April 2012
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 17, No. 4
NEXT MEETING - 5:00pm Sunday, April 1st, 2012
Officers:
Newsletter/Articles
Jeff Mason, jeffrey_mason@me.com
Meeting Coordinator/Critique scoring/CFMA Liason
Matthew Campbell, matthew_sax77@yahoo.com
Membership/Certificates/Contact
Susan Foster-Trewick, susiecool2001@yahoo.com
407-760-2153
E-mail Contact, isgorlando@gmail.com
Website
Carlos Colon, videosaysitall.fl@gmail.com
352-267-5911
Treasurer
Asli Goncer, asli@cfl.rr.com
Secretary
Jacquelyn Gould, songsuite@gmail.com
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.isgorlando.org or myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/internationalsongwritersguildorlando
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 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.
Don’t Get Stuck In The Past
By Jeff Mason
I meet many people when I’m out performing. Many of them are complimentary, and they want to find out who inspires me. The people in my age bracket often have many of the same tastes and musical memories. It makes sense because I’m playing music that they recognize and connect with. Often they tell me that they hate today’s new music. They are passionate in their dislike of contemporary music.
If you are writing songs and want to be successful you have to be open-minded. At any period in time there is bad music and good music being made. I’m reminded of a Louis Armstrong quote, “There is two kinds of music, the good and the bad. I play the good kind.” To write a hit song you need to study the hits.
I watched the Grammy Awards show for the first time in twenty years. It was an intriguing blend of new and old. Adele is a British singer-songwriter who won three awards for her song Rolling In The Deep. She is blessed with a distinctive voice and is a very good songwriter. Paul McCartney appeared on the show performing his song, My Valentine. It is a simple song with a great hook. The hook is the title and the point of the song. I found a good review and breakdown of the piece on Songwriter 101 which is a web page hosted by BMI. I think it will end up being used in a movie. http://www.songwriter101.com/forums/viewthread/87088/#531734
I am studying a song called Dark Hotel by an artist named K. S. Rhodes. It is a moody piece and has been used in an episode of CSI, and is a good example of the kind of song that is being used in today’s television shows. Rhodes is a multi-instrumentalist, and I’ve seen him playing guitar, piano and harmonica. I’ve noticed that the people who are pitching their songs to television are multi-instrumentalists. They,also,know their recording software inside out.
It’s easy to study the hits in this modern age. The songs can usually be found on youtube.com and the lyrics can be found on many different Internet sites. Beware of the sites that provide the chords to songs. They are often incorrect. It is better to buy the sheet music, hopefully helping some revenue to find it’s way to the composer’s mailbox. To keep up with today’s hit songs you should consult the radio airplay charts. Music subscription sites like Spotify and Pandora are, also, good places to find hit song charts in various genres. Pick a song you like and analyze it. Ask yourself what the hook is. Look at the structure of the song. What is the underlying emotion of the piece?
Don’t get stuck in the past. Take a chance and listen to something new. Be adventurous and play. When we play we create. See you next month.
ISG Bulletin Board
Videography and website management services at a price you CAN AFFORD. Capturing your wedding or event on video may not be in your budget but you’re hoping that you may have something left over to hire a videographer. I will fit your budget. My goal is to offer my services to those who otherwise would have to pass because of funds. This is your special day and you most definitely want to capture those moments. Visit my website at http://www.videosaysitall.com . Thanks and call me anytime (352-267-5911)…Carlos Colon
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.
We’re always looking for material for the newsletter. If you have any information that you would like to see added to the newsletter, please see Jeff Mason at the meetings or email him at jeffrey_mason@me.com . Please keep your articles brief and to the point. Print deadline for the newsletter is approximately two weeks prior to the monthly meeting.
Classified advertising may be placed free of charge to members in good standing with the ISG. For more information on display advertising and/or classified advertising for non-members, please contact Jeff by the print deadline (usually the Friday 16 days prior to the monthly meeting); email is best ( jeffrey_mason@me.com ).
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Jeff Mason's Gig Schedule
Scruffy Murphy's,
2625 Edgewater Dr,
Orlando, Fl, 32804,
407 835 7150
8 p.m. to Midnight
1st and 3rd Thursday of the month
The Farmer's Market,
Parking area in front of
Infusion Tea,
1600 Edgewater Dr,
Orlando, Fl, 32804,
407 999 5255
2nd Thursday of month
6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Tijuana Flats,
444 S. Hunt Club Blvd,
Apopka, Fl, 32703,
407 774 0402
Tuesdays from 6 p.m.
Weather Permitting
St Paddy's Day Sat March 17th,
O'Keefe's Irish Pub and Restaurant,
115 S. Rockingham Ave,
Tavares, Fl, 32778,
352 343 2157
From noon to 10 p.m.
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. http://www.myspace.com/internationalsongwritersguildorlando
Past Certificate winners can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/isgsusiecool/home/resultslist-2
New members always welcome!
March 2012 Top Songs—Results of ISG monthly critique session
1. I Just Won't Let You Go by Melanie Fisher
2. Slow Mode by Asli Goncer
3. The Only One by Melanie Fisher
4. What A Woman Needs by Will Campbell
5. Will You Ever Change by Rebecca and Matthew Campbell
© 2012 ISG