Worship Matters

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11 Feb, 2011

Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help

Posted by: Bob Kauflin In: —Songwriting

songwriting_small_laura_callaghan_loOver the years we’ve offered numerous seminars on songwriting at the WorshipGod conferences, taught primarily by Steve & Vikki Cook and Mark Altrogge, but also by guests that we’ve had at the conference.

I thought it would be helpful to put them all in one place, so here they are. Whatever stage you’re at in your songwriting journey (and we never seem to “arrive”), I think you’ll find something here that will inspire you to be more faithful with your gifts.

Mark, Steve, and Vikki will be returning with more thoughts for songwriters to this year’s WorshipGod conference: The Gathering, Aug. 10-13. I expect the website and registration to be up within a couple weeks.

Before and After: The Evolution of a Song – Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook
Becoming a Better Songwriter
– Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook
How to Revise Your Own Song – Steve Cook
Principles of Songwriting – Stuart Townend
What Makes These Songs Great? – Steve & Vikki Cook
What the Psalms Teach us About Songwriting – Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook
What Will Your Next Song Be? Writing Songs on Purpose – Mark Altrogge, Steve & Vikki Cook
Why God Wants You to Write Songs – Mark Altrogge
Writing Songs People Will Want to Sing – Craig Dunnagan
Recording Your Song from Start to Finish, Part 1 – Sal Oliveri
Recording Your Song from Start to Finish, Part 2 – Sal Oliveri

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14 Responses to "Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help"

1 | Tim Bolognone

February 11th, 2011 at 12:17 PM

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Hey Bob, thanks for putting these all together in one place. I’m really looking forward to listening to them. Any plans for another invite to re-write an old song?

2 | Tweets that mention Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help | Worship Matters -- Topsy.com

February 11th, 2011 at 12:44 PM

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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Bob Kauflin, Greg Willson, Ben Neumann, Jon Althoff, Nicklaus Tanaka and others. Nicklaus Tanaka said: RT @bkauflin Want to become a better songwriter? Here's help. http://ow.ly/1s2euX [Insightful stuff here guys! Check this out!] [...]

3 | Bobby Gilles

February 11th, 2011 at 1:05 PM

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Fantastic! So glad you grouped these in one place.

4 | Songwriting Instructional mp3s from WorshipMatters.com | Sojourn Music

February 11th, 2011 at 1:33 PM

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[...] Check out all the songwriting resources Bob Kauflin just posted on his blog, worshipmatters.com, at … [...]

5 | Matt Blick

February 11th, 2011 at 2:31 PM

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I think I’ve listened and relistened to all of these over the years and heartily concur.

I’d throw into the ring Paul Baloche’s incredible book God Songs and if your readers want some more general songwriting advice there’s a lot to be learned from The Beatles (shameless self promotion for my blog! – sorry!!)

looking forward to this years seminars…

6 | Bob Kauflin

February 11th, 2011 at 3:31 PM

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Tim, We’ll probably have another rearrangement contest this year. Thanks for asking.

7 | David Santistevan

February 11th, 2011 at 4:25 PM

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Thanks for posting this, Bob. I’m planning a songwriting retreat with my worship team in April and hope to utilize these for my teaching. Helpful.

8 | Tweets that mention Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help | Worship Matters -- Topsy.com

February 11th, 2011 at 6:46 PM

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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Buddy Eades, Atlanta Arts Network. Atlanta Arts Network said: Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help | Worship Matters http://ow.ly/3V0oM [...]

10 | Tweets that mention Want to Become a Better Songwriter? Here’s Help | Worship Matters -- Topsy.com

February 12th, 2011 at 10:53 PM

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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andy Rogers, Carol Joy Suzuki. Carol Joy Suzuki said: "Why God Wants You to Write Songs" and other great teachings on Songwriting – http://bit.ly/gb7Au8 [...]

11 | Joey

February 13th, 2011 at 10:05 PM

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Bob, this might be covered in these seminars, but my thought has always been this:

There are already so many great song writers that God has gifted out there, whose songs proclaim Christ and a right view of God, why spend the time writing my own songs?

Is that wrong thinking, or would you say that writing songs is not for everybody?

12 | Bob Kauflin

February 14th, 2011 at 9:13 AM

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Joey, I’d say both. God is always stirring up fresh ways of communicating the eternal gospel, but I’d also affirm that songwriting isn’t for everybody.

13 | Worship Leaders – Prepare Like a Preacher | Cardiphonia

July 11th, 2011 at 8:10 PM

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[...] from Sufjan Stevens Keith Getty – 10 Ideas for Good Songwriting Bob Kauflin – Songwriting resources at Worship Matter blog John Newton – Songwriting [...]

14 | JC

September 9th, 2011 at 10:46 AM

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Bob, thank you for your ministry, and especially this post! Not only has it helped me personally, this will help my worship team in preparation for a songwriting event this fall!

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