Songwriting Coaching: Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re completely new to coaching with me, you should start is by scheduling a free consultation. We’ll spend 10-15 minutes talking about you and your songwriting goals, and figure out how I can help you moving forward.

To schedule your consultation, use this page or email coaching [at] thesongfoundry [dot] com.

Currently I coach most Mondays and Fridays and occasionally on other days too. Once you’ve purchased a package of one, three or six sessions, you can then schedule them at your convenience. Some writers schedule regular sessions every week or two weeks, and some less frequently. We can discuss this in your consultation.

Our system is completely automated and lets you reschedule or cancel appointments yourself, and sends reminder emails 24 hours before your session is due to take place.

All sessions are 45 minutes. In my experience, it’s a good balance between having enough time to speak in depth but short enough to stay focused and good value for money for you.

I generally offer coaching sessions on Mondays and Fridays, plus occasional other dates throughout the year. If you have any questions about availability, you can ask them in your free consultation or contact me here.

When you book a free consultation via our coaching page, I’ll tell you everything you need to know then.

If you’re completely new to songwriting, in your first session we’ll probably do a song analysis exercise before you work on your own material. If you’re looking for feedback on specific songs or works in progress – even something really rough – it’s worth having that prepared before you start.

The time in between sessions is where you’ll make 90% of your progress. During your coaching I’ll recommend next steps – what to focus on writing or what to study – before your next session to keep you progressing.

If you’re new to songwriting, we’ll spend your first few sessions completing a song, step by step. If you’re a more experienced writer, I’ll make recommendations on what to do next based on the songs you have already and the kinds of new challenges I think you’ll grow most from.

Payment for Skype sessions are processed by Acuity Scheduling, our secure online booking system. You can pay using all major cards in many international currencies or with a PayPal account.

If you’re paying in any currency other than US dollars, our booking system doesn’t charge any additional fees, though your bank might. You might want to check with them before you make any payments. You can check out our international prices page to see what our coaching rates look like in other currencies, or to pay in GBP, EUR or AUD.

All Skype Sessions are paid for in advance. You purchase a package of sessions and then can schedule them at your leisure.

You’re free to cancel or reschedule a session any time more than 24 hours before it’s due to begin. Within 24 hours, sessions cannot be cancelled or changed and the session is counted as taken whether you attend it or not.

If you get cold feet before the first session of any package is used we can refund the package in full, no problem. Once you’ve had your first session, though, we’re not able to offer any full or partial refunds.

Congrats, you’ve come up with a Rarely Asked Question. You can get in touch via the Contact Page or send an email directly to coaching [at] thesongfoundry [dot] com.