Episode 88: Be Relentless - A Coaching Client Success Story

An inspiring and empowering episode for anyone  who finds themselves in pursuit of a dream but trapped in a cycle of doubt. Tune in as we dive into the extraordinary story of Chelsea Nettleton, an incredible songwriter and budding producer who has taken control of her direction and career.

Ever wondered if the stars need to align perfectly for you to pursue your musical dreams? Chelsea's journey will shatter that notion. Despite facing challenging circumstances, she’s refusing to give into excuses and doubts.

Chelsea shares her personal journey of overcoming self-imposed limitations and embracing her true potential.

As one of my top coaching students for the past six months, Chelsea generously opens up about her process, successes, failures, and why she highly recommends having a mentor and coach for anyone ready to take their music seriously.

Chelsea's relentless pursuit of growth and improvement in her songwriting process will ignite a fire within you as well! Discover how she turned her life around and took bold actions to propel herself forward. Her story will resonate deeply if you've ever doubted your own potential or felt discouraged along your musical path.

 

Listen here or read the transcription below (generated by a.i)

 

Mike Meiers 0:00
Hey, I'm Mike Meiers and this is the Songwriting for Guitar podcast which is geared to support songwriters and producers to gain confidence and turn pro. I bring on industry experts to help you improve and monetize your skills, Engage better in the writing process, and build healthy habits to create a sustainable career that you love. Caffeinated, inspirational, conversational.

Hey friends, Mike Myers here with the songwriting for guitar podcast episode number 88. Chelsey Nettleton. Now, I've had the privilege of coaching Chelsea for almost six months. And in this time, I've seen her grow into an amazing songwriter, a budding producer really taking control of what she wants her direction, her career. Now, here's the thing, it's not because the circumstances were perfect, and that everything has aligned to work for her. If anything, in this episode, she talks about how there's so many reasons that were the opposite, that she should probably, you know, she will not do this people would understand, but she has determination. She has this grit of just persevering, going and just like kicking ass. That's why I wanted her on. And there's this phrase that I sail out and she jokes about to do it again. She has embraced this idea of constant growth. Do it again, write better songs, write better courses, and I want you to hear her story. Her thoughts on how do you take that action, no matter what scenario you're in. So if you're someone that's been stifled in your creativity, your songwriting and you're feeling like man, I don't know if this is the right time, I'm waiting for the perfect circumstances. I want you to pause. I want you to listen to this episode, this episode is for you. So we're going to dive into it episode number 88. With Chelsea Nettleton.

The reason I wanted you on was for several reasons, because your energy is infectious. Even when you feel like you know, when we have sessions and you're like, I don't know, if you're always just like your out of the gate. Like you've got that energy thanks. Even when I'm like, Oh, my. And I'm giggling anyways. Well, especially in this episode, you know, I do talk about coaching. And I'm like, coaching is important. And you know, you should do this. But it's like to hear from someone that's in the nitty gritty of doing it. Yeah, it's in the thing, they're applying it, you know, I meet with them weekly, especially the idea of, uh, you know, I say this phrase a lot, like, you know, do it again, meaning, cool, once you're done, repeat the process, learn from it, and do it again. But do it again, you know, when people hear that they're like, well, they have every day you wake up and you make a conscious choice of either you can create something you can work on your craft or, and I don't mean to, you know, guilt people like you can just there's, there's more excuses not to do than actually to do.

Chelsea Nettleton 3:12
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, that's, that's, that's a story of life. A lot of times,

Mike Meiers 3:18
just for, you know, I can I can riff on that. But I'm curious, why do you think that is sometimes,

Chelsea Nettleton 3:23
boy, gosh, well, where do I start? Well, you know, I mean, I think I think a lot of us, even if we don't want to admit it, we're we're lazy by nature, because, you know, our bodies are built that way. Like, we're actually built, you know, kind of in that survival mode. So we adapt really quickly, you know, so our bodies, like, the easiest way to do something is the way our bodies are built. So if our bodies like don't have to do something, they're not going to do it. And I think our minds go that way, too. You know, so like, the easier things are to do, we're going to, we're going to do things that way. So if you if you don't have to do something, you're not going to do it. You know, so if you have to put the effort into something that's, that's our body, having to work having to do something, you know, and so that's why it's just easier to just not let alone everything else that life is begging us to do. You know, so

Mike Meiers 4:18
yeah, there's so many circumstances around there just being like, oh, there's no reason to do it today. You can do it tomorrow. Or the the it excuse I hear a lot is I'll wait when things become a little bit easier. Yeah. And things clear up at that time frees up

Chelsea Nettleton 4:32
that's the thing when I have more time and I used to be one of those people. Yeah, I and that's where that's where I find it interesting as to where I am now because I just kind of got sick on myself, telling myself Oh, well, when the time's right, or when, you know, when I've got the right studio space, or when I've got you know, money to buy this or that, you know, whether it's money space, the right people around me the right this or that, you know, I mean, there's so many things that we can say oh, well when I have this or that Then I can do it. If you keep doing that, I mean, I did that for years. And I was like, I got personally, I just got kind of sick of it. And I'm like, No,

Mike Meiers 5:08
knock it off. It's easy to look at those things because like, you could be like, Oh, the answer is a plugin. And once I get that plugin, it'll be a thing. Oh, once I meet the right co writer, I'll start to really dig into once I get the perfect space that is treated properly sound was really able to dig once I get Yep, there's never going to be a point where things are perfect. Yep.

Chelsea Nettleton 5:33
Yep. I mean, I moved. I moved to Nashville. Well, I moved in and around Nashville, three different times. Because I thought, well, if I if I if I moved to Nashville, if I moved to Music City, then that's, that's when musics gonna happen. Guess what, it didn't happen? You know? And that's, so I'm in Music City. And musics not happening. You know, and I think I think actually that once I got over the oh, well, I moved and moved to New Music City and music didn't happen. So I guess it's never gonna happen. Once I got over, you know, my pity party. That's when I realized I'm like, Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. Once I once I got over the pity party, and I realized, Okay, well, being a Music City obviously wasn't, wasn't it. I gotta figure out a way to make this work. Because it's, I can't, no matter how much I try, I cannot get away from music. Like, it won't leave me alone. Like, I've literally tried to put this on a shelf, shove it to the back, you know, but then I'm out walking somewhere. And and, uh, you know, lyrics will hit me. And I'll, I'm like, No, I'm not writing those down. No, I'm not doing it. You know, and then I'm like, more lyrics will come after that. And I'm like, dang it. I have to write these down. I'm going to be, you know, an inability. So, yeah.

Mike Meiers 6:51
I'd be curious to dive into that. Because you said, once I get over that pity party. I feel like some folks, it's hard to because it's, you know, living in that space sometimes feels kind of good, but also a little, it's kind of that. I don't know, that's just like this weird little space of like, because it's like, everything's against us. And if only and it's just like, oh, I felt that too. But what was that space that allowed you to cross that bridge, especially for someone that's like, I want to get there. But man, I'm still in this zone.

Chelsea Nettleton 7:30
Like, psychology fascinates me. Right? So there's like, there's this thing called a victim mentality. And, you know, usually you associate that with relationships and you know, things like that. I actually started realizing I had that with music and passions and things like that. And I started noticing it with other people. I was like, wow, they kind of have a victim mentality with they're not pursuing this, that or the other because, you know, they're treating it like, oh, well, this, I couldn't do this. And therefore I can't do my you know, my passionate my love my sport, my this or that. And then I was like, Oh, look at those those, you know, I'm pointing at other people look at those three fingers pointing back at me. And I was realized I was doing it with music, where, you know, I tried to tried to move to Nashville tried to move to Music City, you know, and it just for numerous reasons just didn't work out. I wasn't in the right headspace. I had a lot of different things going on. And I realized I had the victim mentality. And I was letting myself have that victim mentality when it came to music. Because I was going oh, well, I tried to move to Nashville. And it just didn't work for me. And oh, I guess musics just not supposed to be my thing. I I auditioned for American Idol. And oh, I didn't make it. And oh, woe is me. You know, I I'm trying I really am when in reality, I just was, you know, doing kind of the bare minimum. And it was almost like I was giving myself excuses as to why I wasn't making it in almost like giving myself a reason to say, Oh, well, I'm just not supposed to do music. Because I didn't want to do the hard stuff. I didn't want to put in the effort. I didn't. Because it was scary. Because if I actually put in the work and actually tried. And then yeah, like, it's scary. You know, when you actually put in the effort, and you actually put in the time, what happens if you actually succeed? I realized that victim mentality kept me from seeing what I could actually do, like what actually might be possible. And I was actually more terrified of success than I was a failing. failure was comfortable. Failure wasn't scary. failure was known. And I actually I, I hate the word. I hate that connotation that failure gets. I think failure is actually a really good thing. But that's a whole other podcast episode. But, you know, I realized I was more afraid of success because when you put the effort in like something's going to happen, even if If you don't, let's say you don't become you know, I don't become a well known artist. But let's say I find other students that I'm like, Oh, I can hear, I can hear their talent. And maybe I learned the skills that I then helped develop them, something's gonna come out of the effort that I'm putting into this, I'm gonna find what I'm good at. You know, but that was terrifying. And I'm like, really diving deep. You know,

Mike Meiers 10:23
there's a lot in that whole, that whole thing that you just said that I just want to dive into, because there's a ton. The first thing is, you're right, sometimes failure, we stay in failure, because it's what's known. And it's really comfortable. Because if we step out of that, and let's say, we succeed, we're worried that it's not going to be consistent, that it's gonna be this one time high, and then we fall and then we're back and that feeling, how are we going to deal with, we haven't even stepped into it. But we're already creating these different scenarios of, oh, you will get success, but then it's going to fall and won't be consistent. So just stay where you are. That's the first thing I think about where I'm like, oh, man, that's heavy. Even even though you may not like it, you stay there because it's known. And it's like, yeah, I'd rather deal with the devil that I know instead of the devil that I don't know.

Chelsea Nettleton 11:16
Exactly.

Mike Meiers 11:19
And then looking at others around you and seeing that you're mirroring a lot of what they do. And that they're, you know, if they're like, Well, you know, I would have been a great football captain. But if the coach had put what was it? I think it's, I think it's Napoleon Dynamite. My favorite scene, Uncle Rico sitting there. Yeah, of coach would have put me in, we would have gone to champions, we would got to champions, I would have been gone pro. I'd be in. I'd be. I'd be in a millionaire's, I'd be in my mansion, my hot tubs soaking up with my soulmate. That's what I it's funny. Because like, Yeah, I think because people love to do this sort of kind of, like, sad little violin of the everything was against me. But really what you said, and I think that takes a very big, honest look of like, you know, I thought I was trying, but I was doing the bare minimum. Yeah. And that, to me is a shift in your mind of being like, you know, I've been saying these things, I'm giving him my armpit. Like, a kind of, I'm not really applying into the things that are necessary. I'm applying to things that I think are but they're not moving the needle. And so yeah, I need to rethink this. And just not, you know, if you don't do it, okay. Does it still bother you? Yes. Right. Okay, what do we need to do? So after all of those scenarios of you, realizing this and trying to make those shifts, which for some, it's a pendulum shift from one side to the other, it's hard to get there. How did you incrementally move to then slowly moving into that route of like, then being consistent with creativity and, and embracing that and seeing that change?

Chelsea Nettleton 13:08
You know, I actually, so I actually did have to kind of set music aside, but it was no longer like the pity party. It was no longer though, oh, woe is me. I know, music just isn't going to happen for me, blah, blah. It was I purposely had had to kind of make a choice and be like, Okay, I'm setting music aside, in that this is not something that's not in my life anymore. This is just a, I have to focus on my mental and my headspace. And so I actually, I mean, I've done counseling before, but I had to, I had a new kind of new focus on it. And I had to work through that victim mentality, because because it was in my music, you know, I knew it was in other areas of my life. I mean, it was in my relationships, you know, so I had to take a really deep dive into my, into my headspace in general, just in my life. I mean, it's not that I like put music on a shelf. I mean, I definitely wrote about it, but I just wasn't thinking about music from any other standpoint, other than, you know, kind of a therapeutic, I was just anything that came to mind, I'd write it down. But otherwise, it was just, you know, Journey journaling, and, you know, therapy kind of thing. So, there was a big deep dive, you know, probably a year and a half, maybe two years, after, actually, after my husband and I were able to move out to Colorado to be back near my family. So we took a physical shift, literally, you know, to be back near family near where it was, you know, a comfortable, safe place, and then, you know, did some counseling, you know, for me, and that, that shifted everything because it was like, basically, I just realized I was like, not only did I have that victim mentality, but I had that thought of, I'm not worth it, you know, and then I don't have anything to offer and you know, and when you realize that, that's where you're stuck, you know, and that's While you're not pursuing the things that you're, you know, that you've that you will fill or like, for me, I feel like my music is God given talents, like, again, whatever they may be, you know, they may be, you know, working with other people to develop their talents, or it might be that I get to do you know, maybe maybe my musical goes somewhere someday, I don't know, you know, but that's what I'm exploring. But I, I know that I'm supposed to do something with it, you know, but until I really figured out that I am worthy, and that I have something to offer people. My muse, I realized for so long that my music, I was looking at it as, oh, please tell me that I'm good enough. Like, please listen to my stuff and listen to My voice and tell me tell me that I'm worth something. And I realized I'm like, No, that's not what I want anymore. Like, I want to offer my music and whatever I have to give, I want to be able to give that now, I want it to be something that people listen to, and go, Oh, man, that really hits me like in my heart, and like, oh, that, that makes me you know, whatever it may be, you know, help some encourage them helps them get through their day. You know, I don't want it to be about me anymore. And I genuinely mean that. Now, I used to say that, but it was hard to really believe it until like, like, went through the, the hard stuff. You know? So that's really what shifted, it was working on my own head. So, and I giggle about it. Because it's, you know, it's, it's hard. I mean, it's like, when I giggle about it, it's, that's my way of kind of, you know, it's like that nervous laughter kind of where it's like, it was deep, it was intense. There's a lot of tears. It's yeah, it was good, though. It was good. And I can giggle now on the other side of it. If that makes any sense.

Mike Meiers 16:42
Just that that shift that moving from, I don't feel I'm worth it to like, oh, no, I am absolutely worth it. Like, I am absolutely worth diving in and creating things because it matters. Because I believe that, you know, this is what I should be doing. And, you know, who knows, like this might add that sort of freeing to attitude of if it happens to be that my songs go here. Awesome. If it happens to be that I can help someone amazing. You were open to the idea of where it would go, instead of being this way. And if it doesn't go this way, right. It's a failure. And then everything and some people are very focused, you know, for me, it was always like, Oh, my God, we have to get signed. We got to get signed. If we don't get signed, then that means we I failed at music, right? She didn't do right. And I can't know.

Chelsea Nettleton 17:36
Right. And that was me to it. Like as an artist. Yeah, exactly. That was me for a long time. It's like, oh, I'm not successful, because I'm not a signed artist. And I'm like, Thank God, I never became a signed artist. Like, truly now I look at that. So glad. From what I've learned since then, on what I've heard, like the horse some of the horror stories. I mean, some there's some of it's fine, you know, but oh my gosh, like, I'm so glad I didn't go there.

Mike Meiers 18:01
I would have ended my music career probably way sooner had that happen. Exactly. You know, I don't want to assume things. But right. Now, I would have missed out on tons of things and tons of experiences that were informed in the path that I took. And if you really get the thing that you want, I don't think that's it's sometimes it's like, oh, man, I'm so glad. I think it's very mature, because then you step into the things that you do want to do. And you suddenly see that I don't know, like, you know, before you saw the trees in the tree, and now you see the whole forest and you're like, oh, man, I'm so glad I did way better. The bigger picture.

Chelsea Nettleton 18:37
Right, right. No exact I can totally relate to that. That's exactly how I feel to

Mike Meiers 18:43
what I love about how you've grown as a songwriter is you've also embraced production, which I think is a big hurdle for a lot, man. There's this thing. There's just like this, like when you mentioned the idea of hey, could you create a little work tape for data and people just instinct? Where do you start? Where do you start? Right? How did you tackle that?

Chelsea Nettleton 19:15
Boy? You know, it's funny because um, I've been working I've been quote unquote, working in logic for Good Lord 1520 years, or however long it's been I don't even know how long it's been around. But like, technically, I've been working on it as kind of as long as I've been trying to, quote unquote, pursue music. I promise I will try not to quote too much in this podcast. But um,

Mike Meiers 19:39
you know, I could do you could do as many quote unquote, like rabbit ears to me, they're just kind of like

Chelsea Nettleton 19:49
that, um, you know, but I, the reason I do the quotes is because working in it, as in I've had logic for you You know, however long you know, 1520 years working in it is a different story. Because I used to think probably as a lot of people do that that was the final, you know, you don't use logic, you don't use a door, whatever, you know, you don't. And I didn't know what dos stood for, for, like maybe up until about six months ago. You know, what is it digital audio workstation, I think, you know, whatever, you record you Yeah, that's how I use I use logic. And I didn't know, up until six months ago, that you, it's not just what you use, you know, to record the final, which was always super intimidating. Because as I go, Oh, gosh, okay, so then I have to have everything practiced and perfect. And Hone. So I wouldn't really touch it. I mean, I would, I would think about using it when I was like, Okay, I think I've got this song almost ready, kind of, but then I have to play the guitar and I have to, I have to play the guitar all the way through, I can't screw up, I have to do the vocals all the way through, I can't screw up. And then I wouldn't do it, you know, because it's like, oh, gosh, and then I'd get super intimidated. I, you know, get overwhelmed. And then I wouldn't want to do it, you know, because it was just tiring. And then I wouldn't, you know, enjoy the process. And I thought, well, Shoot, maybe I'm not supposed to do music, because I'm not enjoying the process. You know? Okay, you know, and so this was my, this has been my experience over the past, you know, couple years. Has I've had logic. And then when I started working with you, you totally flipped it on its head. And I was like, Wait, why? Like, so when when I first started working with you, it was amazing. And when you said I can't exactly, I don't remember how you worded it, but you but what I heard was, this is not the final this, you don't use logic or draw your doll, you don't use it for the final process. Use this as your songwriting companion. And I was like, Wait, why? Can you wait? Can you? Like, can you? Can you expand on that, sir? I because I liked the way that sounds. You know, and basically, what you had kind of explained to me was, you know, this is your, this is your friend, this is not the enemy, which is kind of what it had become in my head. Only because it was so daunting to me at the time. You know, and so you the way you explained it and kind of walked me through it was, you know, this is your, this is your buddy, like this is your friend, because you know, you have an idea, you've got a melody, cool, get it down, record it, right that moment, you know, if you have an idea for the tempo, great, get it down, you know, and then you start doing you know, and you've got maybe a guitar lick, you know, a lick even just a little bit of it, you don't get it done, great. And the more that you do that, you know, the the quicker it's going to come for one thing, but then all of a sudden, you know, you get, you know, your first first round, or you get your chorus down, you know, whichever comes first, you know, and everybody's different. I mean, I've heard people say, Oh, always start with the chorus, but everybody's different. You know, and so all of a sudden, you know, I send you my first song, and we work on it that first week. And it took me, you know, took me quite a while, I mean, I had the basics down of logic before you and I met because I had slowly been working in it, you know, learning some of the basic tools, or you know, the different tools in there. But when you flipped it on its head, and we're like, no, start using it. Now. You know, don't worry about plugins, don't worry about anything else, just use anything that's in logic, you know, and I listened to you, I was I was good. I was a good student. And I listen to you, and I used only what the you know, only what logic had, you know, and I didn't even do anything fancy with anything except for I always, I always like to put effects on my voice when I'm singing because it's just makes it fun. You know, and that that like to quote Aladdin, a whole new world, you know, like, that opened up my world. Like, and it was like, from that moment, I was like, Oh my gosh, how am I not known about this to this point. So that like, even just from like, day one that just like blew my world open. And suddenly I felt like logic. It was like, Oh, I get to go sit down at my computer and like, play with my Okay, that sounds inappropriate. I get to play with my friend logic. No, I get to sit down and how do I word this properly? I get to sit down. And I mean, you get the point. You know? It was just awesome. It was what I lost some question.

Mike Meiers 24:32
So you are a fantastic, it does more that even better. Like you are an amazing student. Because you've also grown into amazing, an amazing songwriter, because you're not looking for it to be perfect. You're willing to use this as a tool to grow. You're willing to not be held back by like, hey, why don't we try this? Cool. Let's try this. Cool. Let's do it. Cool. You too. Take the suggestions I give. And you apply it because through application, you actually start to see like, Okay, this is where we are, this isn't for me. I like this. Don't like it here. Maybe I'll change it. But you got much quicker because yeah, that first song Oh, yeah takes a while to that machine gets going. And then, of course, I would tell you, that's great. Do another one, do it again, you want another one? Do it again, do it again. But what I love even more is, every week, there would be something new, despite what your week may have looked like, despite what was going on, despite things, and I think this is the myth that I want to kill is people always think that more time is always going to be the solution.

Chelsea Nettleton 25:47
Right? I don't think it is. Yeah, and I am an absolute testament of that. So anybody listening to this, that thinks that that's the case? Okay, so the last six months, I won't go into details, because that'll just bore y'all. But the last six months have been the most intense and busy and just insane. Six months, probably of my life, you know, and of course, these are the last like six months that I decided, you know, where the time to start working with Mike. And literally from like, maybe like, the third week working with him. Just my life just kind of exploded with you know, not not all bad stuff, just just random stuff. And it was like, you know, but I was like, but that was what was cool about him teaching me that, you know, this, this is your, like, the logic is your friend. You know, this was actually Oh, good, okay, in the midst of the chaos, I was like, I'm gonna go sit down at my, at my desk, in my in my little, you know, patchwork Studio, and I'm gonna use my doll, and I'm gonna get this out. And I'm excited to release some of the songs that I've been working up, you know, working on during this process, because you guys, anybody that's listening to this podcast will kind of hear then the progression of some of the songs will make sense, then because of, you know, what's been going on in these six months. You know, I'm kind of that cinematic process. But if I didn't have time, and I made it yellow.

Mike Meiers 27:15
What I'm so proud about is how you just stayed with, like, as you said, there was so much going on. Yeah, and this is where I was like, this makes me feel even more confident. Like when our time ends. I'm not worried. Like, I wonder if you'll keep it up? It's like, no, if you showed up for yourself, even in the midst of so many things, saying like, Oh, people would understand if you just didn't do it right now, who would? What you did? When Yeah, you know, when you have even more time, you're gonna use it even better. Like, you're gonna get even more done, you're gonna move out because you just you use the time that you had. And I feel every time that somebody like, you know, applies for coaching. They're just like, I'd love to do it. But right now my time is unlike right. You know, that's always a sign for me already, that I don't think they're ready for coaching because they think more time is going to be the solution. It's like, actually, now I'd rather you just have like this little bit of time, and just make it super focused. And that's why you were you are still so awesome with it. Because you don't overload your demos, you you add what's necessary to get the vibe and the feel. So when I listened to it, I'm like, Ah, so that we can then go from there. i Yeah, to me is much more valuable in our time together.

Chelsea Nettleton 28:39
That was so encouraging, too. Because like when you go to listen to something, and you're like, okay, okay, I know what you're trying to do here. I hear this. Oh, perfect. Okay, yeah, I hear this. And it was so encouraging, because it was just very simple. Like I had, you know, usually a piano part, I had my vocals, and I would put down anything that I heard like, but I wouldn't. After I mean, I think at first I was like, oh, because I was, you know, I was, of course nervous, because I'm like, You're this big songwriter guy, you know, and, you know, wanted to, like, show you what I could do. You know, so at first I was like, trying to add stuff in, but then I kept it really basic. And it was so funny, because the more basic I kept it actually, the more you could hear where you're like, Oh, I totally hear where you're going with this. And here's where, here's where when you build this out, you know, this is one of your this is going to be one on your list. And that was so cool. Because I was like, yes, yes, that's exactly it. Like, oh my gosh, all right. And it felt so, so cool.

Mike Meiers 29:36
For me, yeah, it was easier to find where you were going because you you added just the core elements that were important to convey the idea that allowed me to go like, Ah, I know where this is going. Because our goal from the start was five songs. I want you to have five songs that have been refined. Yeah. And so that means we're going to have to dig in, you're gonna have to write a lot you have to get uncovered. There are moments where I'll be like, Ah, it's not about course maybe you should do that again. And do it again. And you'll write, you know, write another course.

Chelsea Nettleton 30:06
Yeah. Or take Yeah. Or do it again.

Mike Meiers 30:08
But you did.

Chelsea Nettleton 30:10
And, and it was so funny because at first in my head, I was like, I don't I don't believe you. And you know that I'll bet that I'll be able to write again. And sure enough, I did. I was like, Oh, my gosh, he was right.

Mike Meiers 30:24
Why do you think that you had that thought? Like, oh, I might be out of songs.

Chelsea Nettleton 30:29
Well, because that's that had been the case up to this point. You know, and that was one of the reasons that I really wanted to do coaching with you, because that had been what I thought was my experience up to this point. But I think that's because of how I was approaching songwriting at the time. Maybe it was because I was looking at the way you know, other people did songwriting. Maybe I just hadn't found my style yet, you know, and my, the way that my brain works, and I think that was what was so cool, when you unlocked logic for me, so to speak, you know, using a DA like, I think that unlocked the way that my brain, because my I have like, I mean, I know that there are science out there says there's, you know, kind of that myth now that there's a right and left brain, but going to that, you know, using that kind of that right and left, you know, the logic versus the creative, like, I have, basically kind of a even a 5050 You know, I'm not like 100% creative and no logic, like, I have very, very even left and right. So I think I think my brain really likes the fact that we can, we can be a little bit organized by using logic, okay, so that's getting confusing. So the, the logic brain, and then, you know, using logic, the software, you know, but being able to be organized, and then be able, because I really, I really struggled when I would try to write a song, and I could hear things, but I didn't know how to get them out, you know, in my head, whether it was a melody line, or, or if I heard a sound. I didn't know how to, like write that down, though, on the paper, if I'm just like journaling a song and I, you know, and then it would fly it on my head faster than anything. So when you started teaching me how to use the DAW, I mean, at minimum, which is, which was one of my favorite things was then to send you the little track recording when I was like, Okay, I'm still learning how to do drums. So I would just do a, a drum track, literally, that was vocals when I was like, you know, and I would have so much fun sending you those tracks, like Mike, how do I do drums like this,

Mike Meiers 32:39
but I love that I love drum noises like that, that are just like, or just like a swell or something. Then you understood. That made it easier for me. Yeah.

Chelsea Nettleton 32:49
And I think I even did it the other day where I was like, How do I do this, like, vocal rising,

Mike Meiers 32:53
it made it easier for me when you were just like, you know,

Chelsea Nettleton 32:56
so I think just having those tools. And I think that's what really opened up songwriting was being able to have those tools. Again, at minimum of at least being able to do an audio track of I have no idea what the sound is. But here's what it sounds like. I don't know what what instrument This is or how to do it. But I want to make it sound like this. And then you know, being able to get that down on audio at least get the idea down. And that made my brain so happy. And then that opened up a lot of stuff from there. So I think that's really what kind of opened things up for me.

Mike Meiers 33:35
Hey, it's Mike. I'm jumping in the middle of this episode to remind you that if you've been listening to this podcast, you've been enjoying these episodes weekly, but you haven't left us a review on Apple podcasts. Can you do that right now, especially if you're listening to this episode. on Apple podcasts, you just need to scroll down, you can leave us a five star review talk about your favorite episode. And if you want to go over and above, share this with a songwriting friend, post this on your favorite social media platform share this knowledge, we do our best to bring awareness to the podcast, but every little bit helps. So leave us a review on Apple podcasts, and then share this episode with a friend. All right, let's dive back into the episode

I think especially for people recording, they always get overwhelmed that they don't know. They're not going to know it. But really it's like what was cool. You know, when we're working on like a song that you have. I'm always like, Oh, the part is perfect. Like this is what the part should be. Let's just change the sound and do this. And it kind of reiterates Oh, the thing that was in your head. That was it. You're on the market like you're on the right track. You're not off. You're not veering off into the wrong direction going over. It's like no, that was perfect. Now let's just do this. And now you're gonna be like, Oh, every time that I want this, I go here, here, here. Now we've got another little process, another little system, that's going to be part of Chelsea's process. That's exactly her thing. And what's so cool is to see you develop a system and a process that works for you. And I think that's the thing about, you know, people assume with coaching is I just go in, I go, like, do this, you do this now, do this, but it's trying to find out what works best for you. And what's the most efficient? And what gets you the end result that you like, and also to can continue doing that it's not like a one off that it's not just like a couple of times and like, nope, but then here's what you have to do to maintain consistency.

Chelsea Nettleton 35:46
Exactly. Well, and you know, one of the other things that, that you taught me that made it made song like songwriting in general just feels so much less daunting. I think it took me a couple of songs for me to realize this, that this is what you were telling me, but you said, you know, work on your version, chorus, and just, you know, just send that over. And then we go through that and you're like, Okay, great. Look, look at what you have, you basically have a song, you just need to write your second verse in your, in your song, you know, you've got your song, because then you add, you know, you build up your second chorus, blah, blah, but you're basically done with the song. And I was like, Oh, Oh, dang, you know, like, you're right. You know, rather than looking at it, as I've got to write a whole song, it's like, okay, if you write focus, you know, write your course and write your verse. And you're like, three quarters of the way there really, because then you can play around with the bridge, depending on on what it needs, or if it even needs a break, you know. And that just kind of blew my mind. Because then then it made it a lot less daunting. And it was like, Okay, now I can figure out what is the song really need at this point, you know, and I was like, this is, oh, I can do this. You know, but breaking it down into those pieces, is really good for my brain. Anyways, that was so helpful.

Mike Meiers 37:02
What makes me feel even better is when you're just excited about the thing that you're working on. Oh, man, yeah, when I like logging on, and the person that's on the other is just can't wait to like walk through this. Because they're so excited, because they know, whatever information they're going to get in this session, how we're going to walk through is going to get them to the next step that they can use, and that they're going to run and they're going to apply that they're just ready to just because they're so excited about this because they feel like they reached another level. And that this session is going to get them over here. And then over here, and it's just this residual climb, climb, climbs, yes. Further to getting them to where they want to be. That's the whole goal.

Chelsea Nettleton 37:46
Exactly. Yeah. And that was that was so fun. And especially when it was like, Okay, I'm trying to learn how to do you know, drums and for whatever, you know, since that's not my instrument, like my instrument, you know, my number one is guitar, and then I do piano a little bit, you know, but but drums just still kind of baffled me, you know, so working through those. And realize that was another thing too, that that really helped was realizing that like, just because drums are not my strong suit, doesn't mean I can't complete a full song. You know, I'm realizing that I like there are ways, you know, besides collaborating with other people, you know, for now, while I while I'm learning and meeting people, I can still do like some really cool stuff. You know, I just have to learn to use the tools at my disposal. You know, and I in there are still some, you know, obviously, instrumentation to learn, but there's, I'm not stuck. I'm not, I'm not dependent on so freeing, you know, learning that it's like I can do why there's so

Mike Meiers 38:51
much. I was just gonna say that I was gonna say if it feels freeing to watch that, because I can see the change to Yeah, that, you know, in your view of songwriting in your view of the Oh, my, everything I need is like up here. I'm going to find what unlocks it. You know, sometimes it's going to be a part sometimes it's going to be a sound, sometimes it's going to be a pattern, but I don't have to freak out about the next song. I know, whatever it needs is right in my brain because I've listened to a whole lot of music. Yeah, I know what I want to do. I just need to figure out what is the door I need to unlock? Yeah, and what are the sounds and what are the things that are just going to help me get that idea out? Yes, easily.

Chelsea Nettleton 39:35
So true. Yeah, and that's a good point too, because, you know, with with doing, you know, active listening and you know, listening to the same song, I mean, I probably listen to this one song. For my this last song that I've been working on, I probably listen to my reference song. In a car. I think I listened. I mean, I had like a 30 minute round trip, you know, and I probably listen to the same Song the whole time, specifically for the drums and also the dynamics, you know, the build of the song, because it was almost exactly the idea that I was going for, you know, when I was really trying to hone that in, and you know, and it was so helpful, you know, but it was so fun because it was like, you know, listening to it not going, Oh, I can never do that it was going. Okay, so she does this, while it wasn't close. You guys can't see me because it's podcast, I'm closing my eyes at the moment. I was not closing my eyes while I was driving, just so you know. But you know, but really listening to Okay. This one detail, you know, listening to this one part of the Okay, so she goes up here. Okay. What was it was it was a female singer, I don't know who was doing the drums. You know, but listening for this one specific part, one specific part, listen to this again, you know, I mean, that is so incredibly helpful. It is very valuable having a reference tract. And that's the other thing that, you know, Mike has taught me like, listen to their music. With a very specific purpose in mind.

Mike Meiers 41:01
There's lots of things that make me happy when I when I hear you say that, but like, I've experienced that when I drive and I'm listening to the same song, like a bazillion times the same song because I'm listening to a different aspect. Another thing, and when I hear someone say, like, I've been driving, I've been listening to same song because they're analyzing it. That makes me really excited. Because I'm like, you get it. You get it. There's so many different ways of looking at that song and absorbing that song, and really doing that song justice because like, you're really going to understand it not just like once or twice. Yeah, but like, literally 5060 times that someone may be go, I'm hearing the same thing. But each time you're like, Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. I'm hearing a little bit some. Oh, I didn't. That's so exciting for me. Yeah.

Chelsea Nettleton 41:48
Yeah, it's awesome. And, and even with this one, I'm gonna I'd already heard it, you know, tons and tons and tons. And then this one day, I was like, No, I really, there's a nuance there that I really want to get, you know, not so that I can completely copy it. But I was like, I wanted that feel. And I was like, what is it that they're doing there? I think I was trying to get the drum pattern, so that I could kind of kind of do something similar. And it finally clicked, I was like, oh, there Oh, okay. This, you know, and it but it took listening to it. You know, because my brain I mean, you know, I do I have a little bit of add, you know, so my brain like, and, and because I'm a singer, I immediately like was going along with her, you know, she's like going and I'm like, no, stop singing, shut up. Like put tape on your mouth, you know, and listen to the drums.

Mike Meiers 42:37
You didn't give yourself like, oh, it's gonna take five tries. And if I don't get it in five tries, I guess you know, I'm not going to figure out the drums. But you just stayed with it as long as it needed to stay. You know, if I were to take an extreme example. It's like Thomas Edison. It took like, right 10,000 times. invented. Yeah, I was reading a story about this. I forget, it was in thinking Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. And it was one of the stories about a gold miner. And he was in this mind where he had source gold for a good amount of time. And then one day, it just stopped. And so he was like, I guess it's done. And then he sold his equipment. And the guy who sold the equipment was like, Well, before I just saw this again, they're just pulling off this equipment. I'm just gonna get someone to take a look at this, this place where he was mining, he had to move three feet. And there would have been like, way more gold three. And he was fine. Just being like, I guess it's done. And I'm just like, what the, like, we're always like that we're always so close to the things that we can do. But like, and we've we've just like up I guess it's not gonna happen. But we are literally like one or two little steps actually happening and what I love old, if somebody's listening to this, I feel like you're a great, you are a great example of someone who's just developed their skill insanely in such a short period of time. But you've been willing to allow yourself to be uncomfortable, allow you push yourself to the extreme of just like an I don't mean like, you know, like Code Red Mountain Dew extreme, like Code Red Mountain Dew extreme. Like, we are the extreme. But like, the extreme of just like, how, how quickly could I write something? Yeah, I don't know. I don't have that much time. But I'm curious. What can I actually get done? And actually just see what are you capable of? And then surprising yourself with the things that you're creating? Because each time you just push yourself a little bit, you're going to surprise yourself? Yeah, everybody thinks like, it's only a select few. And I'm like, I don't think it is a select few people that are willing to be uncomfortable. They're willing to push themselves. They're willing to get feedback too and just and just ask for help. That's huge. And if they do that, that's because sometimes I feel like ours. Questions. I feel like I'm just looking into the things that you're doing. And I'm like, move a little bit to the right. Move a little to do this. There you go. It's just kind of like looking into your process. That's how it feels.

Chelsea Nettleton 45:14
Yeah. Which is so cool. And that that's encouraging, you know, cuz it's like, coming and going, Okay. Which I still remember, there was one time when I brought you a song that I was like, well, because I think it was one of those weeks where it was like, one of the worst weeks in this in this six weeks or six months of just garbage, you know, craziness. And I think I literally, so speaking of how fast can I write something, I think I literally, that was one of the weeks that I didn't have time during the week. And I literally wrote something the night before our session. And I was like, Well, I will not come to a session empty handed. And so I wrote, I sat down, I wrote a piano piece, I got at least the chorus and the verse lyrics. And I brought it to you, and you're like, This is your best piece so far. And I was like, you're serious. And I wrote it in like, an hour, hour and a half the night before. You know, but because I had the process, and I'd been working up to that in this was a okay, you know, the week before was, this is great. Do it again. So I took, you know, kind of the template from the week before, but I wrote, you know, new melody, new lyrics, you know, but stayed in that same tone, you know, did it again, and you're like, This is now your best piece. I was like, Are you serious, like that felt so good. Because it was like, I wasn't bringing you something just to bring you something. But I was like, I'm not bringing you nothing. And this will be this will not be garbage. Like I'm going to work on this. You know, but I still was like, but the side to this in an hour, hour and a half. And two for you to be like, Man, this is you know, I was like, I think I almost even started crying. That I think there's been a couple of Fridays that I was for good reasons. I mean, for good. And good. Good tears.

Mike Meiers 47:04
I remember that. And it was because you had done songs before. The reason I say like do it again is because like, you get the wheels turning and the wheels go. But you also stayed within your wheelhouse. So many songwriters are frustrated because they just move on too soon. They don't stay and perfect. Something in perfect, a stylish genre. They're quick to move on to and they're like, Oh, I could write a lot of songs. And it's like, yeah, you can write it. I want you to stay here. Yeah. And I want you to just like work on this. And you did. But I think what also worked was the mindset that you said, I'm going, I am not going to just like you chose you. And again, not to say that the week wasn't serious, but you didn't allow the week to be like, well, that's how the song is gonna be too, right. It's gonna be is you were just like, Nope, I'm gonna. But here's the thing a lot of people are like, and I'm trying to find the nice way it says it's like, people allow a lot of things to spill over. Oh, yeah. Big 10 You know, and I think there's many reasons that, you know, we can be like, Oh, I totally get it. Like, I wouldn't be like, you know, a cruel heart. You know, heartless person be like, bearer. I don't know this spill, if you would have said it has spilled over and it was a crazy week.

Chelsea Nettleton 48:20
I would right? Oh, yeah. No, you're Yeah, he's super nice, super kind.

Mike Meiers 48:23
You were like, No, yeah, I'm just gonna do it. Yeah, that was for me, you know what it is? It is. And, um, and that's why it's like I remember here, oh, man, it's really this is the best course you've written so far. Yeah. And because that, just because you're weak was like, that doesn't mean your creativity. And the work that you put in is going to hightail it. Yeah, and leave you high and dry, right, you've put it in the work. So for when it comes to those moments, it still shows up, because you showed up.

Chelsea Nettleton 48:54
And that was what was so cool. Because I feel like that's what's changed through through working with you and like, through coaching and stuff was, now I know, I've always wanted to be able to hone those moments of like, just book, you know, I mean, obviously, you know, we like to hone the moments of, oh, man, things are great. And I want to write a happy song, but well, you know, but, but being able to hold those moments of just garbage or life is hard right now, or, you know, we want to write a powerful song that hits people, you know, when we're going through the garbage and we want to be able to reach out to people that are going through that stuff. But I hadn't been able to do that to this point. Because a lot of times I would just kind of get stuck in the mire. And I think for whatever reason, like through through coaching and through working with you, and being able to get my process down. I feel like now I can do that because I've done that now through a lot of the songs that I've written you know, working with you like I've seen it you know, because I mean the song I'm working on right now, you know, am I gonna make it you know, am I gonna make it out alive? You know, like it's do or die baby, you know, like, my gonna make it good. You know, and, and that creativity, like that's, it's not gone away because the week was bad or or, you know, things are hard, like, I've been able to harness that, and use that now as a tool. And that's what I've always wanted to do. And I feel like I have the, I have the tools now to harness that tool, you know, and it's just, it's so exciting. And it's so therapeutic for one thing, you know, to be able to sit down and like, work on music and like, get that out, let alone hoping that it, you know, helps other people someday.

Mike Meiers 50:34
And it will, and that's why I wanted you on because I feel this is, you know, for anyone that's listening and is like, well, you know, I don't know if I have time you do have you don't have time this, like I think you are the perfect model to like, yeah, just call this the episode, you do have time, we'll just put that you do have to have time because it's just that, that looking for it. And I'm so excited to just see these five songs in it's like, in their production, the whole the whole shebang. Yeah, and but also to I'm excited for the next batch of songs after those do and these are good. Next ones are going to be even better. So if somebody wants to follow you and musically, where can they find you? Where can they find you?

Chelsea Nettleton 51:19
Where Can y'all find me. So I do have a website. I don't know why I'm suddenly from Texas. I'm actually born and raised Colorado. So you can find me at my website, Chelsea Lee music.com. And then I'm also on Instagram, I don't have a special music account on Instagram, you can just follow my regular old Instagram account. And I'll be posting I'm going to start posting more music things there soon. So it's just Chelsea Nettleton. And I would love to have y'all as follows and keep you up to date on stuff. I'm hoping to be posting or not well posting releasing whatever want to call it my five kind of how many call when you want to call them cinematic pieces that I've been working on over the last couple of months here hopefully before the end of the year. Yeah, I'm gonna probably do a midline I guess. I guess that is what they're called aren't aren't they? They are songs.

Mike Meiers 52:19
They're called songs. Yeah, they're,

Chelsea Nettleton 52:21
they're called. They're called listening pieces, which are songs. I'm still learning the lingo, Mike.

Mike Meiers 52:28
Oh my goodness.

Chelsea Nettleton 52:31
But yeah, so yeah, we'll

Mike Meiers 52:33
see. This was awesome.

Chelsea Nettleton 52:34
Thanks so much for having me. This is so much so good. Yeah. This is great. I appreciate it. The super fun

Mike Meiers 52:47
that does it for this week's episode. It was edited and produced by Chris values. I'm Mike Myers. Thanks for listening.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai