Songwriter Workshop

I attended a Eugene based songwriters' workshop for the first time a couple weeks ago. It ended up being a group of about 15 this time, which meets in a local bookstore once a month. The intent is to critique songs for form, content, everything except performance. Some bring in recordings and some play their guitars. I had no idea what to expect and as fate would have it, I was asked to present first. I'm glad I had a CD instead of playing this first time. Too much pressure for this old guy.

I was extremely impressed with the way the people in the group sized up the presenter and gave great feedback in the form of suggestions as well as positive responses. I have written before about belonging to an online forum community called SongRamp. My take on it so far is that people tend to give only positive reviews which is great for the ego, but does little for the process of improvement. While sitting face to face in Eugene, I found it to be a very effective approach. I know I took with me some great suggestions with the song I presented as well as some good ego boosting comments, but its the suggestions for improvement or at least ideas to think about that I appreciate the most. I found myself a little slow to the critique process of other peoples' material, but I got into the swing after a couple of them. I really loved it and will continue to go as much as I can in the future.

As a follow-up to the workshop, I logged onto the website that is maintained for it and discovered that I could set up a free website of my own for my music. Its free, until I want to have more than around 10 songs, so I'm sure I'll either find another avenue or upgrade for a small monthly fee. Pretty cool and simple for someone who isn't overqualified in website management. My site is garytodd.webs.com if you're interested.

Happy writing to all. Soon.

Don't Blame the Tools

Well, I can no longer blame the tools. I think I've got all I really need to get some good tracks down. I am still on a steep learning curve though. The last major piece to the puzzle for me was a studio channel tube preamp with compression, parametric EQ and phantom power for my condenser mic. Hell, I never new I needed most of this stuff and am now slowly learning how to use it along with the new software, etc.

My "work" day basically consist of reading/learning, trying some hands on, playing with some new tracks, rerecording and sometimes I forget to get in there and write some too. I'm trying to keep all the balls in the air and not lose any one leg of the songwriter table. Did I mix my metaphors? Gotta work on that too I guess.

I've gotten pretty good at remembering to write down things that come to mind and at least throw them on the idea pile for later, if not right away. For the first time in my writing career, I feel like I have a ton of ideas, so that shouldn't slow me down - I'll have to find another excuse. No, I love that part of it. I remember years ago thinking that I had no idea how to keep coming up with more song thoughts, but as it turns out, that couldn't be further from the truth. I've got a thick file that appears to be like the energizer bunny of directions.

Today I worked through a number of ideas for a song I'm working on. Trashed a bunch of takes, went back to the drawing board, did some more, undid some and on and on. I find that after a few hours I've got to remember to escape and do something else for a while and come back again with some fresh ears. I've heard and read more than one place that your ears really do hit the ceiling - and already knew that happened mentally, but I didn't realize there was a physical thing going on with the ears also. Makes sense - like in anything else fatigue sets in, even if you love what your doing.

More to come.

Upgrading

I hadn't written a post for a while and there's been a lot going on. Right now, I'm relearning studio life, yet again. I decided that what I've been using to record is too limiting and dated (this probably happens every 5 to 10 minutes).


I have taken the plunge to all computer with a new iMac and have chosen Sonar from Cakewalk for my software.
Well, this meant that I had to:

1. Learn to "speak" Mac.

2. Load Windows on my new Mac to run the program.

2. Learn how to use software for recording.


So, now that I've got that all down - holy crap, I hope I can swallow what I've gnawed off.

Okay, this is my first Mac experience and I love it. Should have gone there a long time ago, very sweet. I'm going to give myself a couple weeks to get down the basics of recording on the new software, utilizing MIDI and breathing. I find so far that I can study this stuff for about an hour, then I have to go out into the real world and turn a screwdriver or hit a hammer or just bang my head. Oh, or sit down and write some more, since I've got to get better. I've never been fast at learning this stuff and I'm slower now than before, I think.

At any rate, its all good and I knew going into these changes it would be pretty challenging - I'm not disappointed. In this case, I'm sure the end will justify the means.

I'm really exited about it, just new stuff, new world of music and old me. It's a lot to soak in, but I be a sponge.

Rewriting and rewriting

Reworking material - rewrites - has never been something I've been good at in the past. In this new creative life, I've decided to put some focus in this area. I have spend quite a bit of time the past few weeks reading and studying "songcraft" trying to better understand a number of different facets of the whole enchilada. So, time spent reading, listening to examples of phrasing, beat placement, emotional response mechanisms, etc. Sounds all to scientific, yes? I guess, but there really is something to it all and melding it with old fashioned creativity.

I find this time around the adventure that I have a ton of ideas to work with and I really want to hone some skills from a writing perspective. To this end, I've pulled back on writing new things the past month and am trying out new ideas with already penned materials.

Most of my time has been working and reworking the song I posted the lyrics to before; "Can't Say No." Although I'm still working the recording side of this one, I believe the lyrics better suit what I was shooting for. I'm going to record it again from the beginning and see if I can't create more contrast and dynamics into it. Again, this rewriting and re-recording process I find fun, but doesn't come naturally, so I constantly seek inventive ways to motivate. Sometimes I've got to walk away and many times, wham, a new direction or piece to the puzzle. The trouble with this puzzle is that there is really no definitive "puzzle's complete." Always room to grow. Maybe "trouble" was the wrong word as it really is opportunity laying in the wings.

Here's the new "Can't Say No" with only a few additions really. The major change is an added lyric to the bridge section. The bridge is now lyrical rather than instrumental lead, but I think sums up the song direction. When I get it down digitally, I think it will have a great impact and change the song (for the better??!!!).

There’s something in the air
Moving on the ground
Feeding on the night
Making no sound

A deer in the headlights
Frozen in your tracks
Can’t keep moving forward
And you can’t go back

Can’t trust what you’re seeing
Can’t trust anything that you know
Don’t believe what you’re feeling
But you can’t say no, no, no

A shadow ‘cross the moonlight
A ripple in time
Sporting double vision
Just another sign

As you knew your life, it’s over
Never be the same
No way to recover
Can’t find the reigns

Can’t trust what you’re seeing
Can’t trust anything that you know
Don’t believe what you’re feeling
But you can’t say no

Now that mask is slowly lifting
Resistance not enough
And despite yourself, your every breath
Fans the fire of love
You can’t say no
You can’t say no

Can’t trust what you’re seeing
Can’t trust anything that you know
Don’t believe what you’re feeling
But you can’t say no, no, no
You can’t say no
You can’t say no
You can’t say no

Writing Life

I don't believe that I've every written so much in a short time frame in my life. It is really a privilege to have the time to do so. That being said, I am also dealing with what I'll refer to as 'Writer's Speed Bump" (WSB Syndrome) which is less paralyzing than writer's block. It is an interesting process for me. I have to learn when to walk away, do something else or even do the same thing just with a different subject matter.

Sometimes I find that words and music just flow at the same time. Sometimes its just some music and sometimes just words or even phrases and that's it. I log everything and occasionally go over what I have logged to see if it stirs anything. It's an absolute trip the things that will wake up the left side of my brain (harder since the lobotomy).

I realized the other day that I have been a right-brained person trying to function in a left-brained world (I write with my right hand right? - got it.) for quite a few years. If I would get a therapist, I'm sure I could write this with much more elegance, but I'm too troubled to do something like that. So read and moan just the way this is.

Nothing more to add today, time to hit the speed bumps going 60.

First Industry Feedback

It only took a few days from the time I electronically submitted requesting a critique. I really didn't think I'd be that nervous to open the file, but I was. The suspense was killing me, for sure.

The song I decided to go with was the first "completed" song in my studio. I put that in quotes because, as I'm learning, they are always a work in progress. At any rate, "Can't Say No" was the one. I'm going to drop in the lyrics here and see if you agree with the comment given around the lyrics. I haven't made any changes yet, because I was already aware of the mentioned concern.

CAN'T SAY NO

copyright 2009 - Gary Todd

VERSE 1

There’s something in the air
Moving on the ground
Feeding on the night
Making no sound

A deer in the headlights
Frozen in your tracks
Can’t keep moving forward
And you can’t go back


CHORUS

Can’t trust what you’re seeing
Can’t trust anything that you know
Don’t believe what you’re feeling
But you can’t say no


VERSE 2

A shadow ‘cross the moonlight
A ripple in time
Sporting double vision
Just another sign

As you knew your life, it’s over
Never be the same
No way to recover
Can’t find the reigns


CHORUS

INSTRUMENTAL SOLO

CHORUS

The lyric comment was that I never stated what it was that this person is afraid of, running from, etc. and this might frustrate the listener. I understand that, but I left it open on purpose - yet still, I can see the concern. Not sure if I'll adjust or not. One thing to remember when getting critiques is that it is from one person and is there opinion. Granted, it is an educated opinion from someone who is an A&R (artist & repertoire) person in the industry - so I don't take it lightly.

The other comment that I'll share was that I could have had a more dynamic release going into the chorus from the verses. I definitely hear that, but not sure yet how I can fix. Feel free to check it out on MySpace if you want to hear it (at least its posted there as of today). By the way, there were more comments/suggestions, but these are the ones I'll share today.

Bottom line was that for me, this was a very positive critique, giving me hope to continue and some advice for changes I may want to make for the song to be a better fit for promoting. I've got a lot of work ahead and I'm excited to move forward.

Out in the World

A couple of steps forward this past week. I've been planning to join a community and avenue for publishing exposure by the end of the year. I decided to jump the gun a little bit and joined Taxi this week. My reasoning was that I do have a couple of songs ready to heard and it would be great to start getting some feedback in the industry. Based on some research, this may be a good way to get that started.

I also think that some exposure in a couple other areas would be good, so with that in mind, I opened a MySpace account for musicians as well as posted songs on SongRamp which is for musician feedback. We'll see.

Looking forward to getting feedback in all areas so that I can evaluate, redo, upgrade, scream with joy and/or disdain, etc. Not sure how I'll react to industry feedback, but I'd better learn. I, of course, want to hear, "Oh, my gawd that's great, where have you been?" But I just might have to settle for something less - way less. Again, we'll see. I'm just ready to move forward, whatever that means.