The Push's Song Writing Sessions is an online coaching program open to Australian songwriters aged 14-25.
Apply by midday Wednesday 19 May for a 1-on-1 mentoring opportunity.
Mentors Dallas Woods, Tia Gostelow and Cry Club's Jono Tooke share tips on how to finish a track.
We are proud to support The Push's Song Writing Sessions – an online coaching program aimed at supporting young Australian music makers in the early stages of their career.
The Push’s Song Writing Sessions program pairs established hitmakers with young and emerging creatives to help develop song writing skills and provide an opportunity for participants to workshop one of their own original songs.
As a participant, young song writers will receive direct support from one of this year’s artist mentors, who include: Courtney Barnett, Dallas Woods, Sampa Tembo (aka Sampa The Great), Tia Gostelow, Sasha McLeod (Sycco), Booka Nile (Make Them Suffer / Internet Friends), Eamon Sandwith (The Chats) and Jono Tooke (Cry Club).
If you're between those ages and writing songs, you should definitely apply. In the meantime, we asked mentors Dallas Woods, Tia Gostelow and Jono Tooke for their tips on the elusive task of finishing a track.
Dallas Woods
Is there a typical point in the song writing process when it becomes hard to finish a track?
I find when I'm in the zone I write without a structure I’m just writing whatever comes to my mind, so when I’m trying to create the body of the song having to pick what stays and goes is a dilemma.
Are there any production tools or tricks you use to help you when you are stuck?
My trick when I’m stuck is to give it space step away for a bit music grows on you and when it’s your own give it time don’t just bin a project because you’re stuck.
How can having too many ideas get in the way of finishing a track?
It’s the worst overthinking, legit! It’s a hard thing to control. I understand you can get stuck on minor things just trying to do your best, it’s an obstacle all creatives can relate too.
Does sharing your work-in-progress help and what kind of feedback should someone ask for?
I think a second opinion is good. Only if it comes from someone who is strictly talking music.
Why should the emerging songwriters out there apply to be part of The Push’s Song Writing Sessions?
All the artists involved are all so amazing and I feel being able to listen and soak up their knowledge will spark a fire in the next gen. I would love to see artists from all over Australia applying, especially from remote communities.
Tia Gostelow
Is there a typical point in the song writing process when it becomes hard to finish a track?
For me I mostly struggle when I get to the lyrics! I find that the most challenging to get on a roll with but I find that brainstorming with other writers or even jumping on RhymeZone can really give me the little push I need to spark an idea!
Are there any production tools or tricks you use to help you when you are stuck?
Like I said before, RhymeZone is my best friend haha! But I have also been highlighting phrases and words I find in books that really stand out to me and I can refer to it to help with lyrics and inspiration. Splice is also a great thing to use, especially for me because I am in no way great with using logic or producing so it’s awesome to get drum loops etc. to record a decent demo!
How can having too many ideas get in the way of finishing a track?
It can be overwhelming if you’re trying to put too many ideas down at once, so I think just working on one aspect of the song at a time is the way to go. If I feel too overwhelmed, it can make me want to just give up on the song so it’s good to just take your time and not stress yourself out over it!
Does sharing your work-in-progress help and what kind of feedback should someone ask for?
I really thrive in a co-writing environment so if I have an idea I’m stuck with, I love taking it to someone else because you end up with something completely different and exciting to what you probably would have come up with on your own! I think just asking for honest opinions from people you trust and taking it on board with an open mind is the best thing you can do!
Why should the emerging songwriters out there apply to be part of The Push’s Song Writing Sessions?
It’s just such an incredible opportunity that’s on offer and you’d be crazy not to apply! What an awesome way to learn about song writing and improve your skills with some of Australia’s best writers! If this was around when I was first starting out, I would have been all over it!
Jono Tooke (Cry Club)
Is there a typical point in the song writing process when it becomes hard to finish a track?
A frequent hurdle I hit is when a song is just ok, but it’s not good enough yet for me to be fully excited about it. Usually the thing that is making it not stick is a disconnect between the intention of the vocals and the instrumental.
For example, with the Cry Club song “Robert Smith” we heard it as something that could be quite political because of how heavy it could be, but the riffs of the song were actually super fun to us – so shifting towards a bratty, fun lyrical perspective really helped us crack that song.
Are there any production tools or tricks you use to help you when you are stuck?
Every time I feel creatively stuck, I go to a playlist of songs I like and pick different elements from each and combine them just for fun. Like, take the drum pattern from Song A and put on the style of guitar from Song B and the bass phrasing of Song C.
I also find a lot of exciting material in trying to balance out experimental ideas and pop ideas – like what if you took the ideas from a noise band but structured it like a pop song, or what if you took the textures of a pop song but imagined they were played by an industrial band?
How can having too many ideas get in the way of finishing a track?
This is a really common issue – often it’s really easy to want to cram all your favourite ideas into a single song’s production, but it’s much easier to set a strong theme for what an individual song should achieve and take those other ideas and make different songs out of them.
One problem song with too many ideas can then quickly become 4-5 exciting songs with a clear vision to each.
Does sharing your work-in-progress help and what kind of feedback should someone ask for?
Feedback is an essential part of my process - in my mind, a song only stops being a “work-in-progress” when it’s published. Up til that point, every element of the song should be constantly assessed to see if it’s doing as much as it can to express what the themes/ideas of the song.
I like pursuing pretty general feedback like “is this song interesting enough to continue working on”, but I also tend to pursue notes on things I’m aware my writing needs improvement on. If you were to compare your songs to other people’s, what are the specific things you think you need to improve on? I would then pursue feedback from people with that self-awareness in mind.
Why should the emerging songwriters out there apply to be part of The Push’s Song Writing Sessions?
Meeting different writers and getting an understanding of their methods/thought processes is one of the best ways to develop your writing skills, as you are able to see how each person would solve a problem in a song. For example, understanding how a dance producer is able to land dynamics correctly may help you complete the punk track you’re working on if you’re paying close attention.
The Push’s Song Writing Sessions are a great way for songwriters developing their skills to get access to these perspectives, which may help you crack the code a little more in your own writing!
Apply for The Song Writer Sessions
If you're a young Australian songwriter aged 14 – 25 and keen to get some 1 on 1 support from one of this year’s Song Writing Sessions mentors, head to thepush.com.au to find out more info and to apply. Applications close midday Wed 19 May, places are strictly limited.