Finish the Song
COME WITH AN IDEA, LEAVE WITH A SONG
A 3-Day Online Bootcamp (20-22nd July) Exploring the 3 Tenets of Great Songwriting That Bring Your Song to life.
You have lots of ideas but not a lot of finished songs
…and the reason is;
You’re waiting to know more - more music theory, more chords- but you’re not sure when you'll ever be ready enough.
You're waiting on other people -collaborators & producers- and they keep letting you down.
You’re waiting to feel that your songs might be good enough.
This is normal- it’s self-preservation, but the antidote to getting unstuck and creatively unblocked is to Finish the Song.
Your guide
Fini Bearman
I've been a professional musician for 20+ years, but for a long time I was writing just a handful of songs a year and calling myself a songwriter. Always chasing the song, trying to figure out my voice, but lost without a routine I was frustrated. When I started teaching songwriting I realised I had to walk the walk, so I committed to writing consistently, and whilst I didn't immediately start writing amazing songs, what I discovered was that the practice itself was the transformation. Just showing up regularly opened up possibilities & the songwriting potential that I hadn't accessed before.
Technique and approaches matters. But the thing that's going to make the biggest difference is Finishing the Song.
How does it work?
Three days. Three building blocks; Words. Melody. Chords.
Day One
Most songwriters are sitting on more material than they realise, they just don't know how to access it yet. On Day One we dive into what a song could be about- subject matter & point of view - as well as looking at how to develop our own imagery and language, & how to edit ideas down into something that resembles a lyric, and actually says what we're trying to say.
You'll leave with tools to generate ideas (from nothing) together with the understanding that your own experience is the most powerful material you have.
Day Two
Day Two starts with a discovery that will change the game- there is already melody present in your text, and finding it is a skill available to us all. We explore how note choices carry meaning and express emotion beyond words, how to use our voice to improvise and discover melodies, and the power of a hook.
You'll finish today's session with a more intuitive understanding of melody, and how you can utilise it to harness the power of the song.
Day Three
Because chords are often where songwriters can feel the most intimidated, on Day Three we dismantle the myth that knowing more chords will write better songs. We look at practical approaches to finding chords and building a harmonic world for our song, and we are reminded that a limited harmonic range won't stop us from writing the songs we want to write; some of the most powerful & evocative songs today work with limited harmonic detail, and still say everything they need to say.
You'll leave knowing that chords were never what was standing between you and the song.
How does it work?
Three days. Three building blocks; Words. Melody. Chords.
Day One - Words
Most songwriters are sitting on more material than they realise, they just don't know how to access it yet. On day one we dive into what a song could be about- subject matter & point of view - as well as looking at how to develop your own imagery and language, & how to edit ideas down into something that looks /sounds like a lyric, and actually says what you're trying to say. You'll leave with tools to generate ideas (from nothing) together with the understanding that your own experience is the most powerful material you have.
Day Two - Melody
Day two starts with a discovery that will change the game- there is already melody present in your text, and finding it is a skill anyone can develop. We explore how note choices carry meaning and express emotion beyond words, how to use your voice to improvise and discover melodies, and the power of a hook. You'll finish today's session with a more intuitive understanding of melody, and how you can utilise it to harness the power of the song.
Day Three - Chords
Because chords are often where songwriters can often feel the most intimidated, on day three we dismantle the myth that knowing more chords will write better songs. We look at practical approaches to finding chords and building a harmonic world for your song, and we are reminded that a limited harmonic range won't stop you from writing the songs you want to write; some of the most powerful & evocative songs today work with limited harmonic detail, still saying everything they need to say. You'll leave knowing that chords were never what was standing between you and the song.
FAQs
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If you have a song you believe in and you're ready to hear what it can do, you belong!
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With only 10 places, each one matters. Full refunds are available up to 14 days before the workshop. After that, your place may be transferred to someone else but isn't refundable. If you wish to do this please be aware they will need to fill out the same questionnaire to ensure they have something suitable & understand what’s involved. If something unexpected comes up, please do get in touch- I will want to help you out if I can!
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You clicked the link and I think that means something. 'Now isn't the right time' is something you can tell yourselves for years, and it's the same voice that's been keeping you from writing. There will always be a reason to wait. Finish the Song is three days, so consider this as your invitation to choose to make the time, now.
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Everyone has something to say, and the ability to communicate creatively isn't reserved for a select few, it's something you develop by doing. You won't know what your full potential is until you give yourself the opportunity to find out. That's exactly what Finish the Song is for.
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If you've ever felt strongly about something; a news story, a conversation, an experience or a moment, you have something to say. That feeling is unique to your own lived experience and no one else can tell it in your voice. One of the things we unlock in Finish the Song is that there's so much more to write about than the obvious subjects. Your life is the material, you just need the tools & the permission to access it.
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Finish the Song will give you a deep insight into your creative practice, what you understand about songwriting, and what tools you have at your disposal. That alone will level up your writing, because awareness of what you're capable of can change everything. The honest truths that the main reason we write bad songs is that we're not writing enough, and we're also probably not connecting to what we actually want to say. Finish the Song addresses both of those things directly.
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Absolutely not. Finish the Song is for anyone who is developing their songwriting practice, whether you've recently changed direction and you find yourself here, or you're a more practiced writer looking to level up your skills. If you've ever recorded a voice memo, jotted down a lyric idea, or found some chords you like the sound of, Finish the Song is for you.
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No. Some basic understanding of music theory would be helpful in places (especially on day 3), but this is not a requirement to participate. Everything we cover on the course is accessible regardless of your music/theoretical background, and of course if anything sparks your curiosity to explore further, that's entirely up to you.
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You don't need to share your songs. There will be opportunities to reflect on and share any homework tasks and to get a little feedback if you'd like, but this is always and entirely your choice. Sharing what you've been working on is never a requirement, only an option.
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The sessions will be recorded and they will be available for participants to watch back for 30 days after course has finished. This would also be suitable if you were unable to make one of the sessions.
*Recordings will not be available to those who are unable to make any of the live sessions.