Mike is a huge fan of coffee and a huge fan of giving you actionable tips to get your songwriting career going. You won't just be hearing from Mike - he brings on insightful guests who have been in the field to share  how they made it happen for themselves.

Caffeinated. Conversational. Inspirational. 

Mike is a huge fan of coffee and a huge fan of giving you actionable tips to get your songwriting career going. You won't just be hearing from Mike - he brings on insightful guests who have been in the field to share  how they made it happen for themselves.

Caffeinated. Conversational. Inspirational. 

 A Brief Introduction 

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Episode 1: Frank Turner 

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Episode 2: Allie Moss

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Full Episode List 

Episode 82: Co-Writing is for Everyone

Co-writing is an essential skill for any aspiring writer, in any genre. It's also a skill that you can improve! We want to ensure that you can approach it with confidence and enthusiasm, rather than feeling intimidated by the idea of being an expert right from the start.

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Episode 81: Syncs and Serendipity

Join us as we explore the world of music supervision with the incredible Mike Turner. As an award-winning music supervisor, editor, and producer, Mike brings a wealth of experience to the table.

Discover Mike's unconventional journey into the sync industry, from navigating the complexities of the role to stumbling upon unexpected opportunities.

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Episode 80: What's in Your Briefs?

Discover the essential questions artists should ask when dissecting a brief and be empowered to make informed creative decisions! 🎙️💡

Musicians often find themselves perplexed when it comes to understanding briefs and end up creating content that doesn't align with the scene or the supervisor's requests. 

Join Mike and Josh as they delve into the elusive world of sync licensing briefs.

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Episode 79: Asking Questions

In this episode, we talk with Josh Doyle, a creator, mixing engineer, and entrepreneur in the music industry. We discuss the power of asking questions and how it has helped us in our own careers in licensing, producing, and developing songs!

We believe that asking questions is a continuing trait of successful people. In this episode, we explore why questions are opportunities, not something to be embarrassed or afraid of.

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Episode 78: 
Riding the Wave of Change 

Geoff Duncan's colorful journey is an inspiration to anyone in music. In this podcast, we'll explore the secrets of Geoff's successes and how to navigate big change in life.

We also delve into the pressures and quick turnarounds that come with opportunities, and how following through on your commitments can be scary but are not only necessary but worth it.

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Episode 77: The Growth Blueprint

If his French Canadian accent doesn’t lure you in, this Growth Blueprint for musicians and online entrepreneurs might.

Building something from the ground up like a music career is full of disappointments and setbacks.  Tune in to hear the six points that helped Chris Selim's career grow, because they are sure to help yours too.

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Episode 76: Intro to Production Music

 We're diving deep into this niche world of sync licensing and Dave Kropf is here to drop some serious knowledge bombs. Production music has become increasingly popular in recent years. With streaming services on the rise, there's a huge demand for it. This episode gives amazing insight into what to expect from this facet of the industry and how to wrap your head around it. If you like analogies with your education, you won't want to miss this episode. 

Read the transcript here

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Episode 75: Radical Growth for Radical Change

What causes some people to grow at a faster rate in their songwriting career?

Mike Meiers and COO of Songwriting for Guitar, Heather Taylor, dive deep into discussing people's resistance to collaboration and talk about three top reasons why. 

Read the transcript here

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Episode 74: In Defense of Pop 


Lainey Dionne and I chat about the misconceptions of pop and why it gets such a bad rap. The truth is pop has heavily influenced music from the dawn of Western music to now, and it’s constantly evolving. 

 

Lainey and Mike challenge you to find elements of the modern songwriting world and bring it into your own writing. 

Read the transcript here

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Episode 73: American Idol vs. What Actually Works 

Have you ever had anyone say to you with great enthusiasm, “You should try out for American Idol!”?  It’s a well intentioned but generally a misguided statement for musicians. 

Our guest today and best bud of mine, Madeline Finn, is living proof it’s more something you get through than benefit from.

Read the transcript here.

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Episode 72: Sync Licensing Myths

If one of the greatest skills in our lifetime is adaptability and discerning what’s true and false, this is the episode you’ve been waiting for.

Since we can’t always know what to pay attention to when starting out, industry sync experts Mike Meiers and Anthony Clint Jr. get together to dispel myths about this growing field so you can make informed decisions going forward. 

Read the transcript here

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Episode 71: 
Scaling Your Gigs

My friend Lainey Dionne has THE formula for getting your gigs to become a main source of income. 

With some gigs you can get stuck and waste your time, but you don’t have. You can learn the signs to spot the good ones, know the ways to get them and then become such a boss you even know what you’re worth when booking them. There is a clear path to take your gigging mindset of a hobbyist to a gigging pro. 

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Episode 70: Lyft Affirmations

Last week's episode reminded me of my own first conference and how important this ONE thing I did was.

So many great things have come out of this technique that I call Lyft Affirmations. Heather Taylor and I sat down to chat about it in this week's episode.

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Episode 69: Just Say Yes

Heather Taylor recognizes saying yes, and believing in yourself can be one of the hardest things to do. It took a lot for her to say yes to this opportunity she just came back from, but she’s so invigorated.

We talk about what taking a risk can feel like, what doors it can open up, what behind the scenes things can stop you and why YOU shouldn’t be the one to stop you.

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Episode 65: Songwriting with Artist Lainey Dionne

What is working now in the industry as an artist? 

Laiey Dionne is an award-winning, sync placing, indie-pop singing, songwriting, ROCKSTAR who graduated from Berklee. Find her most recent syncs on Making the Cut and Teen Mom 2. 

Click for free training from Lainey.

 

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Episode 64:
My friend & Mentor, Josh Doyle Pt. II

 

Part two of my conversation with friend and mentor, Josh Doyle, is my favorite. Not just because of all the juicy information, and insight throughout this conversation with Josh, but because of our announcement! 

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Episode 63: My friend & Mentor, Josh Doyle

We’re chatting with Josh Doyle, one of my most valued mentors and founder of L.A. based record label and sync licensing company, 3 Theory Music. 3 Theory Music is a collective who have been placed with Amazon, Nike, Nintendo, Toyota, Netflix, HBO, and so much more.

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Episode 62: Playlists are a Songwriter's Best Friend

Playlist challenge! I challenge you to build better habits around listening to new music. Consistently listening to new and current music in your genre will do more for your music than you know! 

 

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Episode 61: Seth Mosley

Grammy-Winning Producer, Songwriter, Podcast Host, Publisher and Educator at Full Circle Music Academy Seth Mosley has some thoughts on shifting gears in the music industry.

 

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Episode 60:
5 DAY BOOTCAMP (LIVE)

Listen to this week's episode to get your personal invitation and to hear what a past bootcamper has to say about the lasting effects of their experience.

Bootcamp: May 19 - 23rd, 2022

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Episode 59:
Song Critiques with Josh Seawell

Have you ever wanted a song critique, but weren’t sure how to go about it? Or maybe you’ve asked for a critique, but you never heard back. It's common even to be intimidated by the idea of sharing your songs with professionals, but that all has the potential to change.

Let's get you in a helpful mindset before you ask for a song critique from a pro!

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Episode 58: Student Success Story feat. Dan Walker
 

Listen to his episode to hear how one student has transformed his entire outlook and future in music. 

Dan says, “Don’t let fear hold you back".

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Episode 57:

Megan Barker

What does the work ethic of an up and coming country artist and songwriter look like? Megan Barker is the person to tell you. The grind is no stranger to Megan. And neither is the music industry. She shares insights that span generations. 

Catch more from Megan on Jammin’ in Jammies podcast.

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Episode 56:
Heather Evans 

BIG announcement for the SFG team! Heather Evans is coming on board as an artist and sync coach and we could't be more excited!

Get to know Heather and her story on this special podcast episode.

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Episode 55: 
Enjoying the Process

 

Don't let it be drudgery all the way!  If you've been discontented recently, this is the episode for you. Listen to the end for five tips to start finding joy in the process again.

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Episode 54:

Tamara Bubble

Are you afraid there’s no opportunity for you to pursue your passion? This is the episode for you.  Tamara is here to encourage other artists and share her wealth of knowledge about being a performing artist, getting into sync licensing and everything in between. 

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Episode 53: 
John Clinebell

 

From busking on the street to having his song used in a Starbucks campaign, John doesn't keep his steps to success  a secret.

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Episode 52:
Meeting of the Minds

You may have heard the word, "mastermind" being thrown around, but do you know what it is, and more importantly, how it can benefit you as a creative type? Listen-in to hear Mike's experience and why he believes finding one can turn out to be a pivotal career decision. 

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Episode 51:

Self- Doubt


Self doubt might as well be a big flashing sign saying, "PAY ATTENTION!". Tune in to hear how to offset this tricky trap. With a new perspective, you can make decisions for your career in a more productive and soul fulfilling way.

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Episode 50: 
Six Tips to Get Your Organized

We're celebrating episode 50 here at the Songwriting for Guitar Podcast!

As a thanks for listening, Mike gives his top tips so you can stay productive, even in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

 

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Episode 49: 
Kevin McCarty

Talking with the CEO & co-founder of “We Should Write Sometime”, this episode examines the landscape of co-writing and the reasons collaboration is the best path to success. 

Most importantly, now you don’t have to be in a music city to write songs professionally anymore. 

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Episode 48: Marketing with Rick Barker

Rick Barker resigned as Taylor Swift’s manager in 2008 to focus on helping artists all over the world build, grow, and monetize their fanbases. In this episode, Rick zeroes in on the common sense practices that artists should be following to navigate marketing in today’s musical landscape.

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Episode 47: 
Gabe Schillinger

Gabe Schillinger is a music producer who has worked with some of the biggest names in hip hop like Snoop Dogg.  In addition to that, he also teaches entrepreneurs in music and other industries how to grow and scale their businesses! 

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Episode 46: 
Creating Impactful Guitars

Want to know my biggest secret when it comes to recording impactful guitars? We're talking about the one concept that every recording professional knows, and the key to doing it well. 

.

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Episode 45: Production, Entrepreneurship & Licensing w/
Anthony Clint Jr.

Get the inside scoop about being a music entrepreneur and the world of production and licensing for TV, film, & media. @Clintmusic has worked with Grammy nominated artists as well as had major placements in the sync world. 

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Episode 44: 
Dreams vs. Goals

Wake up! I think you're dreaming! In this episode, we talk about turning your dreams into reality, because I don't want your music dreams to stay a dream.

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Episode 43: Student Success Story with Neil Turk

Mike talks with current student Neil Turk,  about his turning points that have guided him into the best year of his life. He credits Mike’s course, Riff to Radio as one of those beginning turning points. Take a listen to Neil's story and get inspired, you might hear a lot of yourself in it.

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Ep. 42: Active Listening For The Unconvinced

Let me make the case of why you need to be doing this now and why your songs will improve! 

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Episode 41: 
Jody Friedman

Ever wonder what it takes to get your songs into film and TV?

This week, Mike talks with longtime music supervisor Jody Friedman about common mistakes and myths around licensing.

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Episode 40:
Stephen Egerton

Legendary Descendents/All guitarist Stephen Egerton opens up about his early influences, the progression of his signature style, and the way his mind processes music.

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Episode 39:
The Golden Corral Practicer

Is this you? If you have unfocused practice routines, listen to this podcast episode and find out!

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Episode 38: 
Suzanne Paulinski

Founder of the Rockstar Advocate, Suzanne helps artists develop a mindset of self-care and sustainability. 

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Episode 37:
Lisa McEwen

Lisa discusses the importance of mindfulness when it comes to all aspects of a career in music.

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Episode 36:
Fake Your Mother-In-Law's Death And Book A Metal Band

Being able to laugh off frustration and disappointment...

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Episode 35: 
Christian Burns

Christian Burns has written for some of electronic music’s elite...

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Episode 34:
Bill McShane

Bill McShane is the singer/guitarist of the power...

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Episode 33:
Judy Stakee

Judy Stakee is a legendary music publisher, songwriting mentor...

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Episode 32: 
Madeline King & Nolan Jack

Are you ready for a sentimental episode? Before commercial... 

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Episode 31:
Femke Weidema

Femke Weidema chats with Mike for this week's episode. Femke ...

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Episode 30:
Bree Noble

This week, Mike talks with singer/songwriter Bree Noble. ... 

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Episode 29: 
Chris DeMakes

Less Than Jake guitarist and vocalist Chris DeMakes...

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Episode 28:
Michelle Pettinato

This week, Mike talks with live sound engineer and educator...

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Episode 27:
Nikki O'Neill

This week, Mike talks with artist, educator, and journalist Nikki...

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Episode 26: 
Trevor Hinesley

This week, Mike has an inspiring and insightful conversation ...

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Episode 25:
Michael Elsner

Mike talks with sync licesning expert Michael Elsner. Michael... 

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Episode 24:
Bryce Drew

Mike talks with LA based artist/songwriter Bryce Drew

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Episode 23: 
Tom Pino

This week, Mike is joined by songwriter and producer Tom...

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Episode 22:
Tyler Cain

This week, Mike talks with Nashville producer, artist, and...

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Episode 21:
Staying Focused

Mike discusses the importance of staying focused to help achieve...

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Episode 20: 
James McMurtry

WE MADE IT TO EPISODE 20! Mike talks with legendary... 

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Episode 19:
Forest Whitehead

Mike talks with songwriter, producer, and guitarist Forest...

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Episode 18:
Jaret Reddick

Mike closes out 2020 with Jaret Reddick, lead singer of the ...

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Episode 17: 
Aubrey Hays

Aubrey has been a favorite of NPRs Tiny Desk Contest and a... 

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Episode 16:
Keith Jeffery

This week, Mike talks with Keith Jeffery from the band Atlas...

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Episode 15:
Chris Ballew

Chris Ballew (former lead singer and founder of The Presidents...

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Episode 14: 
Shelly Peiken

Two-time Grammy nominated and multi-platinum songwriter... 

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Episode 13:
Taylor Muse

Mike talks with lead singer and founder of the Austin, Texas... 

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Episode 12:
Poli van Dam

Part two of talking with the LA based pop-punk band... 

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Episode 11: 
Jen Pop

In this two part episode, Mike talks with LA based pop-punk...

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Episode 10:
Brett Resnick

Brett is a Nashville based pedal steel player. Brett talks about...

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Episode 9:
Jim West

Jim West is a Grammy nominated guitarist and composer best...

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Episode 8: 
Mike Mains

Producer and composer Marc McClusky has worked with...

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Episode 7:
Stacee Coleman

Music Supervisor and founder of Gravel Pit Music Stacee...

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Episode 6:
Aaron Sprinkle

Aaron talks about songwriting through the eyes of being an...

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Episode 5: 
Marc McClusky

Mike Mains - frontman for the band Mike Mains and the...

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Episode 4:
Dr. Frank

Pop Punk icon Dr. Frank talks about how he discovered his...

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Episode 3:
Bonnie J. Baker 

Multi-platinum songwriter Bonnie J. Baker talks to Mike...

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Episode 2: Allie Moss

Mike talks with artist and Ingrid Michaelson's longtime rhythm... 

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Episode 1: Frank Turner 

Mike talks with English folk-punk singer/songwriter Frank Turner ...

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 A Brief Introduction 

A brief introduction to the Songwriting For Guitar Podcast.

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