I rarely write a lot of words before I've got a melody, but this week's piece is an exception. So, here are my words so far (I guarantee they will be changing as a melody solidifies,) and I'm tossing around…
Read moreNov 6 2020
Nov 6 2020
I rarely write a lot of words before I've got a melody, but this week's piece is an exception. So, here are my words so far (I guarantee they will be changing as a melody solidifies,) and I'm tossing around…
Read moreAug 12 2020
Alas, I missed last week’s post. I was up to my neck in writing a song, with a deadline, and hitting wall after wall. The walls were my own creations — rebuttals, critiques, mountains of rejection. Nothing I could come…
Read moreApr 13 2020
Just as music can be seen as a series of patterns, so can songwriting. In fact, pre-conceived patterns are a great way to shape lyrics, and give you a template to ease the challenge of creative writing. They also lend…
Read moreMar 31 2020
For songwriting, poetry, and really for all creative writers, it's a good habit to ask yourself if you could "show" rather than "tell."
Here are some examples:
Basic: It was hot outside.
Descriptive: My shoe soles melted into the blacktop.
…
Read moreMar 26 2020
I don’t read music, and I know hardly anything about music theory. But, I understand music, and I bet you do, too.
So, if you’re wondering if or how you can write a song, I invite you first to just…
Read moreMar 24 2020
How to commence a series of articles on songwriting and performing? I think I’ll start it out with a little background.
I grew up in the mountains of eastern Shasta County CA — a remote community where neighbors were spread…
Read moreMar 23 2020
Here's a new song, Quarantine. I think it's not quite done, so maybe after I do more work on it, like sort out my singing, arranging, and a possible bridge, I'll repost an improved version. For now, here you go…
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