One of my great joys over the past twenty years as a music producer in Nashville is the regular privilege of getting to work with some of the finest session musicians in the world. These men and women have played on some of the best known albums of all time and… Read more...
Some days things are just happening—you pick up the guitar, you jump in front of the vocal mic, and, there it is, one take, done. Other times, not so good—for whatever reason you struggle to complete a plausible solo break, but in the end it took you about a dozen tries… Read more...
Seven years after moving to Los Angeles to become an overnight sensation, I had my first song recorded and it was slated to be a single. During a phone call, the producer of that song casually mentioned that he would like to write with me the next time I visited Nashville.… Read more...
This month, ‘On the Record’ puts its focus on classical music, and who better to ask about the genre than Deirdre Chadwick, Executive Director, Creative, Classical Music, New York. In music, as in life, we rise and fall based on our relationships with others, and I don’t mean that it’s… Read more...
When it was suggested I write about songs that are fun to sing, the jukebox in my brain instantly thought of “The Name Game” (recorded by Shirley Ellis, written by Lincoln Chase and Shirley Elliston). Anyone of a certain age remembers plugging his or her name into the formula,… Read more...
In my previous articles, I’ve discussed what engineers, producers and demo singers should bring to the table in a recording session. Now it’s time to talk about what’s expected of the songwriter. A Finished Song It may sound obvious but make sure your song is melodically and lyrically… Read more...
At least ninety percent of the songs I critique at my songwriting workshops are perfectly crafted. They fit into one of the typical song forms (i.e., Verse—Chorus—Verse—Chorus—Bridge—Chorus), they include rhymes in the expected places, lyrics that are well-written, and melodies that do what melodies are supposed to do. So, what’s the… Read more...
BMI’s ‘On the Record’ is back again this month with another thought-provoking answer to one of our most frequently asked questions. The BMI Creative Team weighed in. Mitch Martin, Creative, Atlanta: The first thing to avoid is overselling. The more secure and confident you come across when presenting your work,… Read more...
Most of us who are in the business of creating songs are aware of the importance of writing lyrics that have universal appeal, lyrics that connect with millions of hearts. We have also heard about the importance of writing songs that emanate from our hearts, from personal experience. On the surface,… Read more...
There are times our songs come to us easily. They feel good as we’re writing them, people respond when we perform them and the demos practically jump out of the speakers. There are other times, however, when things just don’t seem to quite come together. To help you troubleshoot what may… 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 |
