Nunatak (Band) Songwriting Advice

Want to write songs that sound like they learned emotional geometry in college and still crash the party at the end of the night? This guide pulls songwriting lessons from the vibe people expect when they say Nunatak. We will cover melody writing, lyrical craft, guitar and arrangement tricks, recording tips, and the live choices that make a song feel true and massive at the same time. You will get concrete exercises, studio friendly checklists, and real life scenarios that show how to take an idea to stage ready.

This is for millennial and Gen Z musicians who want songs that hold up on headphones and on a sweaty club floor. The voice here is honest, a little ridiculous, and brutally practical. Every term and acronym gets an explanation. Every idea has a small drill you can do this afternoon.

Why Nunatak? What to steal and what to leave alone

Nunatak songs often feel earnest without being boring. They move between intimate lines and big ambient moments. The band uses guitars and textures to create a sense of space. Vocals can be conversational or soaring depending on the moment. Use their approach as a tool kit. Do not copy lyrics or melodies. Copy ideas about dynamics, clarity, and trust in small details.

Real life scenario

• You have a lyric about missing someone while making coffee. Instead of naming the feeling you add a detail. The spoon clinks twice and the radio plays the same sad song. That makes it personal and cinematic.

Core songwriting pillars to borrow

• Contrast in scale Use soft intimate verses and wider choruses. Think whisper then shout without sounding fake.
• Texture as character Treat a guitar part or a synth pad like a person in the song. Let it have its own emotion.
• Specificity equals authenticity Details make generic feelings feel lived in.
• Economy of language Say one clear thing per line and let the music do the extra work.
• Dynamic narrative Build the song like a small story with a turning point that the music reflects.

Melody and vocal approach

Nunatak style melodies feel conversational but with moments that open up. Start with the voice as a narrator. Think like you are telling a close friend a short, weird secret. Then let the chorus be the sentence you cannot stop saying out loud.

Topline method that works for this sound

1. Make a simple chord loop of two or three chords. Keep it repeating for five minutes.
2. Sing on vowels only for a minute. Record it. This is called a vowel pass. It finds melody shapes before words mess things up.
3. Pick a small melodic fragment that you want to repeat. That is your hook.
4. Write short phrases to fit the rhythm of that fragment. Say them out loud at conversation speed to check prosody. Prosody means the way syllables and stresses line up with the music. If a strong word lands on a weak beat change the line.

Real life scenario

• You are in a tiny rehearsal room without a mic. You hum through your phone. You find a melody that fits on two notes and it feels like a secret. You use that two note shape as the chorus anchor.

Melodic nudges to try

• Start the verse melody low and narrow. The chorus should expand either by range or rhythmic space.
• Use a small leap into the chorus title. A leap is a jump between notes. Listeners register leaps as emotional punctuation.
• Repeat short melodic motifs. Repetition breeds memory.

Guitar and arrangement tips

Guitars in the Nunatak world are rarely just rhythm instruments. They make shapes and colors. Play with arpeggios, ambient picking, and textural effects that sit in the background rather than fight the vocal.

Parts to write for a guitar player

• Motif A short phrase that can repeat between sections and become a mental hook.
• Arpeggio bed A pattern that supports vocals with movement rather than chord strums.
• Lead lift A simple melodic counterpoint that appears only in the chorus or bridge.

Avoid dense chords under a conversational vocal during verses. Give the singer space. Add layers in the chorus. One layer per pass to keep each addition meaningful.

FX and texture ideas

FX means effects. Effects are tools like reverb, delay, chorus, and overdrive. Use a shimmer reverb or a long tempo synced delay to push a guitar into the background space. A small amount of chorus on clean guitars can create an emotional shimmer. Less is more. If every instrument uses a big ambient reverb, the song will lose clarity.

Real life scenario

• You are tracking at home with one mic for guitar. Record a dry clean pass and then a second pass with a thumbed higher pattern and a slow delay. Pan the second pass slightly left or right. The mix widens and feels bigger without adding more instruments.

Lyrics and storytelling

Nunatak style lyrics usually rely on images rather than declarations. Use objects, small actions, and time stamps. Tell a story in the present tense whenever possible. Present tense places the listener inside the moment.

Three line lyric recipe

1. Start with a single concrete object.
2. Add an action that uses the object.
3. Finish with an emotional result that is implied rather than named.

Example

The milk jug sits on its side. I leave the lid off and the cat drinks tonight. I pretend the quiet is not a question.

This says lonely without saying lonely. It gives a camera shot. That is what you want.

Devices to use

• Ring phrase Repeat a short line at the end of each chorus to anchor memory. A ring phrase is a short repeating lyric. It works like a chorus within a chorus.
• Callback Reuse a small image from verse one in the bridge with a twist. This makes the story feel connected.
• List escalation Use three items that get stranger or more intimate. The last item should surprise.

Dynamics and arrangement as drama

Songwriting is half story and half traffic control. You have to manage energy. Consider volume, density, and space as dramatic tools. A good song will have a clear low point and a clear release point.

A simple dynamic map you can steal

• Intro with a motif and a quiet vocal idea.
• Verse with minimal instrumentation.
• Pre chorus that adds a rhythmic element to push the song forward.
• Chorus that opens the arrangement and adds a countermelody.
• Second verse that keeps some chorus energy but pulls back vocally.
• Bridge that strips to a single instrument or voice for contrast.
• Final chorus with an added top line or harmony and a small instrumental mantra to close.

Real life scenario

• At rehearsal you decide to mute the piano for the second verse while keeping the guitars. The room listens harder to the vocal and when the chorus hits it feels earned. That is the power of contrast.

Production tips for the writer

You do not need to be an engineer to write with production in mind. The better your demo communicates the arrangement the easier the final production will be.

Demo checklist

• Lead vocal clear and confident. Record at least two takes. Pick the more honest one.
• Guide rhythm. Use either a click or a played drum loop. Click is a metronome. It keeps time when you add layers. Drum loop gives feel. Label which you used.
• Basic guitar or piano bed. Keep it simple. Do not overcomplicate the demo unless you want to show a specific idea.
• A short note describing the dynamic plan and where the chorus should lift. This is especially helpful if you send the demo to band members or a producer.

Real life scenario

• You record a demo on your phone but you add a note at the top. It says chorus should be two guitars and a synth pad. The producer reads it and does not waste time guessing. The first production pass is closer to what you imagined.

Writing with a band in the room

Collaboration can be magical or messy. Establish small rules so you do not drown in opinions.

Simple band writing rules

1. Set a time box. Decide you will try one idea for 45 minutes and then move on. This keeps momentum.
2. Use a basic demo as a reference. Everyone listens to the same thing. Reference points reduce arguments.
3. Assign roles. One person watches structure. One person tries textures. One person offers lyrical ideas. Keep the number of cooks low.

If someone rejects an idea, ask them why with a real question. Get a reason and then test a small change. For example, if the drummer says the chorus is flat try moving a fill earlier rather than scrapping the chorus.

Editing and ruthless trimming

Good songs are not long. They are edited. Use the crime scene edit on every lyric pass. Remove any sentence that explains rather than shows. If a guitar part repeats and adds nothing take it out. If an extra harmony duplicates the melody remove it. Be brutal when something does not lift the emotional center.

Crime scene edit checklist

1. Underline every abstract word like love or sad. Replace with a concrete detail.
2. Scan for repeated information. Remove duplicates unless they add a new angle.
3. Read the whole lyric out loud at conversation speed. If a line sounds like someone telling a story rather than actually living it rewrite it.

Performance and live adaptation

A song that sits on record can die on stage if you do not plan its live life. Rehearse with the arrangement you want to use live. Decide which parts to play and which to loop. Loops are short repeated phrases that run while the band plays over them. They are okay when used to add a textural bed. Do not let loops cover mistakes.

Simple live setup ideas

• One guitarist plays the motif live. A second guitarist or keyboard player plays the arpeggio bed and mutes it in quieter moments.
• Use a minimal loop for atmospheric parts and bring it up only for the last chorus to add intensity.
• Practice dynamic cues. Agree on a gesture that means pull back or push forward. Visual communication keeps the song together when the crowd is loud.

Promotion and where these songs live best

Nunatak style songs do well in places where mood matters. That includes playlists for focus, late night drives, acoustic sets in small venues, and certain sync opportunities. Sync means getting your song placed in film, TV, or ads. These placements pay and expose your music to new listeners. To increase sync chances write clear emotional scenes and keep instrumental beds available. Many supervisors want a version without vocals or with reduced vocals. Offer stems. Stems are isolated track groups like drums, guitars, vocals. Stems let supervisors remix for their scene.

Real life scenario

• You send a song to a licensing site with a vocal less version. A TV show picks the instrumental for a scene where a character wanders the city at night. Your name pops up in the credits and people message you about the song the next day.

Exercises and songwriting prompts

Below are concrete drills you can do in a 30 to 90 minute session.

Object and action

1. Pick an object in the room. Write three lines that place the object in the song and give it an action each time. Ten minutes.
2. Turn those lines into a verse. Keep the chorus idea separate. Twenty minutes.

Two chord mood

1. Loop two chords for five minutes. Sing on vowels until you find a hook. The hook should be no more than five notes. Ten minutes.
2. Write a chorus line that matches the hook. Five minutes.

Bridge rewrite

1. Take a song you like and remove the bridge. Write a new bridge that uses a callback image to the first verse. Thirty minutes.

One mic demo

1. Record a rough demo with one microphone or your phone. Do a dry vocal and a spaced second take for doubling. Keep it under two minutes. This teaches you to communicate ideas with minimal equipment. Twenty minutes.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

• Too many images The song becomes a scrapbook. Fix by choosing one central image that carries the emotional weight and having other images orbit it.
• Chorus that does not lift Raise the vocal range, simplify the lyric and add rhythmic space in the chorus.
• Overproduced demos The idea gets lost under polish. Strip unseen tracks and focus demo energy on one or two signature elements.
• Lyrics that explain Replace telling lines with camera shots and small actions. Let the listener feel rather than being instructed.

Tools and terms explained

Below are common words you will see in sessions. Each entry includes a plain English definition and a small real life example.

DAW

DAW means digital audio workstation. It is the software you record and edit music in like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or Pro Tools. Real life example. You record a take in your DAW then copy it to a new track to try a different vocal phrasing without losing the original.

BPM

BPM means beats per minute. It is the tempo of the song. A slow ballad sits around 60 to 80 BPM. A mid tempo indie song might be 90 to 110 BPM. Real life example. If the band keeps rushing the chorus set a BPM and rehearse with a metronome or click so entrances land together.

EQ

EQ means equalization. It is the process of adjusting frequencies in a track. If a guitar sounds muddy cut some low frequencies around 200 Hertz. Real life example. You cut some low muddiness from the acoustic guitar to free space for the vocal to sound clearer.

FX

FX means effects. These are things like delay and reverb that change the sound of an instrument. Real life example. Add a small delay to a lead guitar and it feels like it is echoing down a hallway.

Stems

Stems are groups of tracks exported so someone can remix or use part of the song. For example export drums alone, guitars alone, vocals alone. Real life example. A music supervisor uses the stem with no vocals to place under a dialogue scene in a show.

Topline

Topline refers to the melody and lyrics sung over a track. Real life example. You send a producer a topline idea and they build chords and drums under it.

Prosody

Prosody is how the natural stress of words aligns with the music. If a loud syllable sits on a weak beat you feel disconnection. Real life example. You change a word so the stressed syllable lands on a strong beat and the line feels more natural.

Loop

A loop is a repeated audio or MIDI phrase. Real life example. You record a four bar guitar phrase and loop it to audition a vocal melody over it.

How to finish songs faster

Finishing is often harder than starting. Use a short set of rules to get from idea to ship ready.

1. Lock the chorus first. If the chorus holds emotional truth the rest will support it.
2. Map the form on a single page with time targets. Example. Verse one ends at 40 seconds. Chorus arrives by 55 seconds.
3. Record a demo as soon as the verse and chorus are stable. Use basic production. It keeps your decisions solid.
4. Play it for three people and ask one focused question. Example. Which single line stuck with you. Fix that line only if necessary and then record the final demo.

FAQ

How do I write a chorus that feels like a release

Make the chorus open up either by range or rhythmic space. Remove busy words and choose a short ring phrase that can be repeated. Add one new instrument or harmony when the chorus arrives to give the ear a physical difference to latch onto.

Do I need a producer to get this sound

No. You can capture the essentials with a good demo. Producers add polish, technical knowledge and often fresh arrangement ideas. If you cannot hire one yet focus on strong demos with a clear vocal and one signature instrument. That will show your song rather than hide it.

How many instruments should I use in a Nunatak style track

Use as many as you need to communicate feeling. Many effective tracks use a skeleton of drums, bass, two guitars and a vocal. Add one or two textures like a synth pad or a spare piano. Each new layer must do something unique. Otherwise remove it.

What if my lyrics are too personal to sing in public

Practice distance techniques. Change proper names to objects. Shift the tense to third person. If you still feel exposed record the song and release it as a private demo first. Many artists find that sharing the song makes it easier to perform.

How do I make my band trust a softer arrangement choice

Bring data to the room. Play examples of songs where softer verses create bigger choruses. Make a simple demo that demonstrates the change. Commit to a time box for testing the idea live so the band does not feel stuck forever.

Get Contact Details of Music Industry Gatekeepers

Looking for an A&R, Manager or Record Label to skyrocket your music career?

Don’t wait to be discovered, take full control of your music career. Get access to the contact details of the gatekeepers of the music industry. We're talking email addresses, contact numbers, social media...

Packed with contact details for over 3,000 of the top Music Managers, A&Rs, Booking Agents & Record Label Executives.

Get exclusive access today, take control of your music journey and skyrocket your music career.

Unlock Instant Access