(Part 2) Best products from r/Songwriting

I like the way this one is setup. It'll also fit in your back pocket. Good luck!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0882847295/ref=redir_mdp_mobile?ref_=pe_385040_30332200_pe_309540_26725410_item

There is a book called "Song Starters" by Robin Frederick that addresses this.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAB6G4W/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

What I've always tried to get across whether it's writing or painting or composing, if you say to someone "Paint me something," they'll be frozen by options paralysis.

But if you tell someone "Paint me a picture of an apartment building at night," . . . well that "restriction" is ironically very "freeing."

Good luck.

What's your budget?

Yeah, get a decent mic, and an audio interface (so you're not limited to USB mics or using you laptops crappy 1/8" input.

If you want to go super cheap, this interface doesn't suck.
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UM2-BEHRINGER/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478820786&sr=8-1&keywords=uphoria+um2

and neither does this mic
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478820827&sr=8-1&keywords=at2020

That combo is only $136 and will do wonders for your recordings. If you have a bigger budget, you can do better all the way around.

hmmm should be free in Italy as well, try this:
http://www.amazon.it/gp/product/B00U5JUDR6?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
(should be free til the end of the day)
let me know if there's a problem

On songwriting specifically, Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison

On harmony and melody, Writing Hit Songs by Jai Josefs
You may need to know basic theory for that one though

I've got this one (https://www.amazon.com/Successful-Lyric-Writing-Step-Step/dp/0898792835/) which I like. I hear Pat Pattison is the one to go with though. I watched his Coursera class online and it was good.

Some suggestions:

• Spend some time working on instrumentals
  
• Try writing a piece where it's okay to have 2 lines
  
• Give Object Writing a try
  
• Check out Writing Better Lyrics
  
• Work through The Artist's Way
  
• Continually make shitty writing every day. Occasionally something amazing will happen.
  

In researching this stuff yesterday I actually found quite a few on Amazon with that exact purpose. Like this one.

I use this:

Field Notes/Moleskine Pocket Notebook Cover by Metier Life | Canvas with Vegan Leather | Fits Journals 3.5" X 5.5" | with Included Field Notes Notebook and Metier Pen - Grey https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRLC6EW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XCxWDb1Z4SNRA

Would highly recommend.

If she can read/write music, a cute notebook with staff paper: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1519108834/ref=pd_aw_sim_14_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HV33VB7TMW9F36DTXEGW&dpPl=1&dpID=61j0gPnFBML

When I was about that age, I had a cassette recorder and MIDI keyboard to play around with recording my songs... unfortunately I’m not sure what the equivalent would be these days!

Every artist you have ever heard has done covers.

Probably the best thing that you can do is to take each one of those influences and mimic it. Create a small 2 minute song which duplicates that influence well. That will become your palette of musical colors.

Once that is created, you can mix them together in different portions.

You will always be a ripoff. No one may notice it but you, but you will always be borrowing and being influenced by other sources. That is how we get new stuff.

​

Book: Steal Like an Artist

Tunesmith: Inside the Art of Songwriting by Jimmy Webb