5 Strategies I Use to Finish EVERY SONG

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Finishing songs is the #1 challenge of all songwriters. It's relatively easy to find inspiration and ideas - but finishing songs is not about inspiration. It requires some different tools. In this video, I work through the 5 highest impact strategies I use in my practice as a professional songwriter.
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WHO AM I?
We are Keppie Coutts, and Ben Romalis, two professional songwriters, performing artists and teachers with over 40 years of collective experience in the music industry.
We have studied and taught at some of the best contemporary music colleges in the world including Berklee College of Music, Sydney Conservatorium, the Australian College of the Arts, the Australian Institute of Music, the LA School of Songwriting and JMC Academy.
Our goal is to help people write better songs! Our belief, having worked with thousands of songwriters (many going on to find careers and success in music), is that your songwriting, like all things, can get better with meaningful and deliberate practice. Our intention is to share the skills, knowledge and ideas that we've had the privilege of gathering with others who embrace the art and craft of songwriting.

[@franbert6218]

Since getting a dog, my creative juices have soared. I’m convinced that the rhythm of walking and “zoning out” are amazing exercises for songwriting.

[@suefauziyah]

Impossible to watch videos on this channel without taking notes. So many gems in this one. I recently took 2 songwriting classes at Berklee Online (Harmony and Melody). Both were wonderful but they were all about the music, and I needed guidance on crafting lyrics. Keppie’s videos have provided the much-needed missing piece. Many, many thanks to you!!

[@robertrussell9336]

Just finished...." Two by five" Robbie Russell. Finally a song with sections.......With your help , I'm closing in on better songs.Thanks for all your help . I can't....not finish ....a song, I just keep at it. Two by five took me 5 months and probably 4o lyric changes. I'm ok with it if I can prove growth in my choices. Of course I'm too close to it, but even I, can see growth and progress at least in the right direction. This channel is so helpful. The more I learn though , the more I see is involved in creating a good/great song. Now I need to be less wordy :) Write On !

[@iranapstablup1605]

you never make a bad video 💖

[@bcole23]

So helpful. One of my main tips that I use to finish songs, even though I've only got two done in my short career, is to... Get away from the song! If you have the ability and time, let your subconscious work on it. Come back and hear it fresh. Then get to work. Then stop. Eventually, though, you Then need to really sit down and polish. As part of this process, I really try to edit out anything that is superfluous and get to the CORE of what is happening. A fresh ear is really good for finding when you're doing way too much

[@Sentientfx1]

You are an excellent teacher - thank you!

[@migrantfamily]

My no. 1 key to finishing songs is: Have a hard deadline.

[@guitaring1]

your enthusiasm inspires me. your smart, well thought out videos provide me with tools. which I will now go and put to use. thank you!

[@FronzSchornack]

Thank you so much H.T.W.S. I find you truly inspirational in my song writing and song writing ideas, sometimes it's easy to start a song but a bit difficult to conclude and finish. I love going for a walk in the park where I reside here in So-Cal and find that to be very useful, again I'm grateful for all the things you do for us all in teaching the craft.

[@chopin7788]

Yay. I always struggle to finish a bunch of songs so this is helpful 😁🙌

[@JoeKennyMusic]

This video is so useful, at the moment I’m really struggling with the fear of failure. I think that’s what it is. I don’t want to start a new song because I don’t want to find that I can’t finish.

[@suadiggitti]

Your help has allowed me to complete some of the lyrics that I have been tooling around with for several months, even years in some cases. Thank You!

[@PeterSykesMusic]

Great advice, tools and strategies Keppie.

[@andrescatalan8763]

I love when you give us this kind of material 🥰 thanks a lot guys 🖤

[@adri__amorim]

Great tips! Thank you!

[@Zeak_Freak]

I love this channel so much, I’m always growing cause of this channel.

[@jayburd1875]

I got sparkles when you said corpus collosum

[@han36solo]

Excellent!

[@chrisashleywastaken]

Thanks for all the helpful tips and resources, definitely will be using them going forward. As you said, it does feel like im searching through the dark aimlessly when writing 😂

[@LeoPrince_]

Love you dear 💕

[@oyesuken]

I've been "winging it" my whole life, and I am so glad that I have stumbled onto you and your amazing processes. I have gone back to some of what I have already created to find where I might have actually used your techniques unknowingly, as it helps me solidify it in my brain...concept worked=concept good=use again! What I struggle with a lot is how to edit ideas. How do you narrow down 7 minutes of lyrics that you feel work down to an acceptable consumable 3 to 4 minutes? Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@SillyWillyFan47]

Yes, I have this key song, nebulating in my head & heart, and it needs a map! :D

[@jeffro.]

I like the funnel analogy. I often come up with parts of a melody or a chord progression that sounds like it might be the basis for a great song. (But, and I can tell what the rest of the analogy will be...) But, I never take it to the end, and complete it, putting all the finishing touches on it. When I first started playing guitar I was much younger, and I could write good lyrics. Then I would come up with a few basic chords (actually, I didn't find out until MUCH later how complex they actually were, lol), and make a song. When I performed it for friends, they always liked it! (Surprised me!) Nowadays, I don't bother, because I can't really sing all that great, and don't have great lyrics any more! But, I'm learning!

[@acousticmonkey2209]

One factor I definitely use is having an angle, theme or concept when writing. So if I want write a song about Christmas, I would write all the ideas, colours and emotions that come to mind. That way, if I write two verses and a chorus and want to add to it 6 hours later, I still have all the ideas in front of me or in my head to play with. Saying, "I want to write a song about love" is too broad, so you have to narrow down each of the angles e.g. new love, cheating, desire, waning love, etc.🙂

[@michaelrussell7356]

The immersive listening tip is really interesting. If I kept a song in mind and listened to artists I love I think I’d end up consciously or subconsciously taking parts of that song 😂 how do you avoid that?

[@imnotdan37]

first like then watch

[@ktrock77]

Oh good. I thought I was the only one who fumbles around at the end to get enough lyrics to finish the song.

[@bradh6185]

I finish on about the 7th or 8th song.

[@tammieschiller397]

Hi Keppie! I purchased your course in Udemy,,,how to write songs start to finish, is the song form template there? The different structures for bars etc you mentioned in this video?

[@mystikrebel1089]

im in the middle of it right now lol

[@NicoGrundMusic]

What if finishing my songs fails upon struggling to find a proper melody finish for the chorus? I always come up with a great hook melody but it's mostly only part 1 of something that sounds like a phrase, and everything I come up with for part 2 sounds lame

[@Dextermoon1]

Where can we hear songs you’ve written

[@Rango_Jnr]

Yes ,I always witness that,as I speak now, am stock with a song am writing now, titled Laura,am done with the first verse ,the pre_chorusbot am having issues at the chorus,am trying to put down something that will match the chorus but it doesn't fit ,I don't know what to do now ,am stock at the chorus,pls can I get help pls 😢

[@adri__amorim]

Is it possible to join your group of songwriters if I am brazilian and only write songs in my native language?

[@keko4301]

Hello can you do a video with simple but powerfull tips?

[@clearedblur]

She has a lot of videos on her channel, I'm sure you can find more than a few there. This video's tips are pretty "powerful" if you have issues completing songs or get stuck along the way. Cheers!

[@RandomVelocity]

It’s 1% creativity and 99% work.

[@MilaAracki]

not really

[@RandomVelocity]

@@MilaAracki well lucky you then

[@yt_blank_hank.]

*Time to stop procrastinating mate* good tips tho

[@jivanbansi9640]

Bill Withers, worst lyric ever, total b.s., " ..for if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow." crap, stupid, lie,. Tomorrow is promised to no one, stay real.

[@jivanbansi9640]

He should have stuck with plumbing, but maybe he was crappy at that too.

[@williamk6605]

@@jivanbansi9640Where are your hit songs?

[@jivanbansi9640]

@@williamk6605Don't worry, I've got lots of great songs!