How music works (according to David Byrne)

Welcome to The Songwriter’s Workshop. This is the series where I attempt to write songs based on the process and techniques of famous songwriters. Each video looks at a different songwriter’s writing habits, musical inspirations, and creative process while also including an original song written using those techniques.
In this video, we will look at the songwriting process of David Byrne and his book How Music Works. I look at the process used by David, Brian Eno, and Talking Heads to record their album Remain in Light and use their techniques to write my new song Haven't We Seen This Before?
Twitter: / songwritersws
Instagram: / thesongwritersworkshopyt
Email: [e-mail]
00:00 TSW Intro
00:22 David Byrne Intro
03:51 Part 1 - Why a song is written a certain way
06:27 Part 2 - How a song is written
10:10 Part 3 - What a song is written about
15:49 Haven't We Seen This Before?
19:10 Outro
#davidbyrne #talkingheads #HowToWriteASong #songwriter

[@BeesWaxMinder]

4:09 - “The most important part of the artwork is the frame“ ZAPPA
(Why not try your hand and a David Bowie version of the song writing videos, please?)

[@ManiacalReflection]

This channel is an absolute godsend. It’s helped me so much with my songwriting. Could you do a video on Jeff Magnum if possible? Would love to see that, fantastic songwriter

[@TheSongwritersWorkshop]

Thanks, and thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to look into Jeff, I don't think I've heard much of his music.

[@yak7414]

incredible video!!! lots of great insight. would love to see one on lcd soundsystem/James murphy

[@LindaMcRae42]

Wow, what you're doing here is sooooo great. Who are you? I hope to watch all of these.

[@lMarcosCobain]

Best music channel I've seen in a while. Keep it up!

[@GingerWaters]

I would have guessed, that the song was cover version of Talking Heads song I haven’t heard before.
I have noticed the same thing, that one chord songs develope groovy rythms.

[@aspoopyartboi9204]

The cool thing is that he did this kind of process from “Fear of Music” to his album “American Utopia”

[@JonathanLindsay]

When I first heard Remain in Light, I couldn't beleive anything could be so rich and deep. That was 30 years ago and I still find myself incredibly inspired by this record. I like how in this video you discuss the preface to the book and how music fits the context it's created within, important for those of us who are writing, often alone in our home studio. How does that context impact our creativity?

[@calebfunkner5910]

This is an incredible series. I don't see anyone else doing what you're doing here. Thank you for your work and research. A lot of us struggling songwriters need it.

[@spongechameleon6940]

This is awesome. Breaking up the process section by section with commentary of how it went for you is a really nice format. By the end of the video I could recall the discussion of each part while listening to the song (nice song btw). The hypnotic groove and addition/removal of instruments one-by-one to build up or come down made me immediately think of edm. Although there's more of your standard four chord pop progression going on, the barebones, simple hypnotic nature of Lane 8's Brightest Lights album is a good example of some edm that embodies the simple groove philosophy, in my opinion.

[@brionkellymusic5029]

Best song so far. I’d love to see you do Morrissey/Jonny Marr at some stage

[@TheSongwritersWorkshop]

Thanks! Love The Smiths, I'm sure I'll get to them at some point.

[@MiloMcnally]

Just finished listening to David Byrne's audiobook and found this.
Great channel idea and even better execution of it!

[@dallasokelly2951]

Love it. Keep going

[@greagandev]

This is great.

[@kablefransen6849]

Terrific vid. Cool song. Thank you

[@Chase2theCut]

thank you

[@AidanEyewitness]

Very interesting, I learned a lot. The track turned out well

[@jeroenfigee]

The Byrne-book arrived yesterday in the mail.
Saw t h i s video today :-)
Now I want to read the book even more ...
.
Good tip about the DavidByrne DVD.
I already know someone I want to give this to, as a present.
.
Thanx for the video.
Thumbs up + subscribed.

[@TheSongwritersWorkshop]

Enjoy the book, it's great!

[@jeroenfigee]

@@TheSongwritersWorkshop ... Thanks! Just finished DavidSheppards: 'OnSomeFarawayBeach', where all the albums Eno made are described. In there, several sessions with DavidByrne. That's how I found out about his book; How Music Works.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

Ya Best Vid’ Yet👍

[@musichistory2615]

Hey, could u do, KORN, METALLICA, TOOL, that would be sick👍🏼

[@TheSongwritersWorkshop]

Love James Hetfield, I'll have to look into it

[@musichistory2615]

I messaged u on instagram about some stuff🤘🏼

[@selahfashion2382]

Excellent video. Could you do one on Jeff Buckley? That would be an amazing video.

[@TheSongwritersWorkshop]

Buckley is definitely on my list, Live at Sin-e is one of my all time favorite albums