Lately, it seems like every time I talk to other music lovers I’m hearing about music journals. Now, I’ve been an avid journaller since before I really had anything worth journalling about. But when I started hearing about music journals, I have to admit I didn’t really know what that meant.
Apparently, that’s because it can mean a few different things.
One type of music journal is for songwriters. These music journals often have blank music sheets for musicians to map out musical notations for potential songs. Sometimes, this kind of music journal will also have regular lined or blank pages, too, so you can make notes about lyrics or even draw out inspirations or visuals that are related to songwriting.
Unfortunately for me (although, perhaps fortunately for the rest of the world), I’m no songwriter. I do, however, love music. I’m obviously not the only one who enjoys listening to music, so of course there’s a type of music journal out there that’s perfect for me: one for music aficionados. These can look a lot like reading journals where you track, rate, or even review music you’re listening to. Some of these music journals are also designed to help you develop playlists or otherwise organize the music you love in a variety of ways.
There’s yet another type of music journal out there: one for musicians. This type of journal is meant to help musicians track their practice. That might mean logging practice sessions, making note of goals, or even reflecting on your playing. The idea here is that you can build productive habits or make observations about your playing in order to get you where you want to be with your musical skills.
Whatever your reasons for wanting to start a music journal, there are some really amazing options out there for every kind of music lover. I’ve pulled some of my favorites — hope you love them as much as I do!
Music Journals for Songwriters
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Lyrics Remembered ($20) is a unique songwriting journal that includes areas to record not only lyrics, but also sheet music and notes on things like inspiration and mood.
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This Designer Music Composition Notebook ($13+) is a sturdy and beautiful notebook. It’s a simple composition notebook with perforated blank staff paper, and you can choose between 100 or 120 page options.
Music Journals for Music Lovers
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I love The Playlist of My Life journal ($14) for its prompts and versatility. It’s a fun mix of writing prompts, playlist trackers, and open-ended journal space.
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My Life in Music: A Journal to Reflect on the Music of Your Life ($17) is a really cool little journal full of interesting prompts about important songs in your life. Each page features a prompt (like “A Song That Always Makes Me Cry”) and fields to enter discographic information, associated memories, emotional responses, present-day listening habits, and general reflections. There are also fun quotes sprinkled throughout.
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This printable music journal ($4) is a digital download that you can use literally forever! It has multiple page templates to help you keep track of music and musicians you like, playlists, concerts, and favorite songs of the month and year.
Music Journals for Musicians
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This Muse and Mate practice journal ($36) features sections intended to help you organize your goals and notes, plan the logistics of your practice, and even reflect on your progress.
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For musicians looking for a reflective journal to help track progress, set goals, and reflect on their craft, this Music Practice Journal with Daily Reflection Prompts & Quarterly Planner ($15) is a fantastic option.
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If you just love music and need a music-themed journal, these vinyl record journals ($35) are to die for! Not only are they one-of-a-kind items made from actual LPs, but you also get to choose which genre you want.
Want to sing a different tune?
We’ve got you covered! If you’re looking for a soundtrack for your reading hours, check out the playlists and other suggestions in this post about music to listen to while reading. Alternatively, if you’re just looking to learn about some of the people who make the music happen, then check out this list of books about musicians! Or maybe you just want to read a book where music features prominently. Good news: here’s a list of 50 books about music!
– Anne Mai Yee Jansen
