March 2014
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 19, No. 3
NEXT MEETING - 5:00pm Sunday, March 2nd, 2013
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every month at the
Central Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson (at the extreme east end of
Robinson, near Orlando Executive Airport ) in Orlando.
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us.
Non-members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do.
For more information, visit our website at www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs or myspace page at
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and introductions. 5:30 to
6:00, presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled), 5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song critiques.
Please bring a CD or I-phone or mp3 player or perform your song live, and bring 10 or more
lyric sheets. If we have at least 5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and 6 members
scoring, then we will have them entered in the Monthly competition. Everyone is encouraged to
write constructive comments on the lyric sheets.
Tips
By Jeff Mason
I came across a tip which I’d like to share with you. A major record label was
looking for a singer/songwriter ballad with female vocals. The label wanted to pitch the song
to their next teen star. Here is a quote from the record company: “We want a stellar hit
ballad that has dramatic instrumentation with strings, epic builds, and a tension and release
approach. This artist is young, so the lyrics need to be emotionally innocent with themes that
focus on the youthful aspects of love.” They were looking for “emotionally moving melodies, a
big dramatic chorus and hit worthy hooks.” The production needed to be “competitive enough to
help sell your song to the label and artist.”
The tip specified three songs that might serve as an example of the type of
song the label was seeking. I decided to study these songs. The first song was “ A Thousand
Years” by Christina Perri. It was written by Perri for the 2011 film “The Twilight Saga:
Breaking Dawn.” It has sold over 4 million copies according to Wikipedia and has gone platinum
four times. I found it on You Tube and was able to come across a chord progression on the
internet. I’m not sure I found it to be particularly dramatic but it is well orchestrated. The
song is about waiting for love for a long time and I suspect the thousand years might relate
to the movie which is about vampires. It has a very pretty melody in it’s chorus.
Vampire shows seem to be a popular location for these kind of songs as the
next song “Breathe Again” was featured in the television series “The Vampire Diaries.” This
song was written and recorded by Sara Bareilles and is the twelfth track on her 2010 album
“Kaleidoscope Heart.”
The song can be easily found on the internet along with lyrics and chords so it is relatively
simple to study it. I’m not sure if the song is about the end of a love affair. There is some
dramatic tension in the orchestration when the chorus begins. I think this might be an example
of an “epic build” which the record company is seeking. I do find the word “epic” a little
strong in this context. It’s well recorded and orchestrated but it’s not a barn burner in my
opinion. It’s a good song that can be used on a television show without distracting from the
main plot. It has, in fact, been featured on three other television shows.
The last song is “Near To You” by A Fine Frenzy. It is written by Alison
Sudol who is known professionally as A Fine Frenzy. It is the twelfth track on her 2007 album
“One Cell in the Sea.” I haven’t found a vampire connection yet! Although she has had other
songs featured in “The Vampire Diaries.” I really liked this song. The story is about someone
with a new lover who recalls her past relationship with another boy. I don’t hear any of the
required “epic lifts” and the orchestration is not very dramatic. I like the opening lines “He
and I had something beautiful, But so dysfunctional it couldn’t last.” That caught my
attention immediately. I found the bridge to be very haunting.
If I were to write for this genre I would have to put on my songsmith’s hat.
I remember that rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry would listen to teenage conversations and
get song ideas. I suppose that would still apply today. I’d probably watch a vampire movie and
see if that sparked my creative juices! I know that I’d need a software program with plenty of
string orchestration and I’d need to know how to use it. I’d find some teenage vocalists to
record my songs and that experience alone might provide more creative ideas. I have to ask
myself if a sixty-five year old man can write for a teenage girl. On the other hand it might
be quite liberating to step outside the box.
Another interesting point to me is the three performers are all
singer/songwriters. Obviously the “next teenage star” can’t write her own material. All three
of these songs are over three years old. Out of date by today’s production standards. I have
come to the conclusion that the record label is not entirely sure what it’s searching for but
will know it when they hear it. See you next month.
ISG Bulletin Board
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Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association, Local 389. You
are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the interests of the
professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more information. You may reach
them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be listed in
the ISG members page. Also if you have any songs that have placed first in the monthly
critiques, please send the mp3's to isgorlando@gmail.com if you would like to have them
featured in the ISG MySpace page. https://myspace.com/21075001
No critique contest for January.
New members always welcome!
Any Details not in this newsletter are at: www.tinyurl.com/isgsongs
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