November 2006
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 11, No. 11
NEXT MEETING: 5:00pm Sunday, November 5th, 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,
With Thanksgiving time almost here, hopefully we are all in a funful and happy mood. And in the next few weeks, we’ll have to get busy Christmas shopping! This is a busy time of year for all of us. Let’s not forget, however, the real celebration drives from the birth of Christ. I suspect over the next couple of months, there will be lots of parties. Please be careful driving. You may be sober, but the fellow in the next car over might not be.
With Christmastime right around the bend, we need to plan our own celebration. This coming meeting, we will have to start making plans for the ISG Christmas party. We are thinking perhaps we’ll have the party in place of our December meeting, at the regular Union Hall location just like last year. We had a really terrific party last year, and I suspect will do something similar this year. Come to the meeting and bring your ideas.
I am already getting Xmas songs in the mail from current and soon-to-be members, and I’m pleased with what I’m hearing. There’s some new talent I’m hoping will join the Guild. I’m looking forward to seeing each and every one of you this Sunday. Let’s take some time and put together a really neat song, something we can be proud of.
As a single loner, I look forward to holidays with all of you. I feel we have lots in common, musically speaking. I’m waiting to hear some really good holiday songs!
See you this Sunday,
Russ
Choosing Chords—Inversions, Extension, and Alterations (Part 3)
By Matt Griffin
How do you pick the right chords for your song? This is the third and last of our series on chord selection. As before, I’m still assuming some basic understanding of music theory. And I will continue to rely on the Jai Josefs book “Writing Music for Hit Songs.” One last time, I highly recommend the book as a detailed guide for songwriters of all levels (beginner to expert) interested in developing or improving their musical composition skills.
Inversions are simply chords whose notes are played in a different order; for instance, you might play C-major as G-C-E (written C/G) rather than C-E-G. Any chord can be inverted, and can start with any of the notes in the chord. This simple concept has made many a novice writer stand up and shout, “So what?” If you play the inverted chord on a piano, the sound is virtually identical to the uninverted, natural chord. But don’t forget an important feature of chords: they are useless alone! In a progression of chords, well-written inversions can have a powerful effect.
The main reason songwriters put in inversions is to change the root (lowest) note of the chord. One might maintain the same root note in a series of several chords; this common tactic produces a nice effect. Go to a keyboard and play the progression D, G, A, D (all major chords). Now play the same progression as D, G/D, A/D, D. The sound of the second progression, which keeps a D in the root, is more striking even though the chords are the same. Another common technique is to “walk” the root notes (essentially, the bass line) up or down. Both of these methods produce ear-grabbing sounds. Josefs has more to say on inversions; why not check out his book?
Extensions and alterations are similar, and we will discuss them together; they are simply triads and seventh chords with additional notes. Extensions add notes in the root key, and alterations add notes not in the key of the root. The most common extensions are ninth chords, which are nothing more than seventh chords with the additional ninth (if you don’t know what a ninth is, you might need a review of music theory; Josef’s book has such a review). A C9 chord is C-E-G-Bb-D, where the interval from C to D is a ninth. Ninth chords have a distinctive, rich sound and are a nice change-of-pace in spots where you’d normally use a seventh. Major-ninth chords add that ninth to a major seventh chord (Cmaj9 is C-E-G-B-D) You can also use elevenths and thirteenths, though they are less common. C11 is C-E-G-Bb-D-F, and C13 is C-E-G-Bb-D-F-A. Give them a listen and maybe sprinkle them in for a more exotic sound.
A common usage is to effectively drop some of the interior notes. A ninth, eleventh, or thirteenth can be added to any triad or seventh chord (though some are quite discordant). The chord C-E-G-D is often written C(add 9); add-9 chords are common and produce that distinctive ninth sound.
Only so much can be written in the space we have available. These topics are covered in much greater detail in Josefs’ book and in other songwriting and music books as well. I’ve tried to give you a taste of some really interesting ideas. Give them a try; your music can only get better. J
ISG Bulletin Board
Jeff Mason’s gig schedule:
Appearing At O'Keefe's Irish Pub, Fridays & Saturdays from 5pm, musicians welcome!
115 S. Rockingham Tavares, FL, 352-343-2157
Appearing at Tijuana Flats on the Patio (weather permitting), Thursdays at 6pm
444 S. Hunt Club Blvd , Apopka , FL 407 774 0402
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!
October Top Two—Results of monthly critique session
(1) What Are You Made Of? by Matt Griffin
(2) Blackberries and Diamonds by Estee Starling and Ed Kavetsky
© 2006 ISG