Co-Writing and Collaboration

Summary

Abstract

Co-writing and collaboration is discussed in songwriting-talk with 103 categorized messages. The channel provides rare insider perspective on professional co-writing sessions — how to prepare, how to navigate room dynamics, and how to balance authenticity with commercial demands. oaklandmatt’s detailed session anecdotes offer a window into major-label co-writing that is not available in any other processed channel.

Detail

Session Preparation

oaklandmatt’s approach to session preparation is the channel’s most detailed co-writing guidance:

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Author: oaklandmatt — Date: 2024-01-26 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 20 reactions “I pretty much always have full songs, tracks, hooks, and concepts prepared. Much of the time, you won’t use any of them on any given day. But good news: they’re useful for future days. I’ve had all of that prepared and then the artist and I just chat for five hours, then write a song on a piano. I’ve had all that prepared and then cut song after song because the artist goes ‘what else do you have???’ Being way over prepared is rarely going to hurt you.”

Source

Author: oaklandmatt — Date: 2024-01-26 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 14 reactions “I always tailor it to the artist in some way. It’s a combination of making fresh ideas specifically for them and taking existing ideas that could work. I never go into a session like an actual blind date where I don’t know anything about them. The challenge is always do I make something that sounds like what they’ve done, or do I make something that sounds like where they’re going?”

Room Dynamics and Flexibility

Professional co-writing sessions are unpredictable by nature:

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Author: oaklandmatt — Date: 2024-01-26 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 20 reactions “I’ve been in with an artist all week. Me, another producer/writer, and her. We usually bounce back and forth depending on what the song requires. We’ve all worked together before and we had the whole week blocked out so there’s no pressure to perform on day one. But we did three songs on the first day because she just came in firing.”

The key principle: flexibility > rigid methodology. Having the whole week blocked out removes “pressure to perform on day one.”

The A&R Dynamic

How to navigate label involvement in co-writing:

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Author: oaklandmatt — Date: 2022-05-16 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 13 reactions “A VERY loose way I often think about it is like this: if you’re going to lean toward the A&R, do it on the production, not the songwriting. Every great song I’ve been a part of writing (and I mean literally 100% of them) have been about capturing an emotional moment or excitement that is happening in the room with the people in the room. If you start thinking about ‘what does the A&R want the lyrics to be like?’ you’re gonna lose that.”

Solo Writing vs Co-Writing

The channel explores the distinct creative modes:

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Author: oaklandmatt — Date: 2024-01-26 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 13 reactions “There are many stories of people marinating on a song and lyrics evolving over time, but that’s mostly an artist who writes by themselves (Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty, Frank Ocean). I have rarely had that experience co-writing.”

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Author: NoahNeedleman — Date: 2022-08-18 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 14 reactions “It was a big realization for me that I’m an Enneagram 2, ‘The Helper.’ I often find real purpose in helping others finish songs, but when I’m only creating for myself I don’t have that natural ‘why’ like I do when I’m looking at someone else. I used to think that was a weakness, but now I employ it thoughtfully and it’s a bit of a superpower.”

Building a Collaborative Career

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Author: Josh — Date: 2021-08-10 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 11 reactions “Just make sure the people you’re investing your time in are not only great at what they do, but they care about you just as much as you care about them. I made the decision this time last year that when I came back to PA that I’d get a day job so I don’t have to worry about writing and producing for artists who don’t care, and I could afford to do shit like fly to Atlanta or LA to write with artists who aren’t even making waves YET and it’s already paying off.”

Trust and Communication in Sessions

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Author: BatMeckley — Date: 2022-10-21 — Channel: songwriting-talk — 12 reactions “As a fundamental rule, I do my best to not bring up an issue with something unless I feel pretty strongly I’ve got the solution. At the very least, I make sure I can really specifically say WHY I’m not into an idea. Nothing I hate more than ‘that sucks, it just does.‘”

Practical Application

• Over-prepare for every session: full songs, tracks, hooks, and concepts ready even if you don’t use them
• Research the artist beforehand — never go in blind
• Lean toward the A&R on production, not songwriting — protect the emotional authenticity of the writing
• Remove time pressure where possible — book more time than you think you need
• Know your creative role: are you a solo writer, a co-writer, or a “Helper” who thrives in supporting others?
• Build relationships with artists who care about you, not just who are commercially convenient

Common Mistakes

• Going into sessions unprepared or without material to offer
• Letting A&R preferences dictate the lyrical direction
• Not communicating specifically about why something isn’t working
• Investing time in collaborators who don’t reciprocate care
• Assuming co-writing requires equal contribution in the same way every time
• Not discussing splits early in the session

See Also

• Lyric Writing — the emotional honesty that powers great co-writing
• Music Publishing and Songwriting Splits — split conventions and negotiation
• Songwriting and Arrangement — song structure decisions in collaborative context
• Creative Process and Songwriting Practice — daily routines that prepare for session work
• Client Relations and Project Management — broader professional relationship management
• Session Mindset and Engineering Philosophy — interpersonal skills in studio settings

Source Discussions

Discord Source

Channel: songwriting-talk — Date Range: 2021-04 to 2026-02 Key contributors: oaklandmatt, NoahNeedleman, BatMeckley, Josh, peterlabberton, Will Melones, masteredbyjack Message volume: 103 categorized messages (Co-Writing & Collaboration)