August 2006
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 11, No. 8
NEXT MEETING: 5:00pm Sunday, August 6th, 2006
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
Website
Carlos Colon (352) 326-4295
Archives
Barbara Ross (407) 862-2795
President's Letter
Dear Members,
Hi, once again it’s time to tune in on the Guild happenings. It looks like some very interesting and helpful events are in store for us, I hope you all will participate.
Soon you’ll be meeting a very important fellow in our industry. Matt and I are planning the most important meeting of the year, in September; a few details are below. We’re going to have a guest speaker who is a professional music producer and songwriter; special thanks are due to Damon Elder, who made the arrangements for us. At our August 6th meeting (this Sunday), we’ll talk about preparations for our guest coming September 3rd. Put those dates on your calendar. I’ll expect to see all of you there.
I’d like to say how much I appreciate our VP, Matt. He works very hard for our interests and welfare monthly.
See you Sunday,
Russ
IMPORTANT NOTICE! Be sure to keep Sunday, September 3rd clear for the ISG meeting. We’re going to have a guest speaker with ties to the music industry.
Veit Renn is a music producer, engineer, and songwriter. Renn has produced and written songs for the Backstreet Boys, N’Sync and Aaron Carter, among other credits. He will give us a presentation at the September ISG meeting.
He will be accompanied by his wife Janice Renn, who is an accomplished vocalist. We understand that Janice intends to sing one of Veit’s original songs for us!
We’ll have more info in next month’s newsletter.
Editor’s note – last month’s article “Choosing Chords—Diatonics” prompted a response from former ISG VP Dan Jones. Dan submitted this outline of some basic music theory, filling in key info that the first article skipped over. Enjoy it (and thanks, Dan!). Part 2 of “Choosing Chords” will run next month.
A Music Theory Review
by Dan Jones
I would like to add some information to Matt’s very informative article in July’s Newsletter, for those who may not have had much experience in writing music for their songs.
To better understand what diatonic chords actually are, some general music theory may need to be introduced. You won’t need to know how to read music, but it may help if you already do. By seeing some basic concepts visually, you can understand chord structures and what all of this business of Triads, Roman numerals with b (flat) and # (sharp) symbols, etc. is all about. Since the piano or keyboard is the best visual aid, I have included a diagram of a keyboard for reference. You will not have to play or know how to play the piano or keyboard, just see where the notes are and how they fall into place with of course the understanding that the lowest note is on the far left going higher as you move up to the right..
(1) Every movement from one note to the next, (black notes included) is a half step. Each guitar fret also moves in half steps. The keyboard is more visual to understand theory and can then be applied to guitar or other instruments.
(2) 2 half steps = 1 whole step. i.e.: C to C# is one half step. C# to D is another half step. Therefore C to D is one whole step. Another example: E to F is a half step and F to F# is a half step, so E to F# is a whole step.
(3) Why do the black notes have two names? If you raise any note a half step, it is a sharp (#) of that note. If you lower any note a half step, it is a flat (b) of that note. i.e.: If you raise the note C by one half step, it is C#. If you lower D by one half step, it is Db. They are both the same note, named different. Sharps and flats are determined by key or direction.
(4) It is important to remember that between E and F and between B and C, regardless of key, the movement is ONLY a half step and ALWAYS a half step.
(5) You will not see this very often, but explanation is needed. If you were to raise E by a half step, it would be E# or the same as F and both are correct. Lower F by a half step, it would be Fb or the same as E. Both are correct. The same principle applies with B and C.
(6) Major Diatonic scales, which most chords are based upon, consist of 8 notes, the 8th note being the same name as the first only an octave (8 notes) apart. The sequence of notes, as you go up the scale, consists of whole steps and half steps. Since the key of C has no sharps or flats, it is the easiest to learn and the concept can easily be applied to all other keys. The 8 note sequence, starting in the key of C consists of C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. If you look at the keyboard above, there is a whole step between C and D (C to C# is a half step + C# to D another half step, therefore C to D = a whole step), a whole step between D and E, a half step between E and F, and whole step between F and G, a whole step between G and A, a whole step between A and B, and a half step between B and C. (Another example: the key of D = D,E,F#,G,A,B,C#,D.) Half steps fall between the 3rd & 4th notes and the 7th and 8th notes.
(7) A major triad (chord) is based on the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of any major diatonic scale. In the key of C this would be C, E, G. In the key of D it would be D, F#, A.
(8) To make non-diatonic minor chords (triads, notated with a small “m”), lower the third (3rd step of the diatonic scale) by a half step. Cm = C, Eb, G (E is lowered to Eb), Dm = D, F, A (F# lowered to F natural). All the rest of the chord structures are based on adding notes of the scale or changing them. There is a system and structure.
(9) Notes added to triads: i.e. C6 = C triad, C, E, G, plus the 6th note of the C scale, “A”.
(10) 7th’s can be confusing. If you see a C7, this means C, E, G plus the LOWERED 7th note of the scale or Bb. If you saw CMaj7, then it would be C, E, G plus the 7th note of the scale B. C9 would include the lowered 7th or C, E, G, Bb, D. VIIm7b5 in the key of C would be B, D, F, A (lower 3rd, D# to D – add lowered 7th, A# to A – flat the 5th, F# to F.)
(11) What is all of this with Roman numerals? They represent the chord associated with which step of the scale. For example you might hear the song is a: I, IV, V song. In the key of C: I = C, IV = F, and V = G. This makes it easy to write or play in different keys. I, IV, V in the key of D: I = D, IV = G, V = A; the key of Bb: I = Bb, IV = Eb, V = F.
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 ).
New members always welcome!
July Top Songs—Results of monthly critique session
(1)--tie Cheryl’s Green Eyes by Ester Starling and Mike Kondol
(1)--tie Come and Go by Matt Griffin
© 2006 ISG