June 2016
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 21, No. 6
Next Meeting Sunday June 5th 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/
WebChatter
By Susiecool
Here is a link to the article that we discussed at the May meeting. It's by Cliff
Goldmacher, who writes a songwriting blog, as well as being a songwriter and
producer/recording engineer. (He wears many hats).
http://www.cliffgoldmacher.com/ten-foolproof-ways-to-do-your-own-song-critiques/
The Day The Music Died
By Jeff Mason
This year there have been several days when the music died. We started the year
with the loss of Natalie Cole. That was quickly followed by the passing of Bee Gee’s
manager Robert Stigwood. Other musical luminaries that have left us include David Bowie,
Prince. Glenn Frey and Merle Haggard. They all touched us with their music. The loss of
legendary Beatles producer George Martin affected me.
All these artists touched us but George was a special inspiration to me. I grew
up on the Wirral peninsular and was near Liverpool when The Beatles became famous. George
Martin had the foresight to take a chance on them. He was their mentor and teacher. He was
classically trained and studied piano and oboe at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
from 1947 to 1950. George began working for EMI’s Parlophone label. Some of his earliest
productions were comedy and novelty records. He produced records for Peter Sellers and
Spike Milligan. Both were members of the groundbreaking British comedy troupe The Goons.
I think that in his initial involvement with The Beatles he may have been more attracted to
their humor than their music.
George was an early pioneer in recording techniques. Here are five technical
tricks that he experimented with while producing The Beatles:
Playing With Tape Speeds The instrumental in “In My Life” was a piano played by George and
recorded at half speed.It sounds like a harpsichord.
Reverse Tape Effects The last verse of “Rain” is reversed and the cymbals in “Strawberry
Fields Forever” are played backward.
Tape Splicing For “Strawberry Fields Forever” John Lennon wanted the producer to combine
two different takes. “Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite” is a song about a circus show.
Trying to emulate the sound of a fairground organ, Martin and engineer Geoff Emerick
physically cut up and reassembled tapes of various recordings of fairground organs. You
can almost smell the sawdust!
Pop Orchestration George helped The Beatles with his deep knowledge of classical music.
Listen to the wonderful arrangements in “Yesterday” and “Eleanor Rigby.”
Multi-Track Recording He was a pioneer in this area. Starting with only two track
machines and graduating to a four track in the 1967 classic “Sgt Pepper’s.” By 1968 The
Beatles were recording on eight track recorders for “Abbey Road” and “The White Album.”
George was proficient at “bouncing tracks” to make more room for other stuff in those
early days of recording.
http://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1051-the-5-techniques-that-made-george-martin-the-og-super-producer/
Beyond The Beatles here are some outstanding productions that George was
involved in.
1 The 1962 comedy recordings “Hole In The Ground” and “Right Said Fred” by Bernard
Cribbins. Full of sound effects and clever arrangements.
2 In 1998 George released an album of Beatle covers. Comedians Robin Williams and Jim
Carrey are standouts on “Come Together” and “I Am The Walrus,” respectively.
3 On the same album Jeff Beck delivers a blistering guitar instrumental version of “A
Day In The Life.” This hearkens back to an earlier collaboration between Martin and Beck.
The Charles Mingus elegy for saxophonist Lester Young “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” is given
similar treatment. From the 1976 “Wired” album.
4 I am still covering the lovely Gerry and The Pacemakers song “Ferry Cross The
Mersey.” Listen to the haunting strings on the 1965 recording. A special song for me as I
was born ten minutes away from the muddy River Mersey.
5 The soundtrack for the 1973 James Bond movie “Live and Let Die.” Featuring the Paul
McCartney hit of the same name. Take a listen to the orchestration and singing. It was the
first Bond movie not soundtracked by John Barry.
George’s last project is an eight part documentary coming to PBS later this year.
“Soundbreaking: Stories From The Cutting Edge Of Recorded Music.” I can’t wait!
That’s all I’ve got for now. 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
Matthew and Rebecca Campbell (Mellify)
We set a date for our cd release and cd release party.
Our worldwide internet release date will be 6/10/16
and our cd release party will also be 6/10/16 at 8:00pm
at New World Wellness, 20 W Dakin Ave Kissimmee, FL 34741.
Free admission
Jeff Mason Gigs:
Bru Tap House
Today May 22, 4 to 7pm
143 E Main St
Tavares, Fl
352 508 9321
Connolly's Irish Pub
Thursday, June 9, from 8pm
323 N Ronald Reagan Blvd
Longwood, Fl,
407 767 0600
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
May 2016 Critique results:
1. "It's Surprising what a Little Love will do" by Will Campbell
2. "Pocket Full of Dreams" by Melanie Fisher
3. "Underboob Sweat" by Rebecca Campbell and Matthew Campbell
New members always welcome!
© 2016 ISG