August 2005
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 10, No. 8
NEXT MEETING 5:00pm Sunday, August 7th, 2005
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 .
Officers:
President/Treasurer
Russ Robinson (407) 851-5328
Vice President/Member Reception/Newsletter
Matthew Griffin (407) 903-1212
Secretary
Jacquelyn Fain, crosstyes1@yahoo.com
Membership
Susan Foster-Trewick (407) 760-2153
Website
Carlos Colon (352) 326-4295
Archives
Barbara Ross (407) 862-2795
President's Letter
Dear Members,
Once again it’s time for our monthly songwriting critique session. This is so very important. Let’s think of it as educational. We all respect each other, and listening and seeing what others do teaches us how to do it all better.
I’ve invited songwriter/performer Mike McDaniels to attend our August meeting. Mike has had network TV coverage of his own show. He has a new song we’ll get to hear.
No date has been set to make the Sterling Cruise trip from Port Canaveral. We’ll talk more about it at the meeting. We went on the cruise to celebrate my birthday a couple of years ago, and it was fun. There’s free food, live music, dancing, and of course gambling if that’s your thing. I’ll tell those of you who don’t know much about it more at the meeting. They send a bus to Orlando, free round-trip transportation.
Hope to see all of you at the meeting next Sunday. Bring your latest endeavor so we can see what’s new in the group.
See you Sunday!
Russ
Do the Words Really Matter?
By Matt Griffin
Are you the type of songwriter that believes that hitting the right notes with your words is every bit as important as doing so with your music? By “hitting the right notes”, I mean properly conveying the mood and tone of your message or story. It also means using language appropriate to the topic, and also appropriate to the character if the lyric is first-person. And it means using words, phrases, and lines that closely match the melody. That’s a lot to think about!
I know there are a lot of writers out there, probably some in our group, who don’t think the words are really all that important. Does it really matter that a given lyric line doesn’t quite match the melody? Does it make any difference that the same word appears twice in the same line? Is there really any good reason to go back and rework a perfectly serviceable first draft? My answer to these questions: no, not unless you want to write a great song.
If you’re fronting for a garage band and just want to play a cool rocker that will annoy your parents, then good is probably good enough. If you’re composing a simple guitar piece to play for your ill grandmother, then maybe you don’t need to put in a lot of sweat. But if you’re trying to write the next big country hit, then every word and every note matters. Put in the work and make it sing! Because you’re competing against a bunch of other talented folks, and some of them will work their tails off to get every detail right.
Now, I’m primarily a lyricist, so it pains me to (grudgingly) admit that the music is more important than the words. There are plenty of hits out there to prove it, songs with great music and words that are mediocre or worse. And there are hardly any hits with great words and so-so music. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for less than your best. And if you’re not so great with words, find someone who is and share the work (and hopefully, the glory and money as well!).
In my book, the best songs have great music and great words that sound great together; if they match up well, it becomes impossible to think of them apart. It’s really a hard thing to pull off, in truth. But isn’t that what we all should aspire to?
ISG Bulletin Board
Lead Sheet preparation by Carlos Colon. A simple lead sheet contains the melody, lyrics and chord symbols. For more information, visit my website at www.cecoriginals.com and click on “Services” at the top of the page. Website design also available. Use your website address in advertising. Newspapers, business cards, fliers, to name a few and let’s not forget the use of email. Send your link to potential clients. For more information, visit a few of my clients sites at http://www.websandresumes.com/clients.htm.
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 Matt Griffin at the meetings or email him at isgorl@cfl.rr.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 call Russ or Matt or email: isgorl@cfl.rr.com .
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Place your classified ad or gig announcement here! Free to ISG members as always! Just get your text to Matt by the print deadline (usually the Friday 16 days prior to the monthly meeting); email is best ( isgorl@cfl.rr.com ).
Welcome new member Gerald Boehmer!
July Top Two—Results of monthly critique session
(1) Unbroken Hearts by Darrell Monroe
(2) Wistful Memories by Emil Ernyey
© 2005 ISG