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The Muse's News |
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Issue 6.8 - November 2003
ISSN 1480-6975
[ Back to The Muse's News Index ] [ Home ]
This issue sponsored by:
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I n T h i s I s s u e :
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@-- Editor's Musings
@-- Copyright & Publishing Q&A with Nancy A. Reece from Carpe Diem
Copyright Management
@-- Music Reviews - by Ben Ohmart, Stacey Board
& Ashley Petkovski
@-- 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 - SPIKED HAIR AND COWBOY BOOTS
by Jerry Flattum
@-- Songwriter In Spotlight - Jeffrey Gaines by Lauren Jonik
@-- 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 1998/99/00/01/02/03 - Jodi Krangle.
For more contact information, see end of issue.
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WANT A PIECE OF THE MUSE'S MUSE? :)
Visit http://www.cafeshops.com/musesmuse 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://tinyurl.com/cqij for more details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 AND GET CONTINUING EDUCATION
UNITS
If you are looking to progress in your professional development
or need assistance in financing your online education,
Berkleemusic now offers more flexible options with Continuing
Education Units (CEU). If you are a teacher or employee in the
music industry, you may be able to seek Employer Reimbursement
for all or part of the cost of your online education.
Songwriters: sharpen your craft with Berkleemusic.com, the online
extension school of Berklee College of Music. Whether you're a
relative beginner or an experienced writer, our online courses
will help you generate more and better ideas, master the elements
of style and structure, and express yourself more effectively in
words and music.
Learn how to build great lyrical ideas into great songs. Discover
tips and techniques the most successful writers use in their
music. Master powerful programs like Finale and ProTools to
notate your songs and make great-sounding demos. These are just a
few of the skills you can develop this spring in our online
school. Study anytime, anywhere with Berklee's award-winning
faculty. Work with other serious writing students in a rich
learning environment.
Registration for November 17, 2003 is open now!
Visit Berkleemusic.com to enroll today!
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E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
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Hello once again! I have some news for those of you that are at
all interested in what I have been up to musically. My folk
group's new CD "Sushi & High Tea" (a compilation of live
performances, actually) is finally available online! For more
information, including sound clips, you're welcome to check out
http://www.urbantapestry.org/sushi.html .
I also feel compelled to mention that the folks at Sheeba Music
were kind enough to send me an advance copy of Jane Siberry's
upcoming release, 'SHUSHAN the Palace (Hymns of Earth)' - and I'm
*hugely* impressed. Lots of vocal variations, gorgeous harmonies
and lush instrumentation... If you're looking for Christmas-type
music (and now's the time, my friends), I highly suggest you
check this one out. Visit http://www.janesiberry.com/ for more info (the
site will be updated in the first week of November and you'll
find information there on the new CD then!).
Just as a really quick reminder, The Muse's Muse can now accept
your press releases! See http://www.musesmuse.com/pressreleases/
for more details. Also, the message boards have been updated
with some great new features. You can visit them at
http://www.musesmuse.com/forums/index.php . If you haven't yet
gone by and had a look, I highly suggest you do so! Especially
if you're interested in making a connection with a great
songwriting community for opportunities and support.
Also briefly - I still have that subscription drive going on.
Only 10 new subscribers need to be attributed to you (have those
folks interested email me at jodi@musesmuse.com with their
interest and mention your name and email address as the person
that told them about it) in order for you to win a Muse's Muse
t-shirt or mug. Here's what they look like:
http://www.cafeshops.com/musesmuse .
And as extra incentive, the person who has gotten the largest
number of sign-ups by the end of the year, will also get a free
NSAI (http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/) membership for 2004!
Matthew Kealley is SO close to getting his t-shirt or mug. Just
ONE MORE SUBSCRIPTION attributed to him, and it's all his. :)
Coming up a close second, is Robb Bledsoe who is five
subscriptions away from getting his t-shirt or mug. Keep it up,
guys! I'll let you know the moment you get over the 10 subscriber
mark.
Now on to this month's raffle winners. :)
* Joe Hunt from Palm Bay, FL has won a copy of "Essential Ear
Training for the Contemporary Musician" by Steve Prosser
(reviewed below).
* Brendalee Jackson from Cambridge, ON, has won a copy of
IndieMusic.com's "Musician's Toolkit" (for details on this
package of useful indie musician-related tools, see
http://www.musicianstoolkit.com/muse/)
* Ben Howard from Knoxville, TN, 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)
I hope you enjoy making your music!
--Jodi
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEW: LYRICIST VERSION 3 SOFTWARE: IT'S BEEN A LONG TRAIN RUNNING!
Virtual Studio Systems, Inc. is proud to announce Lyricist V3 -
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. The version 3 release adds
an Enhanced User Interface, Support for Piano Style chord
symbols, Nashville Number System support, and Song Key
Transposition - all in one user-friendly package. Check out the
review at http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html .
Muse's Muse visitors can take home the product for $5.00 off the
V3 introductory sale price of $39.95 just for purchasing through
the purchase button provided off of the review.
For more information, visit the review url above or call us at
888.732.1176 inside the U.S.A. and Canada or 603.726-4499 outside
the U.S.A.
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C o p y r i g h t & P u b l i s h i n g Q & A :
With Licensing executive Nancy A. Reece
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This month we have some popular excerpts from the Digital Web
Book Real Answers to Real Questions from the Chapter
"Agreements". The DWB remains exclusively available through the
Muses Muse Web Site:
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Q: If one person owns the Record Company, the Publishing Company,
and the Recording Label, what is the best way to split the
Publishing monies correctly (percentages), between the business
side and the artist?
A: Who wrote the song? The songwriter owns the copyright to the
composition until it is assigned elsewhere. If the songwriter has
her own publishing company then she may tuck it safely in that
pocket and will own 100%. If she assigns the copyright to another
publisher, then that deal may have several negotiated elements
concerning percentage and term. The recording company is the
studio? They are not players here (unless you make them so by
legal document). The Record Label must secure a mechanical
license to even place the composition on a project. The publisher
presents that agreement to them for the current statutory rate or
rate otherwise negotiated. The artist has no ownership in the
song unless they happen to also be the songwriter.
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Q: Hi, I want to know what to do in this situation: We are
currently working with unknown producers who have studios at
home. We have agreed to split the royalties fairly, we (the
artist and performers) have provided lyrics and melody, and they
(the unknown producers) are providing music and arrangement. Of
course we will be working together and listening to each other's
suggestions, to make the songs as good as possible. When we get a
deal of some sort, such as a single release, if the Record Label
wants to re-do the whole music track with a producer of their
choice, how do the original producers get payment for their
input? I would very much appreciate your assistance, thanks
A: Here is the bottom line. The composition consists of melody
and lyric. That is the complete copyright. The writer of these
parts (the song you can sing back w/o instrument) owns that
copyright in entirety.
The arrangement is a separate copyrightable thing. Most
independent producers I have worked with have two basic ways of
approaching this;
1. Fee for services, waive of ownership in sound recording,
producer royalty
2. Producer royalty, ownership of sound recording, no flat fee
for services.
These are not the only two combinations, but they seem to be the
most used.
If you get a label to pick up on what you are doing but they want
to re-record, then the producers of the demo have absolutely no
hold in the copyright to the compositions. The only thing the
producers get is their fee paid during the demo process.
*****
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 compiled into an e-book called REAL ANSWERS TO REAL
QUESTIONS: THE SONGWRITER-PUBLISHER FORUM .
For information on how to pick up your copy today, visit:
http://www.musesmuse.com/realarealq.html
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!
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M u s i c R e v i e w s :
by Ben Ohmart and Stacey Board
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Anna Sheer – "Beautiful Waters" (by Ben Ohmart)
Anna Sheer is a beautiful girl – with talent. Clicking on her
simple website, checking out her performance dates, I'm
impressed. She's played a LOT, and just about everywhere in her
area, since 1999. I reviewed her previous cd, Dreamer, last year.
The reason I don't remember it has nothing to do with quality,
but the quantity of submissions I’m getting.
Beautiful Waters has a girl's charm, something that has to be
worked through in order to become a wonderful adult. It's not a
great album, but it's interesting. If that answer sounds wishy
washy, it isn't. 'Beautiful Waters' keeps my interest, like an
unexpected tv show you suddenly switch onto; you keep the channel
on, wondering where it's going. Personally, I like the middle
tunes better than the way it begins, especially 'Mine,' a very
catchy love song.
It is an album for young lovers still exploring themselves and
the world. The only thing it lacks is what we all lack – cash. In
a fairer world, Anna would have a power-playing agent who would
get her a big deal and she'd be barely audible singing over dance
tracks. As is, Anna's a sheer breath of relief, and should give
us all a pause in our pessimism.
http://www.annasheer.com/
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OTHER NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Aural Borealis (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000535.html
James Cockerham (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000544.html
Anna Sheer (by Ben Ohmart)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000538.html
Nick McAlister (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000543.html
Jaime Michaels (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000542.html
David DeMordaunt (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000541.html
Pernell Disney (by Stacey Board)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000536.html
Deirdre Hughes (by Ashley Petkovski)
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000537.html
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******
For bios on each of the reviewers, see
http://www.musesmuse.com/musicreviews.html . If you're considering
sending in your own CD for review, you can also view that page to
find out which reviewer reviews your genre. Thanks!
Back to Menu
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S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by James Linderman
Essential Ear Training for the Contemporary Musician
by Steve Prosser
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For academic musicians, ear training is the Swiss army knife of
applied theory.
OK! Let me explain.
Like a Swiss army knife, ear training initially appears to be
such a small and insignificant tool to have at your disposal.
A Swiss army knife can, however, prove to be indispensable on
closer examination, when you start to check out all the cool
things that pop out of it and come to realize all of the stuff
you find yourself using it for everyday.
Ear training has that same kind of under-rated value.
It can become the essential tool you will use when determining
the quality and function of a chord within a progression, notate
a complex polyrhythm, or try to sight sing a Christmas carol you
drank too much egg-nog last year to remember.
Ear training is also an element in soloing, learning songs from
CD's and jamming with your friends. These are ear training's best
party tricks and the biggest, sharpest blade in our Swiss army
knife analogy.
Perhaps not so obviously, ear training helps build awesome music
readers, those of us who can anticipate a note's sound, can
therefore get to it faster and with the confidence that only
sensory validation brings. It's the cheating element of sight
reading.
Developed ear training also delivers great songwriting, allowing
for the note distances (intervals) to serve your melodic
development, the chord of the moment, and the lyric better to
provide the potential for the greatest impact. For songwriters,
this is the corkscrew in our Swiss army knife analogy.
Like all Berklee College of Music textbooks, "Essential Ear
Training for the Contemporary Musician" is not merely academic,
it's actually practical theory, or applied theory, as I often
refer to it.
It's not the music theory that bears a frightening resemblance to
physics and algebra combined but it's more like skill-focused
information that has the potential to solve the kind of problems
we face when we have written a near perfect song but can't find
that one elusive glitch - or when the note we are singing and the
word we are singing are sending the listener two conflicting
messages.
A trained ear hears the problem but ear training is what allows
us to know how to solve it.
"Essential Ear Training for the Contemporary Musician" starts out
with a short 101 on conducting. Yes, the baton kind! The idea is
to be able to have an imaginary conductor in our mind's eye when
we play to keep us aware of not only our tempo but also our bar
location, a novel concept for those of us with extensive rock
band experience.
The author then gets right into pitch relations and all of the
rudimentary materials for note recognition, sight reading and
sight singing. A good teaching tool is as much about how
information is displayed as it is about the information itself
and this is a book with its materials really well proportioned
and displayed very systematically.
I like textbooks (they make me look so smart when I carry them
around) but I love workshops and this is both in one. There are
lessons on rhythmic training, note recognition, getting to know
your inner do, re, mi ... otherwise known as sight singing,
melodic studies that pull all of the elements from the other
lessons together and a supplementary lesson called Visualization-
Improvisation which I will strongly encourage you to check out.
The workshop section has the materials for each lesson laid out
in such a way that you get some practical hands-on experience in
each discipline before you even leave the book.
To get the most out of this book it is recommended that you have
some basic experience reading in the treble and bass clef, can
recognize a key signature when confronted with one, know your
time signatures and can decipher most common rhythmic figures and
know your basic scales and modes. I would, however, suggest that
this would be a great book to have on hand even if you were just
starting to develop some knowledge and skill in these disciplines
and consider all of it to be more of a journey than a
destination.
This would be a lifesaving book for any musician who has hit a
plateau and needs a fresh approach to unlock some more of that
potential they are always telling us we have so much of.
An untrained musician will play what he knows but a trained
musician can play what everybody knows. I personally think that
this is what makes "Essential Ear Training for the Contemporary
Musician" by Steve Prosser well worth checking out.
Check it out!
******
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
James Linderman lives and works at theharmonyhouse, a music lesson,
songwriting and music pre-production facility in Newmarket,
Ontario, Canada. He is the Songwriters Association of Canada
regional coordinator for Newmarket and leads a music workshop
program for Life 100.3 Christian radio. James writes songwriting
articles for The Muse's News web magazine, Canadian Musician
Magazine and Professional Musician Magazine.
Contact James at: theharmonyhouse@rogers.com
Back to Menu
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Please support the sponsors that support this newsletter! Thanks!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE ORCHARD AND MUSE'S MUSE HAVE TEAMED UP TO BRING YOU TO THE
FOREFRONT OF GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION
The Orchard opens the door to worldwide music distribution for
non-major-label artists and labels. When you register your CD
with The Orchard, it is distributed to every major legitimate
digital music service (iTunes, BuyMusic, Napster and over 20
others) and every major Internet store (Amazon, CDNow,
Barnesandnoble and over 15 others) and made available to every
large and small record store in America. If you join now through
Muse's Muse you will receive big savings on The Orchard's package
fees, with up to a $30 discount per release. Join the thousands
of artists and labels that already benefit from The Orchard's
revolutionary distribution system. Visit The Orchard for more
information on this special deal.
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M u s i c a l N o t e s : Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
In the interest of conserving space, I will only be including
changes to this listing in this newsletter. All other contests
and market information that have already been listed here, are
displayed at http://www.musesmuse.com/contests.html &
http://www.musesmuse.com/markets.html . Please check there
regularly for updates!
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THE CHRIS AUSTIN SONGWRITING CONTEST IS NOW OPEN!
Entries on audiotape or compact disc for the Chris Austin
Songwriting Contest at MerleFest 2004 must be received by March
18, 2004. Chairman Jim Lauderdale will empanel a group of
Nashville music industry figures that will choose three finalists
in each of four categories: bluegrass, country, gospel, and
general. The finals will take place at MerleFest 2004 on April 30
on the Chris Austin Stage. At MerleFest finalists will receive
4-day tickets and lodging within thirty miles of the event and
compete for prizes include cash prizes, sponsored by Thomas
Fisher, First Vice-President, Morgan Keegan, Durham, NC, and
Epiphone Guitars from Gibson. Additional prizes and support come
from Acoustic Guitar Magazine; Performing Songwriter, and
D’Addario strings. The first place contestants will perform for
the main stage audience.
For entry information, please call 800-799-3838 or visit the web
site (http://www.merlefest.org/). All entries must be submitted on tape
or CD with entry fee and an official entry form to The Chris
Austin Songwriting Contest; PO Box 121855; Nashville, TN 37212.
Entries without completed entry form and fee will not be judged.
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GREAT AMERICAN SONG CONTEST DEADLINE COMING SOON!
The 5th annual Great American Song Contest offers awards & prizes
for 45 winners in 8 categories, plus a 'Lyric Writing' category
for lyricists. This year's event features well-known music
industry judges, including publishers, producers, recording
artists and hit songwriters. * All entrants receive written
evaluations of their songs.* Sponsored by Songwriters Resource
Network, an educational resource for songwriters everywhere.
Postmark deadline is Nov. 7. Visit the GAS website at:
http://www.greatamericansong.com/ or email info@GreatAmericanSong.com for
a printed brochure.
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SONGOFTHEMONTH.COM
The online, monthly song contest supporting and promoting the art
of original songwriting by awarding cash and prizes three times
every month! Features online and mail-in contest registration,
and a low $10 entry fee. Winner's songs, lyrics, and url
celebrated each month in our Winner's Circle. Hope to hear you
there.
Visit http://www.songofthemonth.com/ to enter!
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TAKE "SUCCESFUL LYRIC WRITING" WITH SARA LIGHT ONLINE ONLY AT
SONGU.COM
Join Tony Award nominated lyricist and hit songwriter, Sara
Light, for this exciting online course beginning September 25th.
Also, as a member of SongU.com, you can take over 30 self-paced
courses that are available online 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year. No airfare, no hotel costs, no time constraints. Right
from your own home, you can get quality education and personal
attention from a faculty of active hit songwriters and successful
independent artists.
Back-To-School Special for Musesmuse members. Use redemption
code: MMU8303 when you enroll for one year at SongU and get an
additional 3 months free!
To take the campus tour, go to http://www.songu.com/?sa=3 .
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REAL ANSWERS TO REAL QUESTIONS - THE SONGWRITER-PUBLISHER FORUM
IS NOW AVAILABLE !
This 112 page DigitalWebBook is a compilation of 5 years of
correspondence between the Muse's Muse Readers and guest
columnist, Nancy A. Reece of Carpe Diem Copyright Management in
Nashville, TN.
Topics Include: Demo/Recording Agreements ~ Licensing ~
Collaboration ~ Pitching/Representation ~ Audio Files on The
Internet ~ Registration ~ Partnerships ~ Performing Rights
Organizations ~ Children's Music ~ International Questions ~ Work
For Hire ~ Plagiarism ~ Derivative ~ Works/Parodies ~ Clearances
~ Trademarks/Servicemarks/Names ~ Publisher/Writer Splits ~
Books/Sources/Resource Guides ~ Management Agreements ~
Publishing Agreements ~ Production Agreements ~ Estate
DigitalWebBooks (DWB) are 3D page turning digital manuals that
are E-mailed to you as an attachment that can be saved to your
desktop and viewed off line. For best results, the DWB may be
viewed on-line for access to website links referenced throughout
the book.
It's a truly amazing experience! Order yours today!
http://www.musesmuse.com/realarealq.html
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GET DISCOVERED: ENTER THE 4TH ANNUAL CMT/CMT.COM NSAI SONG
CONTEST:
Winners get their foot in the door of the music industry! Last
year's Grand Prize Winner, Tracey Naples, signed a label deal
with DreamWorks Records. If you write the winning song, you'll
receive an invitation to perform on CMT's Most Wanted Live stage
during Fan Fair, a trip to Nashville including airfare and
accomodations, guaranteed appointments with publishers and record
labels, a mentoring session with an award-winning professional
songwriter. Plus, you'll get your song pitched for one year, a
Taylor Guitar model 214, an AKG C-3000B studio microphone, and so
much more.
Final Contest Deadline: November 29, 2003. To enter visit
http://www.cmt.com/comm/sweep/nsai/2003/
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BERKLEEMUSIC.COM WEBSITE LAUNCHED
Berklee College of Music has launched its Berkleemusic.com web
site after nearly two years in development. 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 BerkleeMusic.com
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GREAT ARTICLES TO CHECK OUT AT GALARIS INDEPENDENT MUSIC:
http://www.galaris.com/
* Increase your odds of getting signed by understanding more
about A&R - by Bobby Borg
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=300
* 10 Essential Tips For Making a Living With Your Music - by
Christopher Knab
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=301
* Music Success Formulas - by Jeffrey P. Fisher
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=303
* Double Your Computer and Double Your Productivity - By Jeffrey
P. Fisher
http://www.galaris.com/articles?id=304
Visit http://www.galaris.com/ and Sign up for the Galaris
Independent Musicians Newsletter. 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.
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THE ASA NATIONAL SONGWRITING CONTEST
is an annual contest open to Australian citizens and permanent
Australian residents. Entries are submitted on CD or
audiocassette and are rendered anonymous prior to judging. Songs
are judged on originality and craft and must be unpublished at
the time of entry.
Established in 1980, the Contest is the largest annual
songwriters contest held in Australia.
Deadline is January 16th, 2004. Contact: http://www.asai.org.au/
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COOCH MUSIC'S 7TH AMATEUR SONGWRITING CONTEST
As a Visitor to The Muse's Muse, Cooch Music is offering a
special offer to you. Get one FREE entry when you enter one song
into our 7th Amateur Songwriting Contest! Enter One song get the
second Song for FREE! With No Limit on the amount of entries you
can enter with this special offer! Just copy and paste this
paragraph and submit it with your entries to receive the special
offer. For complete details on this contest visit
http://www.coochmusic.com/ .
This offer is brought to you by The Muse's Muse and The Cooch
Music Amateur Songwriting Contest. Helping the Amateur Songwriter
is what we do best. Deadline is March 28th, 2004.
Back to Menu
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M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2003 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By
Permission
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SCALA is the Songwriters, Composers And Lyricists Association
featuring lots of links and info from songwriters in South
Australia (http://users.senet.com.au/~scala/homepage.htm). They
have the usual links, as well as featuring compilation CD's from
their members and including some good reading in the form of
articles written by some of those members.
If you live in Southern Australia, you'll find lots of info on
the organization, including membership details, a history of the
organization and a list of some of their activities, including
something they call FOOM, the Festival Of Original Music song
competition, which you can enter no matter where you live.
Check out the articles at
http://users.senet.com.au/~scala/articles.htm#Contents. Most of
them were written before the year 2000, but they are an
interesting find on an unobtrusive website that has actually been
in existence for a number of years.
There is a very simple list of advice from Bob Petchell in his
article "How To Write A Song", a more in-depth discussion aimed
at lyricists in Robert Child's "The Lyricist's Toolkit" and a
discourse on the topic of writer's block by Rob Woodard in his
article "Dry Times (Or Once Around the Block)". I especially
enjoyed reading some of the members of SCALA discuss their
"Perspectives On Songwriting", including Bindi Blacher's "The
Vegy Stir-Fry Method"... It's amazing what songwriters can come
up with! A very active part of their website is the message
board (isn't it always? :-).
Though I'm only focusing on one, the fact is that many countries
have their own songwriting associations, including the British
Academy of Songwriters and Composers
(http://www.britishacademy.com/) and Canada's SAC
(http://www.songwriters.ca/). Do a search for "songwriter
association" in Google, and you'll find all kinds of them!
******
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
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F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e :
SPIKED HAIR AND COWBOY BOOTS - by Jerry Flattum
© Jerry Flattum, 2003 All Rights Reserved.
Printed with Permission.
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The record industry is in the midst of a revolution... but this
is nothing new. The revolution actually began when music went
digital, circa early 90's. Today, the affects of this revolution
are starting to take hold with a major assault by the recent RIAA
war declared on file sharing pirates.
But the revolution goes much deeper than new business models,
economics, digital distribution networks, or even major labels
versus independent labels. All of those factors are significant.
At a deeper level, the revolution is radically changing the way
artists/songwriters think about genre.
In a recent New York Times article (10.12.2003 -
http://tinyurl.com/rp2c) called "What Price Music?" Amy Harmon
sums up brilliantly the current state of the music industry.
Although the article does not address songwriters directly, it
does allude to an entirely new way of thinking about genre and
how this will affect the kinds of songs songwriters will write in
the future.
For many writers--and artists--nothing is more aggravating than
being pigeon-holed by an industry that is hell-bent on placing
songs into one style of music and one style only. The rule is
well known: Never submit a demo that includes a country tune, an
R&B tune and a metal tune.
Sure, there is crossover. And occasionally a new artist/new song
finds success on multiple Billboard charts at the same time,
ironically, to the delight of label execs who are normally
market-monogamous. Witness to date, the latest Sheryl Crow/Kid
Rock tune, "Picture," has riled various country diehards because
the song charted on Billboard's country charts.
Some writers are content to write within one style. Others are
not. Some songs defy categorization all together, being a blend
of many different styles in one.
From the NY Times article:
"An important feature of these new services is the ability to not
only share files (paid for) but also playlists. Rhapsody
subscribers can e-mail each other their playlists. And eMusic
subscribers gather at the www.mymixedtapes.com site to post
thematic lists of the songs they have downloaded, which can in
turn be downloaded by others. (Among the current selection:
"Songs to Hallucinate By: 63 minutes of sound that your
girlfriend will hate" and "The Beatles Get Soul," featuring
Beatles covers by blues and R&B artists.)"
The ability to create playlists based on moods or other eclectic
categories seriously threatens standard genre classifications.
The effect on writers is mind boggling. Instead of writing a
country tune, a writer will be thinking about writing for a mood
market, or a lover's market, or gay, or republican, or songs
mother would like.
Following is an enumerated list of issues that have strong
bearing on shifting genres:
----------
For the remainder of this article, see http://tinyurl.com/rp35
******
Jerry Flattum is a Songwriter (BMI). He is a member of the
Songwriters Guild of America and the Nashville Songwriters
Association International. Current endeavors involve placing
songs in film and with new and current artists in the
country/pop/rock genres. He has worked as a singer/keyboardist in
several bands playing throughout New York, the Twin Cities, and
on-the-road. In 2002, he wrote a full-length feature comedy, 7/11
Pair-O-Dice Road for Lear Entertainment (Las Vegas). Screenplays
in-progress include, The Acrobat; Watertown, South Dakota; Lars;
Out of Context; and others. Loglines and treatments are
available. He has written the book, music and lyrics for Time
Travelers in the Celestial Age, loosely based on H.G. Well’s, The
Time Machine. As a freelance writer, he has written several
articles for e-Vegas.net (live Las Vegas shows), Callback News
(covering the Las Vegas Film Scene), Musesmuse.com, Script
Magazine and others. Business experience includes CBS, Harry Fox
Agency, Samuel French Play Publishers and other inde ventures. He
has a self-designed BS in Songwriting (graduating Phi Kappa Phi)
and a Masters in Liberal Studies (U of MN).
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S o n g w r i t e r I n S p o t l i g h t : Jeffrey Gaines
By Lauren Jonik
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Just as a painter draws an image out of the world of a blank
canvas or a sculptor carves beauty from stone, a musician brings
emotion, words, and the totality of a lifetime to the songs he or
she creates. On his fifth album, Toward The Sun, Jeffrey Gaines
continues to embrace and celebrate what it means to be
authentically human and fully engaged in the journey of living.
With equal parts gentleness and laser-sharp directness--- a
combination only present in those who have done their emotional
homework--- Jeffrey Gaines balances lightness with musical
texture and depth.
There is the maturity of a cultivated skill woven together with
the purity of being present in all the emotion and spirit the
moment can hold. Each strand in the tapestry of Toward The Sun
leads to a theme so distinctly universal, it speaks intimately.
Toward The Sun is not just an invitation to feel, but an
invocation. In Life of the Living, Jeffrey sings The moment you
can live without the hurt / A gift to yourself you will be giving
/ The moment you pull your head out of the dirt / You can join
the life of the living, as if to remind that every day offers a
chance for a new beginning. And, sometimes, what invokes a new
day is not merely the rising of the sun, but of deciding to rise
and go towards our own light and life. As the themes of
reflection, connection and loving oneself run deeply throughout
the album, embracing the freedom to be--- and to love--- who we
are figures prominently. To Be Free, Jeffrey explains, "is about
openness. Take the shroud off, put your head back, smile and open
your arms." I must get out of my head / I must get out of this
bed / I want the sun on my skin / I'm tired of laying around /
I'm tired of feeling let down / I want so badly to win / All I
want is to be free. . .
Believing that there is soul in simplicity, Jeffrey Gaines is
moved by the tangible and intangible wonders in life. "I'm
inspired by beauty, whether it be nature, being outside, my time
alone, love. . . I'm inspired by very simple things, the things I
consider to be the essentials of a life." While his writing
happens in phases, Jeffrey explains that the writing process is
one that is on-going. "I'm collecting things all the time.
People are always surprised at how fast I'll put a record
together, but all year long or whatever, I have been wanting to
write that song. I just didn't sit down and clear off the desk
and actually do it, but it's been affecting me for some time.
All you've got to do then is sit down and just write it down."
Working with his producer Mitchell Froom in Los Angeles had
benefits beyond the obvious. "Mitchell Froom is a great guy.
He's a wonderful musician. He's real quiet, he doesn't brag, he
doesn't boast, you hardly know what he's got up his sleeve, but
when he lets it out, he's something else," says Jeffrey. Being in
California for the duration of the recording enhanced and
facilitated the experience of creating Toward The Sun. "It was a
good idea to get me out of the familiar, take in different
sights--- it really inspired me. There is a weird sort of
optimism and hope in sound of the playing. We were all in a good
mood--- I think we were swept up by the environment where every
day is a sunny, beautiful day."
The act of sharing songs is as integral to being an artist as is
their creation. Describing his live show as intimate and
conversational, Jeffrey muses that people are often surprised at
how much fun and how "rock" his shows are. Perhaps, that is
because he is well-known for dramatic songs, like the heartfelt
cover of In You Eyes by Peter Gabriel--- a song that immediately
was well-received by audiences. "As soon as I tried it, it got
such a good reaction, it would have been crazy not to continue
with it." But, it is a ballad from Toward The Sun called Without
You that is currently creating the same smoldering intensity at
live shows. "It's an interesting song to play live. You just
really have to throw yourself into the emotion of it. It just
fades at the end and I'm actually doing the fade on stage and
just having it get quieter and quieter," explains Jeffrey.
Being willing to be vulnerable on stage brings a level of honesty
to the performance that is unparalleled. "First and foremost,
what you're coming off with has got to be sincere and you have
got to be able to stand behind it. . . You get up in front of a
group of strangers and the lights are on you and your emotions
are amplified and the audience can look right into you. . . They
feel what you're feeling and not just what you're projecting, but
they feel it underneath the surface."
With warmth and clarity, the music of Jeffrey Gaines places the
profound into the hands of the everyday. In the end, it is
through what we love that we, like all artists, create the
landscape, the sculpture, the song of our lives. Live. . . this
lifetime / It could be over before you even know it / In this
lifetime. . . if you love something you'd better show it.
******
Lauren Jonik is a freelance journalist and photographer who lives
in the suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Deeply valuing
the beauty of creative expression, she enjoys combining her love
of music with her passion for writing and photography. She is the
founder and editor of an online music publication called
SoundAffects.net (http://www.soundaffects.net/). Lauren can be
contacted at: lauren@ soundaffects.net
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" O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E :
Diane Warren: Achieving Focus as a Songwriter - by Jerry Flattum
http://musesmuse.com/columnistsgreylogs/archives/00000539.html
Diane Warren is one of the most successful songwriters of all
time. But, her success might not be just because of her talent, a
workaholic mentality, or even a gift from God. Diane has achieved
what many songwriter's lose along the songwriting journey: Focus.
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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 :
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NEW: LYRICIST VERSION 3 SOFTWARE: IT'S BEEN A LONG TRAIN RUNNING!
Sept 25, 2003. Virtual Studio Systems, Inc. is proud to announce
Lyricist V3 - 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. The
version 3 release adds an Enhanced User Interface, Support for
Piano Style chord symbols, Nashville Number System support, and
Song Key Transposition - all in one user-friendly package. Check
out the review at http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html .
Muse's Muse visitors can take home the product for $5.00 off the
V3 introductory sale price of $39.95 just for purchasing through
the purchase button provided off of the review.
For more information, visit the review url above or call us at
888.732.1176 inside the U.S.A. and Canada or 603.726-4499 outside
the U.S.A.
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NEED TO BOOK GIGS & ADVANCE YOUR CAREER? ORDER THIS UNIQUE
CD-ROM!
It is packed with essential tools to save you time and money, and
give you a competitive advantage in the music business. Compiled
by Suzanne Glass, author, speaker, and founder of
Indie-Music.com, the ToolKit comes with nearly 50 articles,
printable copyright forms, templates for common music items like
flyers, music fonts, musician papers, software, and much more for
only $19.95.
http://www.musicianstoolkit.com/muse/
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CREATE CDs ON DEMAND WITH CAFE PRESS!
If you want to have a professional looking demo but you DON'T
want to buy 500 or 1000 copies, Cafe Press' new product offering
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designed by someone), upload your music, and create your own CDs
- AS YOU NEED THEM. One at a time! And starting up an account is
absolutely FREE. There are no up front costs (in fact, the only
thing you DO get when you sell a CD, is PAID) and their system is
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For more information, visit Cafe Press.
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THE 5th 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 fifth edition, The
Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and music-related
articles.
The 5th Edition of the Indie Bible contains:
4000 publications from around the world that will REVIEW your CD!
3200 radio stations from around the world will PLAY your songs!
675 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music!
500 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band!
200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files!
50 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly!
For details and to order online visit:
http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse/
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THE GALARIS MUSICIANS DIRECTORY - 2003 EDITION
If you are serious about pushing your music career to the
next level, getting your music into the right hands, promoting
yourself to others and creating a buzz, YOU NEED THE GMD!
Visit us to check out the demo, and see what industry
professionals say about the GMD.
Receive a 10% discount if you place your order through The Muse's
Muse: http://tinyurl.com/cqkw
=================================================================
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 .
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C o n t a c t I n f o & C r e d i t s :
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Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR
Kathryn Obenshain ...........................GRACIOUS PROOFREADER
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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:
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The Muse's News.
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SNAILMAIL: Please contact me first at editor@musesmuse.com
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Back issues of the newsletter can be read at the National
Library of Canada ecollection:
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