Opening Up to Songwriting
taught by Nate Shaffer
On zoom!
Thursdays 6:30-8:30pm
Feb 17th, 24th & March 3rd, 10th

Description:

This four week class goes in-depth on the tools, strategies, and social practices that make ourselves ‘emotionally available’ to the songwriting process. We’ll practice opening the creative channel and trusting what comes out. With guided writing exercises, assignments, and feedback, we will sharpen tools to invest in our honest and natural ideas, thereby amplifying the messages from our intuitive “inner artist.” Cultivating this relationship with our deeper selves through creativity is a lifelong process, best done in community.

This class will outline the principles of creativity — giving you a birds’ eye view of this holistic process— while covering practicalities, giving deadlines, and offering a community to practice “contemplative songwriting” alongside. Students will finish two or more songs and get familiar with prioritizing “Quantity not Quality.” It will be a blast!

Activities include: free writing, pre-writing, recording demos, cultivating seeds, writing from an idea, venting, stealing from your favorite songs, poetic devices, reflecting on the process, timed exercises, “S***** first drafts,” word choice, authenticity, points of inspiration, sharing playlists, feedback based on preferred response,

Requirements:
  — Desire to write and perform your own songs!
  — Ability to play 3+ chords on an instrument* and access to it
  ** if you would like to take this class and have yet to learn the basics of an instrument, send me an email to see if it could still be right for you

Who’s it for?

This class is ideal for anyone looking to open up to songwriting more deeply, including:
  — those writing their first songs
— folks who have been writing for a while but are looking for inspiration and community
  — seasoned songwriters looking for a fresh vantage point


We will meet on zoom, and have either an in-person or zoom showcase, depending on folks’ locales

Pricing: the course will be offered on a sliding scale, to be finalized once enrollment is finalized. Current estimate is $ 50-400. Folks will be encouraged to give according to 1) the value they find in the class 2) their means and access to money.  We may have a small group (of 2-4) with lots and lots of personal feedback; or we may be closer to 10. Students will be asked for payment up front, and will be given the opportunity to adjust the payment at the end of the course.