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The Muse's News |
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Issue 5.11 - February 2003
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
@-- Copyright & Publishing Q&A with Nancy A. Reece from Carpe Diem
Copyright Management
@-- Music Reviews - by Ben Ohmart, Ashley Petkovski, Stacey Board,
Gian Feiro & David Lockeretz
@-- Songwriting Book Review - by James Linderman
@-- 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 - Gray Matters: Aging & The Creative Brain
by Craig Bickhardt
@-- Message Forums In Spotlight - Here are some of the great
conversations going on right now.
@-- 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 - 2002, Jodi Krangle. For more
contact information, see end of issue.
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LOOKING FOR A PIECE OF THE MUSE'S MUSE? :)
Visit http://www.musesmuse.com/musemerchandise.html for great
Muse's Muse products like mugs, mousepads, shirts, and even wall
clocks! Start your own store too - with no up front costs!
See http://www.cafepress.com/cp/info/storeref.aspx?refby=musesmuse
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TAKE ONLINE SONGWRITING CLASSES AT BERKLEEMUSIC.COM
Learn how to write great lyrics. Learn composition and arranging
techniques. Develop the skills you need to succeed in songwriting.
Master music engraving with Finale and audio editing with Pro
Tools. Berkleemusic offers you online courses led by the faculty
instructors from Berklee College of Music. You can take the courses
online in the comfort of your home or when you are on the road, in
hotels, anywhere and anytime. Get access to Berklee professors and
other music professionals like you. Learn online and network
anytime and anywhere.
Berkleemusic offers courses and certificates in five fields of
study: Writing, Performance, Music Education, Production and
Business. Online Writing courses include such topics as
songwriting, composition, arranging, theory and film scoring.
Courses start every 8 weeks, which means there is always something
of interest about to start.
Registration for February classes is still open! For more
information visit:
http://www.berkleemusic.com/school/?affiliate_promotion_id=189
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E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
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Hello once again. It's *really* cold around here. I don't know
about you, but I'm ready for winter to be over, thanks. (And those
of you in warm weather climates, don't rub it in. ;) )
This issue is packed with fantastic stuff! Craig Bickhardt offers
up a really wonderful article about aging and the creative brain,
there are tons of new reviews, new Q&As about Copyright and
Publishing with Nancy Reece, there's another great site to check
out on Irene Jackson's recommendation, listings of showcases and
contests currently happening all over, and lots more. So I'll just
announce the raffle winners and let you get right down to it. :)
The raffle winners for this month are Jim Novak from Ann Arbor,
Michigan, who has won a copy of Christine Anderson's "Songwriters
Blueprint" (reviewed below), Steve Holt from Toronto, Canada, who
has won a copy of IndieMusic.com's "Musician's Toolkit" (for
details on this package of useful indie musician-related tools, see
http://www.musicianstoolkit.com/muse/ ), and Mandy Cheetham from
Toronto, Canada, who has won a copy of VSS's helpful songwriting
organization product (for a review of Lyricist & information on a
discount offered, see http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html ).
Hope you're enjoying a fantastic new year!
All the best,
--Jodi
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SONGWRITERS! ENTER THE 2003 USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION NOW!
Win a grand prize of over US$50,000 in cash and merchandise and
exposure, making this the largest prize package in any annual
songwriting competition! Winning songs get radio airplay. Judges
include record labels such as Warner/Reprise Records, SONY Music,
Epic Records, etc.
FREE EARLY BONUS: First 1,000 entries will receive a free gift.
Hurry! Info: http://www.songwriting.net/mm.html
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C o p y r i g h t & P u b l i s h i n g Q & A :
With Licensing executive Nancy A. Reece
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TOPIC: Performing Rights
Q: I am un unpublished songwriter looking for that first bit of
luck. Recently I had a demo made in Nashville by some very
talented folks. I have gotten some pretty encouraging feedback
from some publishers, but no bites yet. I have also been sending
the song out to a few radio stations, and a couple are playing the
song. My question is this: are there any possible legal
complications that could arise from having a demo played on a radio
station? Do the musicians who performed the work need to be
compensated in any way? Do I need to notify them that the work is
being performed?
A: Congrats on the the airplay! I would suggest that you register
the song and recording. Then things should be fine. The
Performing Rights organization that you are affiliated with (ASCAP,
BMI, SESAC or in Canada, SOCAN) is responsible for taking care of
any royalties due the copyright holder for the performance of the
work. This is their responsiblility in all public performance
cases such as if the song is played on the radio or played in a
concert setting etc. You are not obligated to pay any of this
performance royalty to the performers. It is a right of the
copyright holder, not the performer.
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TOPIC: Agreements
Q: A well known publisher hears my 5 song demo, tells me he
loves it, thinks all five songs have great commercial potential,
tells me he's excited and feels he can get all five songs cut
etc... Then he offers me a deal. He wants 100% publishing. I
counter with, I want a co-publishing deal, writer and publisher
split 50/50 and split administrative costs down the line. Publisher
responds with, "To break into the business, a new writer has to
take what he/she can get until he has something to bring to the
table". Publisher seems genuinely impressed with the songs and
tells me my songs are some of the best they've gotten in awhile and
asks for more. If said publisher seems so confident about placing
these songs what should the "new" songwriter do? If one or all of
these songs become hits .. that can be a lot of money the
songwriter gives up to the publisher. Does a new songwriter need to
take what he can get, knowing the material is strong and the
publisher really wants it? What if the songwriter offered to give
away all the publishing on "one" of the five songs and split on the
rest?
A: This is one of the most difficult moments in a new writer's
career. The relationship with the publisher seems like it could be
worth it but it is hard to trust when you haven't really worked
together. I can speak first hand about being VERY excited about a
GREAT song but what I was able to do just didn't do the song
justice and I had to face that, as an ethical publisher. I had no
problem giving the composition back to the songwriter to try
elesewhere. I would suggest that you counter offer with a Reversion
Right that will give the publisher 24 months to make something
happen (no more than 48). If nothing happens, then you get 100%
back.
I would get a qualified attorney to help you present the
appropriate Single Song Agreement but have attached a sample that I
think is a win-win for both publisher and writer.
http://www.musesmuse.com/singlesongagreement.doc (Word Document)
http://www.musesmuse.com/singlesongagreement.txt (Simple Text)
*****
ABOUT NANCY A. REECE:
Since 1998, Nancy Reece has been providing a question and answer
forum for Muse's Muse readers. Now all of the articles, forums and
Q&A's are being compiled into a book. Nancy is wanting to be sure
that you have the opportunity to receive a copy of the book as soon
as it is ready. If you are interested in getting an E-mail
notification to indicate that the book is ready for purchase,
please send your request to RealARealQ@musesmail.com .
How to Ask a Question:
If you have a question for Nancy about publishing or copyright
administration, you can e-mail her at nreece@musesmuse.com. Please
indicate in the subject of your e-mail that your submission is for
The Muse's Muse guest forum, Real Answers to Real Questions.
Thanks!
Back to Menu
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M u s i c R e v i e w s :
by Ben Ohmart, David Lockeretz, Stacey Board, Ashley Petkovski &
Gian Fiero
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PEP - debut album teaser (by Ashley Petkovski)
Oh, how to say this and retain a sense of critical dignity that may
or may not exist... PEP is phenomenal. Frickin' phenomenal. Armed
with a guitar, a unique, almost gritty voice, and undeniably
powerful songs, the twenty six year old L.A. musician's three-song
teaser EP proves that to be a bold, creative musician, you don't
need to, as they, the big metaphorical gods of cliché say, push the
envelope in order to stand out. All it takes is a good song… or
three.
PEP's standout quality is her ability to write a song. Creating
since the age of 8, PEP takes on her subject matter – love,
relationships, other insanely complicated matters of the heart –
with poise and sincerity. She's not afraid to be honest, and more
importantly, she's not afraid to be strong. Even with just an
acoustic guitar bleating away in the background, PEP is an
assertive voice in a sass-less world of female newcomers who would
rather whine their way through twenty tracks than seek out the good
from the bad, and take their lives into their own hands. On "Safe"
she sings: "Her reflection/ it's empty but still her friend/ and it
screams 'you know it can still all be worth it/ just look ahead.'"
That one line alone reflects both the confidence and honesty that
she is so skillful at portraying.
As I listened to PEP's sampler, I couldn't help but think of Team
Dresch, who have, to me, always been able to balance vulnerability
and heartache with collective ass-kicking prowess. As PEP's
sampler went from confusion, hope and love ("Safe") to devotion and
heartbreak ("Believe") to packing up and moving on, but not before
letting 'em have it ("I Don't Need"), I realized that she too is
able to balance normal emotions without entering woe-is-me
territory. Her words, although not complicated nor veiled by
literary loftiness, are compelling and genuine, capable of striking
a powerful understanding with nearly everyone who takes the time to
listen.
Musically, the three songs all contain elements of folk, pop, and
rock, reflecting PEP's variety of influences. Her voice is, while
not refined, impressively strong and melds well with the skillfully
performed, bare-bones instrumentation. The dynamic of each song
shifts fluently, each stylistic change unexpected and welcome.
Particularly on "Safe," there are some standout harmonies/backup
vocals. The production is rock-solid, each layer clear and
distinct, providing just enough polish to keep the melodies clean
and everything proficiently precise.
While someone who views her through superficial eyes could easily
label PEP another girl-with-a-guitar, she proves that she is, in
fact, much more. A poignant and talented songwriter and singer, PEP
proves that what sets certain musicians apart from the rest is the
ability to create incredible music. With only three songs, PEP has
confirmed her abilities, and with an entire album, "Coming
Together," set for release in the spring of this year, one can
predict - or at least hope for - great things to come. She's
amazing, and there really isn't anything more that you need to say.
Contact:
http://www.pepmusic.com/
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OTHER NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Dalinda (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000396.html
Desert Blues 2 (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000391.html
Don Lanphere (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000395.html
Remedy Motel (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000394.html
Frank Emerson (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000397.html
Aimee Van Dyne (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000389.html
Voodoo Pilot (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000388.html
Jenn Lindsay (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000390.html
Russ McRee (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000403.html
Chris Stuart (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000405.html
Casey Holford (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000404.html
Steve Holt (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000400.html
Cyd Ward (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000402.html
Lyle King (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000401.html
Patti Witten (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000399.html
Ben Krahne (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000406.html
Dan Rowe (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000408.html
Nuts In Your Mouth (by Gian Fiero)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000409.html
Sirens' Song (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000411.html
Patrizia (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000412.html
Tom Chaffee & The Saturnalia (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000414.html
Diana (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000415.html
Heros Severum (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000416.html
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******
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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S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by James Linderman
The Songwriters Blueprint - by Christine Anderson
http://www.thesongwwritersblueprint.com/
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Blueprints are used to build a vast array of stuff. They provide
detail, insight, overview, and of course, purpose and intention and
bring it all into display. This is usually for the eventual
execution of the assembling of the parts to make something become
complete. It is also what bridges the gap between the vision of a
thing and it's coming into being.
So...why not a blueprint specifically designed to help bring the
vision of a song into being?
Songwriters are notorious for (among other things) racing into the
songwriting process without much planning or plotting and we all
know that practically every endeavour is proven to be more
successful when we front load some of the labour, so...
Let's have a look at The Songwriters Blueprint by Christine
Anderson and see if it's the blueprint for songwriting success.
To start with this blueprint is an actual blueprint (yes, with
actual blue printing!) 18" x 24" and wonderfully laid out and
proportioned.
On the cover page we have an intro and some instructions, which are
refreshingly brief and a bio of the author, refreshingly qualified.
There is an outline of what's inside and some tips on title
development, which is one of the primary keys to the successful
creation of the song you will write with this tool.
On the next 7 pages there are boxes to fill in with the raw
materials your song will be constructed from, with your title as
the foundation.
As you go from brainstorming to plotting the storyline, from
listing synonyms and antonyms to building character sketches, you
will see the song slowly and methodically come into being. The
Songwriters Blueprint, like most blueprints, is logical, systematic
and comprehensive, all the things that your brain is usually not
when trying to write a song from scratch.
This means that instead of spending mountains of time "dreaming" up
the right words, idioms, phrases, hooks, morals of the story or
twists of fate, you will very likely be able to look them up on the
pages of the blueprint and really devote all of your creative
energy to the bigger picture, the song itself.
On a construction site, when the carpenter runs out of 2x4's and
has to take a trip to the lumber store in the middle of the job,
the sound that his hammer makes for the next few hours, is silence.
Silence is also the sound that our songs make when we run out of
creative materials and so it's great when something like this comes
along to encourage us to stock up at the inception of our job when
we know we want to do some serious work, uninterrupted by a sudden
shortfall of lyrics.
In the last 2 pages, the blueprint asks us to slowly draw the song
content into a standard kind of song form. With all the previously
gathered information poured into these pages, I can see how it's
entirely possible that a song could virtually write itself.
This is certainly well worth checking out.
I used The Songwriters Blueprint in a workshop in January and
everyone thought that it was very cool. I am definitely going to
write a song with it myself next time I have some time to write...
like as soon as I'm done writing this review...
You can order The Songwriters Blueprint at
thesongwwritersblueprint.com.
******
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
James Linderman lives and works at theharmonyhouse, a music lesson,
songwriting and music pre-production facility in Newmarket,
Ontario, Canada. He is the Songwriters Association of Canada
regional coordinator for Newmarket and leads a music workshop
program for Life 100.3 Christian radio. James writes songwriting
articles for The Muse's News web magazine, Canadian Musician
Magazine and Professional Musician Magazine.
Contact James at: theharmonyhouse@rogers.com
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LYRICIST! VERSION 2.2 HAS ARRIVED-INCLUDES ON-LINE COPYRIGHT LINK
Virtual Studio Systems, Inc. is proud to announce Lyricist V2.2 -
The Songwriter's Best Friend: the first-of-its-kind word processor
designed for musicians, songwriters, and poets. The software
includes a rhyming dictionary, thesaurus, album categorization,
chord charting, chord generator, song arrangement, On-Line
Copyright Link, and much much more - all in a user-friendly
package. Check out the review at www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html
Muse's Muse visitors can take home the product for $5.00 off the
regular selling price just for purchasing through the form provided
off of the review!
For more information, visit the review url above or call us at
888.732.1176 inside the U.S.A. and Canada or 603.726-4499 outside
the U.S.A.
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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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MUSIC TO LIFE CONTEST
The Second Music to Life contest, sponsored by the Public Domain
Foundation*, seeks original compositions of social or political
relevance. Winners perform songs at Kerrville Folk Festival in May
2003, win travel stipends to the Festival and donations to the
charity of their choice. Songs reviewed by such notables as: Tom
Chapin, Tom Paxton, Christine Lavin, Judy Collins, Noel Paul
Stookey, Peter Yarrow, Mary Travers, Holly Near.
Join in by visiting Public Domain Foundation's website at:
http://www.pdfoundation.org/.
DEADLINE: Entries must be postmarked no later than February 3, 2003
* The Public Domain Foundation (PDF) was started by Noel Paul
Stookey (of "Peter, Paul and Mary") with royalties from his famous
"Wedding Song". Since its inception in 1971, PDF has given away
almost $2 mil. to various family and children's charities
worldwide. Recently, the Foundation has sought to encourage
musicians to give back through their music; hence the Foundation's
sponsorship of this special contest.
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JO DEE MESSINA NEEDS COUNTRY SONGS FOR HER NEXT ALBUM!
Tonos hosts many songwriting contests and Industry Opportunities
specifically for songwriters every month. The newest contests
include:
- Jo Dee Messina needs aggressive country songs - Tonos Hitmaker
Byron Gallimore who produced Faith Hill's album Breathe as well as
four Tim McGraw albums, is currently looking for country songs. He
is in the studio with Jo Dee Messina and is looking for songs to
complete her album. So, if you have an uptempo country song with a
fiery edge, submit now!
- Baha Men Seeking Songs for their New Album - Baha Men best known
for "Who Let the Dogs Out" is looking for material for their next
album. Their catchy Caribbean vibe mixed with modern-pop feel has
them currently #1 on Billboard's World Music chart. Their Bahamian
island sound has mass appeal.
- Nationally Syndicated Indie Radio Show Seeks Music - Garage
Sessions is a syndicated radio program designed to provide unsigned
bands with nationwide radio exposure and music fans with the best
new music. Set to launch in 2003, Garage Sessions has come to Tonos
seeking bands. The weekly programs, which will be syndicated to
college and commercial radio stations, will focus on rock and
alternative genres, but they will consider Triple A and pop with an
edge.
TONOS MAKES HISTORIC AGREEMENT WITH 5 MAJOR MUSIC PUBLISHERS
In order to help all the various talent in the global Tonos
Community, we are thrilled to announce that we have made historic
agreements with 5 major music publishing companies
(Warner/Chappell Music, EMI Music, DreamWorks Publishing, Chrysalis
Music and Famous Music). These top publishing firms have
"guaranteed" that they will EACH sign two tonosPRO songwriters
and/or singer-songwriters to publishing deals over the next 12
months. To be considered for all these deals, we'll be looking for
the artists and songwriters who have at least 3 very strong songs
posted in their Tonos Profiles. Sign up today to be considered!
See http://tinyurl.com/9tm for more details.
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BERKLEEMUSIC.COM WEBSITE LAUNCHED
After nearly two years in development, Berklee College of Music has
launched its Berkleemusic.com web site. This ambitious new offering
provides songwriters opportunities to take online music writing
courses and explore new music career directions. Users can create a
personal or band web page containing bios, MP3s, images, reviews,
news, and links that are useful resources to potential employers,
collaborators, and students.
For more information visit: http://www.berkleemusic.com/
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THE 4th 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 fourth edition, The
Indie Bible has 310 pages of valuable contacts and music-related
articles.
The 4th Edition of the Indie Bible contains:
3500 publications from around the world that will REVIEW your CD!
2900 radio stations from around the world will PLAY your songs!
350 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music!
400 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band!
500 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files!
39 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly!
Authors include Tim Sweeney, Daylle Deanna Schwartz, Jeri
Goldstein, Brian Austin Whitney, Derek Sivers, Diane Rapaport,
Janet Fisher, Jodi Krangle, Lord Litter and many more!
For details and to order online visit:
http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse/
You can also find the Indie Bible in these stores: BORDERS, BARNES
& NOBLE, SAM ASH, VIRGIN RECORDS, TOWERS and MARS MUSIC (In Canada
at CHAPTERS and STEVE'S MUSIC)
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CATAWBA COLLEGE SONGWRITING SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
Catawba College (Salisbury, North Carolina) announces a songwriting
competition for prospective music students. The winner of the
competetion will receive a renewable $2,500 scholarship ($10,000 if
renewed over four years) for study at Catawba college during the
2003-2004 school year. Both incoming freshman and transfer students
may apply for the award, regardless of musical background. The
Music Department of Catawba College offers an education in both the
art and business of music designed specifically with performing
songwriters in mind. The deadline for the songwriting scholarship
competition is March 1, 2003. Prospective students interested in
applying should contact Dr. David Lee Fish (1-800-CATAWBA or
dlfish@catawba.edu).
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GREAT ARTICLES TO CHECK OUT COURTESY OF GALARIS INDEPENDENT MUSIC:
http://www.galaris.com/
* Should You Start Your Own Publishing Company?
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=62
* The real truth behind pay to play!
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=65
* Do You Really Need Your Own Barcode?
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=212
* Doesn't it drive you nuts when your mixes sound completely
different at home?
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=213
*Outgrowing Your Music & Band
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=217
Sign up for the Galaris Independent Musicians Newsletter. Simply
send a blank email to mailto:addmuse@galaris.com and Twice monthly
you will receive FREE, direct to your email box, articles
containing: Promotion tips, Career advice, Recording tips,
Practicing tips, Legal advice, Musician's health, Radio promotion,
Songwriters tips and much more.
Learn more about the Galaris Musicians Directory - 2003 Edition
here: http://www.galaris.com/GMD.html?musesmuse
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POP IN THE PARK 2003!
Attention Original Bands: Want your music to be heard by a 2,500
capacity amphitheater? Now is your chance to get your live
performance known to the masses! Submissions are being taken by
the Pop in the Park Festival presented by the Bensalem Performing
Arts Center. This festival is geared toward melodic rock bands
that incorporate "Beatlesque" type modern rock music. Go to
http://www.popinthepark.com/ and fill out a submission form? Good Luck!
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BLUEBIRD CAFE MONTHLY SHOWCASES HOSTED BY USA SONGWRITING
COMPETITION
USA Songwriting Competition will host monthly "Nashville Unplugged"
showcases at the legendary Bluebird Cafe in Nahsville every third
Wednesdays of the month. The first series of showcases will start
on Feb 19, 2003 feature past winners of the USA Songwriting
Competition.
Time: 6:30-8.30pm - Wednesday - February 19, 2003
Location: Bluebird Cafe, 4104 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN
37215-2700, Tel: (615) 383-1461 (alcohol & food are served,
reservations are accepted). Admission: FREE
If you a singer-songwriter interested in performing in any of these
showcases? If so, please e-mail info@songwriting.net with your
website address.
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M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2003 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By
Permission
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Craig Bickhardt is a songwriter based in Nashville who has written
songs for the likes of Kathy Mattea, Martina McBride and The Judds,
along with others. His pilgrimage to "fat city" began in 1983.
Like many songwriters, he's also an artist, and he's got the
typical website (http://www.craigbickhardt.com/) with mp3 clips, a
bio, upcoming shows and the rest. But his website includes one
thing that's just a little different, and a real insight into what
it's like living and working in Nashville, trying to get yourself
heard.
It's in the form of a diary. Not all of the diary is there, of
course, Craig has edited it to include only excerpts from actual
experiences to do with his writing and the industry...but it also
includes his personal ups and downs about his writing as he
struggles to write the next "great" song. Some of the entries are
rather short, but others give you a real insider's perspective into
working with co-writers and how it all comes together. It begins
with his first trip to Nashville in 1983, and continues on to the
present. Read it backwards, from the bottom of the page up, to
follow it from past to present. He promises to continue to add
bits and pieces, but the last entry is from October, 2002, so the
entries are not predictable. He also admits it isn't written to be
"read", so don't expect anything slick :-)
The diary (http://www.craigbickhardt.com/songwritersjournal.html)
is not too long and self-indulgent. Just enough to get you in the
shoes of somebody who's been there and done that. An interesting
and insightful read!
******
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 more links of interest. Her eagerly anticipated CD "Catnip" is
finally here, and her earlier recordings have had attention
everywhere from Japan to South America.
Songwriting Tips: http://www.irenejackson.com/tips.html
Homepage: http://www.irenejackson.com/
Songs on MP3:
http://www.mp3.com/artists/20/irene_jackson.html
Back to Menu
=================================================================
F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e :
GRAY MATTERS: AGING AND THE CREATIVE BRAIN - by Craig Bickhardt
©Craig Bickhardt, 2003 All Rights Reserved. Printed with Permission
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Not long ago a music publishing company songplugger in Nashville
advised one of her young staff-writers that a collaborating
partnership with me would be unproductive because I was "past my
prime". I was in my early 40s at the time. While I knew her
assertion was absurd, I decided to find out what the medical
research revealed about the effects of aging on creativity. The
evidence presented in this article challenges long-held beliefs
that peak creative performance naturally coincides with youth.
Brilliant young talents will always be the lifeblood of the music
industry, but I believe that an unfounded bias against maturity is
counter-productive.
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"Most notions about aging and the brain are based on folklore
rather than fact," says Dr. Zaven Khachaturian, a director of
research at the U.S. National Institute on Aging. The folklore may
be coloring our perception of the truth concerning aging and
creativity.
For example, many of us still believe the old myth that we lose
thousands of brain cells every day that can't be replenished.
Harvard neurobiologist Gerald Fischbach has laid this myth to rest.
His cell counting research has shown that while the brain's
neuronal cells can shrink or grow dormant with age, most are
retained throughout life. Scientists readily admit that the brain
loses about 10 percent of its weight due to cell death and atrophy
but the average brain also contains more neurons than it can use in
a normal life span. If there is, as it appears, a large excess
reserve in brain function, then even a 10 percent decrease in brain
weight may be negligible.
Research has also shown that an old brain is every bit as capable
as a young brain when it comes to making new connections between
the nerve cells. The connections, called dendrites, are
microscopic fibers that enable the neurons to communicate with one
another. This in turn makes the process of creative thought
possible. Normal mental activity causes the neurons to sprout many
new dendrites. These dendrites fall away again with mental
stagnancy but there is no scientific basis for believing that age
is a direct factor in how well the brain cells perform their
functions.
While brain cells may not be entirely interchangeable, in certain
areas where neurons have degenerated the remaining cells appear to
be filling in the gaps and taking up responsibilities so that
nothing is appreciably lost. Some damage may occur but new
pathways are constantly being networked inside the healthy brain
throughout its life. In this way older brains are capable of
remarkable rewiring in order to compensate for losses.
Additional studies show that mental activities related to
occupation may not decline until the age of 75 or later. Repeated
activity enables the mind to bridge more direct routes and to
create the most efficient strategies for dealing with creative
problems. As a result there appears to be no physiological
reason for a decline in creative skills such as the poetic use of
language, the techniques of painting, or the balancing of harmonic
structure in music. Nor is there any reason to suspect a
diminishment of the ability to bring any of these skills to bear on
some new inspiration provided by the rich stockpile of memory and
gathered experience stored within the older brain. It is clear
that age alone presents no barriers to creativity, but co-existent
diseases such as Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia as well as
stroke may have an impact on brain function and can mar artistic
ability.
Harvard psychologist David Perkins has studied the traits of
creative people. He has found that one of these traits is the
desire to simplify what is perceived as chaos so as to find
unifying value in life. Artists themselves since time immemorial
have understood this unifying drive. As Thomas Wolfe explained in
his essay THE STORY OF A NOVEL (Charles Scribner's Sons, New York
1936), "It was a process that began in a whirling vortex and a
creative chaos and that proceeded slowly at the expense of infinite
confusion, toil, and error toward clarification and the
articulation of an ordered and formal structure." Henry David
Thoreau put it this way; "It is the faculty of the poet to see
present things as if also past and future; as if distant or
universally significant."
But is creative clarity only a boon of youth? Definitely not, say
the researchers. At the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, Paul
Baltes has made a study of "wisdom". His test criteria contain
such qualities as insight, sound judgment, a sense of proper
perspective, and the ability to weigh opposing values and come up
with solutions to problems, all useful tools in the endeavor of
creative organizational thinking. His findings indicate that older
people consistently out-perform younger people on the wisdom scale.
Baltes adds, "In all areas of functioning in which age means more
access to information, older people may be better off than young
ones." It would appear that wisdom and experience, two hallmarks
of the mid-life to late-life period, might contribute much to the
mind's ability to find order in chaos thus fashioning new models of
creative expression.
The speed with which our brains process information may decline
with age but our knowledge and our skill in using a lifetime of
acquired information does not. The older brain's sophistication
stems from its complex adaptive ability. It constantly recreates
itself gaining new insights and wisdom as it goes. Some researchers
believe that it is the young mind that is actually at a
disadvantage in that it tries to compensate for a lack of crucial
information by sheer speed.
Creativity in the human mind is a complex symphony performed by
many "players". Within the brain's multi-layered anatomy there
remain countless unsolved mysteries. Marion Diamond, neuroanatomist
at the University of California at Berkley, has done some research
on the role of the brain's glial cells. One function of these cells
is to support and nourish the neighboring neurons. But there appear
to be a greater number of glia in the more creative brains among
us. It is uncertain whether these special cells increase as a
result of the creative use of the mind throughout a lifetime or
whether they are simply present in greater quantities in certain
gifted minds at birth, but either way, it is clear that they remain
nearly unaffected by age. They are able to divide and renew their
numbers (something that the age susceptible neurons can't do) and
Diamond has discovered them in great density in her recent study of
a portion of Albert Einstein's highly creative brain, meaning that
they were thriving when he died in his late seventies. She concurs
that the brain's "wonderful plasticity remains throughout life."
If the scientific research isn't enough, we need only look at the
evidence that our great body of world art provides for us. Among
our artistic geniuses we find numerous great works created in
middle and advanced years. Bach, Verdi, Strauss, DiVinci,
Beethoven, Coleridge, Yeats, Wagner, Cervantes, Galileo, Kant,
Einstein, Haydn, Brahms, O'Keefe, not to mention Grandma Moses, who
took up painting when she was 78 and continued past her 100th
birthday, all gave us some of their most important contributions
late in their lives.
....
===================================================================
THIS ARTICLE CONTINUES AT:
http://www.musesmuse.com/art-graymatters.html#newsletter
Please click above to read on!
===================================================================
******
Craig Bickhardt's songs have been recorded by over 100 artists
including Ray Charles, B. B. King, Trisha Yearwood, The Judds, and
Allison Krauss. He is the recipient of 9 ASCAP Awards for his
hits, which include four number one records: "In Between Dances",
"It Must Be Love", "Turn It Loose" and "I Know Where I'm Going".
His songs were also featured in the Academy Award winning film
"Tender Mercies". As a member of SKB Craig helped put the trio on
the country charts with his songs "Givers and Takers" and "This Old
House". His latest CD is titled "Easy Fires". It's available on
his website at http://www.craigbickhardt.com/Back to Menu
=================================================================
M e s s a g e F o r u m s I n S p o t l i g h t :
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Feel free to join in! Creating a profile is easy.
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* How many have to die?
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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 :
Making It Matter - by Paula Carpenter
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000392.html
Hey....I'm back! As we welcome 2003...I'm finding myself wanting to
MAKE A DIFFERENCE! I guess I'm feeling like: why write, if I can't
help change my world, change THE world, change SOMEBODY'S
WORLD...for the better. Read on, and let me know how you feel about
this!
Everyone: writing is a gift--use yours well. I am reminded of an
old 'exercise' phrase: Use it or Lose it.
Now--to the point at hand...
=================================================================
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 :
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HEY SONGWRITERS! POP QUIZ. GIVE ME THREE RHYMES FOR "HEARTBREAK"...
Locate every song's lead sheet you ever wrote, their genre, and
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Now copyright a song from where you're sitting without removing
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what you need? LYRICIST! It's the songwriter's best friend.
Includes Rhyming Dictionary, Album Categorization, Chord Charting,
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For more information, visit the review url above or call Virtual
Studio Systems at 888.732.1176 inside the U.S.A. and Canada or
603.726.4499 everywhere else.
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The Songwriter's One Stop Resource for Books, Instructional Videos,
CD-ROMs and DVDs. We feature over 5,000+ titles at
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It is packed with essential tools to save you time and money, and
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2003 UNISONG INTERNATIONAL SONG CONTEST OPEN FOR ENTRIES!
Unisong is THE opportunity for songwriters and writer/artists
around the world to have their songs heard and their careers
enhanced. Over $50,000 in Cash and Prizes! Grand Prize will win a
trip to NY, London, Nashville or Los Angeles to write with a
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Enter by Cassette, CD or MP3! Entry deadline is April 30, 2003.
Enter by January 31, 2003 to take advantage of our earlybird
rates! Visit http://www.unisong.com/muse for more details.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE GALARIS MUSICIANS DIRECTORY - 2003 EDITION
If you are serious about pushing your music career to the
next level, getting your music into the right hands, promoting
yourself to others and creating a buzz, YOU NEED THE GMD!
Visit us to check out the demo, and see what industry
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For more details, point your browser to:
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Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR
Kathryn Obenshain ...........................GRACIOUS PROOFREADER
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Back issues and other information will be available at:
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