February 2016
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 21, No. 2
Next Meeting Sunday February 7th 5:00pm
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.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
Happy New Year
By Jeff Mason
I returned from the TAXI convention in an inspired mood. I had a headful of ideas
and some loose resolutions for the New Year. One of those resolutions was to listen to
more music. I particularly wanted to listen to today’s music. I’m hoping that listening
on a consistent basis will hone my listening skills. By paying attention to the weekly
Billboard Hot 100, I might be able to better understand today’s production and
songwriting techniques.
After taking “Introduction to Music Production,” the online course presented by
Berklee College of Music, I had become aware of the professor’s listening skills. This
awareness of the need for this critical skill had been emphasized when I’d attended a
production class presented by Ronan Chris Murphy. He has an online music production
course which you may wish to investigate.
http://www.recordingbootcamp.com/about/ronan-chris-murphys-bio/
By the middle of December, I’d quickly lost focus and found myself in the eternal
struggle that all creative people must deal with. Christmas is always a distracting and
stressful time. The year began with me juggling several roles in my life. The
complexities presented to the modern musician can be very daunting. There are so many
hats to wear, from the basics of maintaining my guitar chops to sharpening my
songwriting, production and computer skills.
Another promise I’d made to myself was to spend at least one day playing
instruments other than guitar. In a 2013 PBS interview with Tavis Smiley, veteran
bluesman Taj Mahal had explained how he was able to play numerous instruments. He said
it was like “people you hadn’t heard from in a long time.” I have decided to have my own
“Old Friends Day” when I hang out with my harmonica, banjo, mandolin and keyboards.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/interviews/musician-taj-mahal/
As I’m running around paying bills, dealing with house repairs and renewing my
passport, other information and news is intruding in my life. English rocker David Bowie
has passed after a long struggle with cancer. Then it’s actor Alan Rickman who has left
us. As I am packing my equipment into my car, I get a text telling me that Eagle’s
frontman Glenn Frey has gone. He was the same age as me. These news events seemed like
interruptions from the spirit world.
Another resolution I’d made was to accept the February Album Writing Month
challenge. The task is to write fourteen songs in February. So FAWM is hovering over my
life like a darkening cloud. That’s not how it’s supposed to be. It shouldn’t be a task.
It has to be a labor of love. The struggle is how to be creative in busy times.
I found this interview very enlightening. The interviewer is Robin Lindley
and the article is titled “How To Be Creative In A Busy World.” Lindley talks to Brenda
Miller and Holly J Hughes about their book “The Pen And The Bell: Mindful Writing In A
Busy World.” Both are writers and teachers who had noticed their students struggling
with the same challenges that I’ve described.
http://crosscut.com/2012/11/creativity-busy-world-how-2-nw-writers-face-challe/
I think the key is to create a quiet space where we can reach a contemplative
state of mind. The goal is to turn off what Miller describes as “mind chatter.”
“Mindfulness means to be aware of what you’re doing.” A simple tip to start writing is
to describe something commonplace that you’re observing. A useful way to end writer’s
block. Hughes speaks about her “morning” poems which are prompted by what she sees
outside her window.
Strangely the term “morning poems” brings me full circle to a songwriting
class I attended at the TAXI convention. Michael Anderson is a successful songwriter,
author and teacher. He spoke of the mystical and spiritual nature of songwriting. An
idea echoed in Julia Cameron’s self help book, “The Artist’s Way.” Cameron speaks of the
importance of writing and keeping a morning journal.
http://michaelanderson.com/Little_Black_Book.html
http://juliacameronlive.com/books-by-julia/the-artists-way-a-spiritual-path-to-higher-creativity/
I sincerely hope that this article is a help to any of you who are struggling
to be creative in this busy, crazy world we live in. See you next month.
ISG Bulletin Board
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? Members in good standing
call SusieCool with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153
Also for anyone interested, Central Florida Folk hosts a song circle at the Sleeping
Moon on the last Wednesday of each month. 7 to 10pm. All are welcome. It is acoustic.
They have a facebook page too.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Central-Florida-Folk-Song-Circle/139385302761066?fref=ts
On the third Wednesdays of each month we have a playing circle with the Fingerstyle
Guitar Group in the Community room of the winter Park Library. 460 E. New England Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789. 6 to 8:30pm. Songwriters are welcome, but we do try to play our
fingerstyle songs and not use picks. There is more info on the facebook group page.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228147620559285/?fref=nf
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be
listed in the ISG members page.
https://sites.google.com/site/isgsusiecool/home/links-and-recommended-reading/member-websites
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
January 2016 Critique Scores
Tie 1 Sailing On by Stevey Barker
1 Kiss Me by Bill Frank
2 Don't Want to Cry by Mark Hofreiter
New members always welcome!
© 2016 ISG