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Month: June 2013

National Music Day 2013

lovelivemusic_logoToday marks Ireland’s National Music Day, a whole day and night of free live music events in villages, towns and cities across Ireland. Love:Live Music are calling on audiences young and old to get involved in the events taking place near you today.

In the run-up to National Music Day, we spoke to Sharon Rollston, CEO of Music Network, the organisation which co-ordinates the day’s events.

Sharon, could you give us a bit of background on National Music Day and how the idea came about?

Back in 2010, love:live music/National Music Day was initiated by Music Network as part of its national music development remit, with support from the Arts Council and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It aims to celebrate Ireland’s prolific music culture and the community spirit of music-making and it takes place on the 21st of June every year.  Over the past 4 years the event has grown in size and profile as people’s ideas for it have become ever-more inventive, with events staged in all sorts of unusual spaces and places. It’s become a really vibrant, colourful highlight in Ireland’s cultural calendar. The date is also shared with celebrations in over 450 towns and cities globally, as the 21st of June is also International Music Day, a world-wide movement.

What has the reception for National Music Day been like to date from musicians, venues and the general public?

The response has been really positive.  The event has grown year on year and last year around 45,000 people attended over 300 events involving more than 3,000 musicians in almost every county in Ireland. As well as arts venues, events have taken place in hospitals, schools and workplaces, in shops, cafés, parks and on the streets, with lots of participatory music-making involving people of all ages, as well as public performance events.

Why do you think it’s important for Ireland to have a day like this?

Music is something that many people living in Ireland have a talent for and this day is designed to celebrate that gift, whether as a performer or a music lover. The event is totally inclusive in that it’s open to anyone who wants to make music on the day, whatever their age, whether they’re amateur or professional and it covers any musical genre. Essentially it’s an opportunity to highlight the value of music in people’s lives, and the great work that goes on in communities and within groups and organisations across the country on a regular basis.

Do you think live music in Ireland is accessible enough to everyone who wants to enjoy it?

Music Network is about making live music happen around Ireland and access is central to what we do. Love:live music features only freely accessible events on this one day of the year so that everyone, no matter how limited their income, has the chance to experience and enjoy live music on the 21st of June.

What have been the most unusual or interesting events which have taken place as part of National Music Day over the years?

Last year events ranged from the boutique to the large scale – from White Collar Boy performing a live set on the Dublin-Waterford train, to Ennis’s outdoor concert featuring Lúnasa, the Kilfenora Céilí Band and Maura O’Connell, which attracted 2,200 people.  In previous years two that spring to mind are the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s flash mob storming the shop windows of Brown Thomas in Limerick and the sight of harpers performing on Dublin’s Thomas Beckett Bridge which, of course, is better known as the harp bridge.

What are you most looking forward to about this year’s event?

One of the most exciting things about working on the event is the sense of spontaneity it creates – there’s always a great buzz on the day and inspiring things happening at every turn.  Events to watch out for this year include a jazz street procession inspired by iconic 60s bandleader Sun Ra; some surprise performances by the National Chamber Choir in unexpected places; a choral gathering in Meeting House Square –  everyone is very welcome and no choral experience is necessary – and there’s also the Ennis Tin Whistle World Record attempt being led by Lunasa’s Kevin Crawford to give you a flavour of just a few.

Sharon Rollston is the Chief Executive Officer of Music Network

You can find out more about the events taking place near you today at http://www.lovelivemusic.ie/ and follow Love:Live Music on Twitter at @lovelivemusicIE

Countdown Begins For Music City!

The full programme for Music City! is being launched this week as final preparations are put in place for a massive party which will see Derry~Londonderry transformed into one giant stage with music, gigs, performances and festivals from dawn ‘til dawn across Friday 21 June as part of the UK City of Culture celebrations.Music-City-Featured-Image1

The biggest ever performance of Danny Boy, the return of Orquesta Buena Vista Social club and a stage curated by the founders of Exit Festival-Serbia, Eastern  Europe’s biggest festival, are just some of the highlights of Music City! a unique celebration of music which is taking place at venues across the city.

However, the city will see events of all shapes and sizes throughout Music City! with every street, venue, community centre and school all encouraged to get in on the act.

Chief Executive of Culture Company 2013, Shona McCarthy said: “Music City! promises to be one of the highlights of 2013.  We know Derry is a city of music and this will be a day to celebrate that like no other. From dawn choruses across the city, to sky orchestras and the magic and sunset at Grianan of Aileach, this will not be a day for sleeping. Music City will fill the longest day of the year with a celebration of music of all genres. It will shine a spotlight on thousands of musicians, both amateur and professional as the whole city becomes a stage with hundreds of free musical performances across the streets, squares, neighbourhoods, and venues. The world renowned Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club will bring the chance to dance to the coolest of global music at The Venue.”

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Rory Fellowes ‘Songs Of Love & Time’

roryfellowesRory Fellowes began his working life writing fiction and songs but was distracted into the animation industry and spent the next thirty years or so working as an animator and animation director. In the mid-1980s Rory earned a reputation for fantastical stop-motion animation with his promos for such icons of pop as The Cure and Shania Twain and for his animation sequences in “Hellraiser 2: Hellbound” and “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed”. In the mid-1990s he re-trained in computer animation. Since then he has worked on TV series, commercials, and feature films, including “Harry Potter 2: The Chamber Of Secrets”, and cult hit “Free Jimmy”. Recently he has returned to writing. “Songs Of Love & Time” is his first solo album.

‘These songs are reflections on a life lived to the full, memories and commemorations of love given and love lost, and some that are just fun to play and sing. An evocative voice supported by great arrangements. Enjoy!’

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/roryfellowes

Red Sail ‘We Still Build Forts’

we_still_build_forts_coverFollowing their well-received debut EP “Paper Cutouts”, Red Sail are set to reveal their anticipated second release, “We Still Build Forts”.

Recorded by Tony Fitz in the characterful surrounds of Pickering Forest House, the EP also features renowned cellist Vyvienne Long.

Consisting of five new tracks, the band have worked to create a richer, more mature sound, using the simple building blocks of guitars, piano and layered vocals.

Think Crosby, Stills & Nash crossed with Feist and The National.

The official launch of “We Still Build Forts” will be celebrated on June 15th upstairs in Whelan’s.
Support on the night comes from Biggles Flys Again and Sive.

Tour Dates

EP launch, Whelan’s, Dublin – Saturday 15th June

Citóg, The Cellar, Galway – Wednesday 19th June

The Sky and the Ground, Wexford – Friday 21st June

Haus Am Walde, Bremen, Germany – Sat 29th & Sun 30th June

‘t Oude Pothuys, Utrecht, The Netherlands – Monday 1st July

www.redsailmusic.com | www.facebook.com/RedSailMusic

“Sailing Song” is the first single from the EP

New Music From Jemson Green

JemsonGreen‘My Only Disease’ and ‘ Who Am I ‘ are the first releases of 2013 by Dublin-based hard rockers Jemson Green.

Recording in Electra Studios, these are the first releases by the band since April 2012. Reflecting the newly found solidity of the band and début recordings with guitarist Conor Dempsey ‘My Only Disease’ and ‘Who Am I’ are as hard-hitting and intense songs as you will hear all year.

This release reaffirms Jemson Green as a strong contender in Irish unsigned music. They are back stronger and more powerful than ever before. With an upcoming album now highly anticipated by fans worldwide, these brand new tracks are just a taste of what’s to come.

‘The only time I felt devastated during this song was when I realised I hadn’t got long hair and could not headbang properly to its exhilarating, guitar squealing, riff rocking, symbol crashing brilliance…5/6’

– Music Review Unsigned

‘Our influences have come together to form a style of music each member is proud of and proud to be a part of.’

– Jemson Green

This year is set to be a journey of incredible momentum for Jemson Green. Having already performed at Comic Relief Does Dublin (alongside Bipolar Empire, Walking on Cars, The Enemies, Keywest and Paddy Casey), a support performance for KERBDOG in Galway’s Roisin Dubh as well as their first UK appearance in London this April and a spot with MRU Live on May 9th, they are a force to be reckoned with.

With these two tracks from their upcoming album already fit for release, you can be sure that 2013 has much to offer for this dynamic Irish rock band. This first single will capture every sense and leave you crying for more.

www.jemsongreen.com/sound

IMRO Songwriting & Production Seminar With RuthAnne Cunningham, Bressie & Ciaran Byrne

UPDATE:  THIS SEMINAR IS NOW FULLY BOOKED

Seminar Date: Thursday 20th June
Venue: IMRO, Copyright House, Pembroke Row, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.
Time: 7pm – 9pm

Hosted by: Paddy McKenna RTÉ 2FM

BOOK NOW!

Those looking to reserve a place at this seminar should send an email to keith.johnson@nullimro.ie
(No Admission Charge – Guest List Only)

Ciarán Byrne

Ciarán Byrne is a Grammy Award winning sound engineer and music producer who’s credits over 25 years include: 3 Irish Film and Television Award winning scores (Score Mixer/Recording), recordings with U2, Steve Martin, Dario Marianelli, Elvis Costello, The Chieftains, Metallica, The Blue Nile and an extensive list of Irish recording artists.ciaran

Byrne has been busy recently with a lot of film score work including the Glenn Close movie Albert Nobbs with Brian Byrne and the forthcoming recordings for the movie Amos Wake starring Shiloh Fernandez. Also this year, the BBC produced Loving Miss Hatto earned another IFTA for clients of Byrne.

As co-owner with guitarist Bill Shanley of Cauldron Studios in Dublin he continues to produce, record and mix, up and coming bands including the release this year of the critically acclaimed “The Hard Ground” album “Broken Conversations”, Louise Kileen’s “Brilliant Tease” and the forthcoming Niall Mc Cabe Band album “Part of The Light”. As if that wasn’t enough he is currently working as the Sound Designer of the new show “Heartbeat of Home” from the same producers that brought us Riverdance.

www.cauldronstudios.com

RuthAnne Cunningham

Based between London and LA, Irish born artist RuthAnne (aka ROOTY!) draws on the distinctive energy of those cities to create a dynamic, soulful blend of pop with a rich vocal like no other. Coming from a humble but musical family and drawing on a deep love of funk, soul, blues, hip hop, R&B and electro to pop, she has eclectic taste from an unwavering love of classic auteurs like Aretha Franklin and Jeff Buckley, to 90s R&B trailblazers Lauryn Hill, Destinys Child, Janet Jackson, to Radiohead, Daft Punk and Drake.

The unstoppable singer/songwriter has an impressive list of songwriting credits behind her, including Jojo’s hit single “Too Little Too Late” which she co-wrote with Billy Steinberg & Josh Alexander. In 2007 the song skyrocketed to number 3 on the US Billboard hot 100 chart in just one week breaking previous chart records and selling over a million units. This was shortly followed by another radio smash that she co-wrote with the same team, “Over It” performed by American Idol star Katherine McPhee. And that’s just the jumping off point…Ruth_Anne

In 2007 RuthAnne had songs on three platinum albums in the US and Europe, and officially became Ireland’s youngest songwriter ever to achieve these honors (that year winning the prestigious ASCAP Best Pop song Award). More stellar cuts and singles written by RuthAnne followed, including album title track “Turn it up”, “My Love”, and single “Broken Arrow” for British platinum-selling popstar Pixie Lott. She then collaborated with Grammy winning producer John Shanks to co-write with Westlife for their recent ‘Greatest Hits’ album including the single “Beautiful Life”.

After honing her skills over the past five years writing for, and collaborating with many of the UK’s hottest stars and producers, (Professor Green, Leona Lewis, Sugarbabes, Labyrinth, Ben Hudson, Ed Drewett among them), and having worked extensively with many top shelf internationally renowned US based producers (Jeff Bhasker, Red One, Toby Gad, JR Rotem, Boi 1Da, John Shanks, Julian Bunetta to name a few), RuthAnne is now in Los Angeles putting all of that experience and creativity into crafting and writing her own selection of infectiously catchy, soulful pop. Influenced by the classic pop/R&B divas of the 90s, RuthAnne is about the voice, the feel and the pocket… This lil lady has serious swagger. Think early Mariah, Whitney, Janet, Lauryn, Destiny’s, to Donna, Diana, Chaka.

Her first artist feature was with Brit rap star Professor Green in 2012, performing the hook she penned for his recent single, ‘Remedy’ and most recently has been in the studio with Benny Benassi

With her story unfolding reminiscent to current world-wide stars such as Ne-Yo, Bruno Mars, and Katy Perry who have built careers from strong songwriting and performance pedigree, RuthAnne is a multi-talented self contained artist who writes her own music, is savvy with production and arrangement, a stunning vocalist and an undeniable star performer.

https://twitter.com/ruthannemusic
http://www.facebook.com/ruthannemusic
https://www.youtube.com/ruthanne353
www.iamruthanne.com

Bressie

With childhood friends, Bressie formed The Blizzards in 2004. The critically acclaimed band released two albums which achieved commercial success, “A Public Display of Affection” in 2006 and “Domino Effect” in 2008. The band broke up in 2009. Following the band’s split, Bressie joined Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment as a songwriter and producer in 2010.

In 2011, Bressie released his solo album, “Colourblind Stereo”. Four singles were released from the album.
A year and a half after his debut album earned him an iTunes number one and two number ones at Irish radio, he returns with a new album – and a new sound.Bressie

Gone are the shiny synths and big pop choruses that defined the first LP, instead “Rage & Romance” has a subtlety that confidently underplays Bressie’s natural gift for melody – one that’s teased out by co-writer James Walsh (he of Starsailor fame) and producer Eliot James (responsible for the debut albums of Two Door Cinema Club and Bloc Party).

It’s quite the difference, borne from the benefit of hindsight. While Colourblind Stereo gave Bressie critical and commercial acclaim, and a place on The Voice of Ireland coaching panel, it suffered from the weight of expectation. Explains Bressie: “I released the first single ‘Can’t Stay Young Forever’ before I’d written the album, so when that got to number one on the airplay charts – which is rare enough for an Irish act – I naturally felt compelled to go in that direction.”

This time around, he made sure he had no preconceptions when it came to a new direction.  “Luckily I had a record company who didn’t have a gun to my head saying ‘do that again’,” he says. “The only forethought was working with James – who makes brilliant melodies – and Eliot, who’s known for making strong alternative albums, without diluting my own pop sensibilities. I’ve never gone into the studio with a blank slate before but I wanted to see what we could create together.”

Two months later, the trio emerged from Eastcote Studios in London with the album written and recorded. But it wasn’t an easy task – there was plenty of graft and skill involved in this musical exploration. Lead track Show Me Love is the perfect example, its glam-rock riffs are presented atop a pulsating undercurrent that’s unmistakably 2013. Elsewhere, the uber-cool alternative feel of the title track Rage & Romance might come as a surprise to casual fans – it’s an alluring monster of an alt track, its pop sensibilities well disguised by Eliot’s laissez-faire production.

Meanwhile, the heartfelt I Preferred The Original proves the album’s breadth by starting off with a lush string section arrangement, before the understated melancholy takes over.

The song derived from an idea that Bressie had for his The Voice of Ireland charge, Conor Quinn. And indeed, his place on the panel is intrinsically linked with his musical projects.

He earned his seat, not only thanks to his solo career, but also due to his role at Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment in developing new artists on their roster. And his ability to unlock talent continues – he’s the reigning coach on The Voice of Ireland, having mentored the inaugural winner Pat Byrne, and the two continue to share a close songwriting relationship. The show has proved fruitful artistically, being one of four high-profile coaches, Bressie has had to adjust to a new level of fame, which has been a learning curve for him.

Bressie plays Slane Castle on Saturday 15th June.

World Creators Summit Washington | Day 2 Summary | Wednesday June 5

world_creators_summitThe 2013 World Creators Summit continued on Wednesday, June 5, with a packed schedule of keynotes, speeches, panels, and presentations at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. The fourth biennial event, organized by CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) and supported by numerous organizations around the world, is the leading international and cross-industry forum addressing the future of copyright, the creative community, and the entertainment business in the digital economy.

CISAC also announced the launch of LINK, a new multi-repertoire creators’ forum that met for the first time on Tuesday, June 4. Made up of artists from across all of CISAC’s represented creative disciplines (music, drama, literature, audio-visual and visual arts), LINK will facilitate and enhance the communication and understanding between the creative community, collective management societies, and decision makers. As a multi-repertoire independent creators’ strategic think-tank, LINK will serve to unite the voice of creators and to ensure the flow of information between CISAC leadership, the global creative community, and ultimately policy makers whose decisions directly affect artists’ livelihood.

Day 2 speakers delved deeply into a variety of topics with significant stakes for the creative community, including digital IP and copyright, collective management, digital anti-piracy initiatives, the resale royalty right, licensing hubs, the Global Repertoire Database (GRD), the relationship between copyright and innovation, public policies for the arts, and more.

Javed Akhtar, one of the most successful multi-platform creators from India; Susana Baca, a singer-songwriter and former Minister of Culture for Peru ; Ana de Hollanda,  a singer-songwriter and former Minister of Culture for Brazil; and Jerrold Nadler,  a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (New York – 10th district), all participated in the “What Public Policies for the Arts” keynote conversation, examining the ways that legislation can help creators and highlighting key examples.

Eric Baptiste, Chair of CISAC’s Governance Committee and CEO of SOCAN, delivered the Collective Management for the 21st Century keynote, in which he offered his thoughts on the radical changes collective rights management societies have gone through in the wake of the digital era. “Our collective management organisations have risen to the challenges created by the new worldwide integrated players by improving the quality and transparency of our operations, thanks in part to CISAC’s Binding Resolutions and Professional Rules,” he said. “To skeptics and politicians around the world, I say we’ve been very diligent and unlike other industries we’ve been confronting our issues. … Before imposing binding rules on us, look at what CISAC is already doing.”

Jean-Michel Jarre, a French electronic music pioneer, took part in keynote conversation “Creators in the 21st Century,” where he explained why it is important for creators to fight for authors’ rights, respect for their works, fair remuneration, and the freedom to create. “A smartphone is much less smart if you get rid of music, films, images, words, news and all the rest of our content,” he said. “We are responsible for the smart part of smart phones and that should be taken into consideration.”

In his keynote, titled “Protecting Intellectual Property and Copyright in the Digital Age,” John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, explained why he believes copyright must be protected by citing the Constitution. The debate around intellectual property enforcement, particularly online, often centers around another part of our Constitution, which is the first amendment, and the right to free expression, he said. The truth of the matter is that right is tremendously important, and one we all share. [But] the right to protection for your works was written in the Constitution before that, and is equally important and equally as much of the great document that forms the backbone of our collective experiences as Americans.

Having gotten the Summit started with a speech on Tuesday, June 4, it was only fitting that Kenth Muldin, Chairman of the CISAC Board of Directors, would close it as well. I leave the Summit with three important messages: We need to continue to listen to creators – they do not have necessarily all the answers (that’s our job) – but they ask the right questions and the more we hear their voices the better we can answer their needs. Secondly, we, as authors’ societies and rights holders, need to continue to connect with the actors of the digital economy. Third, as collective rights management organizations, we are not only relevant but we are part of the solution.

Mark Mulligan, Analyst at MIDiA Consulting, presented the findings of research that identified five major structural copyright challenges that demand urgent attention: rights fragmentation, rights competition, data transparency and cleanliness, lengthy rights negotiations, and rights evaluation. To address the flaws of the digital market, the report offered nine different solutions for rights holders and digital platforms: rights owner investments, phased licensing models, beta-licenses, licensing hubs, licensing portals, systems and data, cooperation and dialogue, new models of rights owners, collective licensing, and collective licensing. Mulligan also moderated the “Copyright + Innovation = Growth?” panel and “The Copyright and Innovation Conversation – Time for ‘Détente’?”

Paul Williams, one of America’s most acclaimed songwriters as well as President and Chairman of the Board at ASCAP, encouraged creators to stand up for their rights and demand stronger copyright laws during his fiery keynote “The Creators’ Perspective.” Beginning his speech by stating, I am a songwriter, I am not a content provider, Williams emphasized that “Intellectual property rights are a cornerstone of democracy. As a citizen, creator and consumer, I should have a reasonable expectation that I live in a society where thieves and outlaws are not allowed to run rampant, even when they’re operating in cyberspace.

Trisha Ziff, an independent documentary filmmaker, presented the trailer for her new film “Pirate Copy : A Road Trip Through Pirateria,” which shows the diverse points of view related to copyright, during her presentation “Piracy: The Vision of a Creator.” She explained that her first film looked at the iconic image of Che Guevara that appears frequently on t-shirts and posters. “This is perhaps the most pirated image in the world.” Her experience sensitized Ziff to the issue of piracy, so she started exploring pirate marketplaces in Mexico with other independent filmmakers, and what she saw fascinated her and made her want to explore the topic futher.

The agenda also included:

–       “Collective Management for the 21st Century – Transparency, Governance and Member Services”

–       “Collective Management for the 21st Century – Access to Data and Exchange of Information”

–       “Collective Management for the 21st Century – Online Licensing”

–       “Collective Management for the 21st Century – Discussion with the Audience”

–       “Collective vs. Direct Licensing”

–       “Digital Anti-Piracy Initiatives – What Works Best?”

–       “Resale Royalty Right – Painting a Global Picture?”

–       “Navigating Through Licensing Hubs”

–       “Re-Connecting with the Digital Narrative”

–       “A Guide to the GRD”

–       “Wrapping the World Creators Summit – The Expert Views”

–       “Wrapping the World Creators Summit – The Creators Views”

In total, more than 140 speakers addressed over 750 delegates from 75+ countries during the Summit.

Photos, videos, and blog entries are continually updated at www.creatorssummit.com/category/news.

 

  • Follow the conversation on Twitter: @WCS_2013 #WCS13.

 

 

Trad for Trócaire | Battle of the Bands Competition

If you’re in an established band, a group of friends who play together regularly or an emergingtrad for talent waiting to be discovered, Trad for Trócaire want to hear from you.  This is your chance to play at the two biggest trad events in the world! At the same time you’ll be raising awareness for Trad for Trócaire, a campaign that brings the Irish traditional music community together to raise money for Trócaire projects around the world.

Battle of the Bands

Closing Date for Entries 22nd July 2013

The Battle of the Bands competition is part of Trad for Trócaire and helps raise awareness for this campaign. Trad for Trócaire motivates people to organise local trad sessions in aid of Trócaire’s work worldwide. All funds raised are channeled into supporting communities living in extreme poverty, helping them to build a better future for themselves.

 The winning band will:

 • Perform live on the Gig Rig in Derry at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

• Perform live as the opening act for a major band during the Temple Bar Trad Fest 2014.

• Get 3 days studio/recording time at the Clasac Studio, Dublin.

 Battle of the Bands entry details:

 1. Competitors must be 16 years or older.

2. Bands must have a minimum number of 5 members.

3. Duration of performance – 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Music should be predominantly traditional Irish but may contain other

Celtic and Folk influences.

5. Sample recordings (or MP3 files by e-mail) of 3 to 4 minutes duration,

together with contact details should be sent to Kieran Hanrahan, Clasac,

Alfie Byrne Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3 or Kieran@nullclasac.ie

6. a) Recordings will be assessed by a panel of adjudicators.

b) Adjudicators decision will be final.

c) Demo recordings will not be returned.

7. The finals will be held at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, Derry 2013.

8. Closing date for entries is 22nd July 2013 – finalists will be notified by 29th July 2013.

Top Ten Tips for the Piano Playing Songwriter by James Linderman

piano handsIt seems like every elemental discipline in songwriting competes to claim the top seat of developmental importance. One songwriting expert will claim that it is most important that our songs have a patterned rhyme scheme or a strong lyric premise while the next will insist that melody is king and without a strong tune our song is dead to rights. Some are like “used theory salesmen” and others promise to transform us into “chord factories” during their $99.00 weekend workshop. The truth is that they are all correct because songs are complex organisms and to excel, they need to be great all around. Our songs will only be as strong as our most poorly hidden weakness.

So, what I will promise in this article is that these ten suggestions on how to improve as a piano player should also help you improve as a songwriter by addressing some very common hidden weaknesses as it also offers some interesting ways to find new weapons to write songs with. Bert Bacharach once said, “The hands always move to the familiar” and so by expanding our skills on our instrument, it stands to reason we will expand what is “familiar”.

So here are my top ten tips for the piano playing songwriter…

1. Don’t Let the Left Hand Know What the Right Hand is Playing – A book like Louis Bellson’s, Modern Reading Text in 4/4 Time can help us not have our hands follow one another around the piano in unison. A great drill is to take a single bar of rhythm from anywhere in the book and apply the left hand (perhaps playing an octave) to whatever is in the first half of the bar and then play the right hand (perhaps playing a triad) to whatever is in the back half of the bar. Repeat the pattern to suit. This will help develop rhythmic independence in the two hands and should create some new skills and even seed some fresh ideas for songs.

2. Getting to First Bass – A song like The Beatles “Lady Madonna” has a great left hand bass line that has not been paralleled by too many piano playing songwriters in popular music since. The question is, are we going to let a bass guitar player out write us on the piano in the left hand riff realm….well, he is a bass player so bass riffs ARE his specialty and he is a pretty good piano player as well so maybe he wins… for now. To create an interesting bass riff we can turn to the Bellson book again. Take a random bar of rhythm and play notes from a scale to it, rearranging the order of the notes till you have a riff you like. Now test drive each chord in the key that the riff is in, to the riff and collect the chords you liked best. Arrange the order of the chords to your liking and you will have a potential verse or chorus to a new song and a new way of writing more songs.

3. Sing and Play…for Fun? – Remember when you used to sit for hours and just bang away on some chords on the piano and improvise some singing over them…just “la, la, la’s” and it seemed so incredible just to be playing music. Whether we last felt that way 5 days ago or 30 years ago, that is the feeling we need to get back to. The intent of just creating music because we are built to do it and with no other purpose than the pure love of it.

4. The Evil Metronome – Ok! So the metronome is not our “besty” and it can be argued that most piano players have pretty good “time” comparatively speaking. It could, however, also be argued that our sense of time can never be over developed and that a good song can become great if it sits nicely in the pocket. The metronome is the tool that can get us there the fastest and most reliably. Try putting a metronome on 60 and instead of focusing on playing merely close to the ticking, try shifting concentration on hitting the ticks dead on. Set it up so that the piano is slightly loader than the metronome and the metronome ticks should disappear when we have hit them square. I work on all of my songs like this and can actually hear them straighten out and become more musical and more likeable.

5. Something Borrowed for Something Blues – Our artistic innovations become more valuable when they are born out of some tradition. For instance, if we put in our time learning every blues song we can get our hands on, we will probably better see how to take the blues to the next level or to a new fusion with some other style ( the blues polka, I believe, is still available if you dare). Learning how to play all of say….Billy Joel’s songs on the piano is more available now than ever before and if we throw in some Stevie Wonder with some Keith Jarrett we would have a very nice traditional toolbox to write some very interesting new songs from.

6. Play Nice with Others – Write with singers and other musician of the non piano variety. By writing with singers in every major genre and players of any earthly instrument we get the broadest possible range of creative landscapes to write within. Some of this music might even challenge our definition of what our music sounds like…which is a great thing as it destroys self limitation and develops a creative openness that not surprisingly, great art springs from.

7. Keys are Key– Learning the raw materials (scales and primary chords) in every key will encourage us to write in some of the keys less travelled and in doing so, inspire some new melodies and lyrics as well as some fresh technical ornaments in our accompaniment that just don’t happen in the keys of C, G or F. Treat the materials in a key like they are a palette of paints with some shades we have never used before and see what hits the canvas.

8. Lifetime Extended Warrenty – We can extend the warranty on our creative brilliance to last a lifetime by using more extended harmonic options. Most piano players blend extensions like Sus 2, Sus 4, major and minor 6ths, and 7ths into their writing to help create greater harmonic colour and movement. It is generally considered that motion in songwriting creates emotion and helping our listener feel something in our songs is one of our primary objectives. Adding harmonic extensions however should be based on intentional calculation and thoughtful consideration rather than from muscle memory or a limitation of options. We should plan what we play and play what we plan.

9. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Most Awesomest Songwriter of All – Rehearsing our songs after we have finished writing them sounds, to some writers like the most obvious next step and to other writers, a completely redundant waste of time. For the rehearsers, the work of making the song a performance really only starts when the ink on the page is dry but for those writers that always seem to have a new song idea waiting in the wings, rehearsing something finished seems like a waste of good writing time. Many writers find that rehearsing the finished work allows the songs to survive their first 3 or 4 performances in front of an audience and those performances provide a great opportunity to determine if our new work is engaging our listeners. Rehearsing the song in front of a mirror has also helped train me to look up at the audience while performing and therefore helps me see my performance from the audiences perspective.

10. Is This Jam Homemade? – My good friend and fellow (very talented) musician, Chris Bartos, recently reminded me of the importance of getting out and playing with other musicians. It might be to perform live or record…it might be to write with someone or just to jam. Regardless of the circumstances or intention, our goal should be to just play wherever and whenever we can. It reminds me that I play my best when there is a childlike lack of ulterior motive and I can hear the joy of making music in that kind of playing every time. No focus on moving my career forward or money…although both are important, they are not musical considerations. It is interesting to see that success and money often follow enthusiasm around but nothing cripples pure enthusiasm faster and more completely than the singular concern for fame and fortune.

I hope these tips prove to be helpful and please feel free to contact me at jlinderman@nullberkleemusic.com if you have any questions or need more information. Also contact me if you come up with a great piece of music that was helped along by one of these tips. I listen to every piece of music and I read and respond to every e-mail readers send me.

James Linderman teaches guitar and piano and coaches songwriting in studio in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada and over Skype to students all over the world. He is a Berkleemusic

Ambassador and a music journalist and presenter. Contact James at jlinderman@nullberkleemusic.com.

Prominent creators among the 140+ speakers scheduled for CISAC’s World Creators Summit “Create – Connect – Respect” on June 4 & 5, 2013, in Washington, DC

CISAC (the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) welcomes more than 30 renowned authors and artists to speak at the fourth biennial World Creators Summit, a lineup that gives the creative community a chance to speak out on a variety of important issues affecting their rights and their lives.world_creators_summit

These creators include Jean MichelJarre, an author, composer, performer and electronic music producer; Angélique Kidjo, a songwriter and performer; Javed Akhtar, a scriptwriter, poet and lyricist; and Paul Williams , a composer, songwriter and actor as well as ASCAP President and Chairman of the Board. In his keynote conversation, French electronic music pioneer Jarre will discuss the role of the creator in today’s copyright debates. He will encourage more artists to speak up for their rights and form a unified front to protect their creations, explaining why it is so important for them to promote authors’ rights, respect for their works, fair remuneration, and freedom to create. Kidjo, the Grammy Award–winning artist and activist from the West African nation of the Republic of Benin, will join a panel of fellow creators to examine the digital revolution, often viewed as an emancipating force that has given artists more freedom and enabled them to form new partnerships outside of traditional business structures. She will discuss these opportunities and also point out some of the new challenges technology has introduced. As one of the most successful multi‐platform creators from India, Akhtar will discuss how artists can influence public policies and improve legislation when they engage in the public debate. On a panel with singers and songwriters Ana de Hollanda and Susana Baca, who are both former Ministers of Culture respectively from Brazil and Peru, Akhtar will examine how public policies can support creators and the creative industries with appropriate copyright legislation and access to resources and infrastructure.  In addition to being one of America’s most acclaimed songwriters, Williams, in his role leading the U.S. performing rights society ASCAP, has fought tirelessly for the cause of creators, and his keynote speech will continue that tradition. He will discuss the importance of public policies that take creators’ needs into account, protect their works, and provide for fair revenues.

Discussing the U.S. agenda, leading U.S. creators Rick Carnes, a songwriter and performer; Marjorie David, a screenwriter and producer; Vince Misiano , a TV director; and Scott Turow, a writer, will outline their vision of a future IP framework and respond to the initiatives taken by the U.S. Register of Copyright and by Congress to review U.S. copyright laws.

Discussing what the digital revolution means for creators and how they connect with the digital generation will be top artists from different repertoires, including Wally Badarou (composer and producer), Eric Hilton (songwriter and producer of the Thievery Corporation), Ryan McGinness (visual artist), Stacie Passon (film director), and Simon Raymonde (songwriter and producer of Cocteau Twins).

Artists will also appear on more specialized panels, including writer Jason Merkoski and author Penny Grubb on the business of digital books; photographers Michael Grecco, Richard Kelly, and Klaus Thymann on the use of pictures online; author Andrew Keen on the benefits of copyright; songwriter and producer Simon Darlow and composer and conductor Laurent Petitgirard on the governance of authors’ societies; songwriter Eddie Schwartz on fair music principles; composer Niels Mosumgaard on the GRD; songwriter and producer Rupert Hine on copyright supporting innovation; documentary film maker Trisha Ziff on piracy; and author Chris Ruen on the digital future of the creative sector. Visual artist and Acting President of CISAC Hervé Di Rosa and composer Lorenzo Ferrero will kick off the Summit. Songwriter and musician Helienne Lindvall , journalist and author Robert Levine, composer and conductor Alejandro Guarello, screenwriter Yves Nilly, and rapporteur Werner Stauffacher will wrap the Summit with two back‐to‐back reflection panels. Visual writer Kim Ravers will illustrate some of these discussions live.

“It’s great to see more and more artists getting involved in the debate over their rights and how their works are used online, as they are the ones who will be directly affected,” said Di Rosa. “Too often, the artist perspective is minimized or lost entirely in today’s discussions on copyright. It is up to the creative community to band together and ask for respect and fair remuneration for the use of their works. One of our goals for the World Creators Summit is to provide a place for them to do so.”

“It’s only fitting that a conference organized by CISAC and dedicated to creators’ rights would invite those artists to speak,” said Kenth Muldin, CEO of STIM and Chairman of the CISAC Board of Directors. “The addition of so many great artistic minds to the World Creators Summit speaking roster allows us to offer a truly balanced look at the major issues currently facing the creative sector.”

“We’re thrilled to pair artists with top policymakers and industry executives from around the world to facilitate a true discussion that improves the understanding of the eco‐system of the creative sector and creates real opportunities for progress,” said Olivier Hinnewinkel, Director General of CISAC. “CISAC works to ensure that the 3 million creators and rights holders that we represent obtain a fair income from the use of their creative work, and to develop licensing models that meet the market’s needs.” organized by CISAC, the World Creators Summit is the leading international and cross‐industry forum, addressing the future of copyright, the creative community, and the entertainment business in the digital economy.

For the complete lineup of 140+ top artists, business executives and policymakers from around the world slated to speak at the Summit, visit http://www.creatorssummit.com/category/program/orateurs/

For the detailed conference program, visit www.creatorssummit.com/category/program/program_/

For the list of 500+ participants registered, visit www.creatorssummit.com/category/who/delegates/

visit: www.creatorssummit.com

Follow: @WCS_2013 / #WCS13 /

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