Episode 108: Leading with Guitar

Guess what? The best guitarist in the room isn’t always the most valuable for songwriting! AND just because you aren’t totally confident in your guitar playing, doesn’t mean you can’t be a songwriting guitarist. 

Songwriting is more about the collective creativity, teamwork and ultimately a finished song, which is why this podcast is so important to listen to if you're wavering in your worth because of your skill level. 

In this episode we explore the art of leading with your guitar so you can discover how your instrument can set the tone, spark creativity, and enhance song arrangements, all while fostering collaboration.

Visit songwritingforguitar.com for more resources

Transcript:

 Hey, I'm Mike Myers and this is the song rank 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. You love. Caffeinated, inspirational, conversational.
Hey friends, Mike here with the songwriting for guitar podcast episode 108. Now today, we're diving into a concept that's not just about playing the right chords. But about leading with your guitar in CO writing sessions. Songwriters think that they have to be this season guitarist this virtual so in order to have value in the process, but songwriting is about the collective creativity, the teamwork, and ultimately what the end goal the finished product, which is a song. So if you can master these skills of being a songwriter, and guitarist, and learn to lead and write effectively, you'll be a valued songwriter in your community. Now, some songwriters start with melody or lyrics, but honestly, I found when you write with your guitar, the process becomes so much easier than just starting with those two. And the thing is, guitar is more than just strumming and riffs. It's, it's about diving into the creative process and shaping the direction of the song. And if you can get that, right, if you can do that, you can unlock melodies that the top liner would have never thought of. So I want to list right now five things that you can do five ways with your guitar right now that you can bring value to the songs.
Okay, the first one is setting the tone. And this to me, this is a big one, this one I'm starting out with this. As a guitarist and a co writing session, you've got the unique ability to ultimately set the tone and the mood of the song. Whether the tone is this slightly, little catchy loop riff or a chord that's not a full chord, you've decided I'm going to strip it away, I'm going to do thirds, I'm going to make the third hire or I'm gonna, you know, do lower thirds. Or you decide like, Oh, this is the little hook that I'm going to add that adds this sort of like, atmosphere sound bed. You see how I'm diving into all these examples? It's because your guitar can establish the emotional landscape. And that to me inspires your collaborators to dive deeper into the songwriting process. Okay, number two, inspiring creativity. This is a big thing your guitar playing can serve as the catalyst for creativity in the room. By experimenting with different chord voicings, we can come up with different rhythm patterns, textures, techniques, this is what sparks new ideas. So please, please, please listen to this. Do not be afraid to bring unfinished ideas. Do not be afraid to take risks. Because honestly, when you start to do those things, that leads to the next great idea, it helps push the boundaries of the right of what's possible for the song. So remember, inspiring creativity. Number three, collaborative dialogue. I don't want you to think of your guitar as an instrument No. Hear me out. I want you to think of it. As a co writer. Your guitar is part of the conversation in the CO writing process. Your guitar can create cohesive ideas and support what your co writers are thinking. So listen to what they're saying. Listen to where they want the song to go. And then use your guitar to communicate that idea. Communicate the vibe, the direction that works just as well as a lyric. You can learn from your co writers right where they are and where they want to go. And you can use your guitar to help them get there. Number four, enhancing arrangement. Now a great songwriting guitarist will always be mindful and serving the song when they add a step forward when they go to hold back. Always when serving the greater purpose which is the song a skilled guitarist can enhance the songs arrangement to fit the genre. They're playing with their techniques, their strumming patterns, they understand the dynamics of the song, and they can adjust it. And even if there is no other instruments in the room, it's just the guitar. They know how to mimic other instruments. They know how to make it feel like it's another instrument so that your co writers can leave the room to hearing where the production is going where everyone's on the Same page, a great song rang guitarist knows how to control their instrument to use it specifically to get the best and guide where the song needs to go. Okay, we are in the homestretch number five transitions. And this one's a big one for me. Because your guitar playing can create space. Let's just pause and I'm going to say that, again, your guitar playing can create space and keep listeners engaged. Sometimes it's going to be with interesting transitions, seamlessly connecting those verses into priests present courses, courses and bridges, using, you know, Melody, rhythmic variations dynamics, to really create cohesion. fluidity. Yeah, fluidity. That's a word. If not, you know what I'm saying. It's the word fluidity flowing throughout the song, going from section to section supporting that structure. Because usually where there's a breakdown in CO writing, it's because we're seeing all these as just chunks like it's a verse chunk, a chorus chunk, we're not creating those connections of how we're going to transition musically from Section intersection, intersection. So transitions for me, are huge. Now, if you've been listening to this podcast, and you go, Mike, you talk about voicings, you talked about techniques, you talk about strumming patterns, and that sounds amazing, and I understand its importance. But I feel my playings not there. I haven't been adding those things in. I feel like a newbie, I feel completely lost. Don't worry, everyone needs to start somewhere. So no matter where you are, that's the best place to be. What we need to start to do is build a foundation of you practicing in small increments consistently. And one thing that's going to help you is my book, The songwriting guitarist. So what I want you to do right now, if you haven't already, go to song writing guitarist book.com pick up your copy. As soon as you get it, you can download the audiobook version, which comes with a workbook so you can follow along, start implementing and start practicing a little bit every day and focusing on the things that actually move the needle forward. So songwriting guitarist book.com To get your copy so you can start implementing my concepts right now.