Listening to Angie's Creative Process with a podcasting app? CLICK HERE for the show notes cheat sheet.

"Country Radio" Music Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HAMMYf-LFc

There is no doubt that country rocker Angie Bruyere has found her lane in her creative process and her music career. She has put in the hard work and time needed to finally break though with her creative career. Along the way, she has identified what works for her and what it takes to work with many influential people in the music industry.

Angie's Creative Process Notes

Introduction song "The Gift":

* This song was written during a difficult time in Angie's life.

* Angie was going through a breakup at the time.

* After her 2nd work shift after a long day just before getting emotional, she grabbed her guitar and wrote this song.

"In struggle and in pain, there's a beautiful gift."

Angie's relationship to music:

"Its a complete love affair like nothing I've ever had."

Influences:

* Willie Nelson

* Rolling Stones

* Dolly Parton

* Shovels and Rope

* Emmylou Harris

Favorite Lyric

"Hey girl like I always said, I always prefer your lips red. Not like the good lord made but what he intended." - Roger Waters

Angie's Struggle

* "I struggle when it's not authentic."

* She does not like to plan writing sessions.

"Its easy to write a song in struggle."

* Angie enjoys a glass of whine on her porch when she writes.

Other influences on Angie's creative process:

"You want to be authentic? Make it your lifestyle."

* She moved to Topanga, California.

* Built a bar.

* Built a stage.

* Built a studio.

* She invites the most creative people around to surround themselves with positivity and creativity.

Creative space:

* Angie really enjoys writing in the desert to help her think.

* This strategy helps her feel small to gain a greater perspective.

Instrument of choice:

* Acoustic guitar.

* Works with fender.

"The guitar puts me at peace."

Breakdown song "You":

* The idea stemmed from a challenge to prove someone wrong about what it's like to work with "girl singers".

* "You" turned into one of Angie's favorite songs that she has ever written.

* The melody and music came first and then the lyrics came.

Links to Angie and The Deserters:

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram 

Youtube

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show?

If you are listening to this interview with Cody Webb on a podcast app, CLICK HERE for the show notes cheat sheet!

"More Than A Little" Lyric Video by Cody Webb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnBK0vcEwSY

Say hello to Cody Webb, our first country artist to come on TAP To Music Podcast!

It may sound easy to be a country artist. Long days of fishing by the lake, hunting, dating, and dancing but writing songs about this "simple life" is no easy task. Cody Webb, a country artist residing in Nashville Tennessee knows first hand what it takes to write a hit country song. In 2015, Cody performed in 58 cities at 100+ venues, alone. Keeping things "simple but profound" might just be the key to Cody's continued success.

Show Note Cheat Sheet from audio interview with Cody Webb above:

Cody's 3 word description of his music: 

"Energy, lyrics, and guitar."

Intro Song "My, My, My, Girl":

* Four different songwriters collaborated on this song.

* They ended up having 5 versions of the song before they found the right arrangement.

* His wife gave him the idea for the song title.

Twitter Poll for listeners:

https://twitter.com/taptomusic/status/773757505209901056

Cody's relationship with music:

Started early because...

* His dad was in a band.

* His mom was a music minister at a church.

"I was in the studio before I was born."

Cody's Influences:

* Lynyrd Skynyrd 

* The Allman Brothers Band 

* Matchbox Twenty

* The Goo Goo Dolls

Favorite Lyric:

Cody likes lyrics from the song "Those I've Loved" by Eric Church.

"I remember waitin’ by the curb with Mr. Murphy

When daddy picked me up from school his eyes were red

We drove to the hospital in a hurry

Where my family gathered round my Grandpa’s bed

He was my best friend

He taught me how to fish

And I cried listenin to my daddy pray

For one of those I’ve loved along the way."

Notes on co-writing:

"Its like fishing man, sometimes you catch a bunch and sometimes you don't so just wake up and do it the next day."

* Come prepared with ideas to bring to the table.

* Help the people you are writing with feel comfortable.

Song Breakdown:

"A good sign of a hit is when you come up with something you feel you've already heard."

* "More Than A Little" was written on Trey  Matthew's (a co-writer's) porch.

* They first found the melody and created a rough draft of the song in a couple of hours.

* They lived with the song for about three months and then met back up and re wrote most of the lyrics but kept the melody.

Links to Cody Webb:

Official Website

Youtube

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Buy the EP 

Listen on Spotify

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week,

Listening on a podcasting app? CLICK HERE for the full show notes for this episode!

Show Notes Cheat Sheet on Creative Triggers From Audio Episode Above:

What is a creative trigger? It is an event or circumstance that is the cause of a particular action, process, or situation (in this case songwriting).

Sitting around and waiting for inspiration has its pros and its cons but when relying on your creative ability to support your livelihood, the cons quickly outweigh the pros on this approach. As professional or aspiring professional artists, we need to look deep within our own creative processes to pinpoint what works for us so we can sustain our career as songwriters. Here are some tips and tricks to help identifying the forces that trigger our creativity and inspiration:

1. A Way of Thinking

To be able to start looking for creative triggers in our lives we need to first give ourselves permission to do so. This means forming the right mindset. Here are the three elements i've thought of that boost your creative awareness:

* Form the desire for self-improvement. 

* This is all about having an open mind.

* Remember, whenever trying something new, there will be periods of discomfort or feelings of awkwardness. Don't let these excuses stop you from reaching new heights in your life.

* Choose to be reflective.

* This means looking for cause and effects throughout your days. Ask yourself questions like, what made me feel this way today?

* Try to pinpoint what has caused emotions, feelings, and urges throughout your day to start seeing what outside or inside forces are influencing your moods.

* Be observant (expand your scope). 

* This is similar to being reflective except it is taking your reflective thought one step further.

* Once you start to identify your cause and effects (in the reflective stage), see if these create trends throughout multiple days or weeks.

* This will allow you to start noticing patterns in how you construct your days and how those choices lead you to feel a certain way.

After exercising this mindset stage, you will now be equipped to turn these thoughts into action.

2. A Way of Acting

I am a strong believer that experience makes you smarter so go out there and spend some time with yourself. Learn about how you respond in certain situations. As you are experiencing life, try to see if your activities are contributing to your creativity in any way. Take control of the time you have free and spot those creative triggers!

* Making decisions with a purpose in mind. 

* It is too easy to say "yes" to many tasks and activities that others ask you to do during your precious time. It is much harder to start saying "no".

* As you go about your day, every decision you make can have an effect on your mood later in the day. Depending on when you like to write music, you might be too exhausted by the time you get around to it.

* Develop a sense of control over your day. 

* My theory is this exhausted feeling can be attributed to a lack of empowerment or a feeling of a lack of control over your day.

* Whenever you get something done on your terms, you feel empowered so you are more likely to take on a new task because you feel charged by your accomplishment.

* That new task might just be your decision to sit down and write or finish a song.

* Creating efficiency. 

* Now that you have control over your day and it fills you with energy to do more, this might just mean that you decide to write songs more often.

* Because of the empowered state you are in when sitting to write a song,

If you are listening on a podcasting app, CLICK HERE to view the full show note cheat sheet for Lilah Rose's creative process!

If there is one thing about Lilah Rose's music, it has history, roots, and meaning. Her abstract style has really manifested into something beautiful with her newest album that was recently released on August 19th! Enjoy hearing all about the ups and downs of her creative process along with her songs "Young Together" and "Be Somebody" by pressing play above these show notes.

"Be Somebody" Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU5U3Q9QUZM

The Show Note Cheatsheet for Lilah's Creative Process

3 Word Combo

* whimsical

* emotional

* melodic

Notes on her intro song "Young Together"

* Captures her childhood memories with a friend that unfortunately passed away.

"Melancholy bliss of growing up."

* The writing process went smooth because Lilah tries not to force herself to write.

* She waits for moments when she can write naturally and honestly.

* These moments are spread out and sporadic but may come in waves.

"Its weird because I cant write all the time, its very intentional."

* Some of her songs are weird and poetic because of this "intentional" style.

Lilah's Relationship With Music

* Starts with her Dad and his red Gibson guitar.

* Started recording her ideas in college when she got a laptop.

* Now she has restored her dad's Gibson and uses it to write and perform.

Lilah's Inspirators

* A local band from Albuquerque called "You"

* The Beatles 

* Led Zeppelin 

More Electronic

* Air

* M83

* Enya

* Grimes

Breakdown Song "Be Somebody"

* The idea came to her on a hot lazy day when she decided to write emails to booking agents for gigs.

* The song is all about being the best version of yourself even when you are going through tough times.

"Taking on heavy moments and filling them with love and feeling them with love."

* Melody and lyrics came at the same time.

Links to Lilah Rose

Facebook 

Bandcamp 

Youtube 

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please 

Listening with a podcasting app? CLICK HERE for the full show notes for this episode!

Choosing quality over quantity has ruled the day again!

Thank you for your patience and for allowing me the extra time to ponder on the subject of technical listening. I am very excited to share the ideas that I have come up with based off of past experiences from guests on the show and from my own creative experience. Here is the cheat sheet for this episode of the ponder series:

Technical Listening Definition:

A way of analyzing your inspirator's (influence's) music to allow you to identify emotional and physical similarities in their playing or singing style to help improve your musical abilities.

Purpose of Technical Listening:

* Self improvement

* Inspiration

Different Purposes for Listening to Music:

* Emotional

* To confirm a feeling you might be having at a given time.

* To make you feel nostalgic about a certain time period.

* To help make you feel a desired emotion.

* Physical

* To get people to dance together or with themselves.

* To encourage exercise by listening to motivational or upbeat music.

* Social

* To help form a sense of identity.

* To create a culture or a feeling of belonging.

* Technical

* To improve understanding of what is possible in music creation.

* Helps find similarities in your own musical abilities through comparison.

* To become inspired.

Origin of Inspiration:

Episode 073 with Saxophone Player Joshua Coleman

All pre and post production was done by Host Nick Johnson. 

Want to see the creative process behind these episodes? Follow Nick Johnson on Snapchat.

Snapchat: taptomusic

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Have you thought of a question for a future episode of the ponder series? Submit it here.

* What are you jamming to lately? I would love to share playlists on Spotify! Send me an email containing your Spotify information at: [email protected] and i'll follow your account. This way I know what kind of music to try and get on the show.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please rate and review on iTunes. Let me know you did so by taking a screenshot of your review before you 

Are you listening to this interview on a podcasting app? CLICK HERE for complete show notes and resources discussed.

Jonathan Cavier, a very experienced musician from Phoenix Arizona is on a mission to reinvent his position in the music industry. Once part of the internationally successful atmospheric pop duo, EyeTalk Jonathan is looking to use the talents formed in his past 10 year and 5 album endeavor to curate his own sound. In this episode (074), Jonathan gives great insight into his unique creative process. Here are the main take aways and resources from our discussion above:

"Pearl" Official Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0zSdSWHQE4

"January" Official Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrbgeWLDWkE

Notes about Jonathan Cavier's general creative process:

* Likes to write his songs in the winter.

* He enjoys repurposing old recorded ideas to bring him out of writers block when he cant think of anything new at that moment.

* Lots of his songs are not "true to his life" because he enjoys making up scenarios or using real scenarios outside of his experience to use as song topics.

* He likes to create a hybrid of electronic and natural instruments when constructing his songs in the studio.

* Has built his songwriting technique around the particular combination of gear he is used to using.

Habits outside of music that help him become a better musician and songwriter:

* Spends his mornings playing tennis or engaging in some kind of physical exercise to get his mind off of everything else and to condition his body for the demands of performing.

* Tennis allows him to build up a good habit of depending on him to overcome a task or obstacle.

Jonathan's Inspirators (past and present influences):

* Kiss

* Paul Stanley (Mentor)

* Cheap Trick 

* Robin Zander (Mentor)

* Japan

* Steve Jansen (Mentor)

* David Sylvian (Mentor)

* Iva Davies of Icehouse 

* Taylor Swift 

* Demi Lavato 

Links to Jonathan Cavier:

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please 

Hello listeners,

This is your host Nick Johnson doing my best to be open and honest with all of you by not leaving you in the dark this week. Give this episode a listen to hear why I need some more time to ponder for the next ponder series episode. Stay tuned for next week's interview with pop/rock hybrid artist, Jonathan Cavier.

Stay inspired!

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please rate and review on iTunes. Let me know you did so by taking a screenshot of your review before you submit and send it to me. In your message, you can tell me what you are working on and i'll promote it when I give you a shout out for your review. You can also upload files for me to interact with.

Help me help you. Ive made it easy.

* Have an idea for how the show can be better? I have created a swift and organized Collaboration Cue for you to submit your feedback in a fashion that best helps me. This saves both of our time!

* Share the gift of inspiration by sharing your favorite episode with a friend.

* Have an idea for the ponder series? Submit your ideas.

* Have an answer of a ponder series episode? Submit your answers.

PHONE: *Request by email*

SKYPE ID: nicktapstomusic

Want to support the show and it's social media efforts?

Rate and Review

Tweet Us

Are you listening to this interview on a podcasting app? CLICK HERE for complete show notes and resources discussed.

This dedicated and artful saxophone player Joshua Coleman has experienced something that many of us (if not all of us) fear. After becoming a victim of a very violent crime at an ATM in Albuquerque New Mexico, Joshua has embarked on a challenging journey to maintain his spirit and his love for fitness and music. Here is this episode's cheat sheet:

Relationship to music:

This is his survival mechanism as well as his vehicle for his career.

Inspirators (his influences):

Candy Dulfer 

David Sanborn

Dave Koz

Russell Watson

Outside of music habits:

* Climbing in the Sandia Mountains

* Biking

* Competitive figure skater

Links to Joshua Coleman:

Facebook

Official Website

This Episode's Twitter Poll:

https://twitter.com/taptomusic/status/758447432669683712

TAP To Music is here for YOU and thrives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please rate and review on iTunes. Let me know you did so by taking a screenshot of your review before you submit and send it to me. In your message, you can tell me what you are working on and i'll promote it when I give you a shout out for your review. You can also upload files for me to interact with.

Help me help you. Ive made it easy.

* Have an idea for how the show can be better? I have created a swift and organized Collaboration Cue for you to submit your feedback in a fashion that best helps me. This saves both of our time!

* Share the gift of inspiration by sharing your favorite episode with a friend.

Are you listening to this episode,  "A Path To Collaboration" on a podcasting app? CLICK HERE to view full show notes with pictures.

Collaboration can be a delicate process, there is a fine line between staying in creative flow and clashing with you collaborative buddy's ideas. Here is a mental checklist to help make sure your collaborative sessions start off on the right path:

*

Assess the amount of inspiration you have.

* This will determine the amount and type of brainstorming you will need to develop your ideas for your newest song.

* Lots of inspiration = less brainstorming and more time spent sharing your vision for your song with your collaborative buddies.

* Low amounts of inspiration = more brainstorming with your collaborative buddies to gain inspiration, direction, and purpose for your song.

*

Brainstorming period (separate from collaborative period).

* Form a mindset of awareness through this stage.

* Realize every idea and decision made at this time forms a path of connection with the person you are brainstorming with and with the eventual result of your song.

* Be ready to ditch an idea for a better path.

*

Collaborative period.

* By this time you have already spent the time discussing and trying out different things to find purpose and direction for your song with your collaborative buddy through brainstorming.

* Be ready to explain your ideas in as many ways as possible. This includes verbally, sonically with an instrument, and visually.

* You are both in this together so try to be as encouraging as possible but be honest when an idea strays from the purpose of the song (it is not entirely a bad thing.) This shows that your collaborative buddy is thinking outside the box but needs to focus his or her thinking in the confines of the song's purpose.

* This is the stage where brainstorming is still allowed but it needs to stay within the parameters of your song's purpose to ensure progress.

This week's question:

 

 

What has or hasn't worked in your collaborative efforts?

Here is how to submit your answer about A Path To Collaboration:

Snapchat: taptomusic

OR

Submit your answer through email.

 

TAP To Music is here for YOU and survives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Have you thought of a question for a future episode of the ponder series? Submit it here.

* What are you jamming to lately? I would love to share playlists on Spotify! Send me an email containing your Spotify information at: tapsubmissions@gmail.

Are you listening to Ashley's interview on a podcasting app? CLICK HERE to view full show notes with pictures and music videos.

* Want to help give Nick feedback with a listeners opinion? Fill out the Collaboration Cue.

* Have an idea for the ponder series? Share your ideas.

* Have an answer of a ponder series episode? Share your answers.

Dare Ya Music Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zivJvtlGxU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYUa-qKzzwo

Notes on Ashley J's Creative Process

Being a writer, Ashley J is faced with many sources of inspiration throughout the day. Whether she is asked to collaborate on a song or she is writing one of her own, she is always trying to show a real side of her. Here are a couple highlights discussed from the interview:

Ashley's song Cali was written in London with Morton and Richelle. At the time they were writing, they already had the music so they were all sitting together listening to the song and writing song ideas in the note apps of their phones.

Ashley's Favorite lyric from Dare Ya

Ashley's Inspirators

Johnny Cash

Dolly Parton

Celine Dion

Justin Timberlake

Links to Ashley J

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter

TAP To Music is here for YOU and survives because of YOU!

Creating quality music is no easy task. Thats why I release these episodes every week, to make sure you don't give up on creating music. But thats not the only way I want to help. I am just a phone call, tweet, Facebook message, email, or Skype call away from your next creative endeavor.

Here is how we can make this show great:

* Know someone who might be a great fit for the show? Please fill out our guest form to submit a talented friend to be the inspirator.

* Want a shout out on the show? Please rate and review on iTunes. Let me know you did so by taking a screenshot of your review before you submit and send it to me. In your message, you can tell me what you are working on and i'll promote it when I give you a shout out for your review. You can also upload files for me to interact with.

Help me help you. Ive made it easy.

* Have an idea for how the show can be better? I have created a swift and organized