St. Vincent MasterClass Review on Creativity and Songwriting [2022]

You want a MasterClass from an insanely interesting and talented person in the music industry—St. Vincent, it is. I’m a writer by trade but not a songwriter, however, I wanted to branch out a try something outside of my comfort zone. That’s when I selected the St. Vincent MasterClass as my next option in a 180+ lineup.

Dubbed as genre-defying, St. Vincent has a lot to say about songwriting and the creative process when it comes to creating music. Whether you’re a music person or a writer, I think both categories can get a little something from this MasterClass.

Who Is St. Vincent

St. Vincent is an American singer, musician, songwriter, and Grammy-winner. She sticks to rock, pop, art rock, and indie rock genres and has put out multiple albums. Her songs Roslyn, Fast Slow Disco, and Cruel may be her most popular music. Personally, I have to put in a word for Young Lover which has been on my playlist as a much-loved track ever since watching this MasterClass. (Savior is a close second and heavily featured in this MasterClass.)

What St. Vincent’s MasterClass Covers

St. Vincent’s MasterClass covers songwriting and producing. She teaches about how to construct a song and then build the music around it. You’ll learn a ton about the creative process and see how you can set up your own home studio to begin creating music.

Class Length

This MasterClass is 16 lessons in length and runs for 2 hours and 18 minutes. This class may be a mid- to small-sized course but it packs a major punch. In fact, currently, I would consider it a top-five strongest MasterClass on the platform. (However, I haven’t done this all so that claim on my part is subject to change.)

Lesson List

The lessons that make up this MasterClass include:

• Meet Your Instructor: St. Vincent a.k.a. Annie Clark
• Nun Mode: Discipline in the Creative Process
• Every Song Needs an Epiphany
• Basic Tools for Bedroom Composing
• “Savior” Songwriting Demo: Early Sketches
• “Savior” Songwriting Demo: Finding the North Star
• “Savior” Songwriting Demo: Rewriting, Revising, and Refining
• “Savio” Songwriting Demo: Final Mix
• Fear, Shame, and Humiliation
• Seizing Opportunity
• Case Study: Writing a Theme Song
• Turning In to the World Around You
• Notes on Guitar: Tone
• Notes on Guitar: Tuning and Techniques
• Out of the Studio, Onto the Stage
• Closing Thoughts

Class Price

The prices for memberships are currently as follows:

• Individual – $15/mo or $180
• Duo – $20/mo or $240
• Family – $23/mo or $276

Course Materials

This class comes with a 22-page guidebook. This guidebook wasn’t nearly as impressive as the video course itself. While it does summarize a lot of the information covered in the course, you really should watch the video portion to get the most out of this MasterClass.

What We Liked

I found St. Vincent’s teaching style to vibe quite well with learning. Some MasterClass instructors fall short in this area but I really enjoyed how she broke down her process into clear steps. You get to watch the entire process of creating a song and she explains everything from the lyric writing to how to use the equipment necessary to create a demo.

What We Didn’t Like

If you don’t like St. Vincent’s music then you’re going to hear more of it than you would like to in this MasterClass. I enjoy her music and the songs featured in this MasterClass but it was definitely stuck in my head for the weeks following completing this course.

How to Get the Most Out of This Class

If you want to get the most out of this MasterClass, you should come into it with a basic understanding of the equipment. Even better if you already have the equipment on hand and you can follow along with St. Vincent as she teaches you valuable information about the music creation process. I’d also recommend having a few ideas and planning to write a song alongside the course.

Who Is This MasterClass Best For?

This MasterClass is best for creatives, specifically singers and songwriters. If you work anywhere within the music industry, or aspire to do so, this MasterClass will be well worth your time.

Who Is This MasterClass Not For?

If you’re neither a writer nor a musician, this class may not be a good fit for you. However, it does have good lessons for performers of all kinds and St. Vincent does cover learning to deal with fear, shame, and humiliation which I think we can all benefit from.

Similar MasterClasses You Might Like

If you like St. Vincent’s MasterClass, you’ll likely enjoy the following:

• Alicia Keys – Songwriting and Producing
• Timbaland – Producing and Beatmaking
• Christina Aguilera – Singing
• Usher – The Art of Performance

Final Takeaway – 10/10

St. Vincent’s MasterClass was a positive experience as a writer. While I don’t write songs, I took away plenty of new information and learned more about the process of creating music. While this course will be best for those who actually write and play music, it can be an interesting look into the process of songwriting and creativity for all types.

Worst case scenario you get exposed to music you may not have heard before. Seriously, check out this MasterClass, I doubt you’ll be disappointed.