Are you a JAW fan lookin' to take your songwriting to the next level? I'm excited to announce I'm officially here to help! I love writing songs more than anything and I think I'm really good at it. When I'm in the zone I feel like one of those guys on TV with special powers. I've been turning my internal turmoil into catchy pop songs and performing them for public audiences since 2004. My music has been consistently appreciated by fans and critics alike for my "pop sensibilities," i.e. attention to melodies, lyrics, and song structure. I've never finished a song I wasn't one hundred percent proud to share.
When a friend is looking for my feedback on a song, there's nothing I love more than to dive in with them to tweak melodies/words/structures to better suit the message of the song and simultaneously make it something anyone would want to sing along to.
If there's one thing in this life I am confident about, it's that when someone is interested in my constructive criticism as a songwriter, I truly believe I can always help them take their songs to the next, catchiest level.
How it works:
1. Decide you want help with your song. This part is hard, humbling. There are times in my life when I would not have actively chosen to accept help with a song. I believed my ideas were always the best. But now I think, collaboration might be the meaning of life...
2. Fill out the application and send over a rough recording of your song. This can be a voice memo or a video, along with a copy of any lyrics you already have.
2. When your appointment is accepted, you'll get a link to schedule a session with me on Google Hangouts.
3. I'll spend a little time with your song in advance to familiarize myself with it and prepare some ideas.
4. We get together on video for up to an hour and talk all about your song! I'll play and sing my ideas for you, and you can tell me what you like or dislike about them. We can work together to sharpen your message and melodies as much or as little as you're comfortable with (see FAQ) and I'll show you my personal songwriting tricks of the trade.
5. Depending on how much we get done, we can also talk Business Stuff!
6. After the session, you'll have access to me via email to send new versions of your song for further feedback, or to ask me questions about Business Stuff.
Pricing
Sliding Scale $0-60 per session. Really. If you can't pay, that's okay! No proof necessary. Every session request is subject to my approval before confirmation, but I'm the boss, so if I hear a lot of potential in your song, I'll work for free. You deserve it.
Bonus: if you're interested, I can help you make a plan to record your song and refer you to amazing musicians who can record from anywhere. I can also help you register your song with a performing rights agency. Business stuff!
Click here to fill out the application
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F.A.Q.
Hey Johnny...
"What are your credentials?"
If you're here I'm assuming you know and like my music, which is the only credential I offer. Feel free to browse my resume.
"What about songwriting credits?"
If I help you enough that we both feel like I should be credited on your song, I'll help you through the process of registering the song with a performing rights agency.
"What I've never written a song before?"
If you've truly never written a note or a word, I won't be able to help you. I'm not great at that part. But if this is just your first song, or the first one you've felt like completing, I'm here for it! Come at me with a handful of words and some melodies and we'll get to work.
"What if I'm a professional songwriter too?"
Well I'll absolutely be intimidated, but I will also be excited to get into it with someone who already has an understanding of how songs work. Also, please tell me more and send me your music so I can get to know your style!
"What if I hate your ideas?"
That's totally fine! I have a strict honesty policy in songwriting sessions and I welcome your heartfelt rejection. And as the artist in charge of your work, you always have final say. You don't have to use any of my ideas if you don't want to. Either way, we'll still hang out and talk about it, and at the end of the hour, I bet we'll both have learned something, and we'll feel good about connecting over the magic of our craft.
"What if I love your ideas?"
Let's do it again, then!
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