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The Muse's News

Issue 11.1 - April 2008
ISSN 1480-6975

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This issue sponsored by:



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I n   T h i s   I s s u e :

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@-- Editor's Musings
@-- Music Reviews - Chris Propfe, Alex Jasperse & Chip Withrow
@-- New Artist Spotlight Additions
@-- Songwriting Book Review - by Ed Teja
@-- Musical Notes - Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
@-- Muse's Clues - Songwriting Web sites that inspire - brought
    to you by singer/songwriter & teacher, Irene Jackson.
@-- Featured Article - Quality Versus Quantity - by Mary Dawson
@-- On Site Featured Article - An article already online for your
    viewing pleasure.
@-- Classifieds & Useful Services
@-- Contact information
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ISSN 1480-6975. Copyright 1998-2008 - Jodi Krangle. 
For more contact information, see end of issue.
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FIND WHAT YOU NEED AT THE SONGWRITING STORE ON THE MUSE'S MUSE

All sorts of products and services especially for songwriters,
negotiated so that you get the best price possible.  You'll find
means of promotion and distribution, songwriting aids,
educational products, musical instruments and their accessories,
and lots more.  Find the perfect gift for that songwriter in your
life, too - even if it's you!

http://www.musesmuse.com/songwriting-store.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S p o n s o r M e s s a g e : (Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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!
Visit http://tinyurl.com/35t3lz for more details and start
yourself on the road to improving your vocal chops today!
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E d i t o r ' s   M u s i n g s :

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Welcome to another month of songwriting tools and resources delivered right to your in box. :) Those of you that are new, I'm very glad to have you aboard. Those of you that have been here a while, thanks for sticking around!
I have some great news for you.  If you were ever thinking of
attending the August Retreat, "How Songwriting Really Works", NOW
is the time!  You can enter to win a $200 gift certificate for
the retreat! Simply send your name by email to
bryan@reorafting.com by May 15 with 'Muses Muse $200 Prize' in
the subject. Winners will be announced May 16, 2008. Last years
winner, Rick Hendriks (Netherlands) came all the way from Europe
to attend!  Plus, if you're interested in attending either this
retreat or the songwriter's retreat listed directly below it
(they're the first two entries in the Musical Notes section),
anyone who books before April 15th will receive a $50 discount -
just by being a Muse's News subscriber.  Pretty cool, huh?
There's more though.  I have *another* treat for you.  (Yup, it
just keeps on coming. :) ) Gian Fiero has put together a great
report (an ebook in pdf format) all about how best to get
yourself commercial success.  It's called The Fiero Files.  So if
you were looking at that note on the front page of The Muse's
Muse and were wondering why you had to resubscribe to this
newsletter to get it - you don't. :)
You can download it here:
http://www.musesmuse.com/Fiero_Files.pdf
Enjoy!  (Thanks again, Gian!)
Please do spread the word about this newsletter if you enjoy
getting it every month.  The more, the merrier!
And now I'll get to the raffle winners because the sooner I do
that, the sooner you can get to the good stuff. :)  So here they
are:
* Dale Matthies, from Goderich ON, Canada, has won a copy of 
Virtual Studio Systems' Lyricist software
(http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html).
* Rachelle Nones from New York, has won a free 3 month
membership to SongU (http://www.songu.com/), an Internet-based
learning environment providing online coaching, co-writing and
pitching opportunities, in addition to over 70 multi-level
courses developed by award-winning songwriters. 
* Stephen Bills from St. Marys, WV, has won a copy of 
Bronson Herrmuth's "100 Miles To A Record Deal"
(http://www.songrepair.com/bookforweb2.htm).
* Sue Cyr from Raymond NH, has won a copy of 
Sean Farrington's "The Little Black Book of Band Profit Secrets"
(http://www.bandprofit.com/).
* Yvette Ayers from Los Angeles, CA, has won a 6 month
subscription to the Onlinegigs (http://www.onlinegigs.com/)
service.  This valuable service is a powerful tool for musicians,
agents, record companies and managers designed to virtually
automate the administration of booking and promoting a band or
bands. 
I'm always happy to place people in the raffle prize queue.  The
only thing you need to do is write to me with your first and
second choice for a prize (they're all listed at the top of
http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html) and your mailing address
so that I can get the prize out to you. 
In the meantime, keep writing and keep happy!

All the best,
--Jodi

Back to Menu ================================================================= S p o n s o r M e s s a g e : (Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WRITE BETTER SONGS WITH MASTERWRITER AS YOUR SONGWRITING PARTNER NOW WITH SPECIAL HOLIDAY PRICING!
"This remarkable piece of software turns your Mac or PC into a valuable songwriter partner"
-- Richard Leiter, Keyboard Magazine If you have a high speed connection, you can download a 30-Day demo. If not, we will send you a copy for $9.95 which will be deducted from the purchase price if you decide to buy. Receive a special ** $70.00 ** discount off the $289.00 list price when purchasing through the Muse's Muse! Please use discount coupon # 3004.
Endorsed by: BMI, ASCAP, NSAI, PRS and Taxi. Winner Best of Show Macworld 2003 http://www.musesmuse.com/masterwriter-songwriting-software.html ================================================================= M u s i c R e v i e w s : Chris Propfe, Alex Jasperse
& Chip Withrow ----------------------------------------------------------------- NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Chris Propfe:
* The Zou
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-thezou-pinebox.html
* The Polka Floyd Show
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-polkafloyd-pfshow.html
Chip Withrow:
* Patti Ecker
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-pattiecker-gypsy.html
* Ben Sures
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-bensures-fieldguide.html
* Lee Penn Sky
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-leepennsky-prelude.html
Alex Jasperse:
* Spekki Chris
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-spekkichris-isin.html
* M.
http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-m-inabsentia.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 ================================================================= N e w A r t i s t S p o t l i g h t A d d i t i o n s : Great music is only a click away! Here are just some of the great CDs highlighted in the Artist Spotlight section of The Muse's Muse at http://www.musesmuse.com/artistspotlights.html -----------------------------------------------------------------
Terry Ray Thomas - Genre: COUNTRY
The CD - Still Finding My Way - is American country music with a
touch of Gospel. Terry's sound may be described as "Modern
Country with an old school feel". However you want to describe
it; Terry Ray Thomas is worth a listen.
http://www.terryraythomas.com/
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S o n g w r i t i n g   B o o k   R e v i e w : by Ed Teja
THE GUIDE TO MIDI Orchestration
by Paul Gilreath
http://www.musicworks-atlanta.com/
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If you've been pitching songs for very long you've undoubtedly
run into the "demo" problem. In this competitive market, you
don't often get away with what used to be the standard—a simple
guitar or piano and vocal demo. Conventional wisdom now is that
to be successful, your production must be nearly as good, if not
as good, as the records that get released. Top songwriters often
spend a great deal of money having demos produced. The other
alternative is a top quality home studio and, often, MIDI
instruments.
Once you've got the equipment, the next problem is getting
realistic sounds, even from expensive software libraries. And
what are libraries anyway? This is where this book fits in the
songwriter's toolbox. If you want to be competitive, and you do
your own demos, you need to know the world of midi orchestration.
In this third edition of the book, Gilreath has taken a very
comprehensive approach to filling that need. The book is well
written. He explains well, starting with the basics of
orchestration. Knowing when to use violins and when violas are
more appropriate may not sound like the stuff of songwriting, but
it certainly is the heart of song presentation.
After dealing briefly with orchestration, the book moves on to
notation software (useful if you write your music out) and
sequencers. There are some amazingly useful tips on how to
overcome the limitations of MIDI instruments—how to make them
seem more realistic. Along the way you'll find important tidbits
on the differences in orchestrating for a symphony, a movie
score, or pop tune.
Of course, once you have the appropriate instruments playing
correctly, you have to mix them, and Gilreath covers that with a
nice overview that includes the use of plug ins for equalization
and reverb to get the sound you want.
Chapter 23, which I felt was somewhat out of sequence, covers
techniques for achieving specific moods with your orchestra. In
writing for pop music we often turn to orchestral instruments to
help create or reinforce a mood, and here are ideas on ways to
make sure the mood is right. There are sections on how to create
tension (great if you are writing for a film), develop an air of
the supernatural, or to build a forlorn mood, just to name a few.
Now these are summaries, and at times you'll have to go back to
the other sections to understand what he is talking about, or how
to implement the techniques. But that is just another wonderful
learning experience.
Next comes a collection of interviews. For the budding demo
producer, the interviews with some top mastering engineers (Bob
Katz, Bob Ludwig and Patricia Sullivan Fourstar) provide some
fascinating insights into what they do and how they do it.
The last section discusses various libraries that are available,
ranging from the low end to high end. These are mostly libraries
of pianos, strings, and other orchestral instruments, as that is
the book's focus. But understanding these can help you evaluate
more pop-oriented libraries as well.
While this is not everything you need to know about MIDI, it
provides the basics and reveals tools for making your demos more
competitive. I certainly will keep my copy close at hand. Now
what was that part about complementing the solo flute?
****** ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Ed Teja has been working on his own music and now his new CD -- "SOFT DREAMING BLUES" has been released released by Morrhythm Records (http://www.outstandingmusic.com/). It's a collection of original (written alone and with an international group of cowriters) smooth jazz vocals and instrumentals. Ed has appeared at strange venues in Hong Kong, Canada, St. Martin, Bequia, Venezuela, Grenada and Trinidad, as well as the Silver City (New Mexico) Blues festival and the Tucson (Arizona) Folk Festival. You can hear some of Ed’s music at: http://www.myspace.com/edteja If you'd like *your* book reviewed (as long as it has something to do with songwriting, of course!), please do email us and let us know! Back to Menu ================================================================= S p o n s o r M e s s a g e : (Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR - QUICKLY AND EASILY! You Can Play Guitar author and publisher Scott Morris now offers 7 Free email guitar lessons that include easy to learn guitar tablature, a sound file and free guitar lesson videos of his easy to learn Billboard top rated guitar method that includes learning guitar scales and theory used by professional songwriters. The Free Guitar Lesson Videos - teach samples of learning the names of the notes, sharps and flats, easy to play guitar chords and more great information for beginner to professional level guitarist. Click here to find out how you can improve your
guitar playing today!
================================================================= 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! -----------------------------------------------------------------
2ND ANNUAL HOW SONGWRITING REALLY WORKS RETREAT,
Nahatlatch River, British Columbia (near Vancouver BC)
August 10-15, 2008 with Wayne Chase, author of How Music Really
Works & Nancy Bos
How Songwriting Really Works: Techniques & Secrets of the World¹s
Greatest Songwriters is designed for songwriters committed to
writing songs that will stand the test of time. Retreat leader
Wayne Chase is the author of "How Music Really Works", a
comprehensive presentation of the music and lyrical techniques of
writing classic songs. This retreat will be unlike anything
else available anywhere in the world. Wayne is a music scholar
and has studied music and language for over 25 years from the
perspective of how our brain processes words and music and the
emotional value of words. Wayne holds 5 patents in connotative
analysis and is one of the worlds leading experts on the
emotional meaning in language. Wayne is also the creator of the
Gold Standard Song List, a compilation of 5,000 of the greatest
songs of all time in 11 genres. Details on Wayne¹s work at
http://www.howmusicreallyworks.com/Index.html. Nancy Bos,
Seattle's premier vocal and performance coach, will lead several
interactive sessions that will be very helpful for all singer
songwriters. The all-inclusive cost for the 6-day event including
15 meals, beverages, snack, full use of resort amenities,
adventure activity ($125 value) and all workshop sessions starts
at just $850 US per person (camping option) and $975 US (shared
cabin tent option).
http://tinyurl.com/29aajd for more details.
Reservations: 800-736-7238 (9-5 PM PST); info@reorafting.com
Organizer: Bryan Fogelman bryan@reorafting.com
----------------------------------------------------------------- 9th ANNUAL REO SONGWRITERS RETREAT, Nahatlatch River, British Columbia (near Vancouver BC) July 13-18, 2008 with Bonnie Hayes, Steve Seskin, Pat Pattison & Jon Vezner Enjoy one the world¹s most unique songwriters retreats in the Canadian wilderness near Vancouver, BC July 13-18. Hosted at the REO Rafting Resort, this riverfront adventure-style resort is an incredible setting for songwriting. 2008 faculty include Bonnie Hayes (³Have a Heart² recorded by Bonnie Raitt), hit songwriter Steve Seskin, Berklee College of Music Professor and "Writing Better Lyrics" author Pat Pattison, and Grammy-winning songwriter Jon Vezner. A maximum of thirty-six international songwriters from throughout the US, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand will gather for an intensive, focused week of master classes, one-on-one sessions, group workshops, song critiques and fantastic social events. The cost for the 6-day/5-night event including 15 meals, beverages, snack, full use of resort amenities and all workshop sessions starts at just $850 US per person (camping option) and $975 US (shared cabin tent option). Register and pay in full by May 15th and receive a free whitewater rafting adventure on the Class 4 Nahatlatch River ($125 value). Spots are confirmed upon receipt of a non-refundable $200 deposit. http://www.reorafting.com/site/retreats/songwriter_retreat.html
http://bluecrushmusic.com/site/reo--s_songwriters_retreat.html Reservations: 800-736-7238 (9-5 PM PST); info@reorafting.com Organizer: Bryan Fogelman bryan@reorafting.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- BREAKING THE BAND 3 Breaking the Band from We Are Listening is every song contest, licensing, press, booking, touring and festival showcasing opportunity rolled into one. We've created an enormous independent artist campaign with a major label budget. This may be the single, largest investment in your career by an independent music company. Details: http://www.wearelistening.org/contests.php Fee: $40 Deadline: June 30th 2008
----------------------------------------------------------------- VIRAL SONG - PASS IT ON... SPREAD THE LOVE TO EVERYONE! Did you hear about the Viral Song? Don't worry it's not a Virus! It's an online song project supporting several great causes such as: Helping the poor, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, quenching the thirsty, stopping the wars, voting for peace, and making global warming history for our children's sake. Please visit the website, listen to the song, and pass it on... Viral Song - Pass It On! http://www.viralsong.com/?muse ----------------------------------------------------------------- BLACKDOG MEDIA GROUP LAUNCHES UPSTATE NY SONGWRITING CONTEST! The Upstate New York Songwriting Contest is open to all musicians of all music styles. Simply record a demo and submit either by mail (CD or Cassette) or online (mp3) – entries will not be judged by recording quality, but by the quality of the song. Entries are due no later than June 7, 2008 and can be submitted via the contest website or by mail. Contestants are eligible for over $10,000 in prizes. Visit http://www.songcontestny.com/Home.html for full details. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FREE MUSIC PROMOTIONS EBOOK! The author of The Little Black Book Of Band Profit Secrets has come thru again! He's just published: "Co-Op Synergy Power, Your Fast-Track To Profit, Exposure And Free Advertising..." and musesmuse.com fans can get it for free. Click here> http://jodimuse.ssl4000.hop.clickbank.net/ And be sure to check out The Little Black Book Of Band Profit Secrets while your there... It's worth the look. ----------------------------------------------------------------- WORLD OF MUSIC AWARDS The World of Music Awards from We Are Listening is the first international and multi-lingual contest for World music artists and songwriters. Armed with an expert panel of judges and a prize package that includes an all-inclusive trip to WOMEX in Spain, We Are Listening delivers an unparalleled opportunity to be seen, heard and signed! Details: http://www.wearelistening.org/contests.php Fee: $30 Deadline: Aug 15th 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------- STUDIOTRAXX.COM: BREAKING NEW GROUND - FOR YOU! StudioTraxx.com provides an e-commerce platform that allows artists/bands to purchase and book time with musicians, engineers, producers, and other music professionals for online studio collaboration purposes. They facilitate the entire music production process from beginning to end — from finding and booking the right talent to managing all resulting collaboration activities. StudioTraxx is actively building its talent network and is encouraging both those who offer services and those who need services to sign up and register. There are no costs to join the site. Creating an account is FREE. http://www.studiotraxx.com/?partner=837 ----------------------------------------------------------------- WORLD QUEST MUSIC SONGWRITING CONTEST: 2008 SEASON ONE A new Canadian songwriting contest with over $4,500 in cash & prizes. Everyone is eligible, any genre of music is welcome. The contest runs for five months, entrants can enter up to five songs in the Non-Professional grouping and up to ten songs in the Professional grouping. Professional category March 17 through July 26, the Non-Professional March 26 through August 8. Fans vote for their favorite entries online and there are "Wild Card" Celebrity Judges. Details: http://www.worldquestmusic.com/ Fee: Non-Professional entries Free; Professional entries $10.00 Deadline: Non-professional entrants August 8, 2008; Professional entries July 26, 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE 2008 SINGER/SONGWRITER AWARDS (ROUND 2) The Singer/Songwriter Awards from We Are Listening is about the hottest international songwriting contest in the world. It's no surprise that participating artists have gone on to sign with top management, license their music for film and television, as well as collaborate with renowned producers and enjoy substantial uplifts in independent record sales. Details: http://www.wearelistening.org/contests.php Fee: $30 Deadline: May 1st 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE INDIE GUIDE IS ON SALE FOR $10.95 AND INCLUDES THE INDIE CONTACT GUIDE! For a limited time only, North Shore Records, Inc, in celebration of tour season and music success has put The Indie Guide on sale for $10.95 plus shipping. The normal cost is $25.95 plus shipping. In addition to the 190-page book, The Indie Contact Guide, which contains thousands of contact names, address, email addresses, phone numbers and contact names will be included. To Your Music Success! http://www.theindieguide.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- PHILADELPHIA SONGWRITERS PROJECT 2008 SONGWRITING CONTEST Call For original Submissions to showcase up and coming songwriters in the region at the prestigious Bethlehem Musik Festival. 6 Winners of the contest earn a 20 min performance slot at Bethlehem Musik Festival Summer 2008. Details: http://www.phillysongwriters.com/. Deadline: May 6, 2008. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FREE SONGWRITING, FILM, TV, AND VIDEO GAME SUBMISSIONS AT MUSICGORILLA.COM! MusicGorilla.com works with Songwriters, Bands, Musicians, and Artists to get their original material into the eyes and ears of industry members who have the ability to take their careers to the next level. We work with Reps from all facets of the Music Industry. Our artists have the opportunity to submit their songs to established artists looking for new material. In addition, our clients get access to submissions for film, TV and video games, all of our submissions are FREE. MG Artists are eligible for free live label showcases, digital distribution with MSN and Loudeye and more. We don't take any piece of any deals made on our site, and have had many successes including placement, songwriting and publishing deals. Muse's Muse artists get 10% off of memberships! Just enter the promotional code "muse" during registration. http://www.musicgorilla.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2008 LYRIC WRITER AWARDS (ROUND 2) The Lyric Writer Awards from We Are Listening is the ultimate contest for writers seeking music publishing, co-writing and song placement opportunities. If you long to work with professional songwriters and dream of getting your songs cut by major label artists, this could really be the chance of a lifetime! Details: http://www.wearelistening.org/about_lwa.php Fee: $20 Deadline: March 31, 2008 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE INDIE VENUE BIBLE - A GROUNDBREAKING VENUE DIRECTORY FOR ANY ARTIST PLANNING TO TOUR IN THE US OR CANADA! 26,000 live music venues of all sizes are featured including clubs, bars, restaurants, lounges, coffee shops, theaters, halls, churches, book stores, community centers, house concerts and open mics. There are also 1,500 festivals listed as well as over 1,000 colleges for any artist that wants to plan a college tour. Jumpstart your tour today! Visit https://nt4.magma.ca/bigmeteor/ivbmuse_order.cfm for more information! ----------------------------------------------------------------- INDIE ARTISTS: JOIN MYBANDSMUSIC.COM & YOU COULD WIN $1000! Come and join a new site called MyBandsMusic, dedicated to indie artists where you can create a profile, upload tracks and videos, start your own blog, open a storefront, post announcements and events, get input from fans, and more. The best part is that it is all free! Currently we are running a contest until the end of March. The artist that has the most fans sign up on their MyBandsMusic account wins a check for $1000!! Visit MyBandsMusic.com for more details. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SONGWRITING CONSULTATION SPECIAL OFFER: Pete & Pat Luboff will pay for the phone call for Muse's Muse songwriters who use the Luboffs' songwriting consultation service. The service provides detailed, constructive song analysis, answers to all your creative and business questions and references to contacts when appropriate. Visit http://www.writesongs.com/consults.htm for more information. Back to Menu ================================================================= M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson ©1998-2008 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission ----------------------------------------------------------------- This month I'm bringing you three interviews that I came across from a website called SongwriterUniverse (http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/) which has a great collection of interviews with songwriters of all genres and time periods (I thought I'd mention time periods because it's going to be obvious by a couple of the interviews I chose to talk about :-) . One very famous "songwriter's songwriter" is Jimmy Webb. Songwriters LOVE Jimmy Webb...my favourite song of his was Wichita Lineman, which was a big hit for Glen Campbell back in the 60's. Jimmy has written many, many hits over the years, along with songs for Broadway musicals, and recently he has released a new album from a tour he did in 2006 throughout the UK, where he performed a lot of his hits along with some of his newer songs. The interview with Jimmy is here: http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/jimmywebb123.htm. And how did he get started? He walked into Motown Records in Los Angeles one afternoon with his bag of tapes, declaring "I have some songs and here I am!". Fortunately, he had some good songs that backed up his brash declaration! Some good stories in this interview. Another great interview (okay, these guys go way back too!) is with the famous team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who wrote for artists like Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Four Tops, the Miracles and Martha and the Vandellas. Don't recognize these names? That's okay...the best part of the interview (which you can find here: http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/hdh.htm) is the process they went through in their writing and recording. These were staff writers, so they had mysterious things called deadlines, plus a great deal of pressure to come up with big hits, one after the other. It certainly gives you a good idea of what it was like to work in that type of pressure cooker, without having much time to take any credit! And for those of you who are thinking I'm old (well, age is relative, isn't it?), here's an interview with a band called the Plain White T's. They had a big hit just recently with a song called Hey There Delilah. This particular interview doesn't really go into as much detail about the story behind the song...it was written about a real person, which is not exactly a surprise. But the story goes that she was kind of embarrassed at the song and wasn't enjoying the publicity all too much. And it got the attention of a couple of talk show hosts. As it turned out, the song was nominated for a Grammy, and by the time it was, she had gotten over the whole thing and actually accompanied the songwriter, Tom Higgenson, to the Grammys show. Now how's that for a story? And it says a lot about writing about what you know, or in this case, who you know :-) . Here's the full interview: http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/plainwhitet%27s123.htm . There are a lot more interviews on the website here: http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/magazine.html. It's certainly worth a look through and I promise there will actually be some names that you recognize too :-) . ****** Irene Jackson is a performing songwriter from Victoria, BC in Canada. Aside from writing, recording and performing, she also maintains a website for songwriters that includes tips, articles and a songwriter's messageboard. Songwriting Tips: http://www.irenejackson.com/tips.html Homepage: http://www.irenejackson.com/ Songs: http://www.soundclick.com/irenejackson Back to Menu ================================================================= F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e : by Mary Dawson Quality Versus Quantity (© March 2008) ----------------------------------------------------------------- I once heard the word fanatic defined as follows: A fanatic is someone who has lost sight of the objective, and has re-doubled his efforts. By that definition, I’m afraid that we songwriters can often become a bit fanatic when it comes to our craft. Many of us are not even aware that songwriting has any kind of objective at all. We simply fall in love with the exhilarating process of expressing our emotions through words and melody. This creative high can become so addictive that we do, in fact, “re-double our efforts,” going from one writing session to another convincing ourselves, as we do, that we are gifted and prolific songwriters. I would suggest, however, that unless we become aware of the objective or goal behind our songwriting, we will consistently be disappointed in the results. As someone has wisely said: If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it! Whether we realize it or not, all songwriting has some kind of objective. Perhaps we pick up our guitar or sit down at the piano just to let off a little steam at the end of a hard day—and that’s the only goal. The song we write may never get further than our living room, but if the process has helped us to unwind and feel better, that particular songwriting objective has been fulfilled. The song is a success! If, however, we hope to write a hit song—a song that sells millions of copies—there is another objective involved. The objective of hit songs in any style is emotional communication. What do I mean by that? (Click here for the rest of the article: http://www.musesmuse.com/mary-qvq.html
Mary's Bio is there too!) ***** Back to Menu ================================================================= " O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E : ----------------------------------------------------------------- Buddy Miles - a Blue Collar Tribute - by Mick Polich http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-buddymiles.html A brief tribute to an old-school soul/rocker, Mr. Buddy Miles! ----- Songwriting Commercially - by Bronson Herrmuth http://www.musesmuse.com/col-bronson-commsong.html I wrote this article in 2003 just a month or so after my book came out. Knowing most of you are songwriters, I thought you might enjoy this read and good luck with your songwriting! ----- "Hail, Hail, New Orleans!!"-A Short Blue Collar Appreciation - by Mick Polich http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-neworeleans.html New Orleans as the epicenter for the beginnings of rock and roll? Mick explores some points to that statement in this installment.... ----- "Respect" - by Bronson Herrmuth http://www.musesmuse.com/col-bronson-respect.html My definition of the word Respect. ----- My interview with the legendary Steve Cropper - by Bronson Herrmuth http://www.musesmuse.com/col-bronson-stevecropper.html If playing the fire out of a guitar for over 50 years isn't enough for you, add recording artist, hit songwriter, award winning producer, arranger, engineer, actor, label head, and you start to get the picture of the many talents of Steve Cropper.
================================================================= 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 : ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE 9th EDITION OF THE INDIE BIBLE IS NOW AVAILABLE! The Indie Bible shows you where to get your music reviewed, your songs played, and your CDs sold. Now in its Seventh Edition, The Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and music-related articles. The 9th Edition of the Indie Bible contains: 4200 publications around the world that will REVIEW your CD! 3400 radio stations around the world that will PLAY your songs! 500 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music! 200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files! 500 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band! 52 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly! Listings include web, e-mail and physical address, as well as phone and fax numbers. For details and to order online visit: http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER MOTIVATION & MEDITATION AUDIO Inspired by the songwriter's journey, and through understanding the principles talked about in "THE SECRET", this audio program is specifically created for the songwriter based on those findings. Through Power of Thought and Understanding the Law of Attraction, you will have the tools, knowledge & ability to create the thoughts, experiences, and circumstances to be a phenomenally Successful Songwriter. Included is a guided meditation that is as passionate as it is empowering! Muse's Muse Visitors - Enter Promo Code: 42567 for Discount. http://www.songwritermeditation.com/
Limited Introductory Offer of $12.95 for Digital Download Discounts for CD, and CD/Digital Download Combo shown on ordering page.
----------------------------------------------------------------- LYRICIST VERSION 3: THE SONGWRITER'S BEST FRIEND Lyricist is the first-of-its-kind word processor designed specifically for musicians, songwriters, and poets. The software includes a Rhyming Dictionary, Thesaurus, Album Categorization, Chord Charting, Chord Generator, Song Arrangement, and On-Line Copyright Link. The new version 3 release adds support for "Piano Style" chord symbols, Nashville Number System, and Transposition features - all in one easy-to-use package - and all for only $44.95! (That's $5.00 off to all Muse's News readers who purchase from the review link at www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html!) This tool will revolutionize the way you write and organize your writing. Be the best songwriter you can be and purchase Lyricist today! http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- INDIE-MUSIC.COM - WHERE SERIOUS MUSICIANS SURF One of the most respected and imitated indie music sites on the web, Indie-Music.com has been serving the Independent Music Community since 1996 with streaming audio, monthly CD Reviews, huge industry search directory, success-building resources, classifieds, and much-needed recognition. The site offers a wealth of information to artists trying to survive & thrive in today's competitive music industry. http://www.indie-music.com/ ================================================================= ADVERTISING RATES: For Classifieds: US$50 Max. 8 lines, where a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation. All contracts must be prepaid. Write to: editor@musesmuse.com For Newsletter Sponsorship rates and other advertising opportunities, please see http://www.musesmuse.com/media.html . Back to Menu
================================================================= 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 (how to subscribe and
unsubscribe, etc.) 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. 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

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