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whenao, excellent comment. I do not trust her democratic values either. Please take a look at my blog: http://braziliandemocracywatch.blogspot.com/
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whenao, excellent comment. I do not trust her democratic values either. Please take a look at my blog: http://braziliandemocracywatch.blogspot.com/
All Brazilians must see - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCORsD-hx0w&feature=player_embedded# - to verify how the Serra's electoral campaign fueled xenofoby, racism and prejudice in our country.
I'm ashamed for what is happening and it is a sorrow to see how perverted are some people.
The map depicted here, produced by Brazilian conservative press and echoed by "The Economist", started a flow of furious tweets and messages in the Internet against the Northeastern people. Subliminally, the map says that Dilma was elected due to the Northeasterners. Racism and prejudice were other results of the infamous election campaign runned by PSDB, Serra, and his allies, conservative mídia and newspapers. Brazil is facing this indecent campaign in public midia, for the first time in his story. All this are lamentable for a county known by the tolerance and heartiness of his people.
The real facts about Dilma's election:
1. It is not true that Northeastern elected Dilma. If the Northeastern votes are not computed even so Dilma wins the election race. Mathematically speaking, this refutes the assumption that Dilma was elected only by the poor of the Northeast.
2. Serra's results in the South and Southeast were disappointing. He was defeated in Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states. In Rio Grande do Sul and Sao Paulo his vantage over Dilma was minimal. Sao Paulo's votes are intriguing, considering that Serra was its former governor.
All these facts explain why Jose Serra was defeated again.
This joke actually made my day better!
The Brazillian democratic process, inspite of it's many inherent & apparent flaws & shortcomings, has a far more mature, thinking & pragmatic electorate than their North American counterparts, where brazen rhetoric, blind partizanship, short memory spans & instant gratification are the unfortunate yardsticks upon which elections prevail.
Let's hope Ms Dilma will charter in a vibrant, progressive & productive era in emerging Brazil..
>>Lisa R wrote:
>>Then, after Lula
>>1. saved a country almost in bankrupcy,
Nope. The Chinese did by buying Brazil's raw materials.
>>2. created three times more jobs,
Government jobs thanks to the Chinese buying raw materials
and fool, er, foreign investors pouring money into Brazil.
>>3. increase the consuming power of the majority as never seen
Thanks to stipends from the leftovers after corrupt officials
gorged on the money from China and from fool, er, foreign
investors. The stipends will one day soon dry out.
>>4. pushed unemployment to the lower level in 30 years
Nope. China buying iron ore, agri-products and other
raw materials helped reduce unemployment.
>>5. created more universities than all governments in brazilian
Wow. Education without a private sector = bloated PHDs at
the public sector. How many technological advances and brands
likeIndia's were these so called "MORE UNIVERSITIES" were
able to spawn?????
>>6. Eliminate foreign debt
How about eliminated private sector, favela to riches
entrepreneurs, and hamper the establishment of zero to
hero global brands such as Amyris. Could Brazil have
an Amyris? Possibly. Would Brazil permit one to exist
without lots of S kissing the government and patronage
in high places? Very doubtful. In fact, 不行 if it was
a former favela dweller who would start the company.
>>7. Reduce public debt proportion of the GDP
(which is one of the major problems in US and Europe)
The developed nations messed up royally, yes. However,
Brazil has a severely underdeveloped financial sector.
Consequently, a country where most people have a lower
middle class status can't ill afford to invest in
equities. The U.S. and Europe will rise again as they
done after World War 1, 2 and many other similar
economic malaise.
Brazil may appear to be the darling of the world at the
moment, but it has structural problems that the
developed nations don't have. infrastructure is behind
the times. Education is way behind South Korea, Taiwan,
and other smaller economies. Bureaucracy and corruption
are out of control. High taxation and tax scofflaws alike
without impunity.
>>Dilma was the way...
The way for Brazil to be a permanent lackey of China.
>>So you better consider REALITY before arguing
>>or else go and get yourself some professional treatment.
A wise man said: "The bigger the government; the smaller
the Citizen.
Brazil Internet access
34% of population
5.1% using broadband
@ anticipayo mindlessly wrote:
"How about being an Embraer employee? Do you know how many 747s boeing was able to place in the market? I believe for 2010 the number is zero. Have you bothered finding out how the American Boeing engineers are doing right now?"
As usual, Brazilians are either severely out of touch with the
rest of the world, or purposely doing their bit of nefarious
propaganda. Since most lower income Brazilians don't speak
English as well as having Internet access. It is fair to say
that it is the latter.
I heard that Brazilians are doing plastic surgery to enhance
their eyes to be more like their Country's boss/daddy.
I guess, it is just a rumour. hahahahahahaha
Pucker up Dilma, your Chinese boss/daddy requires lots of S kissing.
My dear Mariana, Dilma Rousseff did not fight against the dictatorship. If she really was a trotskist whatever, she was actually fighting for a new form of dictatorship. A leftist one, but a dictatorship. If you study the history of that period you will understand that those who fought against the ruling power were not necessarily trying to bring democracy.
By the way, reactionary is a term usually fitted for those who are perpetuating a revolution which, I believe, is not the case. I myself want progress. I believe in a better, fairer, more equal Brazilian society. I just disagree on the means to get there.
As for the map you mentioned, there is a link to the bolsa família map. Have a look at it.
This map is too simplified. Serra had a considerable number of votes in Pará. A significant part of the voters in Espírito Santo and Rio Grande do Sul voted for Rousseff, and in Mato Grosso the same thing happened. Here is a more accurate chart: http://www.estadao.com.br/especiais/mapa-da-votacao-para-presidente-nos-...
The Economist has mentioned the dictartorship but has not mentioned that Rousseff was one of the people who fought against it. In my opinion, this should have been mentioned as it helps the reader deliberate about Rousseff's political views.
In addition, The Economist did not acknowledge that Rousseff had to face Serra's unfair campaign, which appealed to the most reactionary and backwards sections of Brazilian society. This, in the opinion of many renowned Brazilian journalists, played a major role in the way Brazilians voted.
To understand how the media in Brasil behave I suggest to watch:
Beyond Citizen Kane
Além do Cidadao Kane
To be honest, considering how biased and corrupted the media are, it shows incredible restraint and dedication to democracy by the PT to have not come down on them like a ton of bricks. If the media in the US (not including Fox) and Europe behaved this way it would be in court.
Congratulations to Dilma the first ever brazilian woman president who is going to add her female sensibility to the already 83% approved Lula´s government pace of governing reducing one of the major world income gap between the most few favored (just look to the resul shown in the ballot map) and the rest of those who live near to the misery line which is a shame to any nation that aim to be among the developed ones.
@Lisa R
Good posts.
I have the feeling that the right in Brasil can't forgive Lula and the PT for being the most successful government in Brasilian history. FHC deserves credit for Plan Real, beyond that his mandate was nothing special, well, unless you include a rise of the total public debt from 30 to 55.5% of GDP, changing the Constitution to help himself and mass blackouts as "special."
The elections were free and fair. It is a victory for Brazil.
The map isn't really accurate:
Globo just published this:
A headline from Globo News today:
Mesmo sem os eleitores do Norte e do Nordeste, Dilma venceria Serra
"Even without the voters of North and Northeast, Dilma bet Serra
PT had more votes than Serra in the South, Southeast and Midwest. 33.2 million votes against 32.9 million.
The feeling that Rousseff (PT) was elected only because of the advantage applied in the North and Northeast is false. Survey based on data from the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) reveals that she would win the election even if they were counting only the votes of the Southeast, South and Midwest."
I realise journalists like to simplify things to make a point, but Brasilian politics and voting habits are a little more nuanced that just, "educated Southerns voted Serra, Poor Northerns Voted Rousseff."
Rondonia, one of the poorest States in the Republic voted Serra, and Rio, one the richest voted Rousseff, plus the map indicating Rio Grade do Sul and Goias were both 50-50 (give or take a percentage point)
Brasil is not the US, and trying to analyse politics in the same way just isn't good journalism.
Yes Lisa R, after reading your "economic analysis" I can see why you got fired.
Please, have a look at this map: http://www.estadao.com.br/especiais/mapa-da-votacao-para-presidente-nos-...
Compare it with the Bolsa-Família one and tell me is just a bloody coincidence.
As a journalist who got fired by one of the big newspapers,
I'd say to newmansm user that if its true that all "illiterate non educated" millions put Lula and Dilma in power is just because the PSDB (right-conservatives) did a pretty bad job ruling the country for 20 years! This proves that they really dont care about anything but their own fortunes.
So the people got smart and realized about this
and decided not to trust this people anymore.
Then, after Lula
1. saved a country almost in bankrupcy,
2. created three times more jobs,
3. increase the consuming power of the majority as never seen
4. pushed unemployment to the lower level in 30 years
5. created more universities than all governments in brazilian
6. Eliminate foreign debt
7. Reduce public debt proportion of the GDP
(which is one of the major problems in US and Europe)
Yes, after all this and more, the people learned
that for the sake of the country and the majority's wealth
Dilma was the way...
So you better consider REALITY before arguing
or else go and get yourself some professional treatment.
Obviously Technographie user is from the PSDB (right conservatives although they use a different name to be more appealing)
If something is NOT gonna happen is to see Brazil collapsing,
at least not in the next decade. Probably later, if the right representing the old land lords (PSDB - Serra) came back and lead the country into a bankrupcy as they did twice!!! in the past,
of course increasing the few land lords fortune.
Whenao user has a deep problem of perception and democratic principles. When a military regime kick out the elected president (as in Brazil in 1964) it is "them" (the militars) who commit a violent act of terrorism, not the "people" who try to fight back to restore democratic power. Therefore it is not Dilma or those who fought against the militars who were the "guerrillas", the guerrilas were those who threaten the democratic system. Maybe whenao IS a militar, or a relative of one. Sorry, but if you defend dictatorship I have to be rude...
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by Harriet Schock
I've noticed a lot of people confuse poetry and lyrics. I think reading poetry can make you a better lyricist because good poets do the following things that lyricists should also do:
1) Say a lot in a few words. I call it emotional shorthand
2) Write visually or show don't tell
3) Use irony
4) Use conversational language, especially found in modern poetry.
I have all my students read the poetry of Charles Bukowski and Billy Collins. There's something about Bukowski that gets writers to "catch" irony. I don't think you really learn to be ironic, but you can "catch" it like you would a cold. I've had students who had never had a drop of irony in anything they'd written come in after a week of reading Bukowski and suddenly they had developed the skill of being ironic. Even though Billy Collins also writes with irony, it's Bukowski I've noticed they catch it from more than Collins.
Poetry can inspire lyrics, just as other lyricists can inspire songwriters. But poetry is not lyric writing. I used to be a member of a group of poets and I'd bring in a lyric for a new song. If my song had a chorus, they'd all complain, "But you've said that!" Yes, a repeating chorus is definitely a convention of songwriting, not poetry—or Broadway for the most part, but that's a different subject.
Some lyricists also use the word "poetic" to absolve themselves from writing something no one understands. Of course, that's not being "poetic." It's merely being obscure and that's a choice, in some cases. In other cases, the writer simply cannot be clear, thinks and writes in a jumbled manner which does not communicate anything to the listener and, in a last ditch effort to defend it, says he's being "poetic."
The structure of a song is different from poetry, as well. Verses, choruses, pre-choruses and bridges are of no concern to poets but they are important to lyricists. How the lyric fits the melody is vitally important as well. Furthermore, modern poetry rarely rhymes and lyrics usually do. So if you're a poet, you may be on your way to becoming a lyricist, but there's a lot to lyric writing that poets may be aware of. Conversely, songwriters and lyricists becoming aware of modern poets is something I highly recommend.
If you've never seen "Born Into This," the film about Charles Bukowski, you might want to check it out. There's at least one songwriter in there it how important an influence Bukowski was on their writing.
Harriet Schock wrote the words and music to the Grammy-nominated #1 hit for Helen Reddy, "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady" plus many songs for other artists, TV shows and films. She co-wrote the theme for "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks," currently showing in 30 countries. She and her band were featured in Henry Jaglom's film "Irene In Time" performing 4 of Harriet's songs. She also scored three other Jaglom films starred in "Just 45 Minutes from Broadway." Jaglom's current film, "The M Word," features Harriet's song "Bein' a Girl," performed on camera at the end of the film. Harriet is in the process of writing the songs for "Last of the Bad Girls," a musical with book by Diane Ladd. Karen Black wrote the play, "Missouri Waltz," around five of Harriet's songs, which ran for 6 weeks at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood as well as in Macon, Georgia. In 2007, Los Angeles Women In Music honored Harriet with their Career Achievement and Industry Contribution award. Harriet teaches songwriting privately, in classes and a popular online course by private email. For her performance schedule, list of credits and samples of her work or information on her book (Becoming Remarkable, for Songwriters and Those Who Love Songs), her songwriting classes and consultation, go to:www.harrietschock.com
Reading Between The Lines
by Bronson Herrmuth
Based in Nashville, Bronson Herrmuth has worked in music publishing and production for more than 30 years. He is president of Al Jolson Black and White Music, Jolie House of Music, and Iowa HomeGrown Music. Signed as a recording Artist with RCA Mexico from 1981-1985 with Iowa band, The Ozone Ramblers. He is a songwriter, band leader, a multi-instrumentalist, and he has toured 44 states and 18 countries as a performer. He's traveled the USA speaking at Music Conferences as a Panelist, a Mentor and Workshop Instructor. An associate writer for MusicDish.com, 5 Star Productions, Country Music News International, a contributing author to the Indie Bible, a columnist for MusesMuse.com, and the Nashville Music Guide. Bronson is the author of the book "100 Miles To A Record Deal", and his soon to be released new book is called "Opening The Closed Door". He's the Host of radio programs for Creative and Dreams Music Network, a founding member of acoustic duo Crowding 50, and a member of the Nashville Association of Talent Directors (NATD). For more information on USA Songwriting Competition, go to: http://www.songwriting.net
The great thing about being a writer or an actor is that we get to live so many lives. I mean the ones you create. The ones you elaborate upon. The ones you fantasize. I'm in an amazing acting workshop for singers called the Musical Artists Workshop taught by Gary Imhoff. Sometimes in an improv, we're given a situation and you simply have to think "what if…" In fact, much acting is done from "what if." What if I were in a whole different situation, a whole different life. What if I were different? A different kind of person entirely, or just a little different.
I remember as a child going around to my parents' friends and asking them this philosophical question: If I had a different great-great-grandparent, would I be me only different? Or would I be a different person who's a lot like me? Well, many years later I came to my own conclusion about that, but for songwriting, it works either way. If you're a girl, you can pretend you're a guy who does all those things guys do that drive you crazy. Or you could pretend you're unbelievably wealthy. Or maybe you're having an affair with someone incredibly wealthy who is, of course, unhappy. ("Lyin' Eyes" by Henley and Frey)
People who know my writing and/or my teaching know that I think the two most important elements in songwriting are truth and craft. They also know by "truth" I don't mean facts.There is truth in many situations which you can find, even if you haven't lived that particular factual situation. Some years ago I was asked to write a lyric (Misha Segal wrote the music) for a Motown film ("The Last Dragon") in which the main character was a young African American man who was a virgin, practiced Kung Fu and fell in love for the first time. I went for the truth of it rather than the facts, none of which were helping me. We wrote a song that's been covered by 30 people either live or on record. It wasn't really a big "what if," considering I'd fallen in love and I knew how that felt. That's what I concentrated on. The songs is called "First Time on a Ferris Wheel." Smokey Robinson sang it in the movie. Carl Anderson, my favorite singer of all time, recorded it and sang it live. It's on my home page if you want to hear Carl sing it.
One of my newest songs is called "When I Write About It" and it discusses how we can change the way it really happened, whose fault it was, who left whom and basically every detail of life like we want it. And isn't that being the creator of your own artistic universe?
Harriet Schock wrote the words and music to the Grammy-nominated #1 hit for Helen Reddy, "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady" plus many songs for other artists, TV shows and films. She co-wrote the theme for "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks," currently showing in 30 countries. She and her band were featured in Henry Jaglom's film "Irene In Time" performing 4 of Harriet's songs. She also scored three other Jaglom films as well as starring in "Just 45 Minutes from Broadway." Jaglom's current film, "The M Word" features Harriet's song, "Bein' a Girl," sung on camera. Harriet is in the process of writing the songs for "Last of the Bad Girls," a musical with book by Diane Ladd. Karen Black wrote the play, "Missouri Waltz," around five of Harriet's songs, which ran for 6 weeks at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood as well as in Macon, Georgia. Harriet teaches songwriting privately, in classes and a popular online courses by private email. In 2007, Los Angeles Women In Music honored Harriet with their Career Achievement and Industry Contribution award. For her performance schedule, list of credits and samples of her work or information on her book (Becoming Remarkable, for Songwriters and Those Who Love Songs), her songwriting classes and consultation, go to: www.harrietschock.com.
For more information on USA Songwriting Competition, go to: http://www.songwriting.net
Songwriting Tips: 10 Elements of a Songby Steve Cheeks
When studying songs and songwriting, there seem to always be common threads to the basic components of successful songs. Like most people, I am measuring a songs success by it's popularity more than any other factor, although it is not the only factor to consider. With that thought being set aside, lets look at the elements that make up songs in the Modern Contemporary Music era (the last fifty years of rock, pop, country and R&B). Please also note that these are not considered to be in any particular order.
1. Melody - The melody is the tune of the song that you sing or play. The best melodies are considered to be "catchy". This typically means that the melody is memorable, which should be the desired effect.
2. Chords (chord progression) - The chords accompany the melody of the song. This can also be, and is typically, part of the rhythm of the song. A chord progression is the order in which the chords are played.
3. Beat and Rhythm - The beat of a song is what "drives" the listener to "feel" the song (fast or slow). It is also referred to as the tempo (speed) of the song. Because music stirs our emotions, we often are drawn to a song because of the beat. The rhythm on the other hand, is the beat that the various instruments (drums, bass, guitar and keys) create.
4. Genre and Style - the genre of a song (rock, pop, country or r&b) is typically established by the beat and rhythm of the song. The style may vary once the song is constructed with the words and/or instruments. The style of the song branches out from the genre, such as, punk rock, alternative, hip hop, blue grass etc.
5. Concept (story) - All songs have a story line or theme. Typically the song title will convey the essence of that story idea and the words (lyric) will expound upon that idea or theme. The story concept and theme is typically stated in the title of the song.
6. "Hook"- Simply stated, the hook is the part of the song that you just can't get out of your head. It sort of "sticks" to your thought process, sometimes, even if you like it or not. All great (if not memorable) songs have great hooks. A song may also have sub hooks that are sections,words, phrases of music that will get inside your brain. The song title can typically be a "singable" hook or phrase as well.
7. Lyrics - What is being "said" in the song comes through the words called the lyrics. The lyric describes the concept, theme and/or title of the song. A lyric will typically rhyme in rhythmic phrases in the sections of music.
8. Song Sections - Songs are divided up into sections and have names, such as, intro, verse, chorus,bridge etc. Typically, the verse describes the concept of the title and hook that are typically in the chorus. Other sections such of music, such as the intro, bridge, lead breaks, etc., will function to support these main components of the song. Sections consist of measures (also called bars) that are typically four beats in length. Although they can be longer or shorter, sections are typically eight measures (bars) in length.
9. Arrangement - The arrangement is actually two-fold. First, the arrangement is the order in which the sections of music are placed, such as, intro-verse-chorus-verse-chorus and so on. Secondly, the organization of the instrumentation, vocals and/or other parts of music that make up the song, are considered to be the arrangement as well.
10. Length - The length of a song is always a consideration, depending on the use of the song. If a song is being written and arranged for radio airplay, songs today are typically three and a half to four minutes long. They can be shorter or longer, but this is the typical length in today's musical formats. It should be stated that you will find successful songs with less (or even more) of the ten elements that are listed here. That doesn't make the song right or wrong, just different.
There are always exceptions to every rule,and in music, you will find that to be the case more often than not. In searching songs, I believe you will find most "hit' songwriters will use proven formulas with the elements listed above, in some shape or form. I always remind songwriters and musicians alike, that there are no "have to be's" in music, just "probablies." That's the purpose of using the word "typically" so often. As always, go back and study some of the songs from your favorite genre to see how many of the elements you can detect. I'm sure you will find that the more successful the song, the more song elements that are in the song. This should give you a great overview for your study. Happy Hunting!
Steve Cheeks is a Producer, Arranger, Singer, Songwriter and Psalmist. As a teacher, Steve has taught many hundreds of students how to play, perform and compose music with many different instruments. Currently, Steve is on a mission to teach the world to play and sing. He resides in Evans, Ga.
The Most Important Thing Is Everything
by Barbara Cloyd
If your goal is for your songs to be hits on Country radio there are a lot of factors to consider when you write. Does every line make sense? Do they all work together to support one main idea? Is the language conversational? Is there a solid rhyme scheme? Is the melody memorable? Is the chorus catchy?
That's just a small sampling of what it takes for a song to be a hit. It can be overwhelming. Sometimes you find the perfect rhyme that says exactly the right thing, but maybe it's not a word people say every day. Sometimes you find a wonderfully clever line but you have to cram a few too many syllables into the melody. You have to make compromises sometimes, right?
Wrong. You have to get it all exactly right.
Once at a workshop I heard a publisher say that the people he pitches songs to are "looking for any reason to say no." As soon as they hear one thing they don't like, they pass and go on to the next song. If that seems harsh, remember, they have no shortage of songs to choose from. There are more than a thousand new ones written every week just by the staff writers who are writing full time with the support of a publisher. Plus every hit writer has a large catalog of songs that haven't been cut yet. That's your competition,It's also important to realize that when artists cut a song that becomes a hit, they have to live with that song for their entire career. They don't want to make that kind of commitment if there is any little thing that doesn't feel right.
If you want to make money with your songs, don't settle when you write. I was told early on, "If you think maybe there might possibly be something wrong with your song, it's wrong." Be honest with yourself. For example, did you use a tired cliché instead of finding a fresh way to say it? Are you leaving it to the demo singer to make lines work where the words don't fit the melody quite right? Are you keeping lines that don't further the idea of the song because you love them? If you left a weak line in place so you could finish the song, did you go back and improve it?
Once you've worked out all the bugs, it can be a good idea to put your song away for a while and come back to it with fresh ears. I always do that, and it's amazing how many times I see problems with a song that sounded like a masterpiece when I finished it. After fixing every weakness I can find my next step is to play it for other people who will be honest with me, and their feedback often points out more things that need polishing.
If all this sounds like a lot of work, that's because it is. But if you aren't willing to do it, there are lots and lots of writers who are. Tom Shapiro, who has written seventeen #1 hits, says that the difference between a really good song and one that will make you a lot of money is the last five percent. Your family, friends and fans are rarely as critical as Music Row. It's great to soak up their support but don't let it keep you from acknowledging how high the bar is set and pushing yourself to reach it.
Since it began in 1986 Barbara Cloyd has been hosting the open mic at the Bluebird Café, where she has seen newcomers like Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and David Wilcox, as well as many of today's top writers. After Lorrie Morgan took Barbara's song "I Guess You Had To Be There" into the top 10 developing songwriters began asking Barbara for feedback and advice. This led to her career as a teacher, offering one-on-one consultations and hosting the popular "Play for Publishers" workshops. She's also well know for her ability to spot talent and many now-successful writers and artists owe their start to introductions she made for them. For her dedication to helping writers the Nashville Songwriters Association's gave her the Maggie Cavender Award for Exception Service to the Songwriting Community.
Understanding the Most Common Song Structures
by Anthony Ceseri
When I first started writing songs, I went through a phase where I had no regard for song structure. I thought to myself "Everyone writes a verse then a chorus, then another verse and another chorus. That's so bland. I want to be different!"
So I wrote a few songs that would start with one section, then go to new section, then a third new section, then a fourth and so on. You couldn't even label these sections as verses or choruses because they'd show up once and be gone from the song after that.
What I didn't realize at the time, was my songs were chaotic. And as a result no one wanted to hear them again after the first time. There was nothing to pull them in. There weren't memorable.
Song structure is important because it organizes our songs. You don't have to reinvent the wheel in order to be creative.
Think of the most common types of song structures as universally agreed upon roadmaps for your songs. They tell us where the song is going. We've heard the most common structures so many times that we're practically trained to know what section is coming next. While that might seem like a bad thing, it's not because it brings a familiarity to our music which makes people want to hear it. It does that from the very first time we hear a song with a common structure.
The Most Common Structures
With that in mind, let's look at the most commonly used song structures in popular music.
Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus
This one's also known as an ABABCB structure, where A is the verse, B is the chorus and C is the bridge. This one's extremely popular. Radiohead's "High and Dry" is a good example of this song structure.
Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Verse / Pre-Chorus / Chorus / Bridge / Chorus
This one's a slight variation of the first structure we looked at. The only difference here is the addition of a pre-chorus which shows up before the choruses. A good example of this structure is Katy Perry's "Firework." The part that starts on the words "You just gotta ignite the light…" is the Pre-Chorus.
In both of these song structures it's fairly common for the chorus to be repeated a second time at the very end of the song to really drive the hook of the song home to the listeners.
Verse / Verse / Bridge / Verse
This one's a bit of a departure from the first two structures we looked at. It's also known as an AABA structure. This time A denotes the verse, while B denotes the bridge. There's no chorus is this type of structure. Instead, each verse usually ends (or begins) with a refrain. A refrain is a line or two that repeats throughout the song. Since it's usually the title, the words of the refrain usually stay the same, while the rest of the verse lyrics change.
A lot of times this song structure will have a lot of variation in the verse melody, since the verses repeat often. It keeps their melody from getting boring during all the repetition.
The Beatles and Billy Joel have used this song structure a lot. The song "We Can Work it Out" by the Beatles uses this structure. If you listen to the song, you can hear that the title line "We Can Work it Out" is the refrain in the verses. The section starting on "Live is very short…" is the bridge.
Any of these structures can be modified as appropriate for your song. You may have noticed that in "We Can Work it Out" the bridge is repeated twice. This is a pretty common modification of the AABA format since a lot of times a simple verse, verse, bridge, verse structure often makes for a very short song.
Common Song Structures without Bridges
Those three song structures are the big ones. There are two others that are common as well, but they're used less because they don't have a bridge.
Verse / Chorus / Verse / Chorus
Also know as an ABAB structure, this one is a simplified version of the ABABCB structure, with the bridge omitted.
Verse / Verse / Verse
This one's also know as an AAA structure. It's not used often because it's hard to keep things interesting if all you have is one section being repeated. Like the AABA structure, this one also makes use of a refrain in the verses, as the central focus. Bob Dylan uses this song form in "Tangled Up in Blue." Take note of the variation in the melodies through a typical verse. It's crucial in a song with this structure in order to keep the melody interesting.
A bridge helps to change up the sound of a song and keep it interesting. It prevents a song from simply being a repetition of one or two sections. That's why these two song structures don't show up as much as the first three we looked at. But you should know that they do exist in songwriting.
The Role of Each Section
Song structure is a bit more than arranging a song's sections in a certain way. It's also important to understand that each section typically has a role to fulfill. If you know the role of each section in your song, you'll be better prepared to modify a song structure, as you see fit.
Lyrically, the verses of your song will move your story forward. The chorus or refrain is likely to have the same words each time, so the verse is your chance to keep your ideas moving along.
Think of your chorus as the big idea for what your song's all about. That's partly why your title is most likely to show up in your chorus. Your title also sums up what the song's about. Melodically, the chorus will be the catchiest part of your song. This is what people will have stuck in their head long after your song is over. That's another reason it's good to have your title in the chorus. When people get your chorus stuck in their head, they'll easily know what your song is called and can find it later when they want to hear it again.
The pre-chorus is an add-on before the chorus. It usually repeats the same lyrics each time, the same way a chorus does. Musically, a lot of times it creates a nice build up to what's coming in the chorus. Katy Perry's "Firework" was a good example of that.
The bridge is a departure from what we've heard in a song, previously. This goes for both the lyrics and the music. Lyrically it's an opportunity for a new perspective. Musically, it's a chance to offer the listener something they haven't heard before to keep the song interesting.
In the AABA, or AAA structures, the refrain is the line that draws all the attention in your verses. It's usually at the beginning or end of each verse and is often the title of the song.
The hook doesn't necessarily refer to a specific section of a song, except to say it's the catchiest part of a song. Most of the time, it will be your chorus, if your song has one. If your song doesn't have a chorus your hook will most likely be your refrain. As hit songwriter, Clay Drayton, says "A fish knows the hook… Once it's in you, it's hard to get it out."
Those are the basics of song structure. You can modify the common song structure to fit your song as you see fit, but it's good to know what they are so you can use them as a starting point. Not only will they bring familiarity to your songs, but they'll give you a good guide on how to lay out your music.
Anthony Ceseri is a songwriter and performer who has traveled the country in pursuit of the best songwriting advice and information available. From classes and workshops at Berklee College of Music in Boston, to Taxi's Road Rally in Los Angeles, Anthony has learned from the most well-respected professional songwriters, producers and performers in the industry. For a lot more songwriting information, grab your FREE EBook here: http://successforyoursongs.com/freeoffer/
For Information on the USA Songwriting Competition, go to: http://www.songwriting.net
Your Best Bet for a #1 Song
by Ralph Murphy
For a small business owner such as a songwriter/publisher, knowing the market is vital. Budgeting for success means looking at income (when it decides to come in!) and making informed decisions about how to spend it most effectively. Up near the top of the list of expenditures (almost right next to eating) are demo costs. The financial outlay for demonstration recordings has risen to $750 - $1,000 per song. So, if you write 30 songs a year and only have $10,000 in your demo budget, you're going to have to make some hard choices.
The Truth About Dogs and Chickens
Let's say you've written this song about a Chicken. You love it! Your mom loves it! The special person in your life loves it! However . . Radio is only playing Dog songs. Fortunately, you've also written four Dog songs, which everybody loves. Your dilemma? You only have enough money to produce a three-song demo, but you have five songs (four Dog songs and one Chicken song). What do you do? Now, unfortunately, I have suitcases full of demoed Chicken songs, so I know what the songwriter side of me says; however, I noticed early on in life that food is a good thing and that eating makes me happy. So, while grumbling and complaining about how radio should be playing more Chicken songs, I demo three of my four Dog songs so I can continue to support my nasty food habit! In the frustrating war between art and commerce, commerce wins.
Let's be honest. Though it shouldn't, radio drives the "commercial" aspect of the songwriting process. (Did I already mention that I like to eat?) It affects just about every decision we make creatively. In March, 1999, country radio did something seismic in nature, which impacted songwriters and publishers dramatically. As an experiment to maintain listenership, Country radio decided to slow the progress of records going up and down the charts in hopes of breeding the kind of familiarity that keeps listeners coming back for more - commercials, that is.
As a result, I became curious and decided to try an experiment of my own. I started by researching the Billboard Country chart for 1999 and found that a total of 18 songs reached #1. Taking a closer look, I began to wonder: what type of song is reaching the top in this brave new world of radio? A world in which, though yet another ripple effect of deregulation, big radio chains have been allowed to buy up and homogenize most of the "mom and pop" country stations resulting in:
Country songs being slotted between jingles and musical links that sound like they're written and performed by Metallica;on-air personalities who, with rare exceptions, really don't know (or care) about country music, andan increase in the amount of commercial time that effectively gets rid of two or three records per hour.
But, I digress! What we began to see on the chart before March is that records did indeed start taking longer to climb and began to linger longer, that is, taking longer to fall off completely. Before March, the total average time a song spent on the chart was 26.5 weeks. After the March changeover, that time increased to 32 weeks - adding more than a month to the life of a song! (In fact, Lonestar's "Amazed" was on the chart for more than a year.) What kinds of songs enjoyed success? Let's look at a few dynamics . . . .
Anything in common?
Common characteristics for the 18 #1s were that all of them were contemporary pop/country; 4/4 in tempo; romantic, primarily humorous, sad, and heartfelt. Half were stories; half were conversations. The average intro was 13.2 seconds.
Let's examine the producer/A&R, mantra - "We are looking for mid to up-tempo positive love songs." Yes, you can say it in your sleep!
Surprisingly, though, ballads accounted for 50% of 1999's chart toppers, followed by up-tempos at 33% and mid-tempos at 17%. Now, before you crown ballads king, let's look at the amount of time spent at #1. Even though more ballads made it to #1, they tended to fall off quicker. In fact, up-tempos spent 49% of the year at #1, followed by ballads at 31% and mid-tempos at 20%. So, even though mid- and up-tempos combined accounted for only half of the #1s, they spent a combined 69% of the year in the top spot.
Strangely enough, you had a slightly better chance of having a #1 with a ballad, but spent significantly less time at #1 and on the chart.
75% of up-tempos went from a linear melody in the verse to a soaring melody in the chorus. Which means, basically, the listener got a story [linear - very little motion, few chord changes] and something to hum at the supermarket [soaring - significant motion and chord changes] in the same song and apparently liked that a lot!
It is almost impossible to tell a story over a soaring melody because the human animal can only hear one moving part at a time and, given choice, will always defer to melody. So, wherever the writer wants to tell a story, the melody is kept to a minimum.
As for ballads, five of the nine went from linear to soaring.
Since you were born, radio has given you songs in any one of six variations.
As the writer leads listeners through a song, he or she creates an expectation in the audience's mind that they are being led through the story to a hook (conclusion) in a way that they are familiar with. The writer can alter the format slightly only as long as the listeners feel informed, included and satisfied (once delivered to the hook/conclusion). If that effect is not achieved, the listeners simply reach for the dial and tune out. The writer has failed structurally.
That being said, the 18 #1 records in 1999 used only three of the six forms:
2nd Form: Verse-(Verse Opt.)-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Instrument-Chorus-Etc.3rd Form: Verse-(Verse Opt.)-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Instrument-Chorus-Out4th Form: Verse-Lift-Chorus-Verse-Lift-Chorus-Instrumental-(LiftOpt.)-Chorus
Five of the six up-tempos and 50% of all #1s were written in 3rd form. The exception to this in up-tempo was Terri Clark's "You're Easy On The Eyes," which was in 2nd form. This is significant because 3rd form is known as the most forgiving form because you can have a weak line or two in a verse but still have a huge chorus to save you. Plus, there's a bridge to add information or show the listener the other side of the coin. With mid-tempos, all the forms were equally represented. As far as ballads go, we find that four of the nine ballads were 3rd Form, followed by three in 2nd Form and two in 4th Form.
Person and tense
100% of up-tempos were written in first person (I/Me/My).
Additionally, 72% included the second person (You/Your) and 39% used the third person, generally as a device for conflict. As far as tense goes, 83% of up-tempos were set in the present, with 27% in the past and only 15% in the future.
As for ballads, 89% used the first person, 89% included the 2nd, and 33% added the third person.
The artist
Let's add one more dynamic to this mix. Six of the 18 #1s were written or co-written by the artist, with five of the six being ballads. So the old A&R belief that ballads are artist-driven gains some credence given this information.
Your best shot
So, you have Dog songs and you have Chicken songs. Where do you spend your demo dollar?
Your best shot for getting a #1 record is to write:
mid- to up-temporomantic/humorous or sad/heartfelt theme4/4 timecontemporary pop/country stylestory or conversation1st person or 2nd person3rd formlinear melody with a story to a soaring chorus13 second introSo much for Chicken songs!
I would like to acknowledge the invaluable assistance of Phil Goldberg and Chad Green indulging my "need to know" in helping research the above information. Most importantly, thank you, Mark Ford, for massaging and editing my lunatic fringe ramblings into a coherent form.
(Printed with permission from Ralph Murphy)
Ralph Murphy, hit songwriter and expert, has been successful for five decades. He wrote huge hit songs such as Crystal Gayle's "Talking in Your Sleep" and "Half the Way". Consistently charting songs in an ever-changing musical environment makes him a member of that very small group of professionals who make a living ding what they love to do. Add to that the platinum records as a producer, his success as the publisher and co-owner of the extremely successful Picalic Group of Companies and you see a pattern of achievement based on more than luck. Achieving "hit writer" status has always been a formidable goal for any songwriter. Never more so however than in the 21st century. Catching the ear of the monumentally distracted, fragmented listener has never been more difficult. Getting their attention, inviting them in to your song and keeping them there for long enough for your song to become "their song" requires more than being just a "good" songwriter.
*His new book Murphy's Laws of Songwriting "The Book" arms the songwriter for success by demystifying the process and opening the door to serious professional songwriting. Hall of fame songwriter Paul Williams said in his review of the book "If there was a hit songwriters secret handshake "Da Murphy" would probably have included it." To get the book, enter 3 or more songs at the 11th Annual IAMA and receive this exclusive book »
I have a chapter in my book Becoming Remarkable called "Reality: the Training Wheels" which points out how helpful it is to a songwriter to write something real because the pictures are there in his memory to access for the story. That does not mean, however, that what actually happened needs to be the story line of your song. I also have a chapter called "Truth vs. Facts." For my full view on both of those points, I can refer you to those chapters. The point I'd like to make here is that sometimes writers get hung up on what actually occurred and fail to see the "truth" of the situation. If the truth of your song is that you miss someone like mad, and he happens to be a few miles up the street, you don't have to say that. Putting him in another continent can tell your story just fine. Many people know that "Midnight Train to Georgia," by Jim Weatherly was originally "Midnight Plane to Houston."
I rarely tell the story of how "Ain't No Way to Treat A Lady" started out, and never in print, but here goes. The first verse starts "I guess it was yourself you were involved with…I would have sworn it was me." The first actual words I wrote down were…"I guess it was myself I was involved with…I would have sworn it was you." Well I knew that wasn't going to fly (and yes, I was on a plane at the time). I immediately changed it. With the change, it led easily to the last two lines of the verse "I might have found out sooner if you'd only let me close enough to see." Maybe in real life I had taken responsibility for the disaster of the relationship, but I sure wasn't going to write the song that way. They say that everyone in a dream is the actual person dreaming. I happen to think that's true of songs too. Everyone in our song is actually us. Now THAT'S a scary thought. But isn't it also liberating? We can be the villain we're vilifying. And ask any actor: Aren't villains more fun to play?
So be the villain and write a song to yourself from the hero's (heroine's) viewpoint like Sting reportedly did in "Every Step You Take" written from his wife's viewpoint. No one will know who is who. And as long as it's compelling, we won't care at all if it "really happened that way."
Harriet Schock wrote the words and music to the Grammy-nominated #1 hit for Helen Reddy, "Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady" plus many songs for other artists, TV shows and films. She co-wrote the theme for "Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks," currently showing in 30 countries. She and her band were featured in Henry Jaglom's film "Irene In Time" performing 4 of Harriet's songs. She also scored three other Jaglom films as well as starring in "Just 45 Minutes from Broadway." Jaglom's current film, "The M Word" features Harriet's song, "Bein' a Girl," sung on camera. Harriet is in the process of writing the songs for "Last of the Bad Girls," a musical with book by Diane Ladd. Karen Black wrote the play, "Missouri Waltz," around five of Harriet's songs, which ran for 6 weeks at the Blank Theatre in Hollywood as well as in Macon, Georgia. Harriet teaches songwriting privately, in classes and a popular online courses by private email. In 2007, Los Angeles Women In Music honored Harriet with their Career Achievement and Industry Contribution award. For her performance schedule, list of credits and samples of her work or information on her book (Becoming Remarkable, for Songwriters and Those Who Love Songs), her songwriting classes and consultation, go to: www.harrietschock.com
by John Capek
Popular songs as we know them today perhaps found their shape and form with one of the seminal founders of American popular music, Stephen Foster. Stephen Foster is often credited as "America's First Composer" and widely regarded as one of the first who made professional songwriting profitable. Foster wrote songs that we often mistakenly think of as folk songs. His songs include:
"OH! SUSANNA", "OLD FOLKS AT HOME" (SWANEERIVER)", "MY OLD KENTUCKY HOME" "BEAUTIFUL DREAMER" "DE CAMTON RACES" (CAMPTOWN RACES, DOO DAH) and "JEANNIE WITH THE LIGHT BROWN HAIR"
The form and nature of these songs are significant in their connection to everything that followed. These songs were short, had verses and chorus's or refrains, they were easy to learn and repeat and they tapped into the popular culture of their time. It is profoundly significant that we still know these songs now, about one hundred and fifty years after the time that they were written.
Stephen spent much of his life in Pittsburgh where he worked consistently at his songwriting,. As a professional songwriter he had made it his business to listen to the various styles of music circulating in the immigrant populations of the newUnited States. He used images and a musical vocabulary that would be widely understood by everyone. Foster worked very hard at writing, sometimes taking several months to craft and polish the words, melody, and accompaniment of a song before sending it off to a publisher. His sketchbook shows that he often labored over the smallest details, the right prepositions, even where to include or remove a comma from his lyrics.
It is also important and significant to know that Foster kept his own account books, documenting in detail how much his publishers paid him for each song, He also estimated his probable future earnings on each piece. His contracts were written out in his own hand. These contracts are the earliest written agreements that we know of between American music publishers and individual songwriters.
Within twenty years of Foster's death, the concept which he had a large part in creating, that of writing songs for publishers for money, developed into what came to be called Tin Pan Alley, named for a street in New York City (West 28th StreetbetweenBroadway and Sixth Avenuewhere all the music publishers had their offices.) By 1890, sheet music sales of popular songs was a thriving multimillion dollar business.
Had Stephen Foster survived for another twenty years, it is possible that his catalogue of songs would have been worth hundreds of million dollars.
The immediate successors to Stephen Foster's legacy were numerous well known songwriters who's work has survived them. Irving Berlin had his first significant hit with Alexander's Ragtime band in 1911. Show Boat, with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, was the first hugely popular musical comedy in 1927. "Ol'ManRiver" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" are songs that have become standards in the "great American songbook George Gershwin's folk opera Porgy and Bess premiered in 1935. Summertime is an all time standard song from that show
The electric guitar was first seen around 1936. Alan Freed invented the term Rock and Roll in 1951. Berry Gordy formed Motown records in 1959
The Beatles had their first major hit with I want to Hold Your Hand in 1964
Hip hop, a blend of rock, jazz, and soul with African drumming, was born in theSouth Bronxin 1978 or perhaps in Kingston Jamaica with dub DJ's earlier than that.
Tin Pan Alley, the center and focal point of American popular music can be directly linked to another New York institution and landmark. That landmark, the Brill Building at 1619 Broadway became the very definition of pop music in the 1950's and 1960's
By 1962 the Brill Building contained 165 music businesses: a musician could find a publisher and printer, cut a demo, promote the record, and cut a deal with radio promoters, all within this one building. Some of the better known songwriters associated with the Brill building include:
* Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller
* Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
* Gerry Goffin and Carole King
* Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry
* Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
* Burt Bacharach and Hal David
* Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
* Hugo & Luigi
* Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
* Paul Anka
* Jim Croce
* Bobby Darin
* John Denver
* Neil Diamond
* David Gates
* Billy Joel
* Kris Kristofferson
* Roger McGuinn
* Joni Mitchell
* Carly Simon
* Paul Simon
* Phil Spector
* ChipTaylor
* James Taylor
* Gene Pitney
* Artie Kornfeld
I believe that there are two seminal key ingredients that link the various stages of unfolding of popular music. The first is the dedication of the writer to his art and craft. The second is the economic factor.
In describing the writer's dedication to his art and craft, I have discussed how meticulous Stephen Foster was in fine tuning and perfecting his tunes.
On a similar note it is useful to read Rennold Wolf's account of how he, Irving Berlin, Vincent Bryan, and Channing Pollock worked together on a show song inAtlantic City:
"We assembled in Mr.Berlin's imposing suite of parlors, where there was a piano.... Seated at the instrument, he was not long in conceiving a melody, which immediately he began to pound out. All night, until dawn was breaking, he sat on the stool, playing that same melody over and over and over again, while two fagged and dejected lyric writers struggled and heaved to fit it with words.... One cigarette replaced another as he pegged away; a pitcher of beer, stationed at one end of the keyboard, was replenished frequently; and there he sat, trying patiently to suggest, to two minds that were completely worn out by long rehearsals and over-work, a lyric that would fit his melody. Mr. Pollock and I paced the floor; we sat, in turn, in every chair and on every divan in the rooms; we tore at our hair; we fumed, we spluttered, and probably we cursed"..
These examples of work ethic continue as the songwriters process to this day. I personally have spent six months fine tuning a song, where the first draft or sketch took a few minutes to unfold. My peers work in the same way.
In discussing the second important link, the economic factor, it is significant to know that most of the successful songwriters who's work has transcended time and genre were also very aggressive entrepreneurs.
By the age of 15, George Gershwin had quit school and was a pianist and "song plugger" for a Tin Pan Alley publisher.
One of the first "popular" music publishers in Tin Pan Alley was T.B. Harms. T.B. Harms started out as a songwriter. His company ultimately became George Gershwin's publisher.
At the time, songwriters were also "songpluggers," a term that is still used today. Instead of waiting for the market to come to the publisher, the publisher would use songpluggers to take songs to the market. A songplugger's main job was to place songs with performers. Songpluggers were aggressive and influential, singing to passing crowds, going to department stores and sports events, and just about anywhere they could find an audience.
As I have suggested, I believe that the two major ingredients involved in success as a songwriter are:
1 Serious and meticulous attention to detail of craft.
2.. A dedicated investment of time and energy into the business of songwriting.
In recent months there has been a lot of hand wringing, whining and complaining about the state of the record industry. InCanada, there has been the biggest decline in CD sales in the history of the world. Similar situations are occurring everywhere. Industry think tanks are focussed on how to monetize the new paradigm.
No-one anywhere has suggested that perhaps the reason that CD sales are about to die is that the songs suck.
There was a time where singers and bands were not the writers of the songs that they performed. Songwriters and artists were two separate entities. In our current environment, artists write their own songs. This has repercussions. I believe that rather than blaming the intrusion of a new technology on the demise of the record industry, I would point to the fact that there are no great songs being written that will last for 150 years or more like the songs of Stephen Foster, Irving Berlin or Cole Porter.
Perhaps the cycle will bring back the art and the craft of songwriting when the attention to detail and art and craft become a priority again. At that point i believe that the audience, the market will respond and be willing to spend money for music of quality.
Rod Stewart leads the list of popular music icons who have recorded John Capek compositions. Others include Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, Toto, Chicago, Olivia Newton John, Little River Band, Heart, Manhattan Transfer, Isaac Hayes and Amanda Marshall. John Capek's most performed award winning songs include : "Rhythm of My Heart", "This", "Soul on Soul" and "Carmelia". Capek's most performed productions include Dan Hill's Billboard hit duet with Vonda Sheppard, "Can't We Try" as well as work with Ken Tobias, Gene McLellan, Good Brothers and Downchild. As a keyboard player, John has recorded with Diana Ross, Olivia Newton John, Ian Thomas, Marc Jordan, Dan Hill, Kermit, The Chipmunks, The Simpsons and countless other international performers. John's songs are heard in the feature films, "A Perfect Storm", "Cocktail", "Blown Away" and many others. For more information go to www.johncapek.com
For more information on the 19th Annual USA Songwriting Competition, go to:http://www.songwriting.net
What comes first. lyrics or music? That's probably the most common question I am asked when I conduct workshops and seminars.
My answer is that the more variety that a songwriter can add to starting a song, the better.
I try to start each song that I write from a different point of view as my starting point.
The choices include:
1. Writing a full lyric first and then putting it to music.
2. Writing a full track without melody first.
3. Writing a full track of music with melody but no lyrics.
4. Writing based on a song title.
5. Writing based on a story concept
6. Writing based on a beat or drum loop.
7. Writing using a musical instrument that is not your primary instrument of writing. If you are a keyboard player try a guitar, or vice versa.
All of these are valid and commonly used, or of course a combination of any.
My latest writing technique has been to try to write a complete lyric draft first without even thinking about music. Apple Loops has revolutionized my song writing. Once I have a draft of a lyric, I'll explore a bunch of possibilities in Apple Loops and choose a groove, usually a guitar lick that works for the first line of my lyric. The rest of the song usually unfolds like a jigsaw puzzle from that point on.
In order to write a lyric first, we need to have a starting point for that. Many of my song writing friends and peers always carry a notebook with them during the day and keep one close when they are sleeping. A particular person encountered during the day, a sign on the street, a line from a newspaper or from something on TV is usually a catalyst for a word or line or visual image that can be noted and used at a later point.
I find that in my case, I never think about or analyze my song structures. Usually that first line will dictate where the song is going to go structurally. A teacher friend of mine has noted that 90% of all; songs follow a structure similar to the children's nursery rhyme
Although that may be an oversimplification, I find that structural simplicity is a good thing to aspire to . In fact simplicity in general works best
Many producer/musician/songwriters work this way. If you have skills as a musician producer, many lyricist/melodists enjoy writing to tracks. The majority of my song covers were written using this method. When I have produced a track to submit to a lyricist/melodist, it is produced in a specific manner that I have found works very well.
In my case I try to make my tracks either very contemporary sounding or sometimes, in the case of a ballad, as timeless as possible. The most important thing to do with tracks, is not to turn them into instrumental songs. They must leave space for the lyricist/melodist to add their part.
One of my successful recordings was written using this method. I wrote a track and then added my own melody on top of the track. The lyricist then simply wrote the words to my melody and the song was completed. many famous tin pan alley songwriters wrote songs using this method. I have found that it works particularly well with ballads. As a keyboard player I have been able to suggest melody ideas to the lyricist that are unique and unusual. This can lead to interesting places that may not have been thought of had the lyricist come up with a melody to a track
Often an event can happen in ones life or in the world that can inspire a song or story. Sometimes a persons name will do. When writing to a title, I often suggest to my students that they write a short prose story based on that title. That story then forms a data base of information that will feed the resulting song.
A much utilized song writing exercise used by a number of teachers is to write a prose story first. A common approach is to write a story based on a first love. In writing prose stories, we try to add as much detail as possible to give our own unique take to the story. I have found this to be a great starting point for songs. It is something like writing a small play or movies. in fact I believe songs are very similar to little plays or movies.
In hip hop and rap, beats predominate. Again a simple starting point would be to go through the volumes of beats that are available and jam some words along with the beats. i find that it doesn't matter at first if the words make sense or not. Ultimately as a a result of constant repetition a line will come through that makes sense and defines the meaning of the beat. A song lyric can then unfold based on a starting line.
I am a good keyboard player. On guitar, I know three chords. However some years ago I produced and wrote an entire rock album written exclusively with my limited knowledge of guitar. This created a simplicity and rock feel that I could never have achieved had I used my normal writing instrument.
Song writing collaboration is a great way to extend ones vocabulary in writing songs. That vocabulary can be extended with different genre's, styles age differences, geographical location and different specialization and skills.
Rod Stewart leads the list of popular music icons who have recorded Capek compositions. Others include Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Diana Ross, Joe Cocker, Toto, Chicago, Olivia Newton John, Little River Band, Heart, Manhattan Transfer, Isaac Hayes and Amanda Marshall. John Capek's most performed award winning songs include : "Rhythm of My Heart", "This", "Soul on Soul" and "Carmelia". Capek's most performed productions include Dan Hill's Billboard hit duet with Vonda Sheppard, "Can't We Try" as well as work with Ken Tobias, Gene McLellan, Good Brothers and Downchild. As a keyboard player, John has recorded with Diana Ross, Olivia Newton John, Ian Thomas, Marc Jordan, Dan Hill, Kermit, The Chipmunks, The Simpsons and countless other international performers. John's songs are heard in the feature films, "A Perfect Storm", "Cocktail", "Blown Away" and many others. For more information go to www.johncapek.com
For more information on the 19th Annual USA Songwriting Competition, go to:http://www.songwriting.net
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Kohl's Corporation CSR Performance Benchmark
02/14/2014Posted by CSRHub Blogging at 9:00 AM
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability metrics site CSRHub recently updated its ratings on Kohl's Corporation and the 186 companies in the Retail industry. Kohl's overall rating currently is 57 after the most recent updates to their CSRHub page. … Continue reading →
Tagged community, corporate social responsibility, CSR, CSRHub, Kohls, SRI, sustainability
March Data Madness for CSRHub
03/18/2013Posted by Bahar Gidwani at 9:00 AM
By Bahar Gidwani CSRHub recently extended the historic data available to its subscribers back to 2008. Our users can now study the month to month change in sustainability performance for thousands of companies from December 2008 to the present. … Continue reading →
Tagged Bahar Gidwani, BP, community, CSR, CSRHub, data, employees, environment, governance, gulf oil spill, ratings
Why Become a B Corp?
12/15/2010Posted by Bahar Gidwani at 1:06 PM
It is easier not to report, not to examine one's own prejudices and practices, and not to state one's views publicly. However, the issues addressed by the B Corp process—and by the whole area of CSR and sustainability practice and theory—can't be avoided. We are part of a community that intends to change the world and we need to show that we have whole-hearted dedication to our cause. How could we or any other business who believes as we do, not want to engage in this process?
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What we want to accomplish
12/07/2009Posted by Bahar Gidwani at 5:02 PM
After two years of hard work, we launched CSRHUB's alpha site this week. There are pages on the site that talk about us, about our data sources, and about how we build our database and set up our "schema."
However, these pages probably don't give you a sense of what we want to accomplish.
We like the idea that we can help offset the power of corporations and their ability to command attention from media and investors, with a transparent, easy-to-use information hub. We hope you will tell us more about what you would like us to do and what you feel we should not try to do, as we move forward, together.
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So, Red Bull Hill Chasers last weekend, a 20s hill climb up Park Street in Bristol but I'm sure most of you reading this already know from the onslaught of social media! You'll probably know I came second too, winning a rather grand silver bike.
It's funny these sorts of events. Back in November when us racers are planning out our seasons, looking at races to target, something like Hill Chasers wouldn't enter my mind. They are a branch from the cycling circle; organised by brand managers rather than old boys with clipboards and as such are viewed light-heartedly. The thing is, the inverse is true of those outside that circle. To those watching, who may even get off their bikes at the bottom of Park Street, what they are seeing is the height of cycling ability. Secondly, with a main objective of getting maximum exposure rather than recouping costs, the event is a real spectacle and everyone wants to know about the 'light-hearted' event.
I may be rambling here and this hasn't stemmed from anyone talking down the results, just how I've seen them in the past. The glory they bring almost works me up because they are not real races; not what we train hours for and sort of deflate the races we do care about. Don't get me wrong, I loved the event and think it is excellent idea, coming second is a result I will keep high in my morale bank although I wish I could call myself king of Park Street! Red Bull and Charge put on a real show and I gained a bike out of it rather than a pair of socks and less £20 for the privilege. I read some 6,000 spectators saw the event and where all my thinking leads me is, how can we get cross-country racing to be such a spectacle? Hopefully events like this which bring the disciplines together and bring them to the public will provide the foundations.
The title of this post isn't really suiting to it yet is it? I'll try and make up for that with some graphs. It really came about as I didn't attend the after party. I had training and work to do the next day and whilst I could have got up at late, training would have come first and work wouldn't have happened.
I was almost out of the race in the first heat. I hadn't got my race head on and was practically smiling my way up Park Street. I think I got through by 0.4s. Andy was at the event and suggested middle ring in order to keep on top of the gear and spin right from the gate. I was hesitant with my 'Big-Ring' nickname but it turned out to be a great technique. I could go straight from the gate rather than having to wind it up. I had my Powertap, not because I wanted to geek out on my stats (although I did), but because I didn't have any other wheels with me. Needless to say, I re-populated the lower end of my CP graph! I'm pleased with my results and data. These sort of short sprints have never been my thing (I don't think I would have made the heats a while ago) but I have been working on them in training.
I've included plots of each of my heats below. My peak 5s effort was just over 1.2kW over the event.Heat 1 Where I was almost out was my lowest average for the hill: 864W for 20s. Heat 2 I took to the front from the start and held (shown by steady plot) it with an average just under 1kW.Heat 3 I was behind for the first chicanes but was still pushing it; my highest power average in this heat: 1035W.Heat 4 Against Cobble Wobble winner Lewis Lacey, he got the hole shot and I found myself having to slow down at the chicanes (two troughs in plot). Average was still around 929W, I think as I had to give a burst in the last segment to get around him. Heat 5 (Final) Ben got the hole shot but I was still pushing 1.2kW for the first third of the climb. I miss shifted half way up, expecting a gear change and it didn't come, this is shown by the big dip. I picked up again to 1kW but was way down. I don't want to use this as an excuse. As I said I honestly believe Ben was flying that day and the best man won.


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Watch Sonam Kapoor and the Aisha Team at Red FM at Lower Parel.
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It's a part of the park that over 90% of the public don't even know about, nevermind will ever get to see. But because it's the 10-year-anniversary of Bert's Big Adventure, (check out the photos from on the ground and the finale broadcast or see the 'official' trip photos) Disney gave our guests special VIP access to a SUPER exclusive part of Cinderella's Castle: the suite. See all the photos & the video tour!Source: thebertshow.com
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Our Passion is the Arabian and Half-Arabian Performance Horse!
Our Passion is the Arabian and Half-Arabian Performance Horse!


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This is resource for the cooking and baking enthusiast. Here you can find lots of inspiring recipes, articles, how-to's, ingredient information and more!
Many recipes are broken down by each ingredient so you can see the exact cost and calorie content, for a more complete picture. Feel free to stop by and say hi and we always love to read your comments!
While it's most common to cook rice on the stove top, the microwave presents a good option because it produces good results and it's easy. Different kinds of rice cook at different rates so here is a chart for how long to cook a variety of rice.
How to cook rice in the microwave:
Combine 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix well and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the rice on high for 5 to 10 minutes, until it starts to boil. Reduce the microwave heat to medium (50% power) and continue to cook according to the times in the chart. The rice will be just tender. Fluff the rice up with a fork, then cover with plastic wrap again, poke a couple of wholes in the plastic and let sit for about 5 minutes, until completely tender.
Bouillabaisse (or Fish soup) is wonderfully rich and filled with flavor. Traditionally, Bouillabaisse was the soup fishermen made in Marseilles, France. The catch of the day was put in a pot and let simmer along with vegetables. A true bouillabaisse contains no less then 5 different kinds of fish (sometimes even 7), along with shrimp and mussels. In this version, we cheat a little and simply add white fish, shrimp, mussels and clams. And even though this soup technically lacks a few different sorts of fish, it is simply delicious. Saffron adds a beautiful color as well as an interesting undertone. If however, someone doesn't like saffron, you could omit it from the recipe and place a bowl of bloomed saffron in water on the table. Then, anyone who likes it can add a spoonful to their bowl of soup.If you buy shrimp with the peel on, you can make a wonderful stock by boiling the peel in water (or you can ask your fish monger for scrap pieces which you can utilize when making stock). If you make your own fish stock, it will do much for the soup by adding depth and flavor. In a pinch though, you could use vegetable broth. Serve this soup along with some nice aioli and some crusty bread, and to drink, a nice glass of chilled white wine.
6 - 8 servings
Method:First of all, pour some hot water over the saffron so it can bloom.Saute the onion, carrots, celery and fennel in the olive oil for a about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, the diced tomatoes, the bay leaf, the thyme, the dill, half a lemon and the wine. Let simmer for a few minutes. Then add the fish stock, bring to a simmer, add the cream. Taste, and possibly add some spices if it is too bland.Make sure all the fish is cut in pieces. Add the fish, the raw shrimp (if cooked, ad one minute before serving), the mussles (or clams) and the cans of chopped clams. Let the soup simmer for about 3-5 minutes, or until the fish has turned white and the mussels have opened. Add the saffron and salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a nice aioli and some crusty bread.
Topping: 1 pound unsalted butter 1 cup good honey 3 cups light brown sugar, packed 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 1/4 cup heavy cream 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped
20 large squares
View Full Recipe
Reeses Peanut Butter Chips Fudge
This is a minimally cooked fudge. The sweetened condensed milk makes this easy to put together.
Add all the ingredients to a sauce pot and melt together. Then place into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Cool for a few hours and serve.
White Chocolate - Dark Chocolate
There is a texture difference using different types of chocolate. The white chocolate fudge was much lighter in texture as well as color. The dark chocolate, which was a good quality chocolate was thicker and richer. Both were very good, it depends on which type of chocolate you prefer.
Salt caramels are easy to make and have a very unique taste since sea salt goes so well with caramel.
Add sugar, cream, corn syrup and butter to a heavy candy pot and slowly bring to a boil on medium-medium low heat. It takes a while to heat up but if you rush this you are likely to burn your pot.
Lower the heat and put a lid on for a few minutes, this is to clean up the sides of the pot of sugar, which can ruin the candy.
Take the lid off and put a candy thermometer on the pot and bring to 248 degrees F.
Firm Ball (244-248° F) (118-120° C)
This gives you around an 87% sugar concentration
It takes a while to bring the mixture up to 248 degrees F, so go slowly.
Once you hit the correct temperature remove the thermometer and add the sea salt and vanilla. Stir slowly and becareful since this is a very hot mixture.
Pour the mix into an 8 x 8 inch, or smaller silicon form. We like silicon since you do not need to butter the dish and it is flexible when you remove them.
While hot put about 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt on top. Let stand, uncovered for about 24 hours. Cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper to store.
Update: This year we made a double batch so we used a larger 3 quart sauce pot. We adjusted the temperature down a little to avoid burning anything.
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Sold Date: 12/10/2007
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Alcohol & Smoking
For your consideration, a very interesting advertising item for Tennents brewery. This item is a Scottish bagpiper/ piper in full regalia standing on a rock playing his pipes. He is made of some type of plastic (almost like a child's GI Joe type plastic) as is the rock he stands on. He is in good vintage condition,but does show a little wear, please use the photos to aid in the description. He stands about 6 3/4 inches at the tallest point, his base is about 3 1/4 by 2 inches. A little touch up paint could be needed if you would like. A unique piece to add to a breweriana or bar ware collection. Thanks for looking at my listings! British Columbia residents will have 7% PST added to the total on your invoice. Please browse my other items !Feel free to add me to your favorites list !All items are described to the best of my ability, and by no means am I an expert. Some of these items came from my parents antique and collectible shop from which I've inherited the stock. As most of my items are over 25+ years old they are all USED. THEY ARE SOLD AS IS. Please check out the photos as sometimes they can show you a better description than I can write. As always, feel free to email questions or for more photos. Due to unfortunate circumstances I have to add this to my listings. ** Please ask all questions about shipping, for extra photos, any information in advance, not after the listing has ended and you have committed to buy an item. Shipping is estimated, I will gladly combine items to save you money. Please send your zip/ postal code/ country for a shipping quote before the listing ends. I am sorry to have to put this in my listings, but it saves any squabbles after a buyer has committed to buy an item. If you don't like the shipping charges, I'm sorry, I have no control over Canada Posts shipping rates. **AS OF JANUARY 15 2007 CANADA POST HAS RAISED THEIR RATES ON AVERAGE .30 TO .50 CENTS PER SMALL PACKET / EXPEDITED LEVEL TO THE USA AND .35 - .65 CENTS PER LEVEL OVERSEASPlease email for Canadian and international rates. I will gladly combine shipping to save you money. Please wait for a combined invoice and make one payment to qualify for a shipping discount. Seller designed template using Auction Zealot
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The Allure of FantasyThe only explanation I can think of for why people read is because books offer some form of escapism. I so badly wanted to write, to escape myself and to feel something larger than myself. I wanted to be enveloped in a just and noble life, one where I was the hero of something, just once I wanted to feel more than myself. But no matter how hard I wrote, how many times I started over, how many letters were printed, they were just written by me and nothing more. I could only find disappointment in my writing where I should have found wild adventures and creatures of the night. I couldn't be larger than myself and that was the most disappointing feeling I could ever achieve.The Allure of Fantasy by KolmeNoitaa
The Aboutness of WritingThere is something to a writer as there is to a photographer; words do not make an author as a camera does not make a photog. Exalting writers to a degree which diligently creeps along the veneration in which a God would receive at the lips of his sheep, I find myself falling short of that, and yet at the edge of something better than I. The feeling is sickening as if I were on the brink of puking my brains out: that moment of salivation, of sweetness clawing at the corners of your cheeks as you lean over: and then- the heav- but it doesn't come just yet. But there lingers a feeling of euphoria, the moment before climax when the mind folds into itself, drawing nothing but blankness and white light, as the body tenses only to swell and ebb : and here it comes- the relea- but it doesn't come just yet. There is an aboutness to this, the aboutness as if I could one day be exalted in my words, much like Bukowksi, Palahniuk, Murakami…or the aboutness as if I would crumble and spThe Aboutness of Writing by KolmeNoitaa
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Originally written on Turn On The Knicks | Last updated 10/21/14
After Chicago snapped Miami's 27-game winning streak Tuesday night, the Knicks took over the current longest winning streak in the NBA with six. It's no 27 but what this six game winning streak shows is something extremely significant. Every member of the team is stepping up in the absence of Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire but J.R. Smith has not only risen to the occasion, he has altered his offensive game and maximized his talents. In the beginning of the season J.R. Smith got off to an extremely hot start and was a frontrunner for the 6th man of the year award. Although his success was an incredible sight to witness, Knicks fans could not help but feel a sense of frustration when he would sometimes get caught up in his old habits of dribbling more than he should and resorting to a low-percentage fade away jumper. Everybody knows that there is an incredibly gifted talent in Smith but sometimes he would interfere with his own abilities. During this six game stretch it appears ...
Original Story: http://www.turnontheknicks.com/can-th...
PLAYERS: J.R. Smith, Tyson Chandler, Mike Woodson, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony
TEAMS: New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat
TEAMS: New York Knicks, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat
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Texans and Jay Prosch Agree to 4 Year Deal
The Houston Texans have agreed to terms with 6th round draft pick Jay Prosch who played at Auburn University. Prosch was drafted 211th overall and was considered the top fullback in the draft and was brought to NRG Stadium for a pre draft visit. The fullback (6-1, 256 lbs.) started his college career at Illinois before transferring closer to home to play at Auburn after his mother...
Via State of the Texans
May 15, 2014 | Discuss
The Houston Texans Select Jay Prosch
The Houston Texans select fullback Jay Prosch with the 211th pick overall in the 6th round. At 6-1 and 256 lbs. is what some call an old school fullback with explosive power to be a solid lead blocker and do what he need to out of the backfield in the passing game. Prosch also has the ability to be a core special teams player with his mentality on the football field. Also considered...
Via State of the Texans
May 10, 2014 | Discuss
Replacing Prosch A Tough Task For Tigers
The Auburn football Tigers are looking for someone to fill the role at fullback/H-back handled so well last season by 2013 senior Jay Prosch.
Via auburn.scout.com
April 14, 2014 | Discuss
Auburn Fullback Jay Prosch: "We're Gonna Run The Ball Down Your Throat"
This year's national championship matchup is a great one, not only because it pits two great teams against each other, but because it is also strength vs. strength. Florida State has the top-ranked scoring defense in the nation, allowing only 10.7 points per game, while Auburn checks in as the best rushing team in the country, racking up over 335 yards on the ground per contest...
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January 02, 2014 | Discuss
ITAT HD: Prosch Loving Final Year At Auburn
Auburn senior fullback Jay Prosch talks about playing for the BCS National Championship in his final season with the Tigers and discusses what makes Gus Malzahn a great coach.
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December 21, 2013 | Discuss
ITAT TV: Prosch Excited About Big Win
Auburn fullback Jay Prosch talks about the Tigers' huge win over Texas A&M and his 56-yard reception.
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October 19, 2013 | Discuss
ITAT TV: Prosch Talks Spring Practices
Auburn fullback Jay Prosch talks about spring practice for the Tigers.
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April 11, 2013 | Discuss
ITAT HD: Prosch Ready For Bigger Role
Auburn fullback Jay Prosch discusses a possible increased role on offense, getting his first career for the Tigers, and more.
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October 10, 2012 | Discuss
Auburn FB's mother dies after battle with cancer
The mother of Auburn fullback Jay Prosch has died after a battle with cancer. Auburn coach Gene Chizik said that Iris Prosch passed away Monday morning, but had no other details. He said Jay Prosch had returned home to Mobile, and he's not sure when the player will return. The Tigers visit Mississippi State on Saturday. Iris Prosch, who lived in Mobile, was diagnosed with...
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September 03, 2012 | Discuss
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Baby Boomers
New standards may harm life insurers
Opinion: If regulators may apply a banking model to non-bank institutions, it will backfire.
Baby boomer pension troubles
Opinion: After the global financial crisis, the pension debate has assumed greater significance.
Baby boomers' economic anxiety
Opinion: The monthly jobs reports paint an incomplete picture.


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Sharon Todd
105 posts and 5 followers since Dec 2011
A sweet and simple Hello Kitty cake.
Sharon, Mrs T and Cakes
hello kitty
Feb 2012
410 views
Tiffany Palmer
... Feb 2012
Your work is so clean and nice!
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