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The Muse's News

Issue 3.11 - February 2001
ISSN 1480-6975

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This issue sponsored by:
Lyricist - A Songwriter's Best Friend


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

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@-- Editor's Musings
@-- Q&A with Nancy A. Reece from Carpe Diem Copyright Management
@-- Music Reviews - by Ben Ohmart
@-- Songwriting Book Review - by Jodi Krangle
@-- Featured Article - THE BIG WHEN - by Anne Freeman
@-- Musical Notes - Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
@-- Muse's Clues - by Irene Jackson
@-- Songwriter In Spotlight - Just a reminder...
@-- 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 - 2001, Jodi Krangle.  For more 
contact information, see end of issue. ================================================================= This ezine featured at EzineCenter.com - the Ezine Search Engine(tm) - http://www.ezinecenter.com/ ================================================================= S p o n s o r M e s s a g e : (Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LYRICIST! THE SONGWRITER'S BEST FRIEND . . . Virtual Studio Systems, Inc. is pleased to make available to Muse's Muse members this on-line coupon worth $10 toward the purchase of Lyricist, the first of its kind word processor designed for Lyricists, musicians, songwriters, and poets. Includes rhyming dictionary, spell checker, thesaurus, album categorization and more. Call us toll-free in the U.S. at 888.732.1176 or outside the U.S. at 603-726-4499 and mention this Muse's News Coupon to receive this exclusive offer. (Offer expires February 28, 2001) Happy Millenium from VSS! http://www.virtualstudiosystems.com/.
================================================================= E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s : ----------------------------------------------------------------- Hello again and welcome to another issue of The Muse's News. This "Musing" is rather long, so I'll get right to it. Just as a reminder, the Muse's News Membership Drive is still going on. Do you enjoy this newsletter? Why not help spread the word and be eligible for great prizes at the same time. :-) Some of these prizes include: * 8 hours of studio time donated by VMG Studios in Atlanta, GA (http://www.visionmusicgroup.com/), * software packages donated by Virtual Studio Systems (http://www.virtualstudiosystems.com/prodLYR.htm) & Write Hit Songs (http://www.writehitsongs.com/), * books donated by StagePass.com (http://www.stagepass.com/), * memberships donated by SongScope.com (http://www.songscope.com/) * and Muse's Muse mugs & T-shirts too! There will be a first, second and third place winner. I would also like to announce the addition of a new columnist. Duff Berschback, Esq. is an entertainment lawyer in Nashville, TN. He represents singers, songwriters, publishers, and other assorted industry types, with a particular focus on digital entertainment and new media. He has kindly consented to answer questions and write articles regarding songwriting and the law. His new section (This Law Goes To 11) is located here: http://www.musesmuse.com/songlaw.html and I hope you'll drop by to read through his first article and his first Q&A (on the subject of what to do in the case of copyright infringement). Welcome aboard, Duff! There are numerous updates around the web site including new articles by the columnists, new answers to the songwriting survey, tons of new CD reviews and the addition of new features. One of these new features is The Muse's Muse Musician's Junction - a great way to make contact with other musicians and songwriters, brought to you through an agreement between this site and TAXI (http://www.taxi.com/). And congratulations to Rick Wade in Toowong, Australia for winning this month's book raffle. He'll receive the latest issue of THE MUSIC BUSINESS REGISTRY (OR "A & R REGISTRY"), reviewed below. IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE @MUSESMAIL.COM FREE E-MAIL: Lastly, I wanted to let you all know that I will be changing the service I use for the free @musesmail.com e-mail. Though I realize this is an inconvenience to those of you that use this service, I'm doing it so that it can be of more use to you in the end. My primary reason for making the switch is that the new service will allow me to offer POP access from that free account while the one that I'm currently using, will not. In fact, I was told when I first signed on to that free e-mail service, that they *would* eventually be making such an offering. I was prepared to wait for it. Now, having been told in no uncertain terms that it's not coming, I want to give you guys the best service I can give - so I'm switching. For those of you that have @musesmail.com accounts, please make sure that you've gotten all of your e-mail squared away. I intend for there to be only a very short interruption. I'm giving everyone until FEBRUARY 12TH to do this. After that, the switch will be made. It might take a few days for it to take effect and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience - but the pluses FAR outweigh the minuses and I hope to have everyone squared away with the new service as quickly as possible. Once the new mail service is available, I'll make an announcement on the front page of the web site (www.musesmuse.com) directing folks to re-sign up and re-claim their usernames at the link I'll provide. It should all be very straightforward - and the benefits will be huge. Having POP access from this free e-mail account will make the service MUCH more useful to you, allowing you to pick up your primary e-mail using only a browser and an internet connection - no matter where you are, anywhere in the world. For those of you who travel regularly, as many gigging musicians are forced to do, a benefit like that can be invaluable. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Best of luck to you in the coming month! --Jodi Back to Menu ================================================================= SHAMELESS PLUG: Drop by http://www.musesmuse.com/musemerchandise.html today to pick up your very own Muse's Muse shirt, mug or mousepad! And while you're at it, think about starting your *own* store. Details on how to do that are only a click away... ================================================================= C o p y r i g h t & P u b l i s h i n g Q & A : with Nancy A. Reece of Carpe Diem Copyright Management ----------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Hi Nancy, My name is Janine. I am a children's entertainer around CT. and NY. state. For several years area parents have been after me to record a CD of all the kids' favorites. This year I promised them I would do just that. Now here's my question to you. Can you help me find or tell me which children songs I can record without getting into any trouble? I do not sing any original children songs. I just do the usual songs like "Old McDonald", "Twinkle Twinkle" and "B-I-N-G-O". Songs like that. I do believe some may be in the public domain by now but I don't know how to find that out. I'll be recording in just a few weeks. If you can help me that'll be great. Thank you so much. --Janine L. ------------------ A: Thank your for your wonderful work with children. There is a public domain web site where you may be able to search for particular songs and be sure that they are free from royalty obligations. However, be aware of arrangements. It is possible to hold a copyright on an arrangement that would fall under protection. Look also at the PRO sites and at the HFA site to be sure you are good to go. http://www.pdinfo.com/ / http://www.bmi.com/ / http://www.ascap/com
http://www.sesac.com/ / http://www.songfile.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Dear Nancy, Thank you for all the assistance you offer songwriters. I truly believe in copywriting. However, my question is of another nature that perhaps you can assist. I have numerous lyrics I have written and now I need to have them set to music. My question is do you know or have a listing or know of a listing of recording studios for the aspiring songwriter? I am an American living in Okinawa, Japan. I know this is a work for hire, but where are the people for such work? Help! I am an artist/poet/lyricist who has been working for decades in my arts and so far I now have all works copyrighted and I am ready to put my talents out to the public. (So far I have 1 demo cassette) Any suggestions for me? Your response will be greatly valued and appreciated. Thank you in advance, -- Gwendolyn T. ------------------ A: There is a performing rights society in Japan that may lead you to other writers. In Japanese: http://www.jasrac.or.jp/ In English: http://www.jasrac.or.jp/ejhp/ Oh - and I did find one listing for a record studio in Okinawa... RECORDING STUDIO JAVY 5F Javy Building 1-1-2 Matsuo Naha-shi, Okinawa 900 Japan Phone: (819) 8862 6658 Fax: (819) 8861 0965 Contact: Jun Ota ----------------------------------------------------------------- Q: Is there an industry standard when it comes to adaptations/translations? I recently co-wrote a song in English with someone, where I wrote all the music and we both wrote the lyrics. I then took that song and translated it into Spanish. I did not translate word for word, but rather tried to keep the idea/theme intact. Do I own the copyright for the entire Spanish version of the song, or does the other writer get some sort of credit percentage-wise for the Spanish portions of lyrics translated from their English lyrics? Thanks -- Phil B. ------------------ A: Hello Philip: You are speaking of a "derivative work". It depends on the compositions publishing agreement and the arranger's arrangement (if you will) with the publisher at the time of translation. It has been my experience that translators are paid a flat fee as a work for hire job and the work remains property of the original holder. ----------------------------------------------------------------- TO VIEW OTHER QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES, SEE NANCY'S COPYRIGHT & PUBLISHING Q&A ONLINE AT http://www.musesmuse.com/pubq-a.html . Please note: Nancy received a *lot* of e-mail in a month. If you sent in a question but have not heard a reply, it's very likely it already *has* an answer online. It's always a good idea to thoroughly look through the Copyright & Publishing Q&A online to see if your question has already been asked before you send in a request. Thanks! ----------------------------------------------------------------- ***** Carpe Diem's owner and president, Nancy A. Reece has been involved in the music business since 1983. She was the president of an independent advertising agency for eight years as well as a successful personal artist manager for nine years. She represented the careers of several recording artists and songwriters including those with EMI, Zomba and Liberty Records as well as Benson, Starsong, WoodBridge, Temple Hall and N'Soul Records. She also represented, for a number of years, a Grammy and Dove nominated record producer. Reece has won awards of excellence in print magazine advertising and has been named as one of 2,000 Notable American Women (1995) as well as being listed in the International Who's Who of Professional and Business Women (1993). She was also named Cashbox Magazine's Promoter of the Year (1989). **If you would like to ask Nancy a copyright or publishing question for our continuing Q&A section, please send your e-mail to nreece@musesmuse.com. She can't guarantee she'll get to all of the questions, but she'll certainly try.** Back to Menu ================================================================= M u s i c R e v i e w s : by Ben Ohmart ----------------------------------------------------------------- Marina V ­ Lift There is a lot of Tori Amos in Marina. And when she heats up to rock, there is a budding Blondie somewhere deep within. To experience both mood swings, start at the beginning. 'Anything At All' poeticizes with 'Again I stand in front of you / I guess I am blocking your view / Don’t worry, I don’t want anything at all' and in the last moment the electric guitar sheds quick licks, giving Marina the confidence to repeat the first part in quite a different way. Now she knows her mind. Now she knows what’s what. And you get the feeling the end of the song sees her walking right out the door. For a short 28 minutes, V (which stands for Verenikina, people) packs a lot of thought, gumption, and soft and hard-boiled musical notions into her 2nd release. 'When I Need You Most' is typical of the girlfriend you'll find here, though this song is recorded louder than the surrounding songs. And the 50s beat it’s based on is a nice change from the more heartfelt piano songs. Okay, so it's not typical. Perhaps V's 'Séance' fits the bill. Darkness. A soft woman's voice floats in. The distorted guitar chords trill in, then out. The gothic piano tinkles somewhere in the back. In short breaths, V still speaks. An odd séance. Most of it comes out in the light. Yet, when she next sees the 'Dark Around Me', Annie Lennox beware. This one has an interesting blend of crashing guitar and quiet coffee moments. Maybe she's a vampire who suddenly springs to life when the moment is right. The end piece is 'Father', ripped straight from the heart, and intensely personal. 'Father, do you feel alone in your / empty home sometimes? / Father, did you know that I think / about you all the time? / Are you feeling sad? / Do you need me there? / Would it matter if I’d stayed?' It's like reading someone's diary ­ as they write it. Would be a lovely ballad for a character driven musical. Marina is certainly growing as a songwriter, as a person. Check out her 1st cd as well, and catch the chronicling. http://www.marinav.com/Marina@MarinaV.com ------------------ OTHER NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE: Gene Autry - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-autry.html Andrea Maybaum - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-maybaum.html Jean Bratman - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-bratman.html Mark Nicholas - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-nicholas.html Oleary & Lalli - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-oleary&lalli.html Pale Boy - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-paleboy.html Pushcar - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-pushcar.html Matt Easton - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-easton.html Susan's Room - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-susansroom.html Joyce Todd - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-todd.html II Big - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-iibig.html Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-kal&ald.html Jamie Solow - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-solow.html Tian - http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-tian.html --------------- ****** Ben Ohmart has had 100s of stories and poems in zines and journals, and had 4 plays produced last year. His lyrics will be on 2 CDs this year, 1 a gothic album, the other a rock album. He's currently writing films, with hopes of having one done in Malaysia soon, and is also trying to break into the prison of television. He's white, 26, single and loves British comedy. He lives in Boalsburg, PA, and enjoys watching rabbits eat his garbage. Contact him at: ohmart@musesmuse.com . **Ben has kindly consented to do music reviews for this publication and also for The Muse's Muse itself. If you have an independently released CD or tape that you'd like to get reviewed, send it off to: Ben Ohmart, P O Box 750, Boalsburg, PA 16827 or drop by his Music Reviews web section at http://www.musesmuse.com/musicreviews.html for more details.** 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. Songs 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. See www.musesmuse.com/songscope.html for details or contact: writerinfo@songscope.com ~ Tel: 770.754.4543 ================================================================= S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by Jodi Krangle THE MUSIC BUSINESS REGISTRY (OR "A & R REGISTRY"): Publisher/Editor: Ritch Esra, Publisher/General Manager: Stephen Trumbull http://www.musicregistry.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- While this publication is a little more geared towards the industry of performance rather than simply focusing on songwriting contacts, I have still found nothing that even comes close to the amount of information stacked into these ring-bound pages. Unbelievable. The first few pages contain a listing of Music Conferences and Conventions around the world. From there, it goes straight into a listing of just about every major and independent record label there is. While the majority of listings are indeed from the US - as you would expect, there is also fantastic representation throughout Canada and Europe. What makes this particular publication unique is the amount of detail it provides on each company. There is, of course, the company address and contact information, but the titles of those contacts and their assistants are also provided, along with e-mail addresses and urls, direct dial phone numbers and fax numbers, and, most importantly, the style of music each company specializes in. In between the listings (never sharing space with the listings themselves) are relevant advertisements for anything from mastering services to upcoming music conferences to useful web sites. The *ads* were almost as useful as the listings. At the back of the book is an index where you can locate information by a person's name. Don't you hate it when you try to reach someone to ask them about what they're accepting... and the number is out of service? Things like that will rarely happen here. Not that I'm knocking the Songwriter's Market, but that's a publication that's put out once a year. How accurate do you think it is by the end of a year? You won't have that problem with the Music Business Registry. Ritch and Stephen put this baby out every two months. They know what's going on, they make changes, they pass it on to you. Purchasing the A&R Registry is basically like purchasing a subscription to an extremely useful magazine and getting a book every two months instead. A year's subscription includes six issues, jam-packed with information. The A&R Registry is a lot more pricey than picking up a copy of the Songwriter's Market, but if you're serious about what you do, it's the best money you'll ever spend. Knowledge is power. ================================================================= F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e : THE BIG WHEN by Anne Freeman ©2001, Anne M. Freeman, The Aspiring Songwriter ™ All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission. ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Write it in your heart that everyday is the best day of the year." -Ralph Waldo Emerson ---------- I'd like to talk about songwriting goals. We've all set them, and some of us have achieved them. But a fair question would be, is goal setting relevant, or is it an exercise in frustration? Most songwriters and artists I meet speak in terms of the future: "When I find a co-writer, when I write a hit song, when I learn to perform, when I start pitching, when I get a publishing contract, when I get a record deal…," everything is focused on "THE BIG WHEN"! But what about right now? Recently I read a book, 'Life is a Contact Sport', by Ken Kragen, (William Morrow, May 1994), who is best known as Kenny Rogers' manager and organizer of "Hands Across America." In the book, Kragen challenges his readers to ask this question: "What have I done for my career today?" From that point on, I asked myself that question every day. I started a journal and listed my daily efforts to answer the question. The exercise did a few good things for me, which I've outlined below: First, I wrote down ANYTHING I did that pertained to songwriting: reading an article, listening closely to songs on the radio, thinking of a song idea, attending a meeting. No matter how small it was, I wrote it down. This helped me to focus on what I was doing in the here and now, as I lived my daily routine. Being able to read what I'd done every day brought new value to each small step I was taking. It wasn't too long before I looked forward to writing my list every night. Second, I developed a habit of actually DOING something for my songwriting everyday. Incredibly, it wasn't hard and it wasn't a huge sacrifice, BECAUSE I was acknowledging and placing value on all of the little things I was doing. More importantly, the "insurmountable goal" mindset began to disappear. Third, I began to make more room for songwriting in my life. This happened NATURALLY, over a period of time, because songwriting became a positive in my life, not a struggle. Surprisingly, the changes were subtle and gradual, without effort. By validating my efforts in the here and now, I had created a new, positive mindset. And, I didn't have to set "goals" to do it. This approach may not be relevant to you. But if you truly want to be a songwriter or an artist and are frustrated by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, or you are struggling with trying to write in the chaos of daily life, you may want to give this a try. "WORDS TO WRITE BY"™ EXERCISES Exercise 1: Read and think about the quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Does it pertain to your life? If so, how? Exercise 2: "THE BIG WHEN" Does this statement apply to your creative life? Are you living your creative life solely for the future? Try to be honest about your answers. Exercise 3: Start a journal and briefly state each thing that you do every day to learn the art and craft of songwriting, and to learn the business of songwriting. Do that for three months and reassess yourself. Read the entire journal through in one sitting. Did your lists grow longer as time went on? Exercise 4: Write your own essay about this "Words to Write By" quote. Remember to keep it fun! ****** Anne Freeman is the coordinator for the Princeton NJ Chapter of the Nashville Songwriters Association, International (NSAI), the largest not-for-profit trade organization for songwriters in the US. She is also a professional conference planner and speaker, and is employed by the New Jersey Department of Education as an Education Program Specialist. http://www.wordstowriteby.com/ ™ was developed by Anne Freeman from 'The Aspiring Songwriter',™ to provide aspiring songwriters and artists with thinking points for their creative and professional journey. The site features short essays that are responses to ideas and perspectives presented in famous quotes, coupled with a several easy-to-do, self-assessment exercises. A new "Words to Write By"™ quote, essay, and exercise is posted on the site each month. Back to Menu ================================================================= 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! ----------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTHERN UTAH SONGWRITING SCHOOL 2001 Presented by: Acoustic Concerts of Southern Utah PO Box 910722 St. George, Utah 84791 435-673-1437 tgale@infowest.comjetlag@infowest.comhttp://www.southernutahacousticconcerts.com/ Date: March 17, 18, 19, 2001 Instructors: Beth Neilson Chapman, Paul Reisler and Steve Seskin Cost: $295 or $275 early registration by February 15 ($50 non-refundable deposit will hold your spot) Venue: Red Mountain Resort & Spa (Resort package available) 1-800-407-3002 1275 E. Red Mountain Circle Ivins, Utah 84738 http://www.redmountainspa.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- WINDRIFT SONGWRITING COMPETITION Windrift Music, a new music label in Toronto is sponsoring a free songwriting competition. THERE IS NO ENTRY CHARGE: Grand Prize * $500 in cash * Make Your own demo CD * 50 CDs courtesy of Windrift Music * Web Hosting of Your Song on Windrift Music Site * Artist Home Page with download of music * 1000 promotional Flyers of CD * Free promotion of artist CD to major labels. WHO CAN ENTER: Aspiring or proficient songwriters- self -published or unpublished - who are looking for a chance to get their material recorded and/or published. The deadline is June 30th, 2001. Contest details are located on the Windrift web site: http://www.windriftmusic.com/contest.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE GUILD OF INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITERS AND COMPOSERS is an international organisation based in England, UK. Guild members are songwriters, composers, lyricists, poets, performing songwriters, musicians, publishers, studio owners, music industry personnel, etc, from various countries throughout the world. The Guild has published Songwriting and Composing magazine since 1986, issued free to Guild members. The Guild offers advice, guidance, protection, information, encouragement and services to Guild members with regard to helping members achieve their aims, ambitions, progression and advancement in respect to the many different aspects of the music industry. Members of the Guild have access to Panama Music Limited, an affiliated publishing company, a member of The Mechanical Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) (London, England) and The Performing Right Society (PRS) (London, England), which is the umbrella parent company of various international publishing catalogues and recording trademarks. More info at our website http://www.songwriters-guild.co.uk/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE NORTHWEST OF ENGLAND 6TH ANNUAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION is running from March until June 2001. The usual prizes include studio time, promotion and inclusion on the Buskers Ball CD. Songs must be performed to an audience/panel of judges (so entry may be restricted to UK residents) [although there are lots of UK fans of the Muses Muse]. Further information on (44)01204 527414, at the Buskers Ball website http://www.busker.freeuk.com/, or by email to busker@freeuk.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------- COOCH MUSIC IS SEEKING TOP 10 QUALITY R&B HITS for new female artist. Four Major labels are interested in her. She has major management and producer in place. Songs must be fully produced, and available for immediate contract consideration! If interested we will need an instrumental track as well. Unpublished songs only. Make us say WOW! and feel the groove! Please submit songs in this style only! We need songs ASAP! Contact: Joseph Cuccia at j.cuucia@coochmusic.com or visit our website at http://www.coochmusic.com/. ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE 2001 SONGWRITERS CONTEST IS NOW OPEN: for all unsigned original songwriters, composers, bands, singer-songwriters and solo artists. There are 13 categories (see entry form) that will be awarded. There is a $30.00 (U.S. currency) per song entry fee. Entries are accepted up until June 30, 2001. No entries will be accepted after that date, no exceptions. All qualified entrants (see rules) will receive one copy of the winners on CD. Winners will have their songs distributed to the top 25 radio stations in the US and top 2 stations in the UK for play in those areas. A management contract will be awarded to all winners. We will send the winning songs to several record labels A&R Departments. Also the winners will receive a certificate with their name and category. For Official Rules and Regulations and printable entry form e-mail encoreproductionsinc@velceroisp.com Or send SASE to: Encore Productions Inc. 5402 Brantford Ave. Memphis, TN. 38120-2440 USA http://www.encoreproductionsinc.com/2001.htm (901) 821-9921 *Collect calls will not be accepted. Long distant calls may or may not be returned.* ----------------------------------------------------------------- COUNTRY SONGWRITERS OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THE BLUEBIRD CAFE "CLICK THE WEBSITE LINK TO ENTER" Georgia Music Industry Association (GMIA) Announces 2001 "Best Of Country" Songwriter Showcase May 10th,2001 Submission Deadline-March 8th,2001 http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=17761Back to Menu ================================================================= M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson ©1998-2001 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission ----------------------------------------------------------------- When it comes to songwriting, much of the activity on the internet is around the idea of getting your song critiqued. Most songwriters, especially newer ones, are interested in knowing if their songs are really great (just like mom says!) or if there's some work left to do. It's hard to get your first real critique! Over time you might develop a thick skin, but the first few can be pretty tough! There are many songwriting boards on the net where you can put your lyrics up for critique and sit there and nervously wait for a response, which is often unfulfilling, if there is one at all! Well, if you're REALLY ready to have your song critiqued...if you REALLY want to know what it's like to have someone dispassionately listen to your song and evaluate it from a completely unbiased point of view, you might want to check this out. It's called GarageBand.com... http://www.garageband.com/ ...you can't just post lyrics, you must upload audio mp3 files of the songs which are encoded into RealAudio files. You don't have to be a "band" either :-) But there's a catch...first, you have to review a certain number of songs before you can upload one of yours. That way, garageband.com gets enough participation in the reviewing end of things. When your song is finally uploaded, it goes into a rotation of anonymous plays where others can review it. Sounds pretty scary? Here are a few points to consider: If you're are a first time reviewer, this will give you an idea of what it must be like to be a publisher with those thousands of wannabe tapes piling up on your desk! Many of the songs are mediocre...see if you can find something positive to say! There is also a multiple choice section of the review which makes it easier for you to identify certain things about the song...would you listen to it again? Is it engaging or boring? Every now and then you'll come across a great song...and you can choose what genre of music you'd like to critique so that you don't have to listen to punk if you're not a punk fan. Another important point is that you don't know who the artist or group is until the end of two reviews. And you can't pick and choose which artists/songs you'd like to review, so people can't "swap" wonderful reviews in order to get higher up in the charts. There are also prizes, but I don't want to sound like a commercial, so you can check it out yourself! The reviews you receive on your song will often be tough! The rules of the site specify that there's a difference between a harsh review and a bad one...some do try to get away with being nasty, and on the opposite end of things, some reviews are just the "pat on the back" kind. However, you can accept or deny the review, and the reviewer is ALSO rated! You can email the reviewer with a response if you want to respond to their review. My experience of it so far is that there are the obvious glitches, such as people who want to cheat and get past the reviewing process so that they can have their songs reviewed without first doing theirs. But garageband.com has some very well-known producers on board as well, people like Sir George Martin (of Beatles fame) and a host of others who will give a listen to the songs that get high enough up the charts...you can't beat that! So when you're ready, surf on over to garageband.com and give it a try. I'll see you there! ****** 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 ================================================================= P U B L I S H E R I N S P O T L I G H T : Just a reminder... ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unfortunately, I don't have a new one for you this month, mostly because of fall-out from the holidays. I am working on several though and I'll have them in the next few issues. Meanwhile, I thought I would take this opportunity to let you all know where previous interviews are located on the web site: http://www.musesmuse.com/interviews.html There are a huge number of interesting talks with many songwriters you'll know and many you won't - but should *get* to know! There are also interviews with other folks like publishers and producers. With all of the other things to do and see and read on the web site, it's very possible for these interviews to be lost and forgotten. But if you're looking for inspiration, they really can't be beat. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Back to Menu ================================================================= " O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E : Building the Perfect Beast: Form Follows Function by Pat Pattison http://www.musesmuse.com/patart2.html This enlightening article explains why it's a good idea to have your rhyming and rhythm scheme follow your song's subject - and gives you tips on how to do it too! Back to Menu
================================================================= 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 SONGWRITER'S GUIDE TO DEMO SUBMISSION... Everything you need to know to get your songs heard! Updated for 2001, our guide can give you an edge over the thousands of other songwriters trying desperately to get their songs listened to. You'll learn how to package your demos like a pro, discover where to send your demos, learn how to market your songs online, locate songwriter organizations and more! http://www.music-song-lyric.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- ATTENTION SONGWRITERS! YOUR SONG MAY BE THE SOUND OF SUCCESS! The Billboard Song Contest has some new and exciting changes taking place this year. For the first time ever, we are offering the "Excellence in Songwriting Award" for our first place winners. The Billboard Song Contest is open to both amateur and semi- professional songwriters. Entry forms can be obtained by calling us toll free at 888-989-0351, at www.billboard.com/songcontest, or email at bbsc@jimhalsey.com. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ATTENTION JAZZ MUSIC FANS: JazzReview.com is your connection to reviews of the hottest new jazz releases. We have many great features such as jazz artist interviews, jazz photography, charts, concert / festival reviews, Monthly CD giveaways and "YOUR" guest reviews. Come check out: http://www.jazzreview.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------- 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, no setup fee and no sales equals no cost! Check it out - http://www.cdstreet.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- DISCOVER SHAREWARE MUSIC MACHINE and explore the world of software which will help make writing and recording your songs a breeze! Featuring over 2100 software titles to freely download as well as more than 2000 discussion forums, Shareware Music Machine has software for musicians of all kinds. For MIDI sequencers to guitar effects to hard disc recording to the latest sound players, head to http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/?muse ================================================================= ADVERTISING RATES: For Classifieds: US$25 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

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