Getting Things Made with Friedemann Findeisen

Friedemann Findeisen (Holistic Songwriting)

How do creative people actually get things made? Friedemann Findeisen talks to musicians, writers, artists, designers, filmmakers, game designers, entrepreneurs and other creative weirdos about the ideas, processes, obsessions and accidents behind the things they make. How does a song become a song? A book become a book? An idea become a game, a business, a film, or something nobody has ever made before? No guru wisdom. No five-step formulas. Just curious conversations about creativity, craft, problem-solving, and the messy process of turning an idea into something real.

  1. 1d ago

    How I Designed A Bestselling Board Game

    How do you turn a university project into a successful board game series? In this episode, Friedemann takes us behind the scenes of Cantaloop, his point-and-click adventure game series inspired by the golden age of classic adventure games. He shares the creative inspirations behind the project, how its design evolved from a university experiment into a published board game, and the philosophy that guided its development. We also explore the importance of creativity in game design, the art of building non-linear puzzles, and how to recreate the magic of those classic adventure games in a completely different medium. A look behind the scenes at the making of Cantaloop, and a deep dive into what makes creative game design so rewarding.

  2. Oct 21

    The Music Video That Almost Broke Me

    I thought this music video was going to be easy. We had the perfect location, a great team, and a clear vision. What could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, quite a lot. After the chaos of shooting Joanna's last music video, I thought I'd learned my lesson. This time, we'd planned everything. We had a beautiful location owned by friends, a story we believed in, and a song about being present and appreciating the people around you. And then the shoot happened. This is the story of making the music video for “Seesaw” — the unexpected problems, the moments when I questioned everything, and the emotional toll of trying to bring a creative vision to life when nothing seems to go according to plan. It's also a reminder of why we make things in the first place. Sometimes the process is messy, frustrating, and completely different from what you imagined. But that doesn't mean the result can't be meaningful. 🎬 Watch the finished music video for “Seesaw”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy7aVLFsyQ8 🎧 Listen to Joanna's finished album, Play in Case of Emergency: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kvrtZmi6xD9XMAfWLjXV_0TvN-wxM8Tf0&si=iajLtIp75dHhh3LX If you're an independent artist trying to make something you're proud of, I hope this story reminds you that you're not alone in the struggle. Sometimes making art is hard. Sometimes work is a disaster. And sometimes, somehow, you still get the thing you wanted all along. #MusicVideo #IndependentArtist #BehindTheScenes

  3. Oct 7

    How I (Casually) Wrote A Hit Song

    I wrote a 35-million-stream hit song in one afternoon. It was a song called “Rakete” for the German band Mätropolis. I’d never written in the genre before, I’m not a writing-camp guy, and honestly… it’s not the kind of music I usually listen to. So how did it happen? In this video, I break down how the song came together, from the original “Wir starten die Rakete” hook to the countdown, Kölsch lyrics, melody, production and the marketing that helped turn it into a breakout hit. But the bigger question is: what does it mean to make music when most of it will never become successful? Because I’ve spent most of my life writing songs that almost nobody hears — including some of the songs I’m most proud of. This is a video about songwriting, success, failure, motivation, and why we keep making things even when nobody is watching. And maybe they are watching after all. You are. What’s one thing you could challenge yourself to prove wrong today? Let me know in the comments. Link to Joanna K's new album: https://open.spotify.com/album/7Ke952s15ico33M4wzepVk?si=9Un9lBT8SXKmJNBSuiH2fQ Link to Mätropolis' Rakete: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34JOAPatI3I

  4. Sep 30

    My Sales Call Process as a Songwriter/Producer

    How do you actually sell yourself as a producer or songwriter without making the whole thing feel… salesy? In this video, I walk through my approach to sales calls with artists — from the preparation before a meeting, to the Zoom call itself, to pricing, contracts, and what happens after the artist says yes. But a good sales call isn't really about “convincing” someone to work with you. It’s about helping both sides figure out whether you're the right fit for each other. I also talk about what happens once the collaboration starts: how to communicate with artists, set expectations, navigate timelines, and create a songwriting process where both the artist and songwriter can do their best work. If you're a songwriter, producer, or artist trying to get more clients and build better creative collaborations, this should give you a practical look at how I approach the entire process. In this video: Why selling yourself can feel so difficultMarketing vs. selling — and why the distinction mattersHow I prepare for an artist meetingThe questionnaire I use before a sales callHow I structure the Zoom callHow to establish trust and set expectationsTalking about pricing without awkwardnessWhat happens after the client says yesWhy contracts matterHow to build a professional but personal working relationshipNavigating the songwriting process, timelines, and collaborationWant to work with me? Link to survey mentioned at the end: https://forms.gle/vzAcEMnXwDHuDquX7

  5. Sep 16

    I Tried to Make a Video Game. Here's What Happened.

    Friedemann discusses his journey in creating his first video game, a tower defense game for musicians that uses ear training to fight enemies. He shares his fascination with game design, his experience with board game design, and his foray into learning programming for game development. Friedemann also reflects on the challenges and setbacks he faced in developing a music theory-based app and the lessons he learned from the experience. Friedemann shares his experience of creating a game using AI and programming, highlighting the challenges, learning experiences, and the role of AI in the game development process. Fill That Page (for news about Next Level Songwriter): https://www.holistic-songwriting.com/fill-that-page-download Takeaways Game design and music theory have a strong connection, and Friedemann's passion for both has influenced his creative projects.Learning programming and game development has been a challenging but rewarding experience for Friedemann, allowing him to bring his game ideas to life.The process of creating a game involves vision, simplification, playtesting, and refinement, which parallels the creative process in music and other artistic endeavors. Start with the core concept before focusing on aestheticsAI can assist in breaking down complex tasks and creating a planGame development involves unexpected challenges and tedious tasks

  6. Sep 9

    I’m Done Being Just a Songwriting Teacher

    What happens when the thing you’ve built your entire career around is no longer the thing you want to be known for? In this video, Friedemann talks about his transition from Holistic Songwriting toward a more personal creative brand—and the fear that comes with taking that next step. After years of teaching songwriting, building products, writing books, and creating all kinds of projects, he’s realizing that maybe the answer isn’t to narrow himself down, but to find the unique thread that connects everything he creates. He talks about the tension between building a recognizable personal brand and following your own curiosity, why it can be scary to put your own message at the center, and the process of figuring out what makes your creative voice truly yours. If you’re a creative person who struggles with finding your niche, choosing what to focus on, or giving yourself permission to explore different interests, this one is for you.

  7. Sep 2

    Thinking of shooting a music video? Watch this.

    Ever wondered what it really takes to shoot a music video? In this video, I take you behind the scenes of our latest music video production and share the entire journey—from planning and preparation to unexpected problems, changing constraints, and the chaos of the actual shoot. This was my biggest music video production yet, with a larger cast, choreography, a script, multiple locations, and a lot more planning than I'm used to. Things didn't always go according to plan—but that's exactly where the most interesting lessons came from. I'll talk about the challenges we faced, the problems we had to solve on the fly, and why having the right people involved can make all the difference. Watch the finished music video here: Watch the music video Key takeaways: • Adaptability and problem-solving are essential parts of the creative process. • The people you surround yourself with can make or break a project.

  8. Aug 26

    Holly Humberstone's Friendly Fire Took Me by Surprise

    What makes Holly Humberstone’s “Friendly Fire” such a compelling song? In this songwriting breakdown, Friedemann takes a deep dive into “Friendly Fire,” analyzing everything from the acoustic guitar intro and chord progression to the lyrics, vocal production, arrangement, and unexpected drum groove. The song starts out intimate and vulnerable, but its rhythmic choices introduce a surprising boldness that completely changes how the song feels. We’ll look at how Holly Humberstone uses groove, structure, harmony, and production to support the emotional story of the song — and why one particular drum choice works so well. Most importantly, we’ll pull out a stealable songwriting technique: experimenting with unexpected drum grooves to completely transform the feeling of a song. If you’re a songwriter, producer, or musician interested in songwriting analysis, drum grooves, song arrangement, music production, chord progressions, and writing more emotionally effective songs, there’s plenty to steal from this track. In this video: • Holly Humberstone – “Friendly Fire” song analysis • Acoustic guitar and intimate songwriting • Chord progression and harmony • Lyrics, vulnerability and personal struggle • Vocal production and arrangement • The unexpected drum groove • How rhythm can change the emotional impact of a song • Song structure and thematic development • A stealable technique for experimenting with drum grooves Want to master groove & arrangement?If you want to go deeper into groove, drums, arrangement, and rhythmic songwriting, check out my Puppet Master Groove Bundle: The Puppet Master Groove Bundle #HollyHumberstone #Songwriting #SongwritingTips

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How do creative people actually get things made? Friedemann Findeisen talks to musicians, writers, artists, designers, filmmakers, game designers, entrepreneurs and other creative weirdos about the ideas, processes, obsessions and accidents behind the things they make. How does a song become a song? A book become a book? An idea become a game, a business, a film, or something nobody has ever made before? No guru wisdom. No five-step formulas. Just curious conversations about creativity, craft, problem-solving, and the messy process of turning an idea into something real.

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