Ira Glass

See original post at artistmotherteacher.com

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

"It Makes No Difference" - The Band (The Last Waltz)

Cliche Music

In a video series put on by Barnes & Noble (find it on YouTube here), Paul Simon made a comment that stuck with me. He said that music can be cliche. For some reason, I had only considered words and phrases to be potentially overused. But when he made the comment, I realized that I have certain paths that I default to in my creativity. "In this situation, do that..." and "In that situation, do this."

Basically, it's okay to use a cliche, music or otherwise, as long as it's put in a new light. Using a common chord progression, the lyric must be extraordinary, and vice versa.

Be careful of the chords, melodies and lyrics that could be seen as "overused." Simon believes that when we use overused elements in our art, people tune out. And as a songwriter, that sort of defeats the purpose.

Keep writing,

Ben

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Solomon's Co-writing Wisdom

Living about 3,000 years ago, King Solomon may have been the first co-writer we know of. Yes, that may be purely speculation, but here's why I think so:

“Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.”

“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

Keep writing (and co-writing),

Ben

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Process or Product?

A few weeks ago, fellow songwriter Kyle Nelson asked this question:

     "Which please the heart and soul more: the product or the process?"

I believe that only by enjoying the process can we ever enjoy the product. I've seen enough people experience success who admit that it wasn't all they thought it'd be. How in the world could a #1 Billboard hit not be enjoyed, you ask?

In a lot of ways, when we see the process as only a means to the end product, we build expectations that set us up for one of two things: either we don't meet the goal, and are disappointed, or we do meet the goal, and are relieved. I don't like either of the two outcomes, because neither are positive.

However, if we focus on learning how to enjoy the daily, moment-by-moment process of creating art, any product (whether the mere completion of or success of the art) is an added bonus. I don't want to focus so much on the end goal that I lose the enjoyment and thrill of the creative process.

Keep writing,

Ben


------ Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Free Song!

It's our lucky day! I've always wanted to play this original Music Row demo version of "Bare Feet" (written with Georgia Middleman), which is a little different than the version that was on my last EP. Georgia's the one adding the beautiful harmonies on this version.

I'm really honored to be working with PledgeMusic on my next project. Be sure to grab this free song and stay up to date with the exciting things to come!

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

The Pianist

The Music Lesson, page 103

An excerpt from Victor Wooten's book, The Music Lesson:



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Jimpressions

The interesting thing about this short clip is the spectrum of sounds and styles of the human voice. It's a helpful reminder that we are all created uniquely, and should not take that for granted. In some ways, a skilled songwriter should have the same ability as Jim to take on the voice and style of whoever may be telling the story of the song.

Keep writing,

Ben



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Idea Gifts

One of the important aspects of knowing your co-writers' strengths is so that you know who would be best suited to finish any given idea you come up with. I would encourage you to keep an organized list that you can look to the morning of a co-write. Every co-writing relationship is different, but I find it usually helps to have some idea that launches the creative process into motion.

In some ways, it's like you get to play Santa Claus with a big magical sack full of song ideas.

Keep writing,

Ben

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Quote of the Day - Mark Twain

"Don't let schooling interfere with your education."

- Mark Twain

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Publisher Stacey Willbur

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Co-writer Characteristic #4 of 10: Patience

Patience is kind of boring. I want to write a song in the morning, email it to my publisher in the afternoon and hear the song on the radio by evening. That, of course, isn't how it works. "Hurry up and wait" is the saying on Music Row.

To a farmer, a watched seed never grows. It's not our job as songwriters to mull over every single detail pertaining to where our song ends up after it leaves the pencil and hits the pad. There are just too many factors that go into the journey of a song to easily understand how to make a tangible difference in how well a song does.

My friend Cliff Goldmacher says it well in his recent post. Read it on BMI's website here.

Keep writing,

Ben

------ Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Bono & The Edge on Late Show

This is a wonderful clip from The Late Show with David Letterman. Background story of the song paired with a killer performance makes this a must-see:



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Songbird Camp on BMI.com

I am incredibly excited to have BMI involved as a sponsor of Songbird Camp. They have gone above and beyond in their support, even putting us on their main homepage:



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Love Song with a Beat

Here's a songwriter with the wrong kind of hit. Read about it here.

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Miniature NYC

We have everything we need to write a powerful song. It's just a matter of putting the pieces together in a way that hasn't exactly been done before you came along. Here's an intriguing example of seeing things in a fresh light:



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

The Music Lesson

I just finished reading a book by the incredible bassist, Victor Wooten. It's called The Music Lesson. Written in novel form, Wooten takes the reader on a journey that explores our relationship with music as human beings.

One of the main things that impacted me was the emphasis on music being so much more than just theory. Instead of focusing on the notes being "right" or "wrong," first be mindful of feeling the groove of the song.

Stay tuned for some excerpts from the book. In the meantime, you can grab it on Amazon here:



------ Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Griffin House

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Playing Music

I had coffee recently with a publisher here in town. One of the things he said to me that stuck was that, in general, we all take the business too seriously.

I believe we create our best art when we are enjoying the process. If we aren't having fun, what's the point?

My challenge to you is this: the next time you sit down to write, throw all your expectations out the window. Have fun. Play.

Keep writing,

Ben

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Electric Guitars and Dry Ice

I was fascinated by how the producers of the next Transformers movie have thought outside the box to create the sound landscape of the film. I never knew an electric guitar and dry ice would blend well with machine guns and rocket launches.



------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Vanderbilt's Nashville Number System

My friend and co-writer Odie Blackmon is teaching a class on the Nashville Number System starting August 25th at Vanderbilt University. For more information, email trisha.johns@vanderbilt.edu.

Here's a video of Odie talking about the importance of having a solid network:


Odie Blackmon - Friends and the Journey from Music Starts Here on Vimeo.

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

Quote of the Day - Paul Simon

"A songwriter's supreme challenge is being complex and simple at the same time"

- Paul Simon

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!

One Man Killer Queen Cover

------

Would you or someone you know like to go on a songwriting retreat with industry professionals? Visit SongbirdCamp.com for more details!