Craft
Turn musical ideas into finished songs
One-to-one songwriting lessons for developing lyrics, melody, harmony, structure and the confidence to keep making your own work.
Develop your own artistic voice
Holistic and creative one-to-one songwriting lessons for musicians, singers and emerging artists seeking to develop a unique voice through music, lyricism and composition. Sessions can begin with a first song, an unfinished fragment or an established body of work, supporting creative confidence, craft and clarity of artistic direction.
What we might explore
- Courting the muse: exercises and strategies for gathering inspiration and building a store of creative material.
- Lyric writing and storytelling: poetic devices, narrative form, prompts and development of an individual lyrical voice.
- Melody, harmony and musical structure: shaping musical ideas into forms that suit what you want to express.
- Writing with voice or instrument: integrating singing, guitar or production tools into the songwriting process.
- Creative flow and overcoming blocks: practical strategies for self-doubt, perfectionism and maintaining a creative practice.
- Refining and finishing songs: developing clarity, cohesion and emotional impact in existing material.
- Recording and production: optional Ableton/DAW support for demos and developing songs into recorded form.
Who might you be?
- A complete beginner wanting to write a first song
- A singer wanting to create original material
- A guitarist developing songwriting skills
- An artist refining or developing existing work
- A creative experiencing writer’s block or self-doubt
- A performer developing original material
- A musician exploring artistic identity and direction
- A student of any age, ability or experience level
Your teacher
Jessie Monk or Aidan Ryan
Songwriting sessions can be taught by Jessie or Aidan, depending on the student and the work. Jessie brings extensive experience as a songwriter, recording artist and performer; Aidan brings composition, production, guitar and arrangement experience. Both work with the individual creative process rather than imposing a fixed formula.
Ready to begin?
Tell us what you are hoping to explore and we’ll help you find the right place to begin.