Photos from our inspirational songwriting retreat with Peter Mulvey and BettySoo.

"In the many workshops I've taught, over and over, people ask me what to do about their inner critic” says veteran songwriter Peter Mulvey. “How do I banish it? How do I get it to shut up, long enough for me to get this song done? And my over time, I've come to believe that the best thing to do is give your inner critic another job: turn him into the Noticer.

Rather than saying 'such-and-such is different and therefore wrong', you can put that guy to work saying 'isn't this interesting: such-and-such is different... and it seems to have X effect. What would change if we changed it? What would change if we changed something else and left it the same? What if we double down? What if we reverse course exactly?' The Noticer is a lot more fun to have around." 

In the course of a workshop, Mulvey takes his own songs apart, nuts and bolts, and shows with verve and vision what parts of them are working, and, how, and why. The time flies by, and there are plenty of examples from the work of great artists, all employed to cast process into relief, to dispel unhelpful mysteries, and to stoke curiosity about the helpful mysteries. Students are encouraged to bring their own work, especially songs they're frustrated with, and Mulvey gives the same keen, flexible attention to the students' work. There will also be spontaneous, brief writing exercises and a weekend-long song prompt. Expect to come away artistically revivified." - Peter Mulvey