Song Talk with Morry Campbell

Maybe CDs aren't quite dead yet

According to an article at appscout.com, CDs might not be ready for the dust bins quite yet.  It seems that around two thirds of the folks out there still paying for music buy CDs exclusively. That's nice. Well, it's better than nice, it's good. Good for us independent musicians still trying to sell our product. Although it has become cheaper over the last few years, it's still a pretty hefty chunk of change to get a CD together. This is good news, if it's reliable.

March SongTalk challenge: write some bones

As promised, this writing assignment involves working with a chapter in the book we're talking about, Writing Down the Bones. If you don't have it yet, you can still click on the link within this posting, or click on the picture link on the page in the left-hand column, and buy it from Amazon.

So here's the challenge for March, based on the chapter First Thoughts from the book: Get a notepad of some kind, and write in it for a pre-determined amount of time every day for a week. If you already keep a journal, then you're set. If you don't, start one, at least for the next week.  Write every day, and write for the same amount of time.  If it's five minutes, let it be five minutes.  If it's ten, make it ten. Twenty minutes, thirty--whatever is doable for you. Keep in mind the following rules:

1. Keep your hand moving
2. Don't cross out
3. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar.
4. Lose control
5. Don't think.  Don't get logical.
6. Go for the jugular

Ms. Goldberg goes into much more detail in the book, so read on for further advice on how to make that work for you.

Anyway, back to the assignment. After you've journaled in this way for seven days, on the eighth day, go back and read what you have written. Look for something, anything, that sparks your imagination, and write a song around it.

Have fun, and we'll see you on Monday, March 9. And, if you're not a current member of the group, feel free to post a link to your results, or leave a comment about your experience.

ASCAP New York Sessions

Every year ASCAP has this big I Create Music seminar out in LA, and us New Yorkers have to either miss out and look longingly to the west where all the fun is happening without us, or put out major buckage to fly out to sunny California to attend. But not anymore, baby! There's an (albeit) smaller group of sessions happening right here in New York City!

For one day only (but better than no days at all, n'est-ce pas?) the New York ASCAP folks are hosting New York Sessions, a one-day intensive for songwriters and other music types, that promises to make up for all the neglect us poor New Yorkers have been suffering at the hands of the LA Music Expo for all these years. You can look at the day's schedule of events here.

But Wednesday, March 4, is looming ahead.  That's the day that the price of attending the day's events jumps from the pretty reasonable $55 for ASCAP members, $75 for non-members, to the less affordable $75 for members, $95 for non-members. So think fast. You can register here.

Introducing "Songtalk Recommends"

From time to time, I'll recommend a book, or a CD, or something else, and it will appear right up there on the lefthand side of the screen.

In my writing group, we're going to start working with a book called  Writing Down the Bones. I've taken a few playwriting classes, and even more songwriting classes, and in every one of them, this book has come up. So we decided we might profit from reading it as a group. In fact, March's songwriting challenge, to be posted on Friday, will have something to do with the book.

So if you don't have it, click the link above, under Songtalk Recommends and get it now from Amazon. And if you click from this page, Songtalk makes a little cash. So thanks.

Happy Birthday Mr. Wilson

It turns out that the first cross-link I received for my songwriting blog didn't come from a songwriter. It came from a playwright. A damned good playwright, and a writer I've admired and counted as my friend for close to 14 years now. And, it so happens that today is Doric Wilson's birthday.

So Happy Birthday, Doric. Barry and I had a simply mahvelous time at "The Restaurant" with you, and was lovely to see Jane again, and sit and chat with your "old" friends. Hope your 29th was as good as your last 29th, and that you have many, many more 29ths to come. And thanks for the link.

Criticism versus Critique

Vikki Flawith has an interesting take on criticism on her blog, The Shy Singer-Songwriter.  In her article, entitled the 'honesty" movement is laziness (referencing this article at Esquire) she says:

There is a huge difference between criticism (this sucks) and critique (okay, here's a place to start, there's some good elements in what you've done here, I'm going to zero in on a couple of things I think would really help).

Of spaces and periods

I. Keep. Putting. Two. Spaces. After. A. Period. And. It. Makes. The. Text. In. My. Blogposts. Wrap. Funny. So. I'm. Going. To. Not. Do. It. Anymore.

Playing with the blues

In college I took a class in Improvisation, and was part of an improv comedy troupe for a short time (I think we did two performances).  One of the exercises, or lessons, or whatever we're calling them, involved making up a blues song on the spot.  We were asked for a subject, and someone shouted out "Slime!"  So we had to improvise a chorus of the Blues on the subject of slime. For some whacked out reason, I still remember the little verse I came up with:

Guerilla music promotion

I was accosted by a Rap artist on Sixth Avenue Thursday afternoon.  He was out hocking his CD, one he had obviously produced himself.  I hate being approached in the street, especially when it ends up someone is trying to sell me something.  So I was wary when he stopped me. I was immediately hostile, my first reaction, get rid of the guy as quickly as possible.  But he absorbed my first wave, and asked me if I knew the bass player from Pearl Jam, whom he asserted was from Montana (I was wearing a Montana sweatshirt).  And it turns out he was right.  Jeff Ament, the bass player for Pearl Jam, was indeed born in Montana, and not only that, but he was born in my home town, Havre.  Havre  Montana.  I was having a conversation on Sixth Avenue and 8th Street with a rapper about Montana.  And I ended up buying a CD. Now, I"m not a big fan of Rap music.  I've never understood the popularity of Rap.  I'm a bit of a philistine that way.  And yet I ended up buying the CD.  I'm going to see if I can explain to you, and to myself, why that happened.

Of rugs and song writing...

Well, it finally happened.  We got a rug for the hallway.

My partner, Barry, has been wanting to get one for a long time.  We have this sort of long narrow corridor that almost seems like a tunnel you have to pass through to get to the main living area.  And we've lived in this apartment for...wow...15 years?  And we've gone without a runner rug in the hallway all that time.

The good news is, we now have a nice rug that runs almost the entire length of that long hallway. The less-than-good news is that we now have a nicer rug in the hallway than we do in the living room. Go figure.

And what has this to do with the art and craft of song writing, you ask? Well, it's a nice rug.  In the hallway.  We want to keep it nice.  So (sorry kids), we're going to have to start to ask folks to take their shoes off at the door.  And that includes you, song writers of the 21St Street Sessions group.  Sorry.

OH, and by the way, this picture is NOT the rug we bought. I can't find a picture of ours. I think we got the last one and the pic is not up on the net anymore. But this one was in the running for a while, so since I couldn't find the one we actually got, I put this one up instead. Now, why put up a picture at all? Well, I'm finding my way around this new software, learning as I go, and I needed practice putting up an image.  Ah, now the ugly truth comes out:  I'm using my poor readers as guinea pigs in my learning process.  So, dear readers, I apologize for the admittedly lame post.

So... I don't know.  Happy Rug Day. 

Singing to a track

I went out last night to see my colleague and good friend Dan Manjovi sing.  He's a terrific singer and brilliant keyboard player and it's always a joy to hear him.  And last night was no different. Dan was wonderful, as usual.  But the venue (Porno Bingo at Pieces, on Christopher Street!) had no piano, and did not have the facilities to plug in an electric keyboard either. Not really a musician-friendly set-up. So what did Dan do?  He did it with...the T word.  He performed both songs with a track.

Watching Dan taught me two things about myself.  One, I miss Dan's playing when he has to pull out the tracks. Yeah, he's a great singer, but the power of him on a keyboard cannot be beat.  The second thing was, I don't get up there and sing to tracks because the mere thought of it changes me into a big bowl of jello.

I need my security blanket, for me a guitar.  Since I've stopped doing musical theater, I haven't sung a song without a guitar in front of me.  Not in ten years.  As I watched my friend up there on the stage, working the crowd, skakin' his goove thing, and holding a microphone, all I could think about was, "thank God it's not me."  That seems too vulnerable.  Singing without a guitar in hand?  Well, yes, I hear people do it, but is it wise? Doesn't it lead to something, like instability in the ozone?

I gained a lot respect for "track" artists last night (singers that perform to pre-recorded tracks). Getting up in front of an audience with a microphone, nothing else, somebody pushes play, and you sing your song and do your do. Just you and your microphone.  I'll take me with my guitar any day.

So here my hat goes off to you, track singers.  I need my guitar to hide behind.

It's the Blues, baby!

Backtracking a little here, but if you want to keep up with the group, then write a Blues song.

Try to keep it to the traditional 12-bar format, i.e.

/I***/I***/I***/I***/IV***/IV***/I***/I***/V***/IV***/I***/I***

There's an optional IV in the second measure, and optional turn-around on the final measure.

Some examples of the 12-bar blues in popular music:

Areosmith:   Roadrunner

The Beatles:   Yer Blues, and 

Why Don't We Do It In the Road

James Taylor:   Steamroller

And a few examples from independent music:

Dan Manjovi: Love Handles

Frank Grimaldi: Long Distance Runner

Just a few examples.

If you need help, try the Wikipedia entry for the Blues.  It's quite informative, and even the experienced musicians might learn a thing or two.

Welcome

I’m Morry Campbell.  Welcome to my blog.  Song Talk is a chronicle of my quest to write better songs as a singer/songwriter living and working in New York City.  I am the founder and facilitator of the 21st Street Sessions Songwriters Collective, and this blog will also serve as an information exchange for this group.  All current songwriting “assignments” or “challenges” will be posted here, so you at home can play along too.  In addition, if you do take part in the challenges, although I don’t have the facilities to host your files, feel free to post a link to your efforts in the comments.

I have a theory that anyone can write a song who is passionate enough about it to want to try, no matter what their musical background.  This theory is born out in the diverse group of writers that have become the 21st Street Sessions Group.  Our membership includes writers who have excellent chops on guitar or keys and have a sophisticated understanding of music theory, and writers who can’t play an instrument and have little understanding of music theory, but all consistently bring in material that captivates me as a listener.

Although the main focus is songwriting and related topics (recording, gigging, etc.), it may from time to time depart from topic to talk about issues and/or events I feel strongly about and wish to comment on.  Fair warning, I tend to lean to the left.  Also, this blog welcomes songwriters of any race, creed or sexual orientation/gender identity.  If you have issues with any of those categories, this may not be the blog for you.