So, you’ve been singing since you were a toddler in nappies. At family gatherings, you would serenade a gaggle of aunties, uncles and cousins with your own renditions of popular pop songs – much to everyone’s delight.

And then, as you got older, singing lessons became your extra-curricular, and singing competitions became your Everest to conquer, and more and more, working and creating in the musical space became your singular, all-encompassing destiny.

And now you’re here. Only now, you have something more. You have an idea of a style and voice for your own music. You have songs in your heart that need a pulse of their own. You have something to say, and you want music to be the vehicle you will use, to get your thoughts, words and melodies to the ears that will appreciate them.

But you’re also here because you’re not sure how to get started.

That’s okay, because you’ve come to the right place. MyMastery is teaming up with a host music industry stars and experts, to give insight into some of the most inaccessible parts of the industry. With them you can learn the intricacies of lyric and melody, the art of the song, and the business side of making sure your music gets airwaves.

We’ll tell you a little later how to sign up. Let’s have a look at a little course taster here, though - some features that you’ll be covering in class in more detail. Let’s talk about songwriting, and the art of the song.

So, before you get started, let’s go through some top tips to get you started. Here’s how to start your songwriter’s journey:

Finish your tunes

The output required in songwriting – like in any art – is significant. Sometimes the writing process is mired with blockages, misguided melodies and slumps in the creative process. This could mean that songs take longer to be ‘finished’, and self-doubt becomes all-encompassing.

But this is creation, and sometimes a song can never truly be classified as complete. You must make it seem so if just for your own sanity. If you envision three verses, two choruses and an instrumental outro, make it happen. You can edit later. It’s your brainchild.

Kickstart creativity with the small things

Creating is work, it’s tears, it’s joy, it’s release. But it also plays by no rules – when it wants to be elusive, it will, and you’ll feel its absence. There are ways, however, to wake it up. Try writing in unfamiliar places. Try your hand at different genres. Use people, places, nature, butterflies – anything – to drive your creativity into other realms. Lyrics and notes can be found in in the reflection of a dew drop, the folded bark of gnarled tree trunk, even in flowing granules of sand. Take from what the world is showing you.

Then, when your song is done in its first, in-between or last iteration, record it. This part is simply your creation becoming tangible. This means it has life. You can modify that life, or send it out into the world, but only if it can be perceived. So don’t keep a song locked away in your head or heart. Demo it. Make it so.

So, there you have it. Something to get you started before you join the MyMastery songwriters alum. In the meantime, check out instructor Lira’s masterclass. Drawing from her years as an international pop superstar, in her class, she’ll take you through techniques in performance, songwriting and vocals, as well as how to navigate the sometimes-rigorous business side of the music industry – and do so with class and aplomb.