Under the stage name St. Vincent, Annie Clark has won Grammys while remaining fiercely innovative and true to herself. Now Annie is opening the door to her process to teach you how to explore your creativity. Learn how to record music, write songs, improve your guitar skills, and embrace your vulnerability. Let Annie guide you through the ups and downs of creating art so you can share what’s in your heart with the world.

Syllabus

Meet Your Instructor: St. Vincent a.k.a. Annie Clark

Annie Clark, who performs under the name St. Vincent, welcomes you to her class. She shares an overview of what she’ll teach you, including songwriting, guitar and performance tips, and how to approach the world as a creative person.

Nun Mode: Discipline in the Creative Process

Annie shows you how joy and discipline can converge in your creative practice.

Every Song Needs an Epiphany

Learn how Annie creates emotional journeys in songwriting. She also explores songs by Nirvana and Leonard Cohen that have been important to her.

Basic Tools for Bedroom Composing

Annie shows you the setup she uses to write and record most of her music before she enters a professional recording studio.

“Savior” Songwriting Demo: Early Sketches

Annie introduces you to the earliest version of her song “Savior,” which she wrote in her bedroom when she was 16. Over the next lessons, she’ll take you through each step of the songwriting process.

“Savior” Songwriting Demo: Finding the North Star

Annie walks you through the chord progressions of “Savior” and explains what she means by “proof of concept.”

“Savior” Songwriting Demo: Rewriting, Revising, and Refining

Find out the question Annie asks herself while editing, and see how she expands her sound with collaborators and embraces counter-melodies.

“Savior” Songwriting Demo: Final Mix

Watch Annie in the control room, where she puts all the pieces together using studio tools and shows you how the track became what it is today.

Fear, Shame, and Humiliation

Annie shares her strategies for engaging the world as a creative. Learn how to embrace fear and metabolize shame in order to do your best work.

Seizing Opportunity

Annie reveals her influences and evolution as an artist, touching on key moments like learning about the music business while touring with her Uncle Tuck and Aunt Patti.

Case Study: Writing a Theme Song

Annie breaks down the film and the song “The Nowhere Inn” while in the recording studio. Hear how she created the theme song for her new film, from original concept to the effects she used in the studio.

Tuning In to the World Around You

Annie believes that musicians can engage with different modes of expression, including fashion, art, dance, and design. Learn how to be open to the world around you and draw inspiration from unlikely places.

Notes on Guitar: Tone

Annie talks about how good tone is good technique and how tone works in her songs “Surgeon” and “Rattlesnake.”

Notes on Guitar: Tunings and Techniques

Annie shares her approach to tuning and creating memorable textures for the guitar.

Out of the Studio, Onto the Stage

Learn how to deliver an unforgettable live performance. Get concrete tips, including when to eat before performing and why you should be gracious on stage.