Songranting

Aaron Cloutier
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  • MUSIC
  • UPDATED MONTHLY

A monthly show where I discuss all things songwriting from writer's block to inspired moments. From music theory and structured practices to free form creative experimentation. From riffs, to lyrics and everything in between. Whatever it takes to get you from idea to finished song.

  1. 10/06/2022

    Episode 13 - Storytelling With Lyrics (Featuring Melanie Naumann)

    ►► Grab my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Welcome to episode 13 of the songranting podcast where I normally answer listener’s songwriting based questions but today is going to be a bit different as I have a guest! Joining me on the podcast today is lyric coach and certified story grid editor Melanie Naumann, who is also the creator of Stories in Songs - Writing the Lyrics which is an online resource for songwriters who in a nutshell, want to improve as lyricists.   In this episode we’re going to be discussing 3 elements to consider when constructing a narrative for your song’s subject matter which not only is the driving force of your song, but can also be what makes your song stand the test of time. If you’re new to the idea of incorporating story into your lyrics like I am, I feel like you’re going to get a ton out of this one.   ►► Melanie’s got an upcoming course all on lyric writing so if you’re interested in learning more, even if you think you're not good with words, check it out at powerfullyrics.com

    12 min

  2. 09/15/2022

    Episode 12 - "How do I find chords under a melody?"

    ►► Grab my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Hello and welcome to episode 12 of the songranting podcast where I answer songwriting based questions taken from social media, my mailing list as well as my private coaching clients and students.   Today’s episode is a continuation of a conversation between myself and a private coaching client where we discussed the process of songwriting and more specifically, what I typically start with in the process.   If you want to hear more about that, go check out episode 11 but today we go down the rabbit hole and explore various ways to get inspired when we feel like we’ve hit a wall creatively. In addition to addressing the most excellent question of “How do I find chords under a melody,” the rest of the episode revolves around being able to take some time and consciously observe your songwriting habits.   This is an opportunity to see if you can look at things in a different way and inspire some new ideas.   Topics included are:   - Swapping instruments for inspiration - Songwriting using odd meters - How to find what key your melody is in   And more   After this episode, I strongly urge you to sit down and take stock of your own songwriting habits (if you haven’t already) to see if you tend to default to certain keys, tempos, styles etc while writing.   While you’re at it, once you find out these answers for yourself, drop me a comment on social media and let me know what you’ve discovered! I’d love to hear about your habits!   Thanks for listening!   -Aaron-   Time stamps   1:32 - Swapping Instruments For Inspiration 5:17 - How to find what key your melody is in 6:55 - Where do these chords fit in? 8:21 - Further explanation 12:15 - What’s your default rhythm? 12:34 - Songwriting using odd meters

    17 min

  3. 08/17/2022

    Episode 11 - Which Comes First? Chords Or Melody?

    ►► Grab my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Hello and welcome to episode 11 of the songranting podcast where I answer songwriting based questions taken from social media, my mailing list as well as my private coaching clients and students.   Today’s episode is taken from a private coaching call with a young client of mine where I was asked about my own personal process when it comes to writing songs and specifically, what I typically start with in the process.   Simply put, the question was “When you’re writing songs, do you start with a melody? Or a chord progression?” It’s an awesome question and we dig into it in depth in this conversation but to sum it up I’ll say… “It depends.” This can vary greatly for me personally depending on the genre I’m writing in but the conversation brought up some tasty nuggets of info that I think will be helpful to you wether if you’re just starting out or if you’re a seasoned pro but you need some perspective.   Here’s what to expect in today’s episode   1. Using a melody first approach when writing pop songs plus my observations on how to write a catchy vocal melody   2. Writing songs from lyrics   3. My approach for writing for guitar based genres.   Thanks for listening. I love getting questions like this and would love to continue the conversation so I just want to know what do you typically start with? Do you like a nice sounding chord progression to start with? Or are you focused on finding a melody that you like? Or are you neither and approach things lyrics first?   Hit me up on the socials and let me know!   Thanks again!   -Aaron-   Time stamps   2:09 - Chords first? Or melody first? 5:48 - Thoughts on writing catchy melodies. 8:43 - Writing for guitar based genres. 10:27 - Writing songs from lyrics.

    14 min

  4. 08/10/2022

    Episode 10 - Time Management For Songwriters

    ►► Grab my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Hello and welcome to episode 10 of the songranting podcast where I take listener questions and do my best to shed some light on the often hard to explain topic that is songwriting.   This episode is based on the fifth in a series of 5 livestreams I did on YouTube at the beginning of the year which addresses the top 5 frustrations that musicians face when writing songs based on listener feedback.   In today's episode, I’ll be diving into the topic of time management and specifically I want to take a look at three different areas you can take a closer look at to make more time for music making including   1. Taking stock of how you spend your time day to day 2. Eliminating distractions 3. And finally scheduling   I’m really happy with how this episode came out and if you’re anything like me, I know you’ll get out of it.   Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this episode, how about leaving me a 5 star review? It helps this show be seen by, and ultimately be helpful to more people. Thanks again!   -Aaron-

    25 min

  5. 07/31/2022

    Episode 9 - How To Overcome Musical Writer’s Block

    ►► Grab my free multi-step guide to help you write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Welcome to episode 9 of the songranting podcast where I take questions from my mailing list, social media, as well as my private clients and students and do my best to be of service in the realm of songwriting.   This episode is based on the 4th in a series of 5 livestreams I did on YouTube at the beginning of the year and they are all based on the top 5 frustrations that musicians face when writing songs. It's very warts and all. I’m not really following a script, I stumble, I pause, and I rant so it’s very different from the structured theme of the podcast so far.   So in part 4 of the livestream series, I talk about 3 different ways to rewire your thinking when it comes to dealing with writer’s block.   Topics include   1. Finding motivation despite a lack of ideas 2. Maintaining inspiration 3. Ways of taking the pressure off of yourself   If you're struggling to find your own creative voice, I hope this can help out.   Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this episode, how about leaving me a 5 star review? It helps this show be seen by, and ultimately be helpful to more people. Thanks again!   -Aaron-

    24 min

  6. 07/14/2022

    Episode 8 - How To Find Your Sound As An Artist

    ►► Download my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Welcome to episode 8 of the songranting podcast where I take questions from my mailing list, social media, as well as my private clients and students and do my best to be of service in the realm of songwriting. This episode is based on the 3rd in a series of 5 livestreams I did on YouTube at the beginning of the year and they're all based on the top 5 frustrations that musicians face when writing songs. It's very warts and all. I’m not really following a script, I stumble, I pause, and I rant so it’s very different from the structured theme of the podcast so far.   So in part 3 of the livestream series, I rant about the subject of originality in music and address this specifically by answering the following questions and comments.   1. “Everything has been done before.” 2. “What I write sounds like I’m ripping off another band?” 3. “How do I find my own sound?” If you're struggling to find your own creative voice,   I hope this can help out. And if you would like to delve even deeper into finding your own original voice and are looking for a quicker way to get there and finally write, record, and release your first batch of songs in the next 90 days, please fill out a short questionnaire at the link below to schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to see if we would be a good fit for private songwriting coaching sessions. Private Songwriting Coaching Questionnaire   Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this episode, how about leaving me a 5 star review? It helps this show be seen by, and ultimately be helpful to more people. Thanks again!   -Aaron-

    26 min

  7. 06/30/2022

    Episode 7 - 3 Ways To Write Better Melodies

    ►► Download my free multi-step guide to write better songs today https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/songranting   Welcome to episode 7 of the songranting podcast where I take questions from my mailing list, social media, as well as my private clients and students and do my best to be of service in the realm of songwriting. This episode is based on the 2nd in a series of 5 livestreams I did on YouTube at the beginning of the year and they're all based on the top 5 frustrations that musicians face when writing songs. It's very warts and all. I’m not really following a script, I stumble, I pause, and I rant so it’s very different from the structured theme of the podcast so far. The reason I’m sharing these though is because I thought that it would be a good idea to take these lengthy rants and distill them to find some of the best bits for you to consider when approaching how you write songs.   So anyway in part 2 of the livestream series, I rant about writing melodies in 3 different ways including using pedal point, using chord tones, and finally, using scales so if you happen to struggle with coming up with catchy melodies or you feel like you can’t write melodies because you don’t know a ton of scales or music theory then this one’s for you. On that note, even if you do know your chords and scales but still struggle, my hope is that this will give you a different perspective on how to approach your writing.   Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this episode, how about leaving me a 5 star review? It helps this show be seen by, and ultimately be helpful to more people. Thanks again!   -Aaron-

    26 min

  8. 06/17/2022

    Episode 6 - Writing Lyrics "I feel like I have nothing to say!"

    ►► Download my free multi-step guide to write better lyrics in under 10 minutes https://fastermusiccreation.mykajabi.com/Lyrics   Hello dear listener, Welcome to episode 6 of the songranting podcast where I do my best to answer listener questions from my mailing list, social media (and this very show) revolving around the topic of songwriting.   The next 5 episodes are going to be taken from a series of livestreams I did on YouTube at the beginning of the year and they’re all based on the top 5 frustrations that musicians face when writing songs. Like I said, these are livestreams so its very warts and all. I’m not really following a script, I stumble, I pause, and I rant so it’s very different from the structured theme of the podcast so far.   The reason I’m sharing these though is because I thought that it would be a good idea to take these lengthy rants and distill them to find some of the best bits for you to consider when approaching how you write songs.   So in part 1 of the livestream series, I rant about the ever popular subject of lyrics so if you struggle with finding the right things to say, this one’s for you.   Topics covered include:   - “I feel like I have nothing to say.” - “Music comes easily, lyrics don’t”   Thanks for listening and if you've enjoyed this episode, how about leaving me a 5 star review? It helps this show be seen by, and ultimately be helpful to more people. Thanks again!   -Aaron-

    23 min
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About

A monthly show where I discuss all things songwriting from writer's block to inspired moments. From music theory and structured practices to free form creative experimentation. From riffs, to lyrics and everything in between. Whatever it takes to get you from idea to finished song.

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Cloutier
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2022
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Songranting