Hey Hey -

I run a late night stream, mostly old 78s that never got digitized. The rule there is if Shazam can identify it, I don't play it. I hold new songs to a similar line - - looking for the unheard.

Which means a different ask than you usually get: I don't need a finished master. Tonight's two are both live takes. Both submitted via my webform.

Isabella Osborne, "I Think I'll Be an Artist" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kOkNaNWoug

Modern Moxie, "Churning" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzAVv22vw_Y

Phone on the kitchen table? one take? a verse you're still fightin' with? All GOOD... that's a real submission here, not a lesser one.

The one thing I won't play is something a machine wrote. There's a no-AI box on the form and I actually check it. Its really why I'm moving to live takes. I got flooded with shit faceless submissions. So I like seeing humans do human things.

Form To Submit: https://thewitchinghourtone.club/contact

Show To Watch: 9p CST, https://www.youtube.com/@TheWitchingHourToneClub

Hey there! I have been writing and releasing original music since 2024, when I released my first record.

Since writing those first few songs, I have continued writing more and more. I think my writing style has evolved and improved, and I’m proud of the songs I am currently working on for several reasons.

I enjoy the process of creating. I love getting the music out of me that’s been bugging me since I was 5 years old. It’s satisfying to put something into the world that will outlive me. Some songs,
I think to myself, that’s a good effing song, girl.

And then I release a song and I only listen to it once or twice, then I stop because of too many thoughts about what I should have or could have done better. Like, it tortures me and I have to take a break 🤣 then I will relisten weeks or months later and the process starts all over again 🥴

So I ask you, songwriters: do you listen to your own music?

i know this is not what the community is for but it keeps telling me i need enough karma and it shouldn’t take more than a day and it’s been about 2 weeks i’ve done all that i can and i still “don’t have enough karma”

EDIT: i know you need to meet a certain criteria and yes i’ve read the automod under the post. i’m saying all it tells me is i need “some” karma. i’ve been giving feedback for two weeks now and i still don’t have enough karma?? i’ve done everything i can. is there something i’m missing?? am i like shadowbanned or something??

I'm sure this is not a new topic written in this subreddit, but I haven't quite been able to find the hard-hitting advice I would like. A little background: I've been songwriting for years, released a total of 8 songs, and I went to University to study songwriting. I've always been a creative person, writing stories when I was a kid, and that manifested into a love for songwriting. It was all I ever did. It was my emotional outlet, or something I would just do for fun. After I graduated in May of 2025, it was like something in me just stopped. I had no desire to write, and since I graduated, I have maybe written 5 songs (some complete, some barely a chorus and a verse). I always blamed that maybe I was (or am) just burnt out from having to write for class assignments and dealing with a difficult professor who always praised other students, but rarely had anything good to say about my work. Also, one of my jobs is gigging at bars, so I'm constantly playing and singing, so the last thing I want to do is more of that. Anyways, for some time I thought maybe I just lost a passion for music and kind of became okay with that. Well, the other night I went to a concert, and I got hit with the realization of how badly I wanted to be on that stage. Kind of a "what the hell am I doing?" realization of why I haven't been writing or creating.

Now that I've sort of explained my situation. I know they say creativity is a muscle, you have to train it, and it's not something that just is perfect. However, now I am wanting so badly to get through this creative block, but I feel like I can't. My inner critic has become so loud, I feel so uncreative, and every time I write, it ends with maybe 4 lines and me crying, feeling like a loser for letting myself go this long without writing. So, for advice... what are your methods (conventional and nonconventional) to get over this block after a year and a half of taking time off?

My band did our first public gig recently

Was wondering what yall think since alot of reddit is in that older "experienced" demographic

Hi everyone.

Does anybody else use reverb/chorus to compensate for their insecurity of singing?

I've listened back to some old zoom 8 track recordings and recognised that I've added reverb/chorus effects excessively to enhance or disguise or morph my voice into something that an acoustic version just couldn't produce. What's that all about? I know i can't "sing", and as i get older i can accept that this insecurity is what has been holding me back from sharing my songs.

What do you think about the authenticity of using these effects live to actually allow one to feel secure enough to play?

Feeling creatively blocked? Need a kick-start? Sometimes a suggestion from a fellow songwriter is all we need to get the wheels turning again.

This thread is specifically for the r/Songwriting community to exchange song prompts. We'll start a new exchange once per month.

​

How It Works:

Looking for a suggestion? Just leave a comment below that says "Prompt, please!"

But remember, this is an exchange! If you're asking for a suggestion, please also leave a suggestion for someone else!

​

How To Give a Interesting Prompt:

A songwriting prompt might be a lyrical starting point, a musical arrangement suggestion, a strategic limitation, or some combination of ideas.

Quality prompts should give writers a solid starting point, but still allow for plenty of creative freedom!

​

Examples of Quality Songwriting Prompts:

• Write a song involving at least two characters and a case of mistaken identity.
• Write a melancholy song that doesn't use any minor chords.
• Write a song on a different instrument than you normally use.
• Write a fast love song that uses at least ten different chords.
• Write a "response song" to a song that was a Top-Ten hit during your birth year.
• Write a song about an unusual profession that includes exactly two tempo changes.

​

Have fun and be creative!

​

Big hat tip to community member u/redDKtie for the idea!

It’s also kinda silly. I would love to hear this song with someone who can actually sing

An older demo I’m not sure if I’m still interested in working on. Hoping to see if people like it or not!!

i am just getting into song writing and have next to no idea what i’m doing it feels like. i don’t have anyone irl to show this too, so id just like some feedback on whether it even sounds good or works. what do you like? what you hate? be brutally honest because i need real feedback from real people. also lmk if this is something you would genuinely listen too!
(DISCLAIMER: this is unfinished and this isn’t the full song. also ignore the guitar and the second part of the verse i messed up and never took it out. i also know the overall playing is a little sloppy)

EDIT: thank you to all the people who went back on all my replies and upvoted them allowing me to finally post this!!

The more feedback the better! I don’t care if it’s just “I hate it”

Hey guys,
I wrote this song last night. It’s about getting over a breakup and it’s called, “Holding On”. I’ve only written Verse 1, Pre Chorus, and the Chorus so far. I wanted to see what you guys think and if you have any feedback about the Lyrics, Chord Progression, Melody, Vocal performance, anything you think of! Thank you!

i've pretty much come to terms in that, with way my life is structured and my experiences i have very little to write about in terms of stories and such. but i struggle with writing abstract too so i dont have ANYTHING to write lol. i listen to songs like Fever Dream - Iron and Wine, Carved Heart - Natural Snow Buildings, and The God of sleep has his house - Current 93 (and 100s others of course, but these are some that come to mind), and i listen to the lyrics and think to myself "that's so simple, how could i have not thought of that?" then i sit down to write and i've got nothing. idk, it's quite the predicament. i like where my singing is at but i have nothing to say.

I’ve always absolutely loved singing and all I’ve ever wanted is to make my own music, but for the life of me I cannot write a fucking song.

I’ve literally got beats and instrumentals sitting there waiting for me to do something with them, but every time I try to come up with lyrics or melodies, my brain just goes completely blank.

It’s genuinely so frustrating because I feel like I’ve been blessed with the ability to sing but cursed with absolutely no songwriting talent whatsoever 😭

I know what kind of music I want to make and how I want it to sound, but actually turning that into a song seems impossible. It pisses me off so much because I want to make my own music more than anything.

Genre-wise, I'm mainly interested in alternative pop with a mix of 2000s pop/R&B, hyperpop, electronic and some rock influences.

So I guess I’m here looking for advice, someone willing to help or collaborate, or even a ghostwriter. I’d absolutely love to learn how to write myself eventually, but at this point I don’t even know where to start.

If anyone has any advice or would be interested in helping, I’d genuinely appreciate it!

Hello everyone, hope you are having a good day!

I am an author currently working on a novel that features a lead band singer, friend of the MC, and I wanted to dive deep in the craft and skills of song writing in case that adds a cool depth to his character & a soul to their scenes, would love to hear your advice on where to start, thank u!!

Hello!! I'm going to share a bit of background to my question, so brace yourself.

I recently started taking music lessons because I have been doing a lot of soul searching and part of that is recovering some of the passions I had as a child.

As a child, I was neglected by my mother because she was in prison and grew up in a very broken home where my creativity was not nurtured. I would write so much back then because i was going through so much. And i wanted to make movies and music and books...whatever involved writing and sharing, I wanted to do. I never took music lessons or anything like that as a child but i was in theatre at my school so that kinda helped.

But then mental health issues started and I started to use different outlets like doing drugs, sleeping around, and getting into fights...I have now grown so much from who I used to be. Like I did a complete 180 and have been thriving in life. I go to therapy, have a family and work at a really good company as a recovery coach. I want to write about my journey through life and share that through music because I feel like I have so much to share with others when it comes to my life experience. And honestly, I also feel its a way to heal through those past experiences.

But I'm having trouble finding inspiration to write. Like idk if it is because I have it so good now and my life is not in shambles or what. I have written quite a few songs with the basic chords I know but none of them are finished. Like I will start on a verse then get stuck there. Im trying freewriting where I just write whatever without trying to make a song but I just feel stuck. What do you all do for inspiration? Anyone gone through a similar childhood and could tell me what they think about pulling from those experiences? TYIA!

I'm really digging how this new track is developing. I love the ominous, psychedelic vibes, and trippy layered vocals.

I feel like it's missing something in song structure, or something to make it more cohesive maybe? Let me know your thoughts.

https://on.soundcloud.com/KTFpKuzoTSOfyQeDqX

I’m a beginner and working on a song which is R&B indie type of song ( title :mera hissa) and i want to mix and master the whole song and do vocal mixing.
I have lyrics and melody in my mind and although i have a type beat but its a non profit beat so if u can make another beat then amazing otherwise just need technical help mainly.

And i cant provide money but I’ll for sure make it a collab and give u credit everywhrre. Please help!!

This will be my first release Pm me please. :)

I wrote this song a little while ago. I used to work in homelessness and addiction but moved on to other work in healthcare since then. This song is about running into folks I used to encounter on the street and how I see the pain they carry show up in other people/places in my life, albeit a bit differently.

Musically, I see this very much as a demo, I'm really a sax player so all the singing, guitaring, and keyboarding is way out of my comfort zone! I would ideally have a friend or collaborator play some lead guitar or something over it.

Lyrics:

V1: I passed a couple zombies on the drive today
There would have been a time when I'd have known their names
And though their songs were always sung into the wind
I'd heard them long ago and I knew that if I listened, they'd sound something like

Ch: Give me love, give me peace, give me shelter
Say my name, hear my voice, do me a favour
Only when we all accept our streets are built on bodies
We'll stop asking why the pavement's cracked, and our homes are full of Zombies

V2: I kicked it with some losers in the rain today
One wanted home, the other yesterday
The world's bigger when the hurting's not our fault
They learned it long ago, and I knew if they could speak, they'd say something like

Chorus

Br: You've been holding the weight of the world
You keep asking for something to change
The suns that set won't rise again
But the light they gave can shine again
While you're waiting for mountains to move
Don't forget to stay in the groove

V3: I caught up with my brother, in his secret hiding place
There would have been a time when I forgot his name
Our path and our forgiveness, were made one and the same
He taught me long ago, and I knew that if I listened, I'd hear something like

Chorus

What are the same idioms as “Hive mind” or “Soft spine”, any ideas?

I can write your lyrics and topline for you OR produce a song you've already written! Reach out if you'd like to work together :)

I typically write and produce pop rock/alt rock/indie type stuff. I've got some songs on my website, soundcloud, and spotify for reference! I've been writing songs my whole life, and producing for a little over a year now. I stay in communication with pro songwriters, getting feedback, and honing my craft.

If you want to collaborate, reach out and we can set up a zoom call!