The creative process for musicians

Teaching students and adults alike to harness their unique and innate creative abilities 

No two people are the same, and no two people have the same ideas. There are hundreds and thousands of purely unique, purely ‘you’ ideas waiting inside of every student. At Art As Mentorship, it is our goal to empower students to unleash those ideas out into the world through music! We have several Kansas City-based music camps focused on teaching students to be their best selves, including the Rebel Song Academy.

We at Art As Mentorship understand, however, not everyone is looking for a class to teach them the creative process, but instead, want to learn themselves. That’s why we designed this online step-by-step guide to walk you through not only our creative process, but the creative process for popular and well-known musicians, such as Beach Bunny, Briston Maroney, and Kevin Morby! 

What is the creative process?

The creative process is defined as the evolution of an idea into its final form through a progression of thoughts and actions. In simple terms, the creative process is how an idea goes from an idea to a piece of music, an art piece, or even a new invention.

So, what are the steps of the creative process for musicians specifically?

Steps of the creative process for musicians  |  Our CARE Method

At Art As Mentorship, we CARE! Our CARE process melds the creative process with expert teaching instruction to make the perfect, easy-to-follow step-by-step guide to achieve any creative goal!

• Creation – Harness the fundamental creative spark.
  • What are your ideas? What sets them apart? Consider this as you flesh out what the core of your idea is.

• Alchemy – Find the right elements to make magic.
  • What do you need to succeed? Give yourself the best space for your mindset. Music or silence, sunlight or darkness– whatever helps you think, go for it! Spend time with yourself and your ideas. 
  • When you feel ready, start to put them together outside of your brain. Make some noise! Allow yourself to fail, to start over. Make mistakes. Keep working!

• Release – Design an intentional plan to share your creation.
  • Who is this idea for? Where are you going to release it? How? 
  • When you have your target audience figured out, how are you going to bring your music to them? What does your music represent, and how are you going to show it? Ponder these questions as you make a plan of action. 

• Experiment – Enter the life-long journey of building authentic audiences
  • Release your music! Whether to friends and family, on Spotify or Soundcloud, or at a public event, let your music be heard! 
  • Gather feedback, and start again! 

How to handle feedback–the last step of the creative process 

Criticism and feedback can sometimes feel overwhelming, but every artist putting themselves out there into the world will have to experience feedback at some point. The good thing is feedback makes you better. 

Feedback is how you grow as an artist and make even better music! Learning from mistakes helps build skills for future pieces. Here’s how to get the most helpful feedback:

• Ask clarifying questions 
• Know that feedback is not a personal attack
• View the feedback from your critics point of view 
• Determine whether feedback is constructive or destructive  

Advice from the pros  |  Professional use of the creative process for musicians

Kevin Morby’s creative process

When asked about his creative process, Kevin Morby had a lot to say. He emphasized the importance of feeling music and allowing yourself to express yourself– when asked how he comes up with his song’s themes, he responded, “Things come to you. I never set out to write a specific kind of song.”

Meaning behind music, and threads of themes and meanings in albums, can be expressed both through an instrument and through lyrics. When asked about how he finds threads in his lyrics, Morby explained that words follow music, “Let gibberish fall out of your mouth–words follow,” and that a musical foundation was the step before lyrics in his creative process.

Inspiration can come from all around us! When Morby was asked by Enrique Chi, the founding member of Art As Mentorship, about how he finds his rhythm creatively, Morby enlightened us with his methods– “I need to place myself around music. Surround yourself with it, put yourself out there. Show your friends songs, don’t just sit in [your creativity].”

Want to hear more words of wisdom from Kevin Morby, and dozens of other famous professional musicians such as Beach Bunny and Briston Maroney? Join us at Rebel Song Academy Live, an online music camp featuring weekly seminars!

Frequently Asked Questions | Steps in the creative process for musicians 

Will learning the creative process make me into the next Beyoncé? 

Our goal is not to make anyone famous, but rather to teach them the creative process so that they can properly utilize their music skills to create their music and shape their life for the better. While being famous is nice, we prioritize our students becoming more rounded and skilled individuals. However, it is true that the qualities Art As Mentorship encourages and helps nourish do set the foundation for higher achievement. 

Can I volunteer with Art As Mentorship?

We are always looking for volunteers to help us in serving the community. Email addie@artasmentorship.org for more information.

Want to learn more insider tips from famous musicians? Join the best virtual music course for students in 2022

Learn more about the steps of the creative process– directly from accomplished musicians 

Art As Mentorship is a non-profit operating in Kansas City, which runs not only the Rebel Song Academy Live program, but several other music camps in the KC area. RSA Live, and all our programs, exist purely thanks to the donations of amazing people and businesses in the Kansas City area. Any donations made to Art As Mentorship go directly back to providing for the kids in the programs–improving the spaces and equipment, providing food, and more! 

The Rebel Song Academy Live program is the most comprehensive, informative, and fun music program available to students and young artists in 2022. To join us and learn more about music, hone your skills, and meet with real industry professionals and famous musicians, visit our website at artasmentorship.org, send us an email at info@artasmentorship.org, or sign up right here! See you online this summer!

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