Graham Brown unplugged...

Songwriting trips, rehearsal tips … be damned !

Ah! What a lovely Saturday morning—well, morning for me, but maybe afternoon for you. Regardless of when your day kicks off, it’s the same delicious start: food, coffee, tea, and so on. Maybe you’re a bacon-and-egg or ham-and-egg devotee, or perhaps a cereal cruncher like me. I usually fall into the cereal groove—it’s easy, fast, tasty, and healthy, depending on your choice. That cereal bowl and spoon setup gets me to my guitar quicker, where I can sip coffee or tea with a happy belly and a peaceful mind, ready for a song to arrive.

Once that song spark ignites, I try to get out of the way. I avoid overthinking or editing too much right away. Writing songs is like diving into deep water—you never know what you’ll find down there. When you surface for air, let the song wash over you, open your heart, and drop your guard. For me, you can’t write a song without letting down that guard—that’s how it works.

Okay, now you want to share the song with your band, studio musicians, or musical friends—however you like to do it. But DO IT! Do it the way you want, the way you feel comfortable. Otherwise, what’s the point? This has to be something you love and enjoy, so do it your way!

I’ve chatted with many songwriters, and no two approaches are the same. Some start with lyrics, others with melody; some build the music, chord structure, or arrangement first. In the traditional songwriter’s playbook, my first rule is “there are no rules.” If it sounds good and moves you, you’re on the right path.

Time to hit the road and play live, as they say. All traveling musicians have had fantastic tour dates and some not-so-fantastic ones—some you want to forget but can’t, others you want to relive but can’t. Such is life. I’ve had so many good times and great laughs on the road, meeting characters—mostly good, a few bad. One highlight was playing Manhattan’s CBGB’s with my band. It’s still one of the best monitor mixes I’ve ever heard. For those who’ve seen those old black T-shirts with “CBGB-OMFUG” on the chest, here’s the scoop: it stands for “Country Bluegrass Blues – Other Music for Uplifting Gourmandizers.” There you have it! I’ll dive into more road stories next time, but for now, go have some fun and be yourself.

I’m not big on giving tips—I feel I’m still learning—but someone asked about my rehearsal “technique.” I gotta laugh; I don’t see it as a technique, just the way I do it that works for me. So, about rehearsal tips: if you’re serious about stepping up and being taken seriously, skip the heavy booze during rehearsal. Grab a pint with the band afterward to chat about songs, arrangements, parts, and who’s playing what. You’d be surprised what comes from the art of conversation. After all, you’re not just building a song—you’re building a band, a family of musicians.

Till next time, let the song come to you. Open yourself up to receive…

TURN ON – TURN UP – TUNE IN

Cheers, GB.