Collaborative songwriting program pairs aspiring writers with industry veterans
The art of writing and recording for songwriters
A fixture of Sweetwater Studios’ ongoing educational programming, the Recording Workshop series has given hundreds of aspiring musicians and audio engineers the opportunity to absorb the experience of recording in a professional atmosphere alongside Sweetwater’s world-class team of engineers and industry-leading talent from every corner of popular music. With the Songwriter Workshop, Sweetwater is expanding the scope of these programs to the heart of recorded music — the art and craft of writing memorable songs. “Songwriting is about the overflow of your heart and mind through music,” said Naish. “The Songwriter Workshop will give people the opportunity to explore that and prepare for what a career in songwriting can entail.”
“There’s more to making a good song great than just the melodies and the lyrics,” added Altman, “There’s rhythmic and arrangement elements, as well as the production on a recording that can add emotional resonance to the final track. In the Songwriter Workshop we’ll be sharing specific tools and skills to help our writers maximize the concept of a song and take a holistic view of the craft that includes everything from the writing to the recording.”
A fully collaborative environment in Sweetwater’s state-of-the-art studios
In addition to the opportunity for one-on-one coaching with both Naish and Altman, attendees will have the opportunity to work collaboratively and play and perform together on each other’s work. For both instructors, this is a key teaching tool that will encourage maximum creativity and growth. “There is so much that can be learned from trusting someone else with your concept or melody, and it can really help someone broaden their skills and knowledge of the craft,” explained Naish. “Modern music hinges on collaboration, and we’re really looking forward to encouraging that atmosphere in the workshop.”
“Songwriters as a community always learn best from each other, and that’s the kind of atmosphere we wanted to curate here,” concluded Altman. “We both love having the opportunity to work with new writers, and we hope to give people the keys to unlocking the best parts of their own creativity.”
Meet the instructors
Davis Naish is a Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter from Nashville. In 2016, he signed his first publishing deal with Hall of Fame songwriter Jeffrey Steele and later joined a production house formed by his mentor, David Hodges. Naish’s recent collaborations include Eric Church, Armin van Buuren, and NEEDTOBREATHE. He has also had placements in numerous movies and TV shows, including Looking for Alaska, Lucifer, and To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You.
Marshall Altman began his music career in the mid-’90s as the front man of the band Farmer. After discovering his passion for helping others develop their music, he worked with artists like Katy Perry, OneRepublic, and Switchfoot at both Capitol and Columbia Records. In 2010, Altman began his own label, Galt Line Music, and has released music in partnership with various artists, including Frankie Ballard, Matt Nathanson, and Natasha Bedingfield.
Workshop Registration is $1500 per person and includes:
- Three full days of learning at Sweetwater Studios from 9am to 6pm
- A collaborative workshop environment that includes both group sessions and one-on-one coaching with both Naish and Altman
- The opportunity to record and produce a song in Sweetwater’s state-of-the-art recording studios
To register for Sweetwater Studios’ Songwriter Workshop, please visit: https://sweetwaterstudios.com/workshops/songwriter-workshop-davis-naish-marshall-altman/
For more information on Sweetwater Studios and upcoming Recording Workshops, please visit: http://www.sweetwaterstudios.com/
About Sweetwater Studios
Sweetwater Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sweetwater Sound, Inc., the largest online music instrument retailer in the country. With three world-class studios designed by Russ Berger and access to a greater diversity of musical equipment and professional audio gear than any other recording studio in the world, Sweetwater Studios is able to accommodate just about any recording, mixing or mastering project, no matter how simple or complex. Sweetwater Studios also has an exceptional staff of producers, engineers, session musicians and studio technicians to ensure that any artist will get personalized, first-class treatment from start to finish.