 |
The Muse's News |
 |
Issue 5.8 - November 2002
ISSN 1480-6975
[ Back to The Muse's News Index ] [ Home ]
This issue sponsored by:
=================================================================
I n T h i s I s s u e :
-----------------------------------------------------------------
@-- 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
& 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 - HOW THE VOICE WORKS - by Eric Frey
@-- Columnist In Spotlight - Jon Nicol and his VERTICAL SONGWRITING
@-- On Site Featured Article - An article already online for your
viewing pleasure.
@-- Classifieds & Useful Services
@-- Contact information
=================================================================
ISSN 1480-6975. Copyright 1998 - 2002, Jodi Krangle. For more
contact information, see end of issue.
=================================================================
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. Master music engraving with
Finale. Learn composition and arranging techniques. Develop the
skills you need to succeed in songwriting. 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 November classes is still open! For more
information visit:
http://www.berkleemusic.com/?affiliate_promotion_id=144
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone. Welcome to another month at The Muse's News. There's
a ton of information in this newsletter, and lots of new articles
online at the website for you. The columnists have been busy!
Check out http://www.musesmuse.com/menu-columnists.html if you're
interested.
The raffle winners for this month are Ramon Marti Fustegueres from
Lleida, Spain, who has won a copy of Pat Pattison's, "Writing
Better Lyrics" (reviewed below), and Doug Milstead from Bay
Village, Ohio, 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 ).
A special thanks to Harriet Schock who generously donated an
article for your reading pleasure in this issue. And Irene's
Muse's Clue is particularly useful and interesting this month, I
have to say. :)
Beyond that, I'll keep things short in this Musings and just let
you get to the heart of the matter. ;) Hope you all have an
excellent November!
All the best,
--Jodi
Back to Menu
=================================================================
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.
=================================================================
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
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Nancy is taking a short break this month as she was unexpectedly
called out of town (this is one busy lady! :) ). But she'll be
back next month with more useful information about copyrights and
publishing issues. And her new book is coming out soon!
Meanwhile, if you have any questions you want to ask her, please
follow the procedure mentioned below.
*****
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
=================================================================
M u s i c R e v i e w s :
by Ben Ohmart, David Lockeretz, Stacey Board & Ashley Petkovski
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Saeta - "Resign To Ideal" (by David Lockeretz)
With sparse, introspective acoustic compositions, Saeta proves how
much can be said with less. Their songs are absorbing; in a world
where many things seem to be designed to create a bang-bang first
impression, the music of Saeta forces the listener to stop and
think.
Matt Menovcik provides brooding vocals and cleanly executed
acoustic guitar. Lesli Wood lays down tastefully textured piano
and the cello of Bob Smolenski provides the band with a unique
lyric quality. Compositionally, the pieces are often minimalist,
but never boring in their repetitions; rather the feeling is like
that of a mantra.
Although much of the material is in the same vein, Saeta's music
has some definite variety. "Will It Ever Be" is a particularly
pastoral piece with a hypnotic melody and guitar accompaniment,
whereas tracks such as "In Time We Shall" feature a more
polyrhythmic motion.
Saeta's sound definitely is not for everybody. Fans of Shakira and
Limp Bizkit might want to look elsewhere. Even fans of more
conventional pop music might at first be bored or confused by this
group, and perhaps if Saeta seeks a wider audience they should find
ways of making their sound more accessible without diluting
themselves. More harmony vocals might be nice; more variation in
tempo or instrumentation might also help. However, Saeta's unique
sound is valuable in and of itself; I would rather they continue in
this vein than try to popularize themselves in ways that would be
artistically damaging. I wish them the best of success.
To find out more about Saeta, visit www.saetamusic.com, and tell
'em I sent you.
------------------
OTHER NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Terry Bozzio & Billy Sheehan (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000307.html
Dan Ar Braz (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000299.html
Bukkene Bruse (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000304.html
Harv (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000306.html
Frank Zappa (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000309.html
Sam Bisbee (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000311.html
Frank Emerson (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000303.html
Henry Ferguson (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000302.html
Saeta (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000308.html
West 78 (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000310.html
Vinyl Eddie (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000301.html
Scott Mackin (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000305.html
WE Festival 2002 (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000298.html
Jeff Wessman (by David Lockeretz)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000312.html
Sandy Madaris (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000313.html
Hydraulic Woman (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000314.html
Alex Lloyd (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000315.html
Rob Skane (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000320.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
=================================================================
S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by James Linderman
Writing Better Lyrics - By Pat Pattison
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1582970645/themusesmuse
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I tried to write this book review as objectively as possible and
with as little nostalgic reflection as I could muster, however...
I remember the very day that I saw Writing Better Lyrics for the
first time. My songwriting partner, at the time brought me his
brand new copy to check out.
I also remember the day, about a year and a half later that I
finally returned the book to him, at his insistence (and my
reluctance) really, really, really broken in for him.
I then immediately ran out and picked up a copy of my own which is
now also really, really, really broken in.
I now have so many favourite parts of this book that I hardly know
where to start so... how about if we take a look at how it begins.
The book opens with an analogy comparing how songwriters delve into
their imagination for ideas with a diver going deep down to the
ocean floor in search of pearls. Pat then gets right to the task of
teaching us the "nuts and bolts" of diving into our own
subconscious minds for songwriting treasure.
This is a much better book than I will be able to describe it as
being, but I can tell you that if you only ever got to read the
first two pages of it, your outlook of song craft would be
dramatically shifted into a more profound and universal
perspective. It's that kind of good.
Pat's discourse on object writing as a vehicle for our songwriting
treasure hunt is also outstanding. It has just enough instruction
to make it understandable but he then presents a collection of
object writing samples written by his students. I find it very
inspiring and extremely interesting to analyze the outcome of how
a group of other songwriters approached this task.
Like all great teachers, Pat knows when to step back and let the
lesson do the talking.
Incidentally, one of the students whose writing is featured here is
Gillian Welch, who has an extraordinary ability to craft wonderful
songs, in my humble opinion. It will be truly fascinating for you
to read her object writing prose and to think of her as once being
a student in one of Pat's classes, now that she has a few
recordings out and would be considered an international celebrity
singer/songwriter.
Back to the book.
Chapter two gets you a front row seat for what I think Pat teaches
best: metaphors. Here is all the stuff that our English teachers
tried to teach us but just couldn't seem to package in an engaging
format. Pat does not have this problem and he can push and pull
words around like a grade six bully at recess. Hey, that's not a
bad metaphor... more precisely, a simile.
Pat is also really skilled at explaining stresses and metre and so
can effectively teach us how to position our metaphors to give real
impact to the message in our lyric, impact that will ultimately
engage our listener.
The rest of the book covers topics such as: how to modify clichés,
verse development, perspective, point of view, metre, form and a
"big picture" look at process.
Pat crams more into a single chapter than some authors spread out
over a whole book and he teaches (in his books and in person) in a
fun and personable way.
He also teaches as if he has a lot of material to cover and can
hardly wait to get it covered and I believe that information and
enthusiasm are certainly the key elements to the productive and
purposeful movement of knowledge.
I would have to say that Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison is a
book you should pick up right away (but don't lend out to any of
your collaborators... at least not until you've read it yourself).
I simply cannot imagine being any kind of songwriter and not
needing to have this book.
Coming soon: Berklee College of Music will launch an online lyric
writing course written by Pat Pattison. The course will launch in
January. For information, go to Pat's website, patpattison.com.
******
James Linderman lives and works at theharmonyhouse, a music lesson,
songwriting and music pre-production facility in Newmarket,
Ontario, Canada. He has worked as a collaborating songwriter and
consultant for The Toronto Office of Catholic Youth 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
Back to Menu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNLEASH THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE INTERNET WITH SONGSCOPE.COM!
SongScope is a valuable tool enabling you to build an on-line song
catalog, accessible only by proven industry professionals. Receive
FREE email informing you every time record producers and industry
professionals make requests. Song listings are only $29.95 per
year. An ecommerce enabled marketing/promotion page and tour
calendar are also available for performing songwriters to get
further artist exposure. And more services are coming soon!
See http://www.musesmuse.com/songscope.html for details or contact:
writerinfo@songscope.com ~ Tel: 770.754.4543
=================================================================
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!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
USA SONGWRITING COMPETITION'S FOLK ALLIANCE SHOWCASE SEEKING
MUSIC ACTS
In order to help promote various talent in the music community, USA
Songwriting Competition is proud to announce that they will present
a special Showcase at the renowed "Folk Alliance" in Nashville
between Feb 6 to 9, 2003.
If you're interested in applying and being considered for the
showcases, please e-mail: info@songwriting.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------
DAVID FOSTER ACCEPTING SONGS FOR JOSH GROBAN!
Tonos hosts many songwriting contests and Industry Opportunities
specifically for songwriters every month. The newest contests
include:
- David Foster Accepting Songs for Josh Groban - Tonos co-founder
and Hitmaker David Foster, is getting ready to head back into the
studio with Josh Groban for his sophomore album. David managed to
make Groban's classical style accessible to the pop mainstream, and
now he's giving tonosPRO songwriters the opportunity to submit a
song for this new music protégé.
- New Gospel Group in Search of Songs - Yolanda Adams has a new
gospel girl group called Virtue. The group is looking for gospel
songs and are interested in strong songs that tell a great story.
Your song should have room for lots of harmonies. Both uptempo and
ballads are being considered.
- Music Director For New Indie Film Looking For Music - Producer,
writer and director Debra Kirschner has just wrapped shooting a
film in Manhattan called the "Tollbooth". The film stars Marla
Sokoloff from the popular Golden Globe & Emmy-winning series The
Practice. The music director has decided to use some independent
rock artists for the film, so submit your punk rock, heavy metal,
or pop-rock song for consideration.
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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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/
-----------------------------------------------------------------
GREAT ARTICLES TO CHECK OUT COURTESY OF GALARIS INDEPENDENT MUSIC:
http://www.galaris.com
* Discover Your Discomfort!
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=1
* Why You Have To Promote To Radio
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=20
* Musicians and Weight Training
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=38
* How Do I Go About Getting My Label Distributed?
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=59
* It's not over just because you sign a deal!
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=114
Sign up for the Galaris Independent Musicians Newsletter. Simply
send a blank email to 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE 2002 ANDELLE MUSIC SONG CONTEST
The 2002 Andelle Music Song Contest is still open for further
entries. This is a non-profit contest and we are therefore only
allowing 60 more entries. There are some attractive prizes on
offer, including a Worldwide return flight to a Rock’n’Roll Capital
plus 7 nights accommodation, Cash, Fender & Kramer Guitars,
Trophies & Certificates. Andelle Music will be doing the initial
selection of songs to go through to the final stage. The final
judging will then be done by our friends at Sony and Jive Records.
So far we have received entries from all over the world including
Australia, USA, Canada, Spain, Luxembourg, Northern Ireland and the
Republic of Ireland. Because the number of entries is limited, the
odds of success are very good indeed. So why not give it your best
shot and enter your best song(s) into this year’s contest! Don’t
worry about your entry not making it into the next 60 entries! We
will add prizes for the 3rd & 4th placed winners if a surplus is
received. The final countdown can be found daily on our home page
at www.andellemusic.com. Entry Form, Prize & Payment details can be
found on our website http://www.andellemusic.com/.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
HELP MAKE A MUSIC DREAM COME TRUE!
Do you want to make waves, not ripples? Would you like to make a
contribution to the Canadian Music scene that will rock the world?
Are you Canadian and disappointed with how your own country is able
to handle your music career or the release of your music? Do you
see no option but to run for the border? You can DO something about
it! HERE'S HOW: http://www.musesmuse.com/metronome.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ATTENTION MUSICIANS / BANDS/ SINGER-SONGWRITERS
Opportunity is knocking. Winterfolk has created showcase
opportunities for musicians! We are accepting applications to fill
twenty performance spots in our festival. Put some festival
experience on your bio - it will open many doors to advance your
career, and offer great exposure for your music.
Toronto's newest folk, roots and blues festival is now accepting
showcase submissions from emerging artists. "Winterfolk" takes
place January 31 February 2, 2003 at four prime downtown TO
venues. The event will feature both new and established artists.
Successful showcase applicants will receive a 45 minute
performance, free passes to the festival, promotion and a chance at
the Convocation Hall finale! Applications and festival details are
now online at http://www.winterfolk.com/ . If you have any questions
or need more information, please visit the website or send an email
to admin@winterfolk.com We look forward to reviewing your
application.
Back to Menu
=================================================================
M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2002 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By
Permission
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This month, I have two very interesting websites to introduce to
you. The first is for those of you who don't know much about the
mysterious world of music theory. The second is for those of you
who are much more advanced and who might like to get another kind
of musical primer. Read on...
Since I am primarily a guitar player, most of the time I'm
interested in anything guitar-based when I'm surfing the net for
some good music or songwriting-related websites. But my husband's
recent search for a piano teacher got me to wondering what I might
find on the web relating to the piano.
Guitar tablature and instruction is really easy to find on the web
in comparison to piano, I've always known that. But all I did was
a simple web search using the keywords "piano" and "songwriting",
and somehow ended up finding this little gem. It's called "Music
Magic: A Piano Exploration", and it teaches you the very basics of
music and piano using midi and java-based applications. So if you
have a simple midi setup on your computer and you're interested in
learning some music fundamentals, check this out:
http://library.thinkquest.org/15060/ . The real magic about this
site is that it was developed by three very talented teenagers.
That's right! Paul Kim, Tom Warne and Xiaoqin Yan put their many
talents together to create Music Magic, and although they have now
moved on to college and university, their wonderful website lives
on.
Not only will you find 15 free beginner piano lessons, but you'll
also find a lot of support material, including downloadable sheet
music, an online musical dictionary and information on lots of
other musical instruments and composers as well. There is even a
concert hall, where you can perform on a little virtual piano for
all the world to hear :-) But the beginner piano lessons are the
best bang for your buck.
The second website was actually developed by the kind people at the
Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The
website itself is called "ArtsEdge" and it's basically a resource
for music educators. But I want to direct you to one specific area
taught by Dr. Michael Broyles which includes 4 Real Audio lectures
on "What To Listen For In Music", centered around the Classic and
Romantic period. You'll find it here:
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/broyles/
The audio can be a little hissy at times, and at my most recent
visit, I had a little trouble accessing the Real Audio clips, but
it is the content that you'll really find valuable.
Beyond the four lectures, there is a Subject Index, where you will
find "short cuts" to explanations of many different musical terms,
including what a "coda" is, meter, modulation, phrase and tempo.
Even if you are not familiar with classical music, just listening
to Dr. Broyles descriptions and explanations of many of these terms
and using musical compositions to help you hear them, is
fascinating.
Each of the 4 lectures is about 20 minutes in length. When you've
got a little time alone on the computer on a Sunday morning, I'd
highly recommend you sit back and take a listen!
******
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
=================================================================
And speaking of "how stuff works".... :)
F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e :
RIVER BANKS AND HORSES - by Harriet Schock
© Harriet Schock, 2002 All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One of the ironies of songwriting, in my opinion, is the stubborn
quality of the creative spirit. Getting it under your control is a
bit like breaking a horse. It wants to run free and you want to
saddle it. The trick is to keep it running free and yet riding it.
But how do you get on? How do you stay on? How do you get it to go
where you want it to go?
Recently, I was a mentor at the Taxi Road Rally. (For information
on Taxi, you can look up their website - www.taxi.com) They're a
happening organization. While there, I attended Ralph Murphy's
seminar, which gave a statistical analysis of all the songs that
made it to #1 on the Country charts in the USA in 1999. Ralph is
V.P. of ASCAP and from the Nashville office. There was such a
demand for his information that Taxi published it in their next
newsletter. He discussed 4/4 time vs. 3/4 (all the songs were 4/4),
all in the first person ("I" rather than telling the story from
"he" or "she"), and there were other very interesting observations
and statistics like chorus vs. non-chorus songs, storytelling vs.
more generic lyrics and how they aligned with a soaring melody or a
linear one. We heard concepts like "the chord doesn't change until
the idea does."
I've studied a lot of screenwriting during my career as a
songwriter. Syd Field talks about Plot Point One and how it has to
come 20 minutes into the film. This is so ingrained in the industry
that I've heard film studios will turn to a certain page in the
script looking for Plot Point One (something or someone which takes
the story into a new direction). Some people consider this formula
writing. But great screenwriters still do it. This is because it
works. It has been proven to work by many other screenplays over
the years. So the challenge becomes writing something truly
meaningful within the expected format.
In songwriting, the challenge remains to write a song that doesn't
break all the rules of structure, etc., and still have something
unique to say musically and lyrically. Just because you follow
every one of the conventions used by the #1 hits of 1999, you are
still not assured a good song, much less a hit song. But if you're
showing a horse and it's expected to trot and to walk and to
gallop, and you can't get the saddle on, you're in trouble. Not to
mix similes, but structure and other songwriting conventions are a
lot like the banks of a river. They help the water flow in an
orderly direction, either downhill fast or easily rippling in the
breeze, but the banks keep it from being a flood which simply runs
out over the land and destroys everything. Craft will similarly
give your creative spirit direction, purpose and manageability.
Within the limitations of "what they want," you can still exercise
your imagination and creative spirit.
During the mentor lunch, I met an interesting writer named James,
who chose to sit at my mentor table. He was a bit like a hurricane,
to stay with our water analogy. He was pretty opposed to banks of
any kind. He was more interested in writing something as catharsis,
writing and performing for himself, without any attention on
audience, communication, listeners or industry. When I interviewed
him further, I realized he was actually not as self-obsessed as it
seemed at first. He just didn't want to be told what to do or have
his attention on what was wanted, outside of his own creative
thrust. I can totally respect that. I haven't heard his material,
so I don't know if this helped him be an authentic artist or made
him write something which communicates only to his own ears and
heart, but I'm hoping for the former. With what I learned of his
viewpoint, either one is possible. It all boils down to whether a
person has enough craft to pull off this isolationism or if he's
using the isolationism as a cover-up for not having any craft in
the first place. Of course, it doesn't really cover it up.
That being said, I'd like to argue for the idea of coloring outside
the lines of what is expected. First of all, my two favorite songs
would not have been written if the statistics of '99 hits had been
followed, because both of them are non-chorus songs. They were
written in earlier years, anyway, but the point is they are verse,
verse, bridge, verse songs: "Desperado" and "The Song Remembers
When." There are so many other songwriting conventions these songs
do adhere to, but one of the "rules" they break is "have a hook
chorus and get to it quick." Neither song has a chorus at all, and
yet they've been played for years and loved by millions. I am not a
follow-the-rules type writer, except that commercial songwriting is
ingrained in me. I tend to color outside the lines, but still keep
the lines inside the frame in order to get my rather askew
viewpoint across, clearly. What's the point in having a left-field
viewpoint if no one knows what it is? So I believe in clarity, but
generic writing doesn't come easily to me. I don't like it much
when I hear it, even when it's a hit, so I don't do it easily
because it doesn't come to me naturally.
The times I've really thought, "I'll never get away with that" are
the times I've had my greatest success. Three examples that come to
mind are these: When I first wrote the melody to the chorus of
"Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady," I thought the melody was much too
classical, especially the leap down that comes between the "dy" of
"lady" and the following "no," both times it occurs. I thought,
"this is a pop song and that's a classical interval. They'll never
go for it." Not being sure who "they" was, I left it in and no one
made me change it and it became a hit. Years later, I wrote a lyric
to a song for a Motown film and made an analogy between falling in
love for the first time and being on a Ferris wheel for the first
time. I thought that was way too out there for a movie theme love
song, but again, no one said no and since then, over 30 people have
sung it. In another field, when I wrote the regular column on
songwriting which later became my book, Becoming Remarkable, I said
things which flew in the teeth of prevalent thought and certainly
in the face of what the industry was preaching. I thought, "They'll
never print this." But they did. And I get daily emails from
readers of the book who are thankful someone sees the picture from
that viewpoint. In each case I was like a child hoping his parent
doesn't see the cookie crumb trail from the cookie jar to his hand.
But in each case, not only did I get away with it, it became part
of the reason for success of the project.
So I am not advising you play by the rules or break the rules. I
think it's important to know what succeeds. It's also important to
know how to do what you do. If you're a songwriter, learn to write
songs. Learn it so well that you can use the conventions of hit
songwriting and still not sell out. Be so good that you can write a
verse/chorus song in 4/4 in the first person that everyone
understands on the first listening and still wants to hear on the
100th, but write it your way, from your unique viewpoint. I assure
you, your artistic cohorts who are telling you you're selling out
will be the first to brag that they know you when they hear you on
the radio.
******
Harriet Schock is a multi-platinum songwriter/recording artist
whose songs have been recorded my numerous artists, nominated for a
Grammy and used in films and TV. Her fourth, fifth and sixth CDs,
"American Romance," "Rosebud" and "Harriet Schock Live" are in
current release, as well as her book, BECOMING REMARKABLE,
published by Blue Dolphin. As well as performing worldwide, she
speaks, teaches and consults in person and offers a correspondence
course via the internet. For further information about her book,
cds, concerts or consultation, go to http://harrietschock.com/ or
call (323) 934-5691. . For reviews of her albums go to
http://allmusic.com/.
Back to Menu
=================================================================
M e s s a g e B o a r d T h r e a d s O f I n t e r e s t :
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi
The Muse's Muse Message Boards are a great place to meet other
songwriters. You can discuss the creative aspects of the craft, or
the business aspects of how to make it in the industry with others
of all skill and experience levels.
Here are a few currently active threads where you could put in your
two cents (you may need to copy and paste the two parts of the url
if it comes out split for you):
-------------------------------------------------------------------
* A Hit Songwriter Totally Discouraged Me!
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=13&
t=000083
* Does it really have to be Nashville?
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=26&
t=000027
* What's your take on downloading songs from the Internet?
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=25&
t=000035
* How to put together a Press Pack
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&
t=000120
* Let's hear some of your recording tricks
http://www.musesmuse.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=8&t
=000045Back to Menu
=================================================================
" O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E :
The Do's & Don'ts of Finding A Manager - by Jennifer Yeko
http://www.musesmuse.com/art-manager.html
Jennifer Yeko of True Talent Management talks about what you should
and shouldn't do to catch the right manager's eye (and interest!)
=================================================================
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
album. What's the fingering for a G#sus4 chord at the ninth fret?
Now copyright a song from where you're sitting without removing
your hands from your mouse or keyboard. Your time is up! You know
what you need? LYRICIST! It's the songwriter's best friend.
Includes Rhyming Dictionary, Album Categorization, Chord Charting,
On-Line Copyright, and more. Check out the review at
http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html .
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
MUSIC BOOKS PLUS
The Songwriter's One Stop Resource for Books, Instructional Videos,
CD-ROMs and DVDs. We feature over 5,000+ titles at
http://www.musicbooksplus.com/ - areas covered include: International Music
Directories, Music Business, Song & Lyric Writing, Music
Publishing, Rhyming Dictionaries, Theory & Arranging , Instrument &
Vocal Technique, Recording, Internet ... and so much more. Free
electronic newsletter, monthly & customer specials, new titles
added weekly. Come check us out!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
GO GLOBAL WITH CDSTREET.COM
CDstreet.com is your secure source for credit card music ordering
in your own website. As a member of the CDstreet network, you will
have access to the most cost-effective, secure transaction
processing for global music merchandise distribution. Plus, low
setup fee and no sales equals no cost!
Check it out - http://www.cdstreet.com/signup/musesmuse
-----------------------------------------------------------------
ATTN: SONGWRITERS / MUSICIANS
This is the all new 3rd edition of "IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION - A
Beginner's Guide To Starting A Record Label", only $24.99. The
web's best seller for newbies is now a perfect bound paperback
book!!! We now accept secure credit card orders on-line 24-hours
daily!
For more information and ordering options email:
Jamsmith@bellsouth.net
-----------------------------------------------------------------
GET YOUR COPY OF THE INDIE CONTACT BIBLE & START MAKING WAVES!
This is an absolutely priceless resource for indie musicians. If
you want your music reviewed, on the radio, *heard*, THIS is the
resource you need to have. It's not going to tell you "how" but it
will *certainly* tell you "who". I highly recommend you pick it up
in order to compliment your other music marketing techniques. Have
a look at this url and read through a few sample pages to see what
I mean: http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse
(Full review at http://www.musesmuse.com/3.4-July00.html#book)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
INDIE-MUSIC.COM ~ SAVE TIME & PROMOTE YOUR MUSIC FREE!
1000's of contacts for musicians, no cost, no hassles. Download a
free College Radio E-Guide or subscribe to our free Indie News
newsletter to receive free tips to advance your music career.
http://indie-music.com/ - The Best Place For Musicians Online
=================================================================
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
=================================================================
C o n t a c t I n f o & C r e d i t s :
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR
Kathryn Obenshain ...........................GRACIOUS PROOFREADER
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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 at:
http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html
The Muse's News is part of The Muse's Muse, a web resource for
songwriters: http://www.musesmuse.com/
For further information, send your e-mail to:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
adinfo@musesmuse.com - How to place a classified ad, pass
on market information or sponsor
The Muse's News.
info@musesmuse.com - How to subscribe, unsubscribe, etc.
editor@musesmuse.com - To submit articles,reviews,ideas,etc.
SNAILMAIL: Please contact me first at editor@musesmuse.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back issues of the newsletter can be read at the National
Library of Canada ecollection:
http://collection.nlc-bnc.ca/100/201/300/muses_news/index.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back to Menu
[ Back to The Muse's News Index ] [ Home ]
|
