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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. You can also blend your musical ability with business savvy in forward-thinking online music business courses covering music publishing, marketing, management, and more.

Over 130 courses and programs in music production, guitar, bass, voice, music theory, arranging and orchestration are enrolling now for Berkleemusic's September 27th Term.

Take a free online sample course! Click here.

Welcome to another edition of the Muse's News - and thanks for subscribing! If you know of anyone that might find this newsletter useful, feel free to forward it along to them, though I'd appreciate it if you left the entire issue intact, including the credits at the end. Much appreciated!

Lots of great stuff to get to in this issue, but I'll start with saying that we have a new reviewer. His name is Jean-Baptiste Collinet and he hails from France - so those of you Europeans who were hesitating about sending in your works of art all the way to the States, you now have someone in your general neck of the woods that you can send your package to instead. :-)

Before we get to the meat of the issue, here are the latest raffle winners:

• Karen Morand from Windsor, ON Canada, has won a beautiful (and highly useful!) notebook from The Jotted Line.
  
  
• Paul David Stanko from Plymouth, MN, has won a 6 month membership to GuitarMasterClass.net. GMC has tons of helpful videos, instructors and lessons along with a forum for chatting with teachers and students 24/7, recording collaborations, attending video chats, & content for bass, drums, singing, piano, etc.
  
  
• Mike Hawkins, from Newport News, VA, has won a copy of Virtual Studio Systems' Lyricist software.
  
  
• Becky Wright, from Tahlequah, OK, has won a free 3 month membership to SongU, 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.
  
  
• John Hamilton, from Boulder, CO, has won a downloadable version of Rhyme Genie, a dynamic rhyming dictionary featuring over 300,000 entries and 30 different rhyme types.

To put yourself in the running for a raffle prize of your very own, have a look at the various prizes offered at the top of The Muse's News webpage, decide which prizes you'd most like, and email me with your top two choices along with your mailing address so that I can get the prizes to you. Yup. It's that simple - but only those folks reading this newsletter get the opportunity. ;-)

I wish you all a very productive end of summer beginning of fall, and I'll see you again next month!

All the best,

--Jodi

NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:

JJ Biener:

* Craig Urquhart

Cyrus Rhodes:

* Dan Bruder Band

Don Sechelski:

* Intra
* Nathan Wade and The Dark Pioneers
* Bobtown

Click here for bios on each of the reviewers. 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!

Great music is only a click away!
Here is a selection of the great artists and bands highlighted
in the Artist Spotlight section of The Muse's Muse.
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Gene Keller - Genre: FOLK & TRADITIONAL

In Every Song the Mockingbird Knows, Gene Keller cooks up a feast of folk & blues, mixing elemental rhythms, vivid lyrics, & articulated vocals. He adds the pepper of intelligence & the sage of insight, with a dash of humor & a pinch of humility. Savor the flavors.

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Abeze - Genre: RAP & HIP HOP

He rose up out of the 'Hood to come up with his new album, I Die 2Nite, featuring Bignut, Walas, Gloria and Auston.  Hip Hop with an international flair.

Pearls of Love: How To Write Love Letters and Love Poems
By Ara John Movsesian
http://www.electpress.com/books/index.htm

The vast majority of songs written in the Western world (probably elsewhere as well) are about love. The problem with the vast majority of songs about love is their sentimentality (sentiment is good; sentimentality is bad as a nice rule of thumb). Writing on such a popular and well trodden topic makes it hard to find a fresh approach, yet, as songwriters, one of the things we strive for is a fresh way of saying time-honored things. We want to express common feelings in an uncommon way—in short, we want to avoid clichés. It is hard to remember, sometimes, that “I love you, yeah, yeah” sounded fresh and different when it came out.

Pearls of Love is not a new book; its first printing was in 1983. But newness is not the point of the book and freshness is. The point is to look at the structure, the intent of writing about love and see how it can be lifted from the mundane; the meanings made clear, and the correct message transmitted (that phrase might not sound romantic, but if the sentiment is not communicated correctly, romance might not ensue.). Although it was originally intended, as the subtitle says, to help people write love letters and love poems, what works for poetry can inform lyrics as well. So it is worth a look.

Two main sections of the book deal with love letters and poems. The letters section provides a number of famous examples, such as a letter from Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine (it is fascinating to imagine Napoleon writing “what a strange effect you have on my heart”—and it isn’t a bad phrase either), before launching into a discussion of the basics of love letter writing—structure, form and other considerations. There are some interesting observations on word forms, such as using a noun phrase as a subject (much more evocative than a straightforward noun-as-subject sentence), creating variety with word choice, and so on.

Then there are some techniques for organizing the writing, including determining the order that thoughts are presented in. There is also an interesting section on the intent of the love letters, such as attraction, first encounter, love letters to parents, anniversary letters and so on.

The section on poems really shows how to use the various poetic elements effectively. The context may be love, but the awareness it offers should help any aspiring poet develop their craft. There are discussions of the use of, for example, understatement, hyperbole, symbolism, and paradox—all important tools.

The appendix includes a variety of useful things, ranging from punctuation and parts of speech to imagery terms, rhyming words and love terms (basically, the love-related meanings of various words, which proves interesting).

This isn’t a book a songwriter might put on the “must have” list, yet it might provide triggers that take your lyric writing up a notch. Why settle for hackneyed or struggling lines when your lyric lines might soar along with the music?.

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ABOUT THE REVIEWER:

Ed Teja writes a broad range of music. His songs and instrumentals have appeared in television shows (Court TV and Discover Channel) and in a variety of videos. He has had two CDs released by Morrhythm Records (www.outstandingmusic.com) and is currently cowriting songs with an exciting singer who is working on her second CD. As a performer, 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, Pickamania, 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!

BRETT MANNING'S SINGING SUCCESS SYSTEMATIC VOCAL TRAINING SYSTEM:

It's the "secret weapon" used by some of the winners of the world's most prestigious vocal awards, including the Doves, the CMA Awards, and yes, the Grammies.

Learn the one mistake even professional singers make, that drains away 3 times more vocal energy and yields only half the needed vocal power. Find out about the 3 simple exercises that allow even a "beginner" to make rapid increases in range (this also eliminates vocal strain). Learn Brett's secret for "dissolving" your break, so you'll never have to flip into falsetto again, but you'll still sing as high as you want--in full voice - and LOTS more.

The package includes 12 audio CDs (packed with 17 repeatable lessons, including both technique--the simple, yet powerful exercises, and style lessons for building vocal licks and trills); a workbook for illustration; and a DVD for visual reference and demonstration. It's a complete course - and it has a money-back guarantee!

Drop by for more details and start yourself on the road to improving your vocal chops today!

Continuing along the same lines as last month's clues, this month I decided to focus specifically on creative writing. One thing you'll hear over and over again in regards to getting your lyrical juices flowing is to keep a journal. But actually, any kind of writing, whether it's short stories or blogging (which I suppose could be considered a "journal" of sorts), or writing exercises, can help you to find some kind of inspiration for your songwriting.

I used the search term "creative writing" in Google to come up with some of these sites, and can do the same to explore many sites that dedicate themselves to some type of creative writing. One of the first sites I came upon is called Creative Writing Prompts (http://www.creativewritingprompts.com/), which is simply a series of 346 different writing "prompts" for stories or short writing exercises. You could even apply these directly to your lyric writing, but do yourself a favour and get away from lyrics just for a little while so that you're not hampered by phrasing or rhyming and can simply write your stream of consciousness. Many times when we're stuck for ideas, we actually need to take ourselves away from the "familiar" and try something new or different. In Creative Writing Prompts, I found examples like "List the 7 worst things to say to a person who just got dumped" and one that simply says "My old room was...". Sometimes the prompts suggest writing a poem about something, and sometimes a news headline. The idea is to get out of your writing rut and try something different.

Another site called Language Is A Virus (http://www.languageisavirus.com/) not only has writing prompts similar to the website above in the form of a writing prompt generator, but you can also generate character names or Haiku (a type of poetry), or even a random line. But there are many other creative writing tips, such as "66 Experiments by Charles Bernstein". Among the tips are individual experiments, like translating something from a foreign language word for word, or group exercises like having everyone write a word or phrase and putting it in a hat and then each picking one and writing something with it. Tip #7 is "Write a poem and cut it somewhere in the middle, then recombine with the beginning part following the ending part." You might take a song lyric that you're already working on to play with that one :-) . Some of the writing exercises really make your head spin, like Bernadette Myers tip "Write what cannot be written...".

There are many more creative writing tips on the Language is a Virus website, enough to spend hours there!

One clever little generator I found specifically for writer's block is the "911 Writer's Block" idea generator (http://www.webook.com/911writersblock). It's set up like a touch dial phone where each number represents a different aspect. For instance, you punch 1 and it generates "settings", such as "A quiet suburban cul-de-sac. A child's bicycle lies on its side, one wheel slowly turning." You can keep moving through different settings, or you can try "dialogue", "verbs" or "characters", among others, to find all kinds of ideas.

Of course, writing a journal is a tried and true way of inspiring all kinds of ideas...your own life can provide all kinds of inspiration! But in visiting the above websites, or by finding other creative writing websites on your own, may just give you the boost you need to write something fresh and new.

******

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

(GIGS & BEYOND) The Indie Bible can help - by Cyrus Rhodes

Looking for ways to get you and your band out there along with valuable marketing tools?  This is a great resource to check out.

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(GIGS & BEYOND) Maybe it's time you joined a Booking Agency 
- by Cyrus Rhodes

Here's why it would be a good idea to have a booking agency on your side...

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Do's & Don'ts of Pitching Your Songs in New York City (By Someone Who Barely Has a Clue) - by Jennifer Haase

Pack your great song, your open mind and your thick skin for some unique song pitching event advice from a songwriter who shouldn't probably be trusted yet. 

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A PRO is one of several organizations that are highly beneficial to producers, songwriters and musicians and if you’re a studio owner or operator, you should definitely have some background on them and what they can do for you.

THE 11th 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 11th 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.

Click here for details and to order online.

LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR WITH GuitarMasterClass.net AND START COMPOSING YOUR OWN SONGS NOW!

GMC is a video lesson archive & community. GMC has tons of helpful videos, instructors and lessons. GMC also features forum for chatting with teachers and students 24/7, recording collaborations, attending video chats + content for bass, drums, singing, piano etc. All genres and styles are covered - Rock, metal, shred, blues, jazz, country & acoustic, funk.. We want you to have fun while learning - so get rocking NOW!

Get instant access to:

-14273 videos, 2262 lessons and 37 instructors.
-Register at GMC forum - join a virtual band, chat with any instructor etc
-Backing tracks at different speeds & jam loop with every lesson
-Daily updates (average of ~10 new videos per day)
 -EXTRAS: Gear-, singing-, recording-, bass-, piano- and drum lessons. GMC Theory Grimoire eBook !!!

Special for Muse's Muse visitors: 
Get a 10$ discount for your first month of subscription!

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 $54.95! (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!

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.songwritermotivation.com/

Limited Introductory Offer of $12.95 for Digital Download Discounts for CD, and CD/Digital Download Combo shown on ordering page.

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. 7 lines (though I do make exceptions), where a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation. All contracts must be prepaid. Write to: editor@musesmuse.com.

Click here for Newsletter Sponsorship rates and other advertising opportunities.

Jodi Krangle, Editor: editor@musesmuse.com

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 will be available here.

The Muse's News is part of The Muse's Muse, a web resource for songwriters.

For further information, send your e-mail to:
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