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4.13 AVERAGE
4.13 AVERAGE
fast-paced
A really breezy read and a nice blend of philosophical and practical advice. Can't wait to apply some of this and try to write at least one song.
I've long been a fan of Tweedy's songwriting—though one certainly doesn't have to be a Wilco fan to dig this—and it's pretty wonderful that he's the songwriter who decided to put together this book. In it, he nails the balance—a song is one of the most powerful, rewarding creations in existence and it's not as hard as you think to make one. It just takes you actually sitting down to do it. Maybe it comes that day, maybe it comes the next. Routine matters. So does practice. I loved this because he expresses what a songwriter can get out of the process and even give themselves for the future. There are practical exercises presented here with tangible results, and there's even a poetry to the simplicity and availability of creativity he observes. If you can have a conversation, he says, you can write a song. It's like having the most at-ease teacher who just also happens to have an extensive Grammy-winning catalogue. It's really wonderful stuff for creatives to have—and even more wonderful for non-creatives to have when they want to enter the world.
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
informative
relaxing
Good for those who are just getting started. Easy to read, light, and quick to get through. As a more experienced songwriter than the “I don’t even know how to play an instrument” audience he was writing the book for, I found the most interesting chapters to be about his daily schedule and the lyrical exercises to get new connections / new approaches to lyrics. The similar musical section about what to do to break blocks for melodies and music were all pretty standard, but the lyric ones were good. If you’re just getting into songwriting, you’ll likely get more out of it, if you’re more experienced, you may still get some stuff, but I might suggest skimming for parts that seem more applicable, as there are definitely sections I didn’t need to read.
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
I may not get around to songwriting, but I'm definitely inspired to start noodling on my various instruments again. Good, short read for any aspiring musicians or artists!
A fun book, lots of great ideas, especially for lyrics. A few great life lessons too!