nathan christian

Category: Music

  • Is Songwriting a Craft?

    The reason I ask is that I recently heard a songwriter suggest that it isn’t. He argued that because ideas—particularly good ones—often appear randomly, songwriting isn’t a craft. A craft, he said, implies something more deliberate and considered.

    He has a point. Idea generation is unpredictable and chaotic. But it takes a huge number of bad ideas to find the good ones—and a lot of good ones to find the great ones. Sifting through them involves an element of craft.

    But the real work, which I’d call craftsmanship, begins once you’ve selected the ideas you want to complete. Only through steely patience, persistence, and even a little pain can you bring the embryo of a great song to life and nurture it into something fully formed—something that can literally outlive you.

    Inevitably, there will always be an elusive final line, word, melody, or chord change that refuses to reveal itself. You have to graft and graft until it does.

    Recently, I came across a book used in the design world called Problem Seeking. I love the concept. We always think in terms of problem-solving but seldom look for problems. I thought this could be helpful when writing songs.

    Look for and expect problems. Overcoming them is how you grow, and finishing something worth sharing always requires persistence.

    Don’t be daunted. This is a natural part of the creative process. Be a craftsman. Persist. Keep working. Keep learning. Push through.

    That’s when you’ll experience the payoff of completing a song—one that brings a deeper satisfaction than the fleeting elation of a new idea.

  • Window Dressing and the Art of Drawing Listeners In 

    What entices you to walk into a store rather than just walk past it?

    Usually, it gives off a vibe, has a tempting offer, or piques your curiosity in some way.

    If you see an empty storefront with a single item perched on otherwise bare shelves, you’ll probably keep walking—especially if there are plenty of other stores vying for your attention.

    The same applies when you upload a song or two and throw them into cyberspace. You’re trying to entice people to stop what they’re doing and step into your otherwise empty store. The same analogy works for a gallery where only a single painting hangs.

    Emptiness seldom attracts.

    For many years, my mother worked in a jeweler’s. Her bosses were focused on making a profit—rightly so. But she saw things through an artist’s lens. 

    Her favorite part of the job? Window dressing. She loved the creativity involved, the chance to make something beautiful and inviting.

    So when it comes to your art, think beyond just putting things out there. Build a curated collection. Present it with care. Don’t just toss songs onto digital shelves—decorate your storefront. Make it a creative endeavor, not just a business decision.

    One song, one piece of art, is never enough. Gradually build your gallery in a way that leaves people feeling nourished, the way you do after touring a great exhibit.

    And curate with coherence. There’s an art gallery in the center of Manchester filled with paintings and sculptures, yet nothing seems to fit together. You leave feeling a little conflicted. You may write in many genres and styles, which is fine. But take your audience into account. Visualise your audience experiencing your creations, like visitors in a gallery. 

    Whatever your genre, your audience should be able to see the logic in what you’re doing. Help them by presenting your work with intention.

    Use your creativity to invite them in, not just to listen but to experience. 

  • Real Art Transcends Culture

    Ryan Tedder makes an interesting point in this interview. He says that in the past, a great song—one that you, your family friends all thought was great—stood a very good chance of becoming a hit.

    But now, a song will only gain traction if it’s part of the “culture”.

    In other words:

    Song of questionable quality + fits TikTok trends = probable hit.

    Great song + doesn’t fit TikTok trends = very unlikely hit.

    For me, this is more evidence that there are two kinds of songwriters, and you can’t be both:

    1. Those who write viral hits for the industry, where popularity matters more than integrity.
    2. Those who write great songs regardless of trends. Some, like The National (I once watched them play a huge stadium, where a security guard told me he’d never heard of them), very gradually build an audience outside the mainstream. Others, like Ken Yates—an excellent songwriter—struggle to find a wide audience.

    So these are two separate skill sets. 

    Confusing them is often the death of my own songwriting. Which is why I keep repeating this thought (probably as a reminder to myself):

    You have to be true to yourself and make art, not products. Art has to touch you and come from within to really matter.

    Spotify streaming data, TikTok hits, and award ceremonies only reflect what’s trending in popular culture. 

    Genuine art isn’t defined by trends—it exists beyond them, transcending and outlasting them.

  • How Low Can You Go

    Inheritance, directed by Neil Burger, was filmed entirely on an iPhone.

    I watched the movie without knowing this. The slightly jumpy, erratic nature of some scenes only made it feel more human. The tension was palpable.

    Afterward, I remembered an old boss of mine telling me, “One day, everyone will have a camera built into their phone.” That was nearly 30 years ago.

    What was once impossibly expensive is now relatively affordable.

    The same is true for recording equipment. I’ve often felt a little envious of writers, painters, and photographers, who can create professional work with minimal gear and cost. Meanwhile, musicians traditionally needed expensive studio setups just to showcase their work properly.

    Do You Really Need a Studio in 2025?

    There’s no doubt that high-end gear in the hands of skilled engineers produces superior recordings. But is it absolutely necessary?

    If an experienced sound engineer were given a decent audio interface, a solid microphone, and a laptop running Logic Pro, could they produce a recording that sounds truly professional? Would their peers be able to tell if it was made in a high-end studio or in a bedroom?

    Would it be the audio equivalent of Inheritance—a compelling work with only subtle hints that it was made outside a traditional production environment?

    And does anyone even care about HiFi vs. LoFi anymore?

    But how “Lo” Can You Go?

    Ultimately, Inheritance works because its foundation is strong—the story, the acting, and the creative shot choices. Post-production undoubtedly gave it the final polish, but great source material always wins. Even Spielberg agrees.

    The same applies to music. A great song and a DAW alone won’t guarantee a great recording. You need to refine your recording and mixing skills. You need to capture the moment. And you need to invest in post-production.

    That might mean hiring a professional mixing or mastering engineer. But a high-quality mastering plugin used correctly can also work wonders.

    Mastering on a Budget

    I’m a big fan of Ozone iZotope—it’s basically AI for your mixes. Used carefully, it can elevate your tracks in ways that were once only possible with professional mastering.

    A few things I’ve learned using it:

    • Don’t push too hot of a signal—watch that output meter.
    • The Master Assistant can instantly fix your EQ, or at least mix tweaks you hadn’t noticed.
    • It maximizes your volume for streaming without crushing dynamics.
    • The stereo width tool, when used sparingly, adds depth without making your mix sound artificial.

    Technology Is a Gift—But It’s Not a Replacement

    These advancements are a massive win for independent musicians. No doubt, incredible albums will be made in bedrooms. But at the end of the day, technology will never replace great songwriting and performance.

  • How to Become a Professional Producer

    What is a producer in the music world? 

    These days, many songwriters call themselves producers simply because they can operate a DAW, create a beat, and record vocals.

    A more accurate term for them is amateur producers—and that’s not a slight. There has to be a distinction between amateur and professional, or else why do artists and bands still hire professional producers?

    One reason is their ability to shape a song into a hit. They don’t just record and mix—they know how to elevate a song through arrangement, instrumentation, and added “catchiness” to make it connect with an audience.

    But that’s not the role I want to focus on here. Chasing hits is one thing, but real producers do something just as important: they get things finished.

    Professional producers are valued as much for their creativity as for their planning and project management skills. They know time and money are limited, and they ensure an album or song is completed on schedule with the resources available.

    Many creatives love the process of making music but struggle with knowing when something is done and how to reach the finish line. That’s where production skills come in.

    What Does This Mean for You?

    If you don’t have the budget to hire a producer, you need to become one—not by taking an expensive course, but by getting organized.

    • Map out the work – What’s left to finish the song or album? How long will it take? Write it down.
    • Schedule your sessions – Plan exactlywhen you’ll write, record, mix, and master. Set realistic deadlines based on your other responsibilities. 
    • Adapt as needed – If something takes longer than expected, adjust the timeline, but don’t let the project stall.

    The sometimes chaotic mind of the creative may be very helpful for generating new ideas, but not so much for mapping out and completing a project that leads to high quality results.

    You won’t lose artistic integrity by thinking like a producer. You’ll finish more songs and make more music—which is what really matters.