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HOW TO STAY INSPIRED WHEN YOU’RE STUCK AT HOME

With everything going on in the world right now, we know it can be difficult to stay creative, motivated, and inspired. That why we have chosen The Bluebird’s own Karleen Watt to give some insight and thoughts from the songwriter’s perspective about how to stay inspired while you’re stuck at home. Check out her great advice below!

NSAI Coffee Break

Here’s something great to add to your binge-watching list. Dive into interview after interview with some of the biggest songwriters (and Bluebird Cafe favorites) in Nashville and beyond. It just might make you want to put down the remote and pick up a guitar!  Also available via Facebook, Apple Podcasts and Soundcloud.

If you’re an NSAI member, you can also access this great Online Video Library full of songwriting lectures, songwriter interviews, impromptu performances and more.

Livestream Concerts

If you’ve been anywhere near social media lately, then you know everyone is off the road and on their couches singing for the masses. Now is the time to catch a rare glimpse into the lives of our favorite performers and creators. I have been constantly and fully entertained ever since this started happening. This is also a great chance to get out there yourself and showcase your talent while you have a captive audience. It’s a lot of fun for everyone involved. And don’t be shy about posting a “virtual tip jar” using your PayPal or Venmo link. People understand musicians are hurting right now and they don’t mind throwing in a buck or two.

Here are a few websites that are keeping good updated livestream concert calendars:

Now Playing Nashville

Do615.com

Nash In Tune

Performance Rights Organizations (PROs)

Songwriters, your PROs have you covered. Follow these links for songwriter legislation updates, royalty distribution updates, industry news, etc. They’ve also listed a bunch of professional and creative resources you can access from home, so you won’t miss a beat. Now would also be a good time to get those songs registered and shows reported so you can get paid!

Here are the top three:

BMI

ASCAP

SESAC

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Digital Archives

Did you know the Country Music Hall of Fame has a large portion of its archives available online? Take a trip back in time by perusing through pages and pages of rare photos, recordings, moving images and print materials. I’ve spent hours on this website more than once. You’ll fall in love with music all over again.

Ultimate Guitar

There are a lot of good guitar tab/guitar chord apps out there. This just happens to be my favorite. For a small yearly fee, you’ll have access to almost any song you can think of and it’s updated daily. You can aldo add your own tabs if there’s a song that’s not listed. Whether you want to learn some new covers for that Lower Broadway gig or just play through some old favorite for inspiration, this will keep you busy for hours. Commence shredding.

Apple Podcasts about Songwriting/Music Biz:

If you’re like me, you sometimes need a little help waking up your muse. Here’s a list of my favorite Apple Podcasts about Songwriting and the music biz in general. Turn one on while you’re sanitizing the house or out walking in nature (while still socially distancing yourself, of course). Trust me, these podcasts will inspire you like they inspire me.

And The Writer Is…

Country Mile…

AIMP Nashville Pubcast

Pitch List Podcast

Song Craft: Spotlight on Songwriters

Knox Country Podcast

Children Of Song

The Music Biz Weekly Podcast

Popcast

Switched On Pop

Pop Shop Podcast

BobbyCast

If all else fails, you can always just write a song!

About the Author:

Karleen Watt has been in Nashville for 17 years and is a regular performer at venues all over the Southeast including shows at the Nashville Ballet and of course, The Bluebird Cafe!  Her album, “Blue Sky Girl” was released in 2019. Karleen recently detailed her Nashville experience, one that mirrors that of many songwriters, when she co-wrote “Nashvillianaire” with Charles Esten and performed the song with him on the Grand Ole Opry.