25 November: PRODUCTION FOR SONGWRITERS Workshop
Details
🎵 PRODUCTION FOR SONGWRITERS 🎵
### Magesongs Songwriting Series — November 2026
Your song is written. The melody works. The lyrics tell the story. But how do you turn that song into a recording that truly connects with listeners?
A good song deserves good production. Yet many songwriters find themselves unsure about what happens between writing a song and hearing the finished recording.
Should you use a full band or keep the arrangement simple? Which instruments will best support the melody? How important are the vocals? What exactly do mixing and mastering do? And how much of this does a songwriter really need to understand?
In this free, live and interactive workshop, award-winning songwriter and songwriting mentor Jacques Gentil explores the creative decisions behind music production, and how those decisions can strengthen—or sometimes weaken—a song.
You don't need an expensive studio, technical expertise or professional recording equipment to benefit from this session. Our focus is on understanding production from the songwriter's perspective, rather than learning how to operate complicated recording software.
### What we'll explore
🎵 The role of production in songwriting — Why a great song and a great recording are not necessarily the same thing.
🎵 Choosing the right sound and style — Finding arrangements, instruments, rhythms and tempos that suit the song rather than following trends.
🎵 Working with vocals and musicians — Understanding how performances, harmonies and musical choices influence the listener's experience.
🎵 Recording, mixing and mastering — What these stages involve and what songwriters should listen for.
🎵 Working with producers — How to communicate your vision and make informed creative decisions.
🎵 Common production mistakes — Recognising when too much—or too little—production gets in the way of the song.
🎵 Getting your music ready for release — Understanding the difference between a songwriting demo and a finished master recording.
We'll also look at how today's home-recording technology and AI-assisted music tools are changing the possibilities for independent songwriters, while keeping the song itself at the centre of the creative process.
### Who should attend?
Whether you're just beginning your songwriting journey, recording demos at home, collaborating with musicians, or preparing songs for commercial release, this workshop will help you make better-informed production decisions.
Remember: Production should serve the song, not the other way around.
### Workshop details
📅 Wednesday 25 November 2026
🕢 7:30 PM – 8:45 PM AEDT (Melbourne/Sydney time) Note daylight saving time.
💻 Online via Zoom — Live and Interactive
🎟️ FREE to attend
### About your presenter
Jacques Gentil is an award-winning Australian songwriter, music publisher and founder of Magesongs School of Songwriting.
His achievements include being named the ASA/APRA Australian Songwriter of the Year 2013 and winning the 2026 Commonwealth Song Contest with his composition Should Words Fail, representing Australia.
Through Magesongs, Jacques has mentored aspiring and established songwriters for over two decades, sharing practical knowledge gained through songwriting, recording, music publishing and working with other musicians.
Note: Zoom link will only show after you have RSVP'd.
### Join us!
Bring your questions, your experiences and your curiosity.
Discover how thoughtful production can help your songs reach their full potential.
This is another inspiring session in the Magesongs Songwriting Series.
MAGESONGS SCHOOL OF SONGWRITING
Write Better Songs