It’s no coincidence that the association is named Århus Sangskriverværksted. The song circles are the beating heart of ÅSV: they’re where new members often have their first encounter with the association and where we help each other grow as songwriters.
Song circles are free and held approximately twice a month, on the first Monday and the third Wednesday. Each participant presents a song—usually unfinished—and receives constructive feedback on the lyrics, music, and performance from fellow songwriters. This feedback is designed to help them develop their work after the workshop. Sometimes, the same song will go through the workshop several times before it’s complete.
These evenings are a space for mutual inspiration and are open to all. Songwriters respect each other’s experience levels; seasoned songwriters receive tougher critiques than beginners. This ensures that feedback is both relevant and helpful. Additionally, critically evaluating others’ work sharpens one’s own songwriting skills and awareness of different songwriting techniques.
Song circles are also a friendly meeting place where you can get to know fellow songwriters.
Frequently Asked Questions
No! While you’re welcome to pay the annual membership fee before attending your first song circle, it’s not required. Most people attend their first workshop before becoming a member.
To become a full member of ÅSV, you need to have both paid the membership fee and presented a song at a workshop.
You can simply show up. The only requirement is that you bring a completed or partially completed song. Don’t forget to bring the lyrics (one copy is enough) and an instrument, like a guitar, if needed. A piano is available at the venue.
If you have a Facebook account, we encourage you to RSVP to the Facebook event so the evening’s host has an idea of how many will attend. But even if you don’t RSVP, feel free to join us!
No. For your first visit, you must present a song. Sharing your work makes you vulnerable, and we want to create a safe space for feedback. That’s why we believe it’s important that everyone participates equally from the start.
After presenting a song at your first workshop, you’re welcome to attend future workshops without bringing a song.
There are no requirements! All genres are welcome, and you can use the workshop at any stage of your songwriting process. For example:
- If you’ve written a chorus but need inspiration for the verses.
- If you have a melody but are struggling with the lyrics.
- If you’re unsure whether the chord progression in the bridge works.
That said, we recommend not bringing a fully completed song. The goal of song circles is to receive feedback to refine or complete your work. If your song is 100% finished and you just want to perform it, consider attending ÅSV’s Open Mic Night instead.
Don’t worry if you’re new to ÅSV. We’re very welcoming, and every song circle begins with an introduction to the concept. Even if you don’t know anyone yet, you’ll quickly get to know the community. If we may say so ourselves, we’re a pretty friendly bunch! 😊
Pro tip: If you’d like to make friends quickly, join one of our writing retreats! You’ll immediately feel part of the community—even if you don’t know anyone beforehand. Every retreat includes a workshop, so you can attend even if you’ve never been to a song circle before and aren’t yet a member.