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The CLIMB Show by Brent Baxter, Team SWPro on February 24, 2023
Songwriter, can songwriting be taught? Can it be learned? Or are you either born with it... or not? Here's the truth in 3 minutes.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Today, I want to talk about learning songwriting. I see it on Facebook and other social media platforms, some people asking if songwriting can be taught. And other people chime in and say, "No, you either got it, or you don't, it can't be taught." And I just wanted to take the next few minutes to dispel that myth.
Yes, you are born with a certain top floor, right? A certain amount of natural skill, a certain amount of natural talent... a certain knack for this crazy thing called songwriting. I've always had a thing for words, I'm a lyricist by trade, I can look back on my history, and I've always been writing stories, making dad jokes before I was a dad and just playing with words. I can look back and see that's just how I was made. That's how God created me. I'm a word guy.
So I had a certain amount of natural bent toward writing. And maybe you have a certain amount of God-given talent, too.
But I think that's lazy, or foolish or egotistical to think people can't learn the craft of songwriting. That they can't add to their natural talent with learned skill. That they can't get BETTER. Because... I have.
I've learned from other songwriters. And I've learned from songwriting teachers and coaches and books and podcasts and other songs. And I've learned a ton from my co-writers. I've learned tips and tricks, and I've been challenged to dig more deeply.
And I've learned certain things about myself and about my writing and its shortcomings. I've had pro songwriter coaches look at my stuff and pick out flaws that I couldn't see at the time.
Look at it this way. Even LeBron James has a coach. Even Michael Jordan had a coach. Even Kobe Bryant had a coach, right? They were the best in the world at what they've done, right? Some of the top three basketball players ever. So: born with natural height, natural talent, very driven and highly motivated individuals. Even they had coaches who could teach them things and work on fundamentals and pick out flaws in their game.
And not only that, but a coach understands the GAME. They know it's not enough just to have natural talent. They know there are skills that need to be developed and wise decisions that need to be made. Natural talent may be all you need in high school ball, but not in the NBA. There, you need a game plan. And coaches in the league spend a ton of time understanding the game, studying the next opponent and determining a game plan that will give his or her player the best chance to succeed.
Listen, if LeBron has a coach, and can learn more about basketball, what makes you think that you can't learn more about songwriting?
And I hope this is encouraging to some of you who have heard some of the myth and go "oh, man, I may I must not have it because I'm not great yet. Maybe I never will be because I don't have it."
No, it just means maybe you're early on your journey. Maybe that's all that means. And that means you can learn and you should keep striving to get better. And if you're one of those people that think you CAN'T learn, you probably WON'T. You'll tap out early because you're not open to learning. Or you can learn by trial and error in a way that's gonna take a lot longer. And really, what's the point in that? So dig in, and don't be afraid to learn.
This has been 3 Minutes & The Truth.
God bless,
Brent
PS- Thanks for stopping by Songwriting Pro! I appreciate it. As a matter of fact, I want to give you a gift just for your visit. It's my FREE PDF e-book, "6 Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial." It'll help you write songs that artists want to sing and fans want to hear. You can get this awesome gift at 6simpleways.SongwritingPro.com.
Who is Brent Baxter?
Brent is an award-winning songwriter with songs recorded by Alan Jackson (the top 5 Country hit "Monday Morning Church"), Randy Travis, Lady A, Joe Nichols, Ray Stevens, Steve Cropper, Andy Griggs, Buddy Jewell, Lonestar, Gord Bamford (the #1 hit and CCMA Single Of The Year "When Your Lips Are So Close"), The Sound (the #1 hit and Dove-nominated Southern Gospel Song Of The Year "Can I Get A Witness"), Wilburn & Wilburn (#1 hit "Hallelujah Homecoming"), The LeFevre Quartet and more!
