In Part 1 of a series of reflections on our music, Matt discusses his individual approach to songwriting. Providing insights into his thought processes and experiences, Matt gives us a glimpse into his creative process and outlook on what songwriting is and what it means to him.
Greetings,
Songwriting has been a meaningful and important part of who I am and how I cope with the world since the moment I wrote my first guitar riff. It is an outlet that allows me to communicate thoughts and emotions that I typically cannot in everyday life. Although the process may change, the end result is the same; releasing energy (both positive and negative) that I otherwise would not be able to in other situations. Ultimately, I have found this creative journey has allowed me to regulate my thoughts and emotions, express complex thoughts, and communicate with others in the way that only music allows me to.
I have often been asked questions such as “How did you come up with that?” or “What is your method for writing?” The more I reflect on these types of inquires I find more and more that I come to the answer of “time.” For example, this could mean time spent practicing music fundamentals (chords, scales, music theory). The more time I have spent practicing and honing skills the more proficient I have become at writing songs “over time”. In another example, this could also refer to time spent listening and consuming various formats of art. Listening to music inspires and creates a sound bank in your brain to pull from. Reading books fills your heart and mind with stories and lessons from both past and present. A movie may spark an idea for a lyric line or plot theme to shape your words around. All of these activities are building more and more influence “over time” and creating a foundation for musical ideas to express through. My last example is time spent enjoying the people and things I love while living in a beautiful and complicated world. As time builds up these experiences and relationships end up being most influential in the final product. By reflecting on both positive and negative experiences I face in life, I am able to channel these emotions in the form of tones and lyrics. As my daily life experiences become more complex as time goes by, my songwriting serves as a method of coping with what I may not fully understand. I find this equation may sum it up:
If Time can be valued as the amount of: a (skill practice); b (input of knowledge); and c (emotional experiences)
Then..
Creative Output = a + b + c
So how does it happen? How does the song take shape? Well…it all comes in good time. On the guitar, sometimes the song writes itself quickly while strumming the acoustic on a lazy day. Likely, this tune has been brewing in the subconscious somewhere and was ready to be born. Other times it's a riff that was written years ago that never came to life. For whatever reason, it needed time to mature and experience other things in life to finally find its way. With lyrics, it typically starts with a melody before words take shape. Then little by little I use all the thoughts and feelings I've built up over time to connect the melody to a theme and find the right path for the words to flow. Then when each song is “finished” the real fun begins. As over time that song travels its own path and changes with each time it's played; becoming something unique and individual to its own first iteration.
In the end, every song that finds its fruition is some manifestation of everything I've experienced over time. Each moment, memory, and interaction plays a part in the creative expression of ideas. Somethings come easy; others hard. But in the end, all things find their way “over time.”
Take Care,
Matt