It’s not my intention to use this blog for personal advertising, but I teach an online songwriting course some of you may find useful. It’s offered through Above Arts Academy in Chesterfield, MO, and begins October 6. Call Robin 636-733-8360 if you’re interested. Here’s a sample:
GET ON BASE Part 2
“But I can’t read music.” Many songwriters can’t. Some of my favorite don’t.
“But I’m not a great singer.” Diane Warren, the greatest hit songwriter of our generation, professes to be no great singer.
“I don’t play an instrument.” I admit that it’s helpful to play, but not at all necessary. Worship songwriter Paul Baloche writes many of his songs away from an instrument, and pop songwriter Jason Blume usually hires someone to figure out the chords to his songs for him.
How about this reason for not getting started (this is real): “I’m too proficient a musician, and the stuff that’s in style is more rootsy.” Come on. Really? Ever hear John Mayer play guitar?
But at the root of all this, the belief that what you write will be no good distracts you from any real writing. So here is your goal. It’s not a lofty one, but it’s what my third grade baseball coach told me to do: Get on base.
When I played ball as a kid, I was a good infielder but a lousy batter. The advice all lousy batters hear from the dugout is, “Don’t try to hit a homer. Just get on base.” To sit down to a blank sheet of paper with the entire world looking over your shoulder critiquing every word you write is too difficult for any human on earth to do. “Is it radio friendly?” “Will my pastor like it?” “Can everyone in the church sing it?” These are not questions to ask yourself right now. Don’t write a song that can stand up to every critique. Just get on base.
Yes, there is something trying to write through you, a song only you can sing. Do you know the scripture, “The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet?” God does not move a prophet’s tongue, and He doesn’t move your pen. Craft is working out what you think you heard, interpreting it, until it’s right. And – here’s the bummer – it will never be all the way right. It will not be perfect. However, the craft part is not the hearing from God part, and every Christian can hear from God.
“They that are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Let God lead Your pen. Get out what He’s trying to say to You. You can go back and fix what you didn’t get right. When you write something you’re not sure is right for the song, just tell yourself, “I’ll go back and fix it later.”
So, don’t worry craft stuff yet. It will just get in your way. God is speaking. Are you ready to take dictation?
