After over 30 years of writing songs, I’ve come to the realization that while songwriting, in and of itself, is a wonderful thing, the benefits extend far beyond the boundaries of music. Among the many areas that learning to write songs can develop are a set of seven skills uniquely designed… Read more...
NYU Steinhardt, New School Songwriting faculty member and Berklee NYC consultant Billy Seidman has been consumed with the craft of writing lasting, impactful songs since he was in his early teens. Swept up and inspired, like countless others, from first hearing The Beatles, Seidman picked up a guitar and immersed himself… Read more...
I’ve heard it said that most of us need to kiss a lot of proverbial frogs before finding collaborators with whom we share that elusive, inexplicable chemistry that can result in exceptional songs. I have collaborated with hundreds of writers on three different continents. Most of those writing sessions resulted in… Read more...
It’s become a ubiquitous image during these trying times: a screenful of sequestered musicians arranged in a Zoom-styled array of boxes, playing “together” in what appears to be a totally synchronized performance. While some may be better than others, these video happenings have been a source of sustenance for fans deprived… Read more...
If your recordings are fuzzy or unfocused due to acoustic imperfections in your listening space, you run the risk of mixing with too much (or too little) bass or treble, undermixing vocals, and so forth. Here we offer some simple suggestions for re-working your workstation, from moving your monitors to adding… Read more...
Early on in my songwriting journey my goal was to have my songs represented by a music publisher—someone with the connections to get my masterpieces to the top artists of the day. I attended industry functions, networked, and took workshops where publishers screened songs, and … I received rejections from every… Read more...
Imagine that you have entered a competition. The grand prize will be awarded to the songwriter who writes the most memorable, freshest melody—the melody that will jump out of the pile and convince a panel of music industry pros that they are listening to a future smash hit. The deadline is… Read more...
Most of the writers who attend my songwriting workshops already know how to write perfectly crafted songs. My job is to help them write the kinds of songs that a music publisher, record label executive, record producer, or recording artist will feel compelled to choose over the competition. One of the… Read more...
At my songwriting workshops I stress the importance of including lyric and melodic elements in our songs that will compel listeners and decision-makers to choose our material over the tough competition. Let’s look at some ways to write lyrics that command attention. 1. Find a Fresh Angle It’s unlikely that we’re… Read more...
Many of the songs we write are reflections of our times. They are snapshots that capture the emotions and events that define our worlds. So, I was not surprised during my recent songwriters workshop (which was held online) when several writers shared songs that had been sparked by their feelings about… Read more...
| Jun 30 2015 | BMI Licensing Sales Job Fair: Nashville, TN |
| Sep 12 2010 | West Coast Songwriters Conference: Los Altos, CA |
| Sep 11 2010 | West Coast Songwriters Conference: Los Altos, CA |
