I’m feeling incredibly humble tonight when it comes to songwriting.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word humble comes from the Latin humilis, meaning low. It means “not proud of haughty”; “not arrogant or assertive; ” “reflecting, expressed or offered in a spirit of deference or submission”; “ranking low in a hierarchy or scale.”
There are just so many amazing songwriters out there — old and young, past and present, male and female, co-writers and loners. And every time I feel like I know a lot about music and writing, I listen to someone I haven’t listened to before — and feel humble.
Strangely, when I first started writing songs 10 years ago I didn’t feel as humble. But the more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn. The more I listen to music, the more I realize I haven’t listened to a drop in the bucket compared to what there is to hear. The more I write, the more I respect the best writers out there. The more I play my instruments, the more I see that the best musicians I know are more than just talented — they really do practice, practice, practice and practice some more.
It’s quite overwhelming, actually. But that humble songwriting pie I’m eating actually tastes really sweet: That’s because the best part about songwriting, I find, is the journey. It’s reading Wikipedia articles about the history of songwriters and songs; it’s about learning what influenced my favorite musicians; it’s about filling my iPod with new music; it’s getting recommendations from musicians I respect; it’s about taking lessons; it’s about practicing guitar and piano; it’s about sitting down and noodling and getting excited about something new and interesting arising.
What I’m saying is that learning about songwriting and music is *fun* — at least it is for me. And I’m thrilled to get more and more humble as time goes on — I know it will make me a better songwriter this year, next year and beyond.
Hummmm….you know what I mean?
