How to Write A Song Workshop
5BAR is happy to host an interactive workshop, bringing actual composers and performers together to talk on stage about the art process, specifically how to write a complete song.
Audience: this is for musicians, but also welcoming fans of live music. Sit and listen to local musicians and hear about the process. Who knows, maybe ‘the muse’ will walk through the room and grace us with their inspiration.
What to expect: 5-7p, each Sunday in January, sit down and interact with the presenters, open forum for questions. Adam Gasser will show their process with different methods such as visual aids. This won’t be a session to sit down and write 1:1 with the presenters, so bring your instrument if you want but you won’t need it necessarily. Open mic to start after at 7:15-9p.
Tickets are limited to 40, $25, coming with a zero-proof drink and self-serve buffet.
Weekly outline:
Week 1: themes and styles of songs
Where does inspiration come from?
Picking out the theme(s) and topics
What instruments work best with your theme?
Week 2: the players of the songs, collaborating (with very special guest, Myq Kaplan)
Gaps you have:
Invite someone who is experienced in that new style
Invite a musician who plays an instrument that you don’t
How to show and describe pieces of the song
What concrete pieces do you have, such as the key of the song
Describe it from afar, then show each piece and element
Singing or strumming drum parts
Zooming out:
Taking honest feedback
Do you still like your song?
Do you want to incorporate the feedback?
Finding musicians or talented people
Places to be:
Other shows within that genre
Open mic events
Ask other musicians if they know specific people/players
Post on social media with your instrument
Week 3: the bones of the song
Music structures (“we’re gonna play these 3 very different songs and start after they’re done”)
What words show context
What kind of playing fits that theme, example all down strokes
Week 4: what it's like playing live, or recording, finding bandmates
How do you introduce your song on stage?
Prepping for the studio: practice, tempo-map the RPMs, know what pieces you want and lead the producer but leave them room to polish
How to book a show at a venue
How to release your music: YouTube/Spotify/other
About the hosts:
Adam Gasser: Father. Husband. Artist. Musician. Skateboarder. Earth to Clark. Anti-Gravity. Vibe High Productions
Levi Andersen: creator and owner of 5BAR used to be a traveling musician. He has stepped on stage to play synth, drums, guitar, sing, but his favorite instrument was being a bassist in an alternative band in Seattle from 2008-2010. Here is a love song he wrote and performed with his band, Sirens Sister.