Cultivating Sound Advice from Songwriting Masters
Use Scobiphonic Instagram for songwriter inspiration and personal perspectives
Scobiphonic is a journey of new songs and old experiences.
As a fledgling songwriter, I search and scour the internet for music morsels from the masters and practitioners. There are nuggets of wisdom, inspiration and revelation hidden like sharp needles in the YouTube haystack.
As a semi-retired senior, I look back at the landscape of life and wonder about the failures, false promises and disappointments witnessed after decades of living. These thoughts span the personal, professional and patriotic spectrums.
This Substack platform came along at the right time for me. It’s a repository for new songs, protest music essays, and songwriting ideas. It serves as a legacy placeholder to document personal history, but also as a way to share my works with the world.
This is far beyond the dreams of a teenage kid recording rock’n’roll hits off the radio on a hand-held tape cassette player.
And now the next platform in the journey is Instagram, under the same Scobiphonic moniker. I use Instagram as a showcase to highlight original songs, lyrics, essays and techniques. It’s used as a method for teaching, preaching and illustrating both songwriting advice and personal insights.
Instagram is like licking a chocolate chip ice cream cone while standing under the Texas summer sun. Fast and delicious.
Splitting Scobiphonic Hairs: Why Instagram?
Instagram images wash over your eyeballs like a billboard on the endless interstate highway. It flashes for just a brief moment, not unless you concentrate on its contents.
The goal is to gain your attention quick and process the imagery in seconds. It’s both art design and information stimulus to educate you on the fly. My goal is to share succinct lessons, elicit new interest and highlight the essence of musical insights.
Here are the main ways that I use Instagram:
Songwriting Advice - As seen in the main images above, I find quotes from famous artists that touch upon the simple or mad methods of their creative process. These anecdotes are powerful reminders that songs and riffs appear out of the ether for no one reason.
I just go and play. I can’t practice, cuz I’m constantly trying to create other things. That’s why I make a lot of mistakes.
Jimi Hendrix
Original Song Lyrics - Nobody knows these songs, so I post the lyrics to garner some interest and as a means to document my works online.
“When Jeff Bezos Dies” sees the world through the eyes of an Amazon warehouse worker. He wonders if anyone will care about the boss’s death, after suffering company practices.
Protest Song Essays - My inspiration for songwriting arises out of the anti-war movement and the travails of life in America and beyond. Politics, pollution, socialism, capitalism, protest history and global conditions are all part of the mix.
“No Wealth to Purchase Liberty” discusses the American draft riots of 1863 and the rise of protest songs. It was a critical time when new citizens and fresh European immigrants in northern states refused to be drafted into President Lincoln’s Civil War with the south.
Shout Outs for Resources - If you have internet access, it is impossible not to find real inspiration, a compatible teacher or a way to gain knowledge. I studied free music theory lessons on YouTube during the lockdown years. It released my songwriting inhibitions. So I provide recommendations of some of these rich resources.
Not everything musical emanates from a muse. Art is also grunt work besides the gut feelings. There are techniques and methods to prime your inner talents and roil your creative juices. SongTown and Songwriters Chop Shop spark my ingenuity, whereas Zombie Guitar expands my musical abilities.
Songwriting Insights - Songwriting is a very personal endeavor. That’s the real beauty of this creative art. And the rules are meant to be broken. I follow songwriters to gain insights that can either fit my approach or even validate my own methods. But by sharing what works for me, may also activate the innovation in others.
All songwriters are unique. They have different methods, knowledge and life experiences. I’ll try anything to tap into the creative spirit. So I scribble notes on old school index cards and noodle my way to the finish line for new songs.
There is one more option in Instagram that I’ve yet to explore: Reels. These video snippets are invaluable for sharing lessons learned and getting a peek into the creative process. Stay tuned.
Independent creators are the new media. Substack, Instagram and other platforms offer the technical backend to support the small players. And the advent of AI (artificial intelligence), like ChatGPT, enables opportunities to explode, similar to the launch of desktop computers.
It’s a creative world out there. I’m just adding my bit to the revolution.
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If you like the songs and/or essays, please help me distribute them by sharing and following me on Twitter and Substack. I also use Instagram to document the journey and offer songwriting insights.
I appreciate your time, support and aid in this endeavor.
Except in special cases, my original songs are free to the public. Please be mindful that alterations for racist intent is not permitted. Be critical, not hateful.
Fantastic read! Very inspiring and comforting. Thank you!