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The Muse's News |
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Issue 10.11 - February 2008
ISSN 1480-6975
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This issue sponsored by:
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I n T h i s I s s u e :
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@-- Editor's Musings
@-- Music Reviews - Chris Propfe, Bhasker Gupta, Alex Jasperse,
Chip Withrow & JJ Biener
@-- New Artist Spotlight Additions
@-- Songwriting Book Review - by Ed Teja
@-- Musical Notes - Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
@-- Muse's Clues - Songwriting Web sites that inspire - brought
to you by singer/songwriter & teacher, Irene Jackson.
@-- Featured Article - Power of Thought: Successful Songwriter -
by Penny Dionne & Troy McConnell
@-- On Site Featured Article - An article already online for your
viewing pleasure.
@-- Classifieds & Useful Services
@-- Contact information
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ISSN 1480-6975. Copyright 1998-2008 - Jodi Krangle.
For more contact information, see end of issue.
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FIND WHAT YOU NEED AT THE SONGWRITING STORE ON THE MUSE'S MUSE
All sorts of products and services especially for songwriters,
negotiated so that you get the best price possible. You'll find
means of promotion and distribution, songwriting aids,
educational products, musical instruments and their accessories,
and lots more. Find the perfect gift for that songwriter in your
life, too - even if it's you!
http://www.musesmuse.com/songwriting-store.html
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ONLINE SONGWRITING AND MUSIC BUSINESS COURSES AND PROGRAMS FROM
BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC
The best way to learn about writing it to write - and what better
way to learn than under the mentorship of Berklee College of
Music songwriting instructors. Berkleemusic.com, the online
extension school of Berklee College of Music, offers a number of
instructor-led online songwriting courses that provide the tools,
the support, and the practice environment you'll need to express
yourself more effectively in words and music. Berkleemusic also
offers forward-thinking business courses in music publishing,
artist management, music marketing, concert touring, legal
aspects, and more for musicians that want to blend their musical
ability with business savvy.
Enrollment is also now open for their April 7th Spring Term.
For more information visit:
http://www.berkleemusic.com/?pid=1957
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E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
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Lots to get to in this issue, so I'll keep this intro short. :)
But I did want to mention that my new website is finally
finished. If you'd like to have a look, it's at
http://www.voiceoversandvocals.com/ . I picked up the business
cards yesterday and I'm quite proud of it. :) Not all that
thrilled with the picture of the CD with the pen on it though ...
If any of you have any ideas for a replacement of that photo
(with another photo, preferably) or there are any graphic
designers out there that would consider a barter arrangement or a
reasonable fee for replacing those two photographs at the top
there with something else, I'd love to talk with you.
In the meantime, there are some great articles and new reviews
for you to have a look at - some fantastically talented Artist
Spotlights that are new, and the Indie Bible has their new "Indie
Venue Bible" out now. Look for that mention in the Musical Notes
section. If you're a touring musician, I *highly* recommend you
check it out!
Here are the raffle winners for this month:
* Eddie Rhoades, from Marietta, Georgia, has won a copy of
Virtual Studio Systems' Lyricist software
(http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html).
* Roger Crownover from Murfreesboro, Tenn, has won a free 3 month
membership to SongU (http://www.songu.com/), an Internet-based
learning environment providing online coaching, co-writing and
pitching opportunities, in addition to over 70 multi-level
courses developed by award-winning songwriters.
* Alex Walsh from San Francisco, CA, has won a copy of
Bronson Herrmuth's "100 Miles To A Record Deal"
(http://www.songrepair.com/bookforweb2.htm).
* Phil Cunningham from Titusville, FL, has won a copy of
Michael Wood's book (it's in both paper and ebook format),
"You've Got A Friend In The Biz': A Practical Guide to the Music
Business For Musicians and Aspiring Representatives" (reviewed
below).
I always say this, but I hear from so few of you when I do. So
here goes again. If you'd like a raffle prize, please do write
to me with your preferred prize (there's a list at the top of
http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html) and your contact
information (so that I can send you that prize). I'd love to
hear from you! And yes, it's really as simple as that. :)
Wishing you many productive hours of happy writing,
--Jodi
Back to Menu
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WRITE BETTER SONGS WITH MASTERWRITER AS YOUR SONGWRITING PARTNER
NOW WITH SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICING!
"This remarkable piece of software turns your Mac or PC into a
valuable songwriter partner"
-- Richard Leiter, Keyboard Magazine
If you have a high speed connection, you can download a 30-Day
demo. If not, we will send you a copy for $9.95 which will be
deducted from the purchase price if you decide to buy.
Receive a special ** $70.00 ** discount off the $289.00 list
price when purchasing through the Muse's Muse!
Please use discount coupon # 3004.
Endorsed by: BMI, ASCAP, NSAI, PRS and Taxi.
Winner Best of Show Macworld 2003
http://www.musesmuse.com/masterwriter-songwriting-software.html
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M u s i c R e v i e w s : Chris Propfe, Bhasker Gupta,
Alex Jasperse, Chip Withrow,
& JJ Biener
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NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Chris Propfe
* Bud Buckley
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-budbuckley-time.html
* Danny Fast Fingers
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-dannyfastfingers-snake.html
Bhasker Gupta
* Mike Kovacevich
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-kovacevich-peel.html
JJ Biener
* Elizabeth Meacham
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-meacham-ecologos.html
Chip Withrow:
* The Bruises
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-thebruises-connected.html
* Ellen Tipper
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-ellentipper-flanfield.html
* Life Is Here
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-lifeishere-welcome.html
Alex Jasperse
* Theo Travis
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-theotravis-doubletalk.html
---------------
******
For bios on each of the reviewers, see
http://www.musesmuse.com/musicreviews.html . If you're considering
sending in your own CD for review, you can also view that page to
find out which reviewer reviews your genre. Thanks!
Back to Menu
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N e w A r t i s t S p o t l i g h t A d d i t i o n s :
Great music is only a click away!
Here are just some of the great CDs highlighted in the
Artist Spotlight section of The Muse's Muse at
http://www.musesmuse.com/artistspotlights.html
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Peter Bloom - Genre: SINGER/SONGWRITER
Winner of SONG OF THE YEAR’s international competition (August
2007, Pop) and two 2007 TORONTO EXCLUSIVE MUSIC AWARDS (Song &
Group); nominated for a 2007 ONTARIO INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARD;
runner-up in the regional RADIO STAR 2007 and TORONTO INDIE WEEK
2006; Peter Bloom Band is "pure heart and raw energy."
http://www.peterbloomband.com/
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A Third Wish Granted - Genre: ROCK
A Third Wish Granted: an Alt-Prog Rock band with a Middle-Eastern
touch. Arabian-born frontman Emo Alaeddin is a 2007 nominee for
the LA Music Awards for Best Male Vocalist. He and guitarist
Jesse De Santo are September '07 winners of the coveted
Songoftheyear.com contest. Truly a magical live show!
http://www.a3wg.net/
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Aaron English - Genre: SINGER/SONGWRITER
Seattle-based singer/piano-man Aaron English's music is epic,
panoramic stuff, incorporating world-beat influences,
electronica, and modern rock.
"English's album caught our attention - more like snapped our
heads back...With a self-produced debut like this, we're sure
we'll be seeing Aaron English's profile rising higher and
higher."
-- Ken Hughes, Keyboard Magazine
http://www.aaronenglish.com/
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Julie Moffitt - Genre: SINGER/SONGWRITER
This versatile singer-songwriter, with her third release, offers
an unusual mix of poetic originals and well-loved covers, defying
the conventional trend of never mixing originals with favorites.
It’s a little rock, a little blues, a little fun, a little folk,
and it’s very, very real.
http://www.juliemoffitt.com/
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Lorrie Ruiz - Genre: R&B AND SOUL
Lorrie Ruiz's 'CHEWY' is a tasty mix of funk, soul r&b, jazz, pop
& electronica. Their style's been compared to Outkast, Tower of
Power, Steely Dan, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Kahn & more; But make no
mistake, their sound is unique, and it will leave you wanting
another CHEWY bite!
http://www.chewyonline.com/
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Adam Gilbert - Genre: POP
Over the past few years, as singer-songwriter Adam Gilbert has
established himself as a dynamic presence on the NYC club scene,
his mold-breaking, envelope pushing brand of piano driven
pop-rock has earned him comparisons to master piano-pop craftsmen
like Ben Folds and Billy Joel, with a crazy-cool touch of Frank
Zappa.
http://www.myspace.com/adamgilbert
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S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by Ed Teja
You've Got A Friend In The Biz'
A Practical Guide to the Music Business
For Musicians and Aspiring Representatives
by Michael Wood
City Lights Entertainment
http://www.citylightsent.com/
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It can seem kind of lonely when you are out there on the streets
promoting your band or plugging your songs. There are lots of
organizations that "promote" music, and sites like this one that
offer assistance and links to even more assistance. But everyone
needs a friend, and if we are really honest, what we want are
friends who know more about the business side of the music
business than we do. As the title states, that's what this book
is about - finding friends in the business.
Through the book, Wood gives you a personalized tour of the music
business and his contacts within it. Another person writing on
this theme might have different ideas and certainly a different
contact list, but there is nothing wrong with either his ideas or
contacts, so now you have something of a foot in the door. And
the music industry is, to a large extent, a closed door business.
Unless you know the secret knock or password, there are many,
many, key people who will not listen to your music or your band.
Not that they are necessarily snooty, but they are busy and
worried about law suits. A word put in by a friend helps
immeasurably.
The basic layout of the book is as a series of introductions. You
get a bio of some individual, so that you can understand where
and how they function in the industry. These people work as
musicians, promoters, music supervisors, band managers, and in
other niches within the business. They talk about things you
might want to know - like how to get their attention.
One section is about dealing with the Internet. Of course the
danger in this section is that anything written about the
Internet is probably obsolete by the time you read it. But that
is okay, because the folks that provided the information, your
new friends, will still be around and with all the up-to-date
information.
Since, at the end of all this, you are still somewhat on your
own, Wood provides a database of contacts. Lawyers, booking
agents, labels, artist management companies, publishers, and
music distribution companies are all listed, with contact names
and information, as well as details about the genres they work
with and whether they will accept unsolicited material. (Here is
a safety tip in playing this game: ALWAYS submit material exactly
as they ask, and no more than they ask for. Especially don't
waste your time with emails asking them to visit your really cool
site.)
At the end of the day, with this book in your hands, you no
longer have to imagine how it would be if you had friends in the
music business. They are only an email or phone call away.
******
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Ed Teja has been working on his own music and now his new CD --
"SOFT DREAMING BLUES" has been released released by Morrhythm
Records (http://www.outstandingmusic.com/). It's a collection of original
(written alone and with an international group of cowriters)
smooth jazz vocals and instrumentals. Ed has appeared at strange
venues in Hong Kong, Canada, St. Martin, Bequia, Venezuela,
Grenada and Trinidad, as well as the Silver City (New Mexico)
Blues festival and the Tucson (Arizona) Folk Festival.
You can hear some of Ed’s music at: http://www.myspace.com/edteja
If you'd like *your* book reviewed (as long as it has something
to do with songwriting, of course!), please do email us and let
us know!
Back to Menu
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR - QUICKLY AND EASILY!
You Can Play Guitar author and publisher Scott Morris now offers
7 Free email guitar lessons that include easy to learn guitar
tablature, a sound file and free guitar lesson videos of his easy
to learn Billboard top rated guitar method that includes learning
guitar scales and theory used by professional songwriters. The
Free Guitar Lesson Videos - teach samples of learning the names
of the notes, sharps and flats, easy to play guitar chords and
more great information for beginner to professional level
guitarist.
Click here to find out how you can improve your
guitar playing today!
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M u s i c a l N o t e s : Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
In the interest of conserving space, I will only be including
changes to this listing in this newsletter. All other contests
and market information that have already been listed here, are
displayed at http://www.musesmuse.com/contests.html &
http://www.musesmuse.com/markets.html . Please check there
regularly for updates!
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THE SANDRA JAMES MUSIC FOUNDATION SONGWRITING CONTEST
Sandra James was a singer/songwriter who left her estate to her
foundation with the instruction to use the funds for good deeds
that benefited her passions: peace, environmental protection, and
education for all. The foundation has announced their first
songwriting contest with a grand prize of $1000 and the chance
for the winner and runners-up to be recorded on a CD that will be
sold to benefit the foundation.
Details: http://www.sandrajames.com/
Deadline: March 31, 2008
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THE FREE SONGWRITING COMPETITION
One lucky contestant will win a demo produced free of charge by
Sven Tydeman at Kittygroove Productions. All you have to do is
email through a rough version of your song i.e. a guitar/piano &
vocal of your song. Open to EVERYONE!!! There is NO ENTRY FEE &
songs are not judged on production! You have nothing to lose &
everything to gain!
For your entry to be valid please email your song, lyrics &
contact information to
thefreesongwritingcompetition@kittygroove.com.
Competition Closes 31st March 2008.
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FREE MUSIC PROMOTIONS EBOOK!
The author of The Little Black Book Of Band Profit Secrets has
come thru again! He's just published: "Co-Op Synergy Power, Your
Fast-Track To Profit, Exposure And Free Advertising..." and
musesmuse.com fans can get it for free.
Click here> http://jodimuse.ssl4000.hop.clickbank.net/
And be sure to check out The Little Black Book Of Band Profit
Secrets while your there... It's worth the look.
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THE 2008 SINGER/SONGWRITER AWARDS (Round 1)
The Singer/Songwriter Awards from We Are Listening is about the
hottest international songwriting contest in the world. It's no
surprise that participating artists have gone on to sign with top
management, license their music for film and television, as well
as collaborate with renowned producers and enjoy substantial
uplifts in independent record sales.
Details: http://www.wearelistening.org/singer.php
Deadline: March 1 2008
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STUDIOTRAXX.COM: BREAKING NEW GROUND - FOR YOU!
StudioTraxx.com provides an e-commerce platform that allows
artists/bands to purchase and book time with musicians,
engineers, producers, and other music professionals for online
studio collaboration purposes. They facilitate the entire music
production process from beginning to end — from finding and
booking the right talent to managing all resulting collaboration
activities.
StudioTraxx is actively building its talent network and is
encouraging both those who offer services and those who need
services to sign up and register. There are no costs to join the
site. Creating an account is FREE.
http://www.studiotraxx.com/?partner=837
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GREAT LAKES SONGWRITING CONTEST OPENS
Now beginning its fifth year with a bigger Grand Prize and a
smaller entry fee, the Great Lakes Songwriting Contest is open to
residents of the Province of Ontario and the 8 U.S. states
bordering the Great Lakes. Grand Prize is $2,000 cash plus a free
weekend songwriting retreat and an opportunity to perform at the
annual Winners' Concert. Eleven songs will be selected. Enter by
mail or on-line through Sonic Bids. All genres, all ages, and
songwriters keep all rights to their songs. Deadline April 25. Go
to http://www.greatlakessongs.com/
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THE INDIE GUIDE IS ON SALE FOR $10.95 AND INCLUDES THE INDIE
CONTACT GUIDE!
For a limited time only, North Shore Records, Inc, in celebration
of tour season and music success has put The Indie Guide on sale
for $10.95 plus shipping. The normal cost is $25.95 plus
shipping. In addition to the 190-page book, The Indie Contact
Guide, which contains thousands of contact names, address, email
addresses, phone numbers and contact names will be included.
To Your Music Success! http://www.theindieguide.com/
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YOUNG GUNS TEEN SONGWRITING CONTEST
Nationwide band competitions and songwriting contests abound, but
few of them are for younger musicians. The Young Guns 2008 TEEN
Nationwide Online Battle of the Bands & Songwriting Contest is
out to change that in a big way. The first-of-its-kind
competition is offering not just one but two grand prizes that
are sure to inspire any high-school-age artist. The winner of the
Young Guns Muzak Heart & Soul Prize for best band will take home
a cool $5,000. Meanwhile, the recipient of the Young Guns ASCAP
J.A.M Prize for best original song will travel to Los Angeles to
perform as a special guest at one of the music industry’s premier
events, the ASCAP I Create Music Expo. Teen musicians living
anywhere in the United States may enter Young Guns 2008 through
March 15, 2008 by visiting http://www.youngguns2008.com/.
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FREE SONGWRITING, FILM, TV, AND VIDEO GAME SUBMISSIONS AT
MUSICGORILLA.COM!
MusicGorilla.com works with Songwriters, Bands, Musicians, and
Artists to get their original material into the eyes and ears of
industry members who have the ability to take their careers to
the next level. We work with Reps from all facets of the Music
Industry. Our artists have the opportunity to submit their songs
to established artists looking for new material. In addition, our
clients get access to submissions for film, TV and video games,
all of our submissions are FREE. MG Artists are eligible for free
live label showcases, digital distribution with MSN and Loudeye
and more. We don't take any piece of any deals made on our site,
and have had many successes including placement, songwriting and
publishing deals.
Muse's Muse artists get 10% off of memberships!
Just enter the promotional code "muse" during registration.
http://www.musicgorilla.com/
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THE INDIE VENUE BIBLE - A GROUNDBREAKING VENUE DIRECTORY FOR ANY
ARTIST PLANNING TO TOUR IN THE US OR CANADA!
26,000 live music venues of all sizes are featured including
clubs, bars, restaurants, lounges, coffee shops, theaters, halls,
churches, book stores, community centers, house concerts and open
mics. There are also 1,500 festivals listed as well as over
1,000 colleges for any artist that wants to plan a college tour.
Jumpstart your tour today!
Visit https://nt4.magma.ca/bigmeteor/ivbmuse_order.cfm
for more information!
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SONGWRITING CONSULTATION SPECIAL OFFER:
Pete & Pat Luboff will pay for the phone call for Muse's Muse
songwriters who use the Luboffs' songwriting consultation
service. The service provides detailed, constructive song
analysis, answers to all your creative and business questions and
references to contacts when appropriate. Visit
http://www.writesongs.com/consults.htm for more information.
Back to Menu
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M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2008 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved.
Used By Permission
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I have been in Maui for the last week, so I have mostly been
listening to the local sounds and songs of this beautiful place.
I love the traditional songs of Hawaii most of all, and when you
walk down the beach at night, you can hear countless groups
performing a mix of traditional Hawaiian, jazz, and something
called Jawaiian, a Hawaiian-flavoured reggae style of music.
Lately there has been a resurgence of interest in traditional
Hawaiian songs down here, and songwriters and performers like the
late great Iz (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole) have created a fresh
following for this beautiful music in the last 20 years or so.
One radio station that we found driving around the island in our
rented Jeep plays "all traditional Hawaiian music all the time"
and another devotes itself to Jawaiian. There are pop and rock
stations as well, of course, but why listen to what you can hear
at home anyway?
It occurs to me that it's important to maintain and continue the
local sounds of wherever we live...we may not live in exotic
places like Maui, but every place in the world is unique, and
finding a way to infuse that into our songs may be what makes us
stand out. Remember that!
Before I left, I found an interesting collection of songwriting
videos on a place called Expertvillage.com
(www.expertvillage.com/videos/music-theory-advanced-lyrics.htm).
Expert Village promotes itself as the "world's largest how-to
video site", and most people who contribute videos consider
themselves "experts" to some degree in just about every subject
you can think of.
Mark W. Black is from Dallas, Texas and owns Promethean Studios,
where he teaches songwriting theory. There are 23 videos in all
(I don't know if more will be added) on all aspects of
songwriting from rhyming to non-normative chords to tension and
resolution. The disadvantage of this and all of the other video
series on this site is that they are never more than 1 or 2
minutes in length, so you just settle in and you have to switch
to the next video. The advantage of that, of course, is that you
can also pick and choose which subjects you prefer. I would
suggest, however, that you keep hitting the "next" button and
watch all of them, since they all tie into each other. This is
not so much a beginner's series. It's more for those of you who
have a little bit more experience on the theory end of things.
He has a relatively approachable style of teaching and just might
make sense of some of the difficulties you are experiencing in
your writing, giving you some ideas as to how to overcome them.
Sometimes the whiteboard is a little difficult to see: you might
have to adjust the contrast on your monitor a little to see it
properly. He uses a keyboard to give examples as he's explaining
topics such as chord usage and defining the "emotions" of chords
and progressions. The advertising on the videos can be a bit
annoying at times, but that's what you get for "free" videos!
Mark Black's series is certainly worth a perusal if any of you
are stuck inside on a blustery winter day, looking for something
to do. Me, I'm headed for the beach with a Mai Tai in hand.
Aloha!
******
Irene Jackson is a performing songwriter from Victoria, BC in
Canada. Aside from writing, recording and performing, she also
maintains a website for songwriters that includes tips, articles
and a songwriter's messageboard.
Songwriting Tips: http://www.irenejackson.com/tips.html
Homepage: http://www.irenejackson.com/
Songs: http://www.soundclick.com/irenejackson
Back to Menu
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F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e :
by Penny Dionne & Troy McConnell © January 2008
Power of Thought: Successful Songwriter
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The mind is an amazing thing. It is the seat of our consciousness
and intellect, and through it we both experience and shape our
world. The connection between your mind and your success as a
songwriter may not seem obvious, and you may ask; "how does
what's going on in my mind determine my success as a songwriter?"
First, it's important to understand that it takes more than
talent to be successful. The key to achieving any success is
taking consistent, deliberate action on your goals, and this
persistence and determination are both products of the mind.
Your thoughts determine your feelings, your feelings determine
your actions and ultimately, your actions determine your results.
So if your goal is to be a successful songwriter, what you think
and feel on a consistent basis will affect your actions, either
positively or negatively, and over time, create your result
accordingly. Right now where ever you are in your songwriting
journey, and whatever you have or haven't achieved... is a result
of your best thinking. So the key is to consciously direct your
mind towards the thoughts that will lead to success.
From a scientific point of view, there are some simple, yet
practical, things you can do to manifest the success you desire.
One of the most important is to visualize your success as if it
has already happened. Fears and self-doubt can make you feel
unsuccessful, and since your feelings determine what actions you
will take, it is important to overcome these counter-productive
emotions. It has been proven scientifically that your
subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what is a
real, versus what is an imagined experience.
When it comes to taking action on your goals, being consistent
and persistent is an absolute must. Taking action
'every-now-and-then' won't cut it. How do you wake up every day
and motivate yourself to do the things that will lead you to
being successful as a songwriter? One way is to create what is
called a Vision Board. To do this, cut out pictures and power
words that symbolize your goals and pin them to a cork board, or
something similar. If one your goals is to have one of your songs
cut by an artist, commercially released, playing on the radio,
and moving up Billboard charts; cut out one of the charts in
Billboard Magazine, white- out the top spot, and write your name
and song title in its place. If you dream of visiting or moving
to Nashville, New York or LA; find a picture of the city and put
it on the board. Find power words like 'Success', 'Number One',
or "Hit Songwriter" and add them as well. Create a collage of
words and images, cut out a picture of your face and paste it to
all of the images so that you literally see yourself
'in-the-picture', and then put the board where you are sure to
see it every day. So instead of "out of sight - out of mind", you
create "what you see is what you get".
There are many other practical ways to use your mind to create
the success you desire, and you should learn them all, but there
are others ways that are less scientific. Have you ever heard of
'The Law of Attraction'? In its simplest terms it means; Like
attracts Like. We tend to draw to us the things we are focused
on. It's those little synchronicities that manifest in our
lives... For instance, have your ever had trouble writing the
second verse of a song that you went over and over again, but
nothing would come to you? Then that evening, you are making a
snack and all of a sudden it comes to you, or you're just about
to fall asleep, and it comes to you. This is the law of
attraction at work, and with a little practice you can utilize
this power to achieve your goal of being a successful songwriter.
To start, take fifteen minutes every day, and visualize your
success as if you have already achieved it. Actually feel the
feelings of having that success, imagine it in as much detail as
you can think of... What do you see? Hear? Can you feel the
podium as you accept your song-of-the-year award?
One aspect of how this works is that your subconscious mind will
take whatever you believe, and work to turn it into reality. Much
like if you believe you are clumsy, you tend to do clumsy things.
That's because your subconscious is the mechanism that drives
your actions. Whatever you focus on is what it will try to bring
about. It can be something as practical as helping your see the
opportunities that match your vision of success, or something
spiritual such as manifesting something out of nowhere like a
chance encounter with someone in the industry who says they'll
meet with you. Either way, the law of attraction is something
you should explore. Buddha said "All that we are is the result
of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think,
we become". Success begins and ends in your mind.
*****
Penny Dionne & Troy McConnell: Authors and creators of "The
Successful Songwriter Motivation" CD.
To find out more about how to become a successful songwriter
through the power of your thoughts, visit
http://www.songwritermotivation.com/Back to Menu
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" O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E :
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Horizontal and Vertical Thinking (Vertical Thinking Part 1)
By Kole (Kyle Hicks)
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-kole-vertical.html
There are two main ways of thinking when it comes to Composition
and Songwriting. This article will explain the second and most
familiar school of thought, Vertical Thinking.
-----
Blue Collar Digs Into Music! - by Mick Polich
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-digsmusic.html
Ever listen to a song, and like the arrangement but can't stand
the lyrics? Or find the lyrics incredible, but hate the singer's
voice? Then, you wonder,"Well, should I like this music at ALL?"
Hey people, it's o.k. to pick and choose - that's what we're
talkin' about this installment!
-----
Blue Collar Tech #101: Some Little Bits And Pieces O' Guitar
Repair Stuff - by Mick Polich
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-repair.html
As promised, a short break from the soapbox to throw a few
helpful bits of info regarding guitar and bass repair your way.
First in a series!!
-----
"Hey man, we're getting the band back together!" - a Blue Collar
Observation - by Mick Polich
http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-backtogether.html
This installment, we look at the growth behind the re-emergence
of 'classic rock' bands, rock and roll music camps, and if
'getting the band back together' is a good thing at ANY level...
Ladies and gentlemen, Jake and Elwood!
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C l a s s i f i e d s & U s e f u l S e r v i c e s :
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THE 9th EDITION OF THE INDIE BIBLE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The Indie Bible shows you where to get your music reviewed, your
songs played, and your CDs sold. Now in its Seventh Edition, The
Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and music-related
articles.
The 9th Edition of the Indie Bible contains:
4200 publications around the world that will REVIEW your CD!
3400 radio stations around the world that will PLAY your songs!
500 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music!
200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files!
500 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band!
52 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly!
Listings include web, e-mail and physical address, as well as
phone and fax numbers.
For details and to order online visit:
http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse
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VOCAL RELEASE SINGING SECRETS OF THE STARS - THE BEST SINGING
INSTRUCTION AVAILABLE - ONLINE OR OFFLINE
Learn how you can repair a damaged singing voice and greatly
improve your range, or keep the voice you currently have from
becoming strained. Learn techniques that will enable you to sing
in a commercial voice that can be applied to Rock, Pop, Rap, R&B,
and Country Music. A classical and or choir approach to singing
will not develop a commercial voice! Vocal Release is
specifically aimed at learning how to sing commercially. Learn
how anyone, even if they've never sung before, can develop a star
quality voice. The key is knowing the proper training techniques
from the start. Protect your voice in the long term and improve
its quality and power. Order Your Vocal Release System Today!
http://www.vocalrelease.com/?musesmuse
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER MOTIVATION & MEDITATION AUDIO
Inspired by the songwriter's journey, and through understanding
the principles talked about in "THE SECRET", this audio program
is specifically created for the songwriter based on those
findings. Through Power of Thought and Understanding the Law of
Attraction, you will have the tools, knowledge & ability to
create the thoughts, experiences, and circumstances to be a
phenomenally Successful Songwriter. Included is a guided
meditation that is as passionate as it is empowering!
Muse's Muse Visitors - Enter Promo Code: 42567 for Discount.
http://www.songwritermeditation.com/
Limited Introductory Offer of $12.95 for Digital Download
Discounts for CD, and CD/Digital Download Combo shown on ordering
page.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LYRICIST VERSION 3: THE SONGWRITER'S BEST FRIEND
Lyricist is the first-of-its-kind word processor designed
specifically for musicians, songwriters, and poets. The software
includes a Rhyming Dictionary, Thesaurus, Album Categorization,
Chord Charting, Chord Generator, Song Arrangement, and On-Line
Copyright Link.
The new version 3 release adds support for "Piano Style" chord
symbols, Nashville Number System, and Transposition features -
all in one easy-to-use package - and all for only $44.95! (That's
$5.00 off to all Muse's News readers who purchase from the review
link at www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html!)
This tool will revolutionize the way you write and organize your
writing. Be the best songwriter you can be and purchase Lyricist
today! http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html
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REAL ANSWERS TO REAL QUESTIONS,
An eBook About Copyright & Publishing
If you want to know how to protect yourself as a songwriter in
this digital age, you need this book - EXCLUSIVELY offered
through The Muse's Muse. And it's now on sale for half price!
Visit http://www.musesmuse.com/realarealq.html to learn more!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
INDIE-MUSIC.COM - WHERE SERIOUS MUSICIANS SURF
One of the most respected and imitated indie music sites on the
web, Indie-Music.com has been serving the Independent Music
Community since 1996 with streaming audio, monthly CD Reviews,
huge industry search directory, success-building resources,
classifieds, and much-needed recognition. The site offers a
wealth of information to artists trying to survive & thrive in
today's competitive music industry.
http://www.indie-music.com/
=================================================================
ADVERTISING RATES: For Classifieds: US$50 Max. 8 lines, where
a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation. All
contracts must be prepaid. Write to: editor@musesmuse.com
For Newsletter Sponsorship rates and other advertising
opportunities, please see http://www.musesmuse.com/media.html .
Back to Menu
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C o n t a c t I n f o & C r e d i t s :
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Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR
Kathryn Obenshain ...........................GRACIOUS PROOFREADER
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The Muse's News is a free monthly newsletter for and about
songwriters. Subscribers are welcome to recirculate or reprint
The Muse's News for nonprofit use as long as the appropriate
credit is given and the ENTIRE text of the newsletter is
included (including credits and information at the end of each
issue). Others should contact me at editor@musesmuse.com.
All articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues and other information (how to subscribe and
unsubscribe, etc.) will be available at:
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The Muse's News is part of The Muse's Muse, a web resource for
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For further information, send your e-mail to:
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adinfo@musesmuse.com - How to place a classified ad, pass
on market information or sponsor
The Muse's News.
editor@musesmuse.com - To submit articles,reviews,ideas,etc.
SNAILMAIL: Please contact me first at editor@musesmuse.com
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Back issues of the newsletter can be read at the National
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