are you working through that neural rewiring, the subconscious work all around your art to get you to be more creative, to return to creative play, to work on all of the things that make it challenging to be an artist and to hold yourself through that, like that's all in the spotlight system, which is included in the membership, right? Not only are you doing that, but you also get a community. You get two calls a month, whether it's with me to deepen the training that's in the spotlight system, or like, they're like, I bring on experts. Like, guys, the lineup for 2026 is as fuck. Like not only is it like experts in the material that's covered to help you get that, those subconscious stories changed in the nervous system regulation. But there's also like, there's also like career strategists, like dead ass, like, like this is a highly fucking valuable group. Okay. Um, but. Hopefully y'all will connect with each other because, and that's what happened in group lessons. Like any of the singers that come together. I was like, I know, I know these people individually, but I was like, y'all are gonna really click if you just would fucking meet each other. Right? Like if you had an opportunity to be in the same room, or, I mean, for this. It's Zoom on group lessons, but like have the potential to connect with other people. You guys would be friends.'cause you're very similar, right? So I feel like people that are doing the Inner Circle membership are gonna connect really well because they're like-minded, right? And so hopefully songwriters in there, like y'all can connect and like maybe hold a songwriting group and like, you know, meet every week and be like, this was the, this was the song we did. Right? So like there could possibly be things like that that. Come out of that. Anyway, I digress. But in, so back to the story. So I was doing this songwriting group and I, um, oh my God. One of the people in songwriting group was like, Hey, is it okay if my friend joins this week? And I was like, yeah, whatever. Um, and it was this person that I had dated, came, came and joined this group and I was sharing very intimate music and uh, I was like, oh fuck. Hi. And it was like kind of awkward. It was just like running into your ex, you know what I mean? And, and in a space that's like, oh, I'm just like spilling my guts here in my music and you're here now. So I got off that call and I wrote this song. And, and I think I had probably said something fucking stupid during the meeting where like I just felt like, oh my God, like I'm so embarrassed. Like I'm so, I'm sorry. Sorry I'm muttering today. I'm so embarrassed. Um, that. Oh, that this person is here and I feel like I stuck my foot in my mouth and oh, it's just like that feeling of like, fuck. Like when you just have an awkward interaction and like you don't really know how to handle it and you try, but you're awkward. And so that's what the Send My Regret song is. And it's so specific because it's about this, it's like kind of beating yourself up after. Having an awkward situation or running into an ex. Like that's literally, but that's like, that's a very tuned in feeling. Oh, I'm beating myself up because I just ran into my ex and I put my foot in my mouth and now I'm just sitting in my diaper about it. Like, I just feel horrible about it. Um, and it was, and it's like this jazzy like blues. It's song, it's um, yeah, so that's like one of my favorite songs that I've written. So I've spent 15 minutes talking about why it's important to be specific. Okay. So be specific. That will make your life so much easier. And if you're really like, I don't know what's bad about, then there's something called object writing. So you could just like. Pick. Like if you really can't think of anything, then like pick an object and take a sheet of paper and write down everything about that object. And then you can write a song about that. But like, even if you pick a specific line, like. Just like tune again. This is another reason why it's important to be in the inner circle, so you're like tuned into yourself and you can like emotionally like tap into things. Like this program will help you do that too, to be aware of what's present because honestly, if you're just like, if you're like somatically and emotionally aware of like how you're feeling that day and you just allow that to be. And you harness the specificity of it. Like there's your subject right there. And I mean, you could even, before you start to write the song, you could even journal out about how you're feeling that day. Um, or like, you know, find the present theme that's coming up and put it on another page and then write down everything you feel about that theme. And like there's your lyric. Right. Let's move on to song structures. So there's different ways, and you can look this up, but there's different song structures that you can have, right? There's a verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. That's very popular. Um, verse verse, chorus. Bridge. Chorus, right? There's, there's all kinds of ways. That one was a weird one. Um, there's like a callback song where you can have like a hook and come back to it. Um, just, I mean, honestly, you can just Google like. Song, um, layouts, you know, ways that people, and then, and then actually when you start to do that, whether it's like a, B, a B, CB, no, that's not right. See, like, I'm not gonna like, talk about this very well because I feel a little dyslexic in my, my ability to like talk about song layouts. Um, but just make sure that, you know, if it's a verse or a chorus and where it goes, and look at song layouts and try to just structure your song based off of what's popular, the go-to. Verse. Chorus, verse, chorus. Bridge. Chorus. Like you could just start there. Okay. Typically, when you're writing lyrics or you're thinking thoughts and how to organize it so it's not vague like the verses are where you can get really real specific, you can dive into like what are your opinions about the subject? And the chorus can be like where it lands home, right? Like it's the overall. Message that you're trying to tell? It's the, it's the point of the story happens in the chorus, whereas the verse, like the verses give details and opinions about the thing or maybe a different point of view. Um, the bridge is also a really good place to do a different point of view or like a hot take. I actually do that in the Send My Regrets song. It's like, oh, I pivot for a second, and then I offer a different point of view. It can also be like an emotional heightening, like bridges are really cool to do, like something musically different that can also tell the story, right? So like there's other things to think about in the way that you wanna tell the story. So you have the subject line, you have the story you want to write, or the ideas that you, the idea you wanna take through. And so it like, hopefully you do both lyrically and musically, but. Like you can choose, like, I think what makes songwriting hard is that like there's so much choice. Like you're literally making something out of nothing. When it's that vague. When the prompt is that vague, like, how do we actually tell the story? And to answer this question, it's just like, follow the intuition. If it, if this, if this song feels like it's, it should be more musically driven, it's more of a complex vocal line. Or sorry, a musical line, like the chords underneath the melody that you're playing. Maybe the vocals are simpler or you know, maybe like most pop songs, guys are actually really, really simple chords. Like you can look online even if you don't play exceptionally well on the piano or on the guitar. You can learn like basic four chords and base and sing hundreds of pop songs. Like most songs are structured. Um, in a certain way with chord progressions. So, um, you can just take those chords and write your own song with that. Like, it basically, what I'm trying to say for songwriting 1 0 1 is like, you don't have to make it that hard, right? The easy, like the absolute easiest way. Like say you don't play any instruments at all and you're like, I'm just a singer. I don't know how to do that. I'm like, really overwhelmed. Like, I don't know how to make. This worked for me, but I still do wanna write music like I don't know what to do that you should go to. Um, just go to YouTube and type in, this is called Top Lining. I actually learned this from Laura Chapman. You go to YouTube. Okay. Laura Chapman owns Fox Tape Studios. She's great. But I, if you go into YouTube and you just type. What, what kind of genre you wanna write, right? Like, so for example, like I did a Billie Eilish type beat. I know that I like Billie Eilish music. I kind of wanna write a vocal line similar to hers. Um, I've also written like a Lizzie McAlpine type beat. Like it's like, oh, I like that kind of folky sad thing, or the dark pop thing. So I was like, Ooh, I wanna go. With that, so I'm gonna Google that on YouTube, like this artist type beat. What will happen is there's a bunch of producers that release, um, produ production, like songs, like accompaniment tracks of songs that they, they own right now. But you can practice writing to those songs and then you can just take the chords that are in that song and then you can. You can rerecord them. You can have a producer do it, but you can write on top of these things and write again 'cause you're writing the melody line in the lyrics, which isn't technically songwriting.'cause songwriting is kind of like all of it together. But again, this is like how it's done. Most of the time, songwriting and professionally is done with a producer and a songwriter singer. So most of the time the singers will just do the top lining anyway. Right. And so. Um, anyway, it's, this is not, this is a very good, easy way to do it. So if you get overwhelmed, you're like, I can't play the piano. I can't play the guitar, but I wanna sing. But like, I have lyrics, but I don't know what to do. Like, we just gotta stop the analysis paralysis of it all and the overwhelm of all of it all, and just make it easy, like. You're making, basically what happens is our brains like make a bunch of excuses because we make it way harder than it needs to be, and it just doesn't need to be that hard. Okay, so my top tips for making it easy and just getting started is being specific about who and what you're writing about. I wouldn't even worrying about rhyming yet, honestly. Don't even worry about rhyming yet. Okay. Like you can always tweak it for the rhymes and get it to fit in. But what's more important is like the emotional through line and the story and the specificity, because when it's specific, I like to equate it like, and this is, this is an acting too. This isn't anything creative. Um, when you give yourself like a playpen, it's easier to play. Otherwise you just feel like you're like floating in the abyss, right? Like when I've talked about acting through song, which I'm gonna have to do another one.'cause that was such a fever dream of an explanation to like, get you started. Oh my God. Um, it was kind of like the reactivating creative play that. I think came out recently. I was like so pressed for time to do that, and I was like, we need to fucking do that again.'cause I, it's not me. Um, but basically if, if it's too broad, right? If, if you're going grocery shopping and the store is so big and you don't even know what you want in there and you're trying to like, go through this whole grocery store, like, it's gonna feel like a lot versus like going to the grocery store, you know, and like where everything is and you have a shopping list and you know. What you're getting like it that, I don't know. I dunno if that's a good analogy, but the playpen really is a good analogy. Don't like overwhelm yourself by making it too broad. Make it specific and just start, right. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't even have to be good. That's the other thing. That's something that stopped me for a long time was like, and this is something we talk about in the Inner Circle membership is like this. Perfectionism analysis paralysis, like, or I also talk about this in self-worth with around voice and all that kind of stuff. That other program, this, this is, this is thoroughly covered in the inner circle where oh, we hold certain things to such a high degree in our hearts. Like I've had singers come to me learn to sing, where they idolize Mariah Carey and Tory Kelly so much that they won't even let themselves start to sing because. They're like, well, I could never be like them, so I'm not even gonna start. And it's like, what? Like what is that logic? Like mine was the same with like lyrics. Like I'm always hard on myself with lyric writing because I idolize like Joni Mitchell and like people that have been just like amazing songwriters for a long time that like, oh, I don't think my, I don't wanna have bad cringey lyrics. But then there's also like can't like, come on. Like there's also very famous songs like Watermelon, sugar, hi. Watermelon. Sugar High watermelon. Sugar, high watermelon. Sugar high, right? Like, that's all that they're saying in the chorus, right? It doesn't have to be that deep, right? Like it can be a great song and not be that deep. And like, so if you don't typically like your, like your lyrics like. You can always adjust them, but at least get the song done. Um, I've, I've heard, um, like don't analysis paralysis yourself because you're beating yourself up about how bad your lyrics suck. And then again, that's another reason why the, the neuro rewiring work in the inner circle is important because it's like, if you're constantly telling yourself, oh my God, my lyrics suck. Oh my God, my lyrics will never be good. Okay. And so it is bitch, like, you're never gonna get through that. Right? So the way to. To disrupt that feeling of like, oh, this is bad and I hate it, and you just gotta do it bad. Like, that's kind of the first step. Just finish it. Um, I've had, uh, actually my friends who have written several musicals that I've been in, um, God knows if, we'll see if the other show we've been doing will go to Broadway. But anyway, they used, they wrote one of their first shows that I was in, um, they didn't have the lyrics yet, but they just picked up a Chinese menu that they had, like a takeout menu and then they. They just put the like crab, rangoon and, you know, kung pow chicken as the lyrics because they didn't have the lyrics yet, so they would just sing beef Mongolia. Like that was like how they, how that was the placeholder. Right? Like great. Sometimes if now we're gonna get a little bit spiritual and then I'll wrap it up here. Um. I view songwriting very much as a sort of channel. Um, so songwriting and, and again, other resources. We talk about this so much in the inner circle to get you free enough to listen to this, but there's also a book called The Artist's Way that works in tandem with what we've created, um, that will really help you get out of your own way in this. And it talks a great deal about like the spiritual influence of creativity and how important it is for like your own. Like wellbeing and your self care. Right. Um, but in this book, basically it talks about like channeling and beaming in the creativity. Like you're listening and getting down the lyrics of the music. So more than like, trying to come up with it. When you try to come up with it, then it's like manufactured in like not good. Right? Like it's more about just listening to impulse and just doing it without questioning it. Like that's more or less like. The best way I think to write a good song is like, just don't worry about it. Like just do it. Just write it down. And if it's trash, it's trash. But sometimes it's fucking golden nuggets. Yo, it's so good. Um, and so, and music, when I do this now, everybody's gonna have their own process, so just disclaimer, like, yours might look very different, but my process is like, I'll hear it in my head. And then I come to my piano, like if I'm writing from scratch, oh, here to my head, I'll come to my piano, I will write out the melody, and then more often than not, melody and lyrics come from me at the same time. Most of the time. And so sometimes I'll hear like the shape of the vowel, like, and then I can just kind of sing it in gibberish, like, oh, are you like, I would do it like that. And then I'm like, oh, oh, I hear what it is. Like are you gonna be the last time? Like something like that, right? Like it's like I hear. It kind of muffled and like literally that's what it's, I hear it right. I don't come up with it. It's, it almost feels like it's being told to me. And then it's my job to interpret that message and get it down. Right. It's, that's, that's where the humility of it comes in. It's like I don't come up with this like a higher being comes up with this and I just scribble it down. Okay. And I know if that doesn't make sense to you, that's cool. And. Totally fine, but a lot of artists feel this way. This is like very common way of talking about this kind of creation because look, God creation, hello universe, like we are all divinely capable of doing this, okay? We are. We are creations, we are capable of creating. Okay? So anyway, that's something fun. Like literally just write, just write your music in gibberish and then see what words are actually out of that gibberish. Okay? So anyway, I gave you about 10 fucking tips on how to just get started. Come, the simplicity will come down to specificity and then make it easier by finding like a track that already exists and just writing the melody on top of that if you wanna, you know, create the chord progressions yourself. Right? You still need to be aware, even with a track, you need to be able to dissect. Is this a verse? Is this a chorus? Is this a bridge?'cause that will help you structure it as well. Um, but. Try to listen to songs, you know, already, and try to detect if it's a verse, chorus, and bridge, and like try to practice that way. So if you go to YouTube and you get a track that doesn't have a melody yet, 'cause you're gonna write it, um, you'll be better at detecting, um, what that, what the structure of the song is, and then write in specificity around that song. Um, the last tip is like, just don't, it's just not that deep. Write something and finish it. Write something and finish it. And then if you like it, then get it. Then you can reach out and try to find somebody to get it produced. Ask instrumentalists. It doesn't have to be that deep, like producers can do things remotely and if you find a song you wanna write and record it, do God, oh my God. You don't have to go to like a fancy fucking recording studio. Like, you can get a mic and figure out how to use it and just do it yourself. Okay. Like right now for the podcast, I'm using an SM seven B, which is a, you know, it's an investment. It's like a $500 microphone and there's a stand and there's an interface, a focus, right? Scarlet, it, that's an expensive piece of equipment, right? I, I'd say all of this together is probably around seven, seven or $800. However, it's cheaper than going into a studio. And trying to, you know, pay spur studio time when you know where I'm at. Like, at this point, I don't need, like, this is a really high-end microphone to, to do what I wanna do, but I don't really need to go into a fucking. Professional recording studio and do that like I can, I can, I can record raw vocals here and then send them to the producer, and then the producer can edit them and mix them all together and come up with the track and do all this like, you're so much more capable of making the music you wanna make than you think you are. Like, don't get overwhelmed. I spent a long time getting overwhelmed by the production side, by logic, by thinking I had to produce my own music. And although that's still something I wanna learn how to do. I plan on learning how to do for myself so that I can write more fun things. And it frees up like another aspect of writing, like if that's stopping you from chewing it, then just like put it down. Like it's not, it shouldn't squash your whole desire to sing at all because you're so overwhelmed by the prospect of learning it, if that makes sense. Um, I also know if you want more specific help with songwriting. I know again, my friend Laura Chapman of Vox Tape Studios specifically, like this is like something she does specifically. She's really excellent at vocal production. Um, she's, you know, helped, helped me with that and like helped me with the overwhelm of all of this. So she does some songwriting stuff that's really cool. So check her stuff out. And then also like if you are a professional and you're getting in your head about songwriting, um. Right. Like there's a couple ways in my business you can work with that like again. I would say if you're doing something like big, like you're going on tour, you're releasing your album, this is really important. You wanna invest a lot of money in yourself because, you know, this needs to be good. Like this is a career move. It's, you know, worth investing in. Then consider, you know, maybe applying for the private, um, the mentorship, the coaching, that's one-on-one with me. And we will really sit down together and make sure that you, you're meeting your goals and it's like. Very intense, but like you will meet your goals like that will happen. Or like, again, this inner circle membership, I think every and all artists should be in there. Like this is a maintenance thing. This, I mean, I, I have, I, I keep shouting from the rooftops mostly because guys, I don't make money. From having you guys join at less than $2 a day. Okay. You have to understand that, okay? When I'm plugging this so intensely, and I know I have been for the last month because it's gonna be a really long launch period, because I want people to know about it because it's important. I don't make more money by selling it to you on the lowest price. It's gonna be, you see what I'm saying? Like I just want you to have it. Okay? I want you to be in there. I want this to not, I want this to feel like, okay, I'm paying enough money to make me show up, but I'm, it's not like stretching me to, you know what I mean? Like, I, I want it to be easy for you to have. Okay. But the thing is, is it's so fucking valuable that it's gonna go up. The price is gonna go up January 7th because of the level of expertise, the, the amount of people that are pouring into this project who have made this, how good it is, how effective it is. How it can literally help you, like transform into the version of you that has what you want. Like, I'm, I'm dead serious, like, and I've done it, right. I've already, I've already become what I'm talking about. Like I'm proof that this works and it's incredible. Um. And really truly, I want you to like be enjoying pursuing your dream. And I want your dreams to come true. Like I want, I want you to be able to hold yourself through the turmoil of the ups and downs, right? I, that's necessary. And I just care. I care about you. I want, I want it to happen for you. There's a reason we put like fucking hundreds of hours into this, truly, but that doesn't mean it's overwhelming, like. For you guys, it's like a one step at a time. Pretty straightforward process to be in there, but it's, it's so necessary, allall. Anyway, get your ass in there. I'll see ya. I look forward to hopefully connecting with you on those group calls. So there's like a bajillion different ways that I suggested here to, you know, check a bunch of different boxes today and, and ways to support you. Um, I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful rest of your day. Um, happy birthday to me. I love sharing information with you and I hope, um, you make all kinds of beautiful music. And maybe this episode helps you get out of your own way and make it a little bit less complex. And just fucking write yo, just fucking, just fucking get, get, get what you want down on the paper and, and record it. Record it on your phone. If you don't have the fancy equipment in your, just record it on your phone. It doesn't have to be that deep record something, because most of the time you'll feel so much better. When you do it, you'll feel such a sense of accomplishment and pride. And I'm already proud of you for listening. If you've searched this episode out and you know, you're at least taking that first step of trying to learn about it, I'm proud of you for doing that. Now it's time to make some music. And with that, I'm gonna leave you here today because I have to go to the gym. But, um, I really appreciate you listening. Like I so, so appreciate you listening. I love connecting with you guys. If you love this. Episode, please feel free to leave us a five star written review on Apple Podcast. Take a screenshot of that and you can email it to, um, singers path@gmail.com if you want to be entered to win a free lesson. That's how much we appreciate you guys leaving reviews and listening, um, that anytime you contribute and you give back in the means of writing us a review. Um, and listen, you can write us review on any of the products you have too. It doesn't have to be, um, for the podcast specifically. It could be for any of the other products. Um, pitch in musician pillars, private lessons, group lessons, um, even the free events, discover belt, like a body, any of those things. If you've attended any of those and you write a review about it or a testimonial about it, obviously a positive one, um, then, uh, yeah, you send it to us. We will enter you into that. Into that raffle to win a free lesson and then you stay in that raffle. So, um, yeah, so you could be pulled in the future if you didn't win the one in October. Right. So, anyway, it's a cool little system and it's a, it's a big old thank you 'cause I appreciate you anyway. I hope you have a brilliant rest of your day and I'll talk to you next time. Bye. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a five star written review on Apple Podcasts. This helps me get this information out to more artists all over the world. Let's work together to spread the joys of music. Until next time, I'm your host, Sarah Bishop, signing off. From the Singers Path podcast. Thanks for listening.