| Feature Article People are Turning to Meaningful Songs for Emotional and Spiritual Relief:
Author: Michael Alan
A New Breed of Aspiring Songwriters Is In The Making. What are the Sacrifices of the Solo Singer Songwriter in Today's Changing Culture? David La Motte and Michael Alan are performing musicians and singer songwriters who share their experiences and insights about the hard work required to earning a livelihood in the music business. It seems everyday is filled with frequent questions and emails from aspiring songwriters from all around the country who want to know how to get started as a singer songwriter. The interest of song writing is on an upsurge of popularity as noticed by book sales and courses offered on the subject. Clarification: The first question David and Michael would ask when folks approach them with a myriad of questions is "Do you mean getting started as a writer of songs or getting started as a playing musician for a living?" The two activities are very different from each other and the first should come before the second both chronologically and in terms of importance. Serious songwriters believe that a well crafted song, a harmonious blend of music and poetic lyrics, can change the world by influencing the way we think about each other. The emotional input involved with delicately crafting words and music together can help heal a wounded heart and may even help in the healing of others who feel sorrow. This could only be considered a sacred thing and worth pursuing. However; making money with music is altogether another issue which leads us to consider many other important questions. In today's music environment only a hand full of songwriters earn a steady livelihood as published songwriters. The streams of income, royalties, which a writer relies on, are an extremely delicate subject of negotiation and are forever under the scrutiny of the music industry. The Art of Songwriting: Where do ideas come from? Where does inspiration come from? For time tested songwriters the hard part isn't having ideas for songs, but keeping track of them long enough to scribble them down into a personal journal and coming back to them later. The process of taking a raw idea which may be a series of words and phrases will require much attention and rewriting to eventually develop the making of a suitable song. There are many ways to approach song writing and just about every songwriter does it a little different. Warming Up: Free Writes: In her excellent book "The Artist's Way," Julia Cameron notes that runners warm up every day. No serious runner goes out for a run and blows off the warm up because they warmed up yesterday. Writing, she argues, is no different. Julia recommends that every writer fill three blank pages in a notebook every morning. This is not WRITING, with all the baggage that comes with it. It's just a warm up drill. The warm up writing does not need to be compelling, well-reasoned or insightful. It doesn't even have to be in complete sentences. In fact, Julia specifically forbids us to read any of our "morning pages," as she calls them, for the first few weeks that we're writing them. The only rule with "morning pages" is that you can't let the pen stop moving. One caution, though; don't be disappointed if you're not swimming in song ideas at the end of this. Most of you will find that for the rest of the day you'll be in the creative side of your head, and this is the whole point of the discipline. Remember this is practice, no different than the piano. Keep the daily activity going and see if the seeds take root. Music as a vocation: Should I quit my day job? The word "vocation" literally means "calling." In order to play music as your job, I think you have to feel some sense that this is what you are supposed to do with your life. Otherwise it makes no sense. Long hours and hard work and lots of time away from family and friends balance against….well, very little money. On the other hand, if you stick with it long enough and work hard and things go well, you may get to see a lot of interesting people and visit some amazing places as part of your work. And if you're really lucky, you might get to touch upon people's hearts. It's incredibly rewarding to get a note from someone telling you that your song intersected their lives at a point when they needed it. Some performers have been able to support themselves with their music, which is a privilege, though not without its sacrifices. An important point about the "day job" question is that there is no superiority implied by not having one. Some of the best songwriters work construction, wait tables, and wash dishes. There's no shame in earning a steady paycheck. One traveling musician has a scissors sharpening business. He contracts with local hairdressers in towns where he is booked and sharpens scissors with fancy laser tools in the daytime and he performs in the evenings. It's been said that Mary Chapin Carpenter didn't quit her secretarial work in DC until after her first Grammy award. The most foolish thing that someone can do if they're trying to get a music career going is to quit their day job too soon. The time to quit is when you've got no time to do it, and there's enough money coming in from your performances to support yourself. The simple rule is to consider your music your primary job and work at another one in order to support it until the music is eating all of your time and paying you enough to let your second job go. If you quit your day job so you have time to work on music, you're likely to be short on the money you'll need to get your career started (You'll need to make demos, print press kits, shoot and duplicate photos, send out postcards, etc., but this comes later). Good luck with the journey…. David La Motte (author) is a musician, crafted songwriter, and performer in the US. Website: http://www.DavidLaMotte.com " http://www.DavidLaMotte.com Michael Alan (editor) is a published songwriter, with album & movie credits, who has lived and toured in the US & Europe. Website: http://www.MichaelAlanMusic.com " http://www.MichaelAlanMusic.com ...
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| Feature Article Musician's Survival was Truly a Miracle: Singer Songwriter Fights for his Life
Author: Michael Alan
Every morning when singer-songwriter Michael Alan looks into the mirror and sees the surgical scar across his chest he is reminded of how lucky he is to be alive. Three years ago he suffered a major heart attack and a year after the episode he was required to have open-heart surgery. The heart attack caused physical disability and the onset of severe depression. In perspective his life evolved around a course of different therapeutic modalities for several years. Looking back in time, it was the musical sounds in Michael's head that helped to keep him internally calm during the 911 emergency run to the hospital. He closed his eyes and concentrated on beautiful music and calming images to offset the immense pain and fear. In Michael's words, "When one experiences an event which threatens your life, leaves you disabled, or takes from you a loved one, the soul inside of you searches for understanding and it yearns for compassion from others. My wounded heart led me to the one thing which always nurtured my spirit". Michael's efforts to improve his emotional state led him back to singing and writing songs, a passion he had put on hold while making other commitments to develop a business career. The result of Michael's rebirth in writing and recording is the making of a new album release titled "Michael Alan – Searching for the Heartland." The recorded song tracks on the CD are a compilation of different time periods in Michael's song writing, performing and recording career. They include his works as a staff writer for a major music publisher in Los Angeles, his performance touring in Europe with the Esquires, and his most recent music projects since relocating to Seattle, WA. Several of the songs on the album have received grandiose broadcast results on regional College radio in the US. The songs "Rosary" and "Candy" have been placed onto "air-play rotation" schedules with several European commercial stations for weekly broadcasts. Michael Alan, who records with the label "Global Fish Records," is a rare artist who creates without a prescribed musical formula. His approach to writing is straight from the heart, lyrically poetic and honest, and void of any sound-alike comparisons. His songs create a myriad of lyrical expressions and images that move the listener through a musical experience of excitement, tenderness, passion, and sadness. His ability to write songs in a variety of musical styles reveals the fact that he is an avid listener of all types of music. Michael approaches the art of song writing with full emotional conviction. He expresses himself in a personal way sharing his deepest thoughts and feelings through his music. In a recent conversation he commented, "Sometimes on a rare occasion the music and words come together like shadows of light creating a warm sense around me. It's a feeling that you are not alone in the rhythm of life. It's in this moment that you know the hearts and souls of all people around the world are truly connected." Music and Healing: Michael has been blessed with a second chance at life. It is his desire to share his personal story in hopes that he might encourage people to become educated about heart disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading killer of Americans today affecting people of all ages. The American Heart Association website, www.heart.org , offers a wealth of health information and discusses many options to make healthy lifestyle choices. Global Fish Records and Michael Alan are a registered third-party fundraiser for the American Heart Association. A portion of the revenue from the music CD sales is donated to the American Heart Association affiliate office in Seattle, Washington. To learn about the association's resources and programs call 1-800-562-6718. Michael spends his Saturday mornings handing-out educational literature about heart disease to people at shopping malls and grocery stores in Lynnwood. He is comfortable in sharing his experience with folks and he feels a responsibility to inform the public about the growing health crisis in America. As Michael puts it; a lot of people walk by and look at me with a silly grin on their faces while I'm standing in the rain and the cold in my efforts to chat and offer life-saving information. The highlight of my efforts is when a person calmly approaches me with a smile and says "I read the literature you gave me last week and I visited the website of the American Heart Association and now I am prepared to discuss my health concerns with my doctor in an informed manner." The music CD, Michael Alan - Searching for the Heartland, is available at the website: www.MichaelAlanMusic.com The website offers mp3 audio samples for all 12 songs along with insights and lyrics. The album's promotional song release "Rosary" can be downloaded for free. Additionally, the site includes links to several nationally recognized health-information websites. Michael Alan is a published singer songwriter, with album & movie credits, who has lived and toured in the US and Europe. Website: http://www.MichaelAlanMusic.com " http://www.MichaelAlanMusic.com He is also an active member of the American Heart Association. ...
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| Feature Article I'll choose rap over hip hop any day: Rap lyrics keep it real
Author: Syd Johnson
If you listen to rap music on a regular basic you will notice the stark differences between rap lyrics and hip hop lyrics. It is widely known that rap came up from the streets where the artists would use their rhyming skills to tell the world about their sense of isolation and not being part of the American mainstream.
Hip hop lyrics from the same place, but this time it was middle class children who did not like how they were treated as their families moved into the suburbs and edge cities.
So what happened?
Along the way, hip hop went mainstream as it was cleaner and dance friendly. Hip hop lyrics made their way from the streets, to the clubs, to MTV and finally to the top of the music charts. Rap lyrics remained where they began, as the music of the down trodden and this gives emerging artists the freedom to experiment without worrying about their best camera angle.
You can still get a good rap album onto the charts with very little time on MTV.
How do rap artists maintain such complete control over their music:
1. Rap lyrics are seen as more raw so the artists can get away with more explicit and sensitive subjects. Whether it's gangs, drugs, homophobia, or domestic violence, rappers have total creative freedom to address taboo subjects with out turning off their fans.
2. Rap lyrics are mostly created by individual artist and not song writing committees. An artist could free style in person or on paper. It doesn't matter because you don't get the huge song writing teams that dominate pop, country and even hip hop music.
3. Rap lyrics are not music reliant. They actually sound better without huge overpowering beats behind them. Most professional rappers do their best work when they have mike without any musical accompaniment
4. Rap lyrics are not easily recycled since they are based on personal rather than universal experiences. The original lyrics can touch the audience but it is not easily transferred from one artist to another. Rappers can inject pieces of their personality, family history, educational background and more into their songs.
Of course, you can put samples into hip hop or pop songs, but it is very different for a middle class thirteen year old to remake your song and not sound like an idiot.
In the end, I still listen to all types of music. It's just that when it comes to originality and raw musical styles, I'll take rap lyrics over hip hop.
About the AuthorThis article may be freely distributed as long as there's an active link to http://www.rapidlingo.com
Syd Johnson
Editor ...
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| Feature Article How to overcome the lyric writing hurdles that are keeping you behind.
Author: Mantius Cazaubon
The lyric writing side of songwriting is known to create an enormous number of problems for some folks. No matter how hard they try, they are unable to write a single line that they can be pleased with.
In many cases these very same people make phenomenal advancements in writing music and melodies. However they just can't seem to figure out how to come up with suitable lyrics to match them.
If you are facing such a situation, there's probably no need to worry. By taking certain appropriate steps you should be able to overcome lyric writing hurdles and write songs that deliver.
(1) Here are some essential ideas for overcoming these hurdles.
1. Collaboration
If you're very good at writing melodies but can't seem to write a single line, one solution might be collaboration. Instead of beating your head against the wall for ideas, find someone who is very good at writing lyrics and work together. You may be surprised at the wonders that can emanate from a combination of his excellence at writing lyrics and your brilliance at writing melodies.
2. Lyric writing tools
Perhaps you may be hoping for some other solution. While you don't mind the idea of collaboration, you want to allow yourself to get better at writing lyrics, instead of leaving it to someone else.
As far as I'm concerned, the importance of laying hold on good songwriting "tools" should never be underestimated. Educate yourself as much as you can. Make use of songwriting books, programs, courses, software, articles or whatever valuable resources that you have at your disposal.
3. Motivation
You've probably heard it said a thousand times ... Without motivation, you won't go very far. This also applies to your lyric writing. While the songwriting "tools" outlined above can help you improve, without adequate motivation failure is inevitable.
(2) Here are a few tips to help you generate lyric writing ideas.
1. Use different lyrics to bring the same message across.
Choose a theme which is known to have made a few hits. What message does this theme bring across? Write different lyrics that bring the same message across. A typical example of this is John Denver's "I'm Leaving on a Jetplane" and Wyclef Jean's "Gone till November". These songs made hits in different eras. Their basic message was similar ... Baby, you don't need to cry because I'll return.
2. Add a unique twist to a cliche.
Turn on your radio and you will hear cliches being repeated over and over. Using these very same cliches is simply a futile exercise. My suggestion is to add a unique twist to these cliches. This is something I am focusing on more and more.
A typical example of adding a unique twist to a cliche is found in Dianne Warren's "Unbreak my Heart" made popular by Toni Braxton. The ever popular cliche, "break my heart", was twisted.
(3) Here are three lyric writing suggestions.
1. Write a song about a particular incident. Your song should tell a story.
2. Write lyrics that have absolutely nothing to do with anything you've actually experienced.
3. Get lyric writing ideas from newspapers, magazines, movies, TV and so on.
Overcoming lyric writing hurdles involves a lot of determination, hard work and perseverance on your part. Implement the suggestions presented above and move one step closer to lyric writing success.
About the AuthorMantius Cazaubon offers lots of valuable songwriting tips, suggestions and advice on his site http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com Visit http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com for the ultimate truth about lyric writing and songwriting. ...
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| Feature Article How to overcome the lyric writing hurdles that are keeping you behind.
Author: Mantius Cazaubon
The lyric writing side of songwriting is known to create an enormous number of problems for some folks. No matter how hard they try, they are unable to write a single line that they can be pleased with.
In many cases these very same people make phenomenal advancements in writing music and melodies. However they just can't seem to figure out how to come up with suitable lyrics to match them.
If you are facing such a situation, there's probably no need to worry. By taking certain appropriate steps you should be able to overcome lyric writing hurdles and write songs that deliver.
(1) Here are some essential ideas for overcoming these hurdles.
1. Collaboration
If you're very good at writing melodies but can't seem to write a single line, one solution might be collaboration. Instead of beating your head against the wall for ideas, find someone who is very good at writing lyrics and work together. You may be surprised at the wonders that can emanate from a combination of his excellence at writing lyrics and your brilliance at writing melodies.
2. Lyric writing tools
Perhaps you may be hoping for some other solution. While you don't mind the idea of collaboration, you want to allow yourself to get better at writing lyrics, instead of leaving it to someone else.
As far as I'm concerned, the importance of laying hold on good songwriting "tools" should never be underestimated. Educate yourself as much as you can. Make use of songwriting books, programs, courses, software, articles or whatever valuable resources that you have at your disposal.
3. Motivation
You've probably heard it said a thousand times ... Without motivation, you won't go very far. This also applies to your lyric writing. While the songwriting "tools" outlined above can help you improve, without adequate motivation failure is inevitable.
(2) Here are a few tips to help you generate lyric writing ideas.
1. Use different lyrics to bring the same message across.
Choose a theme which is known to have made a few hits. What message does this theme bring across? Write different lyrics that bring the same message across. A typical example of this is John Denver's "I'm Leaving on a Jetplane" and Wyclef Jean's "Gone till November". These songs made hits in different eras. Their basic message was similar ... Baby, you don't need to cry because I'll return.
2. Add a unique twist to a cliche.
Turn on your radio and you will hear cliches being repeated over and over. Using these very same cliches is simply a futile exercise. My suggestion is to add a unique twist to these cliches. This is something I am focusing on more and more.
A typical example of adding a unique twist to a cliche is found in Dianne Warren's "Unbreak my Heart" made popular by Toni Braxton. The ever popular cliche, "break my heart", was twisted.
(3) Here are three lyric writing suggestions.
1. Write a song about a particular incident. Your song should tell a story.
2. Write lyrics that have absolutely nothing to do with anything you've actually experienced.
3. Get lyric writing ideas from newspapers, magazines, movies, TV and so on.
Overcoming lyric writing hurdles involves a lot of determination, hard work and perseverance on your part. Implement the suggestions presented above and move one step closer to lyric writing success.
About the AuthorMantius Cazaubon offers lots of valuable songwriting tips, suggestions and advice on his site http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com Visit http://www.ultimatesongwriting.com for the ultimate truth about lyric writing and songwriting. ...
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| Feature Article Music Reviews - Bard Of Ely
Author: Ken Mowery
Good writing has a transcendent quality and possesses the power to transport through time and mindset. Even if it is done purely for the sake of entertainment, good writing enables us to see and experience life from vantage points much different than our own. Steve Andrews (aka The Bard of Ely) offers a complex and varied array of songs that are in short "good writing".
The Bard of Ely carries listeners through various paradigms that range from the earthy and humorous musings of "You're A Liar, Nicky Wire" and the bravado spoof "Superhero" to "other- worldly" expositions like "For Peter & for Paul" and "Priest of the Venusians".
Perhaps the true heart, soul and conscience of The Bard Of Ely find clearest expression in "commentary" songs like "The Hundredth Monkey v The Beast" and "Insect Inside" or the philosophical proclamation "Sound of One".
As you read Steve's responses to the CreatorsWeb Interview questions below you will see that he sites the influences of songwriters like Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and Neil Young. You will recognize their musical and spiritual presence in The Bard of Ely tracks as you listen.
Check it out for free at: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/bardofelymusic.htm
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Music Style And Audience
How do you classify your music?
I don't! If asked I say I write songs. I am always fascinated finding out what other people make of my songs but for me I feel that a song is basically a set of words, the lyrics, and a tune. I write my words first and then find a tune on the guitar and that is the basic song but how it turns out later is another matter. All songs are open to being arranged differently and can be given different production. They all start out as words and music and in my own creative process I write the lyrics first, so in the beginning was the word!
Do you target a specific audience? If so, who?
Not really, I just sing my songs and if people like them then I consider that to that degree I have been successful as an artist. I do find I get a better reaction from rock fans rather than 'folkies' though.
What performance venues are you currently exploring?
Mainly festivals. I have been the compere for the Avalon Stage at Glastonbury Festival for the last 2 years, as well as playing there, and followed this with doing the same at It's Jo and Danny's Green Man Festival in Brecon.
Musical Instruments - Recording - Computer Hardware - Software
What musical instruments do you play?
Guitar and harmonica, keyboards, penny whistle and Jew's harp enough to have used them on recordings. Kazoo too but that is so simple it doesn't really count as 'playing.' I regard my vocals as an instrument as well.
Do you record in a home studio?
I haven't got one, only Cool Edit and a microphone but I have used the home-studios of friends.
What equipment and software do you use?
Various. It all depends on what is available. I have various guitars but I mainly use a semi-acoustic Fleetwood jumbo for practice and gigging. The only computer music software I have used myself is Cool Edit. I must confess that I don't know much about creating digital music and am much happier with a guitar and mic. This doesn't stop me collaborating with other musicians online who are skilled with this new technology, and in fact I have a song called 'Electric Bard,' which is a 3-way collaboration between myself and EXLectiX from America and Catherine Duc from Australia. I wrote the words and did the vocals and my collaborators created the music and produced it. Also, the highly talented musician, Ed Drury, has added his music and arrangements to a series of my poems. This sort of thing, to my mind, is one of the wonderful things about the world of music available online.
Musical Background -Influences
How did you get started playing music?
I would have been aged about 12 and I was listening to pop and some rock bands and also soul and Tamla and this would have been when I was first thinking about it. This was the time of the 'Mersey sound.' Then the psychedelic '60s arrived and the folk protest movement and as a teenager I was inspired by Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Neil Young and many other singer/songwriters, as well as the whole idea of an alternative society. I would say that I fancied myself as following in these singer/songwriters' footsteps if I could. By the age of 16 I was going to festivals and gigs and I made my own start at playing guitar and writing songs and poetry. Initially it was an effort to impress girls because I was painfully shy. I had decided that I wasn't that impressed by the Beatles, although John Lennon is one of my 'heroes,' and The Stones were far more my sort of rock band. Neil Young was my favorite guitarist then and still is. Other acts that I really liked and still do are Hendrix, David Bowie, Roy Harper, Kate Bush, Van Morrison, Dory Previn, Jefferson Airplane, Nico, Lou Reed, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Bob Marley, Neil Diamond, the Incredible String Band, Syd Barrett, Joni Mitchell, Bridget St John, Tyrannosaurus and T. Rex, Roxy Music and many many more. Then in the mid '70s Punk and New Wave happened and a lot of the energy of the movement I found inspiring. I saw a lot of the bands then like The Clash, Boomtown Rats, the Stranglers, Patti Smith and others.
What has influenced your music the most?
All those acts I have mentioned above, along with many more modern ones and genres of music like the Blues, Soul, R&B, Folk, Rock 'n' Roll, Jazz, Experimental and anything else that I've spent time listening too. My inspiration for songs though is very varied and just reflects my life I think.
Music And Internet Marketing
How has the Internet effected you as a musician?
In a big way: I used to be heavily involved in music networking via the snail mail with all the fanzines and small press and the casssette culture which gave way to CDs, but I seem to have phased most of that out because the Internet is a lot easier, cheaper and faster to use.
Also, I have made very many good friends, whom I have met via OMDs and at bbs, and discovered so much excellent music. As well as these things it has given me a means of collaborating with people all over the world.
When did you start marketing your music on the Internet?
In about 1997 when I first began to understand IT and to have access to computers.
What has been the most effective way to market your music on the Internet?
Via OMDs and Bulletin Boards. My favorite OMD was mp3.com and I haven't seen any other site which has offered so much. The stations it gave acts the option of creating was a great way to promote your music and that of other acts you enjoyed, as well as finding new music.
Musicians And The Future
What does the future hold for you?
More collaborations, more festivals...but as to where my music will take me I really don't know! I have just written my first song in Spanish and am learning the language, so who knows where my path will lead?
Finally, is there anything else you want to say about yourself?
I prefer to hear what others think of me and my work so I'll let my good friends Laura J Bollé and Chris Kalessin have their say:
Words can barely describe the amazing, multi-talented, multi-faceted and multi-media phenomenon that is the Bard of Ely!!! Part eco-warrior, poet, Arthurian Druid, master of herblore, techno-folk fusion pioneer, MC, songwriter, singer, actor, writer and performer, the Bard has assumed cult status and is featured in many counter-culture books and articles ... a genuinely iconic figure!
His solo work, many collaborations (most recently with Funender stalwart Ed Drury) and remixes represent a wonderfully eclectic body of writing and performance, work that that does justice to the traditions of acoustic music, yet with modernity, political relevance, and some great melodies! :)
And something else that distinguishes this talented artist is his enthusiastic and positive support for music and musicians, and his friendly, universally-respected presence across the online music community. We are proud to know him and highly recommend his music to all - Steve, the Bard of Ely!!!
Check him out TODAY!!! http://www.bardofely.com
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About the AuthorKen is a pastor, writer, musician living in Greeley Colorado. His articles have been published in a number of magazines, ezines and websites including his own www.creatorsweb.com ...
Era of Throwaway Lyrics
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| Feature Article Era of Throwaway Lyrics
Author: Austin Akalanze
Era of Throwaway Lyrics
I often thought it was the generation gap or perhaps the evolutionary cycle or simply a sign of the end times. But, whatever it is, one thing is certain: that music has changed immensely in the 20th century.
For brevity, my focus shall be on the sixties and seventies, when the nations seemed to have come alive with the lyrics and rhythm of the time and the nineties, when they seem to have lost that rhythm change that drove the sixties.
While music has grown in other times, the sixties saw an explosion in the industry. It did not only grow in size, but also in quality. Performers elevated the art to a new high, using their talents to address the needs and concerns of society.
In Africa, artists turned out hit after hit. This was especially true in central and western Africa. The folkloric songs of the fifties were replaced by the more vibrant, more up beat rhythm of the sixties. In Zaire, Franco in his hit song "Trezempoli," which translates "very impolite," criticized those who smoke in offices where they do not like smoke. Also in Zaire, Tabuley in his song "Sara" talked about the problem of divorce.
In his philosophy divorce is unthinkable. Nigeria's, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, in his massive hit "Zombie", done in Nigeria's unofficial lingua franca, Broken English, berates the military government of then General Olusegun Obasanjo for its lack of vision and the soldiers for their blind obedience. "Zombie no go think unless you tell am to think…" he lamented.
In the Caribbean, the Ska was polished and elevated to the richer, more balanced Rocksteady, with a lot of infusion of the African drum, and finally to the internationally acclaimed Reggae beat. Joe Higgs, Desmond Decker, and Bob Marley were some of the early apostles. In his hit song "War," Bob Marley reechoed a speech made by Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia at the United Nations in the 1960's. "Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior, is finally and permanently, discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war." Also from the Caribbean, Jimmy Cliff, in his classic "Vietnam" lent a credible voice to the opposition against America's carnage in that country. "Yesterday I got a letter from my friend, fighting in Vietnam… Tell all my friends that I will be coming home soon, my time will be up sometime in June. But Mrs. Brown your son is dead." Yet, in another hit he lamented the widening divide between the rich and the poor. "It's a pain to see we are in a sad situation, suffering in the land. The rich is getting richer and the poor…"
The story was the same in America. Descendants of Negro slaves turned the beats and experiences of White America's cotton fields into new forms, imbuing them with new spirituality and new energy that gave added impetus to their struggle. Candy Staton, in "In the Ghetto," captured the mood and spirit of Negroes trapped in the ghettoes of North America. "If there is anything she don't need, it's another little hungry mouth to feed in the ghetto… and his mama cried." James Brown, in "I am Black and Proud," sought to bring pride back to blackness, which hitherto had been a burden and a badge of dishonor and scorn to those who wore it. "Say it loud, I am black and proud," he implored. Cart Stevens, "Wild World"- now that I have lost everything to you …but if you wanna leave take good care, hope you make a lot of nice friends out there but just remember a lot of nice things turn bad out there…"
It was a global phenomenon. There was cross grafting of genre across national boundaries. The world was on the move, driven by the rhythms and the beats of the time. But what was driving the rhythms and the beats and the people behind them? - The turmoil of the time.
The sixties were a period of great upheavals. Freedom movements in Africa, liberation struggles in South America, civil rights marches in North America, labor movements in Europe, political emancipation struggles in the Caribbean, - all provided the impetus for the rhythm change and the performers were in the vanguard. Using their creativity and artistry and the circumstances of their time they created classics that elevated the spirit. Whether it was about war or politics or love, there was an element of subtlety that gave the listeners the opportunity to dream. They were limited only by their imagination.
The sonorous sixties were an era redolent of a great musical renaissance. And regardless of the culture or the geographical location of the songs, there seemed to be a common thread running through them, -- the lyrics were not throwaway words. They were words that aroused your humanity and agitated your conscience. They were evergreens, destined to stand the tests and rigors of time.
But that was as it should be. Good music must, regardless of culture or era, stand the test of time. It should elevate the mouth that sings and the ear that hears. It should be a vehicle for positive change and above all appeal to the higher self.
Anchored on that premise, what shall we then say of the nineties and the present? With due respect, with the exception of a few, not much except that it was an era that ushered in a gang of hollow and lackluster musicians. It was an era when the clean lyrics of the sixties were smeared with obscenity. There seemed to be a preoccupation among musicians on lewdness and vulgarity. This is self-evident in some of their lyrics and videos.
How did this happen? The answer is simple. Although the issues-- poverty, inequality, injustice, war, death, love, etc-- that inspired and impelled the revolutions of the sixties are still very much alive, modern musicians took the easy way, assaulting undiscriminating ears and eyes with baseness.
How have they done this? Through music videos. Whereas the artists of the sixties had no medium other than sound, today's artists have the added advantage of visual images.
Hiding behind seductive graphics, they pass off trash and mediocre songs as hits. The artists of the sixties did not have that privilege. They understood that the distance between success and failure was as far as the distance between the ears and the brain and they worked hard to reduce it. Today's artists do not have to work that hard. There is always the video for a cheap bail out.
While today's artists may win Oscars and Grammies, it is doubtful whether many of those award winners can stand the tests and rigors of time. When it comes to the performing arts, time is the best judge. One thing though is certain: that this truly is an era of throwaway lyrics.
About the AuthorAustin Akalanze is an Educator, Poet and Freelance writer and webmaster at http://www.power-profit-systems.com/pips.html He writes in from Dallas Texas. ...
The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!
Author: Harald Anderson
The Secret Behind All Masterpieces! : Lessons Learned
The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as the Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be the worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in the African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of the entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of the country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, the crops were left to rot in the fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.
We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives.
However, the central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon the hardest times of our lives and locate the wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within the anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand the experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is the tough times that will teach you the most.
During the rough times of the Great Depression the music business also almost collapsed.
American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in the mid 1920's, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by the mid 1930's. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even the giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of the country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to the tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change the focus of an entire community.
To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share the same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to the infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of the economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.
The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time.
Top Musicians of the day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form.
Hope was born against the horrendous economic landscape.
Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity.
He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring the three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on the bandwagon and get with the program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover the 'music beat' and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into the clubs. Soon all of the "happening" places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and "cash in" would do whatever necessary to bribe the music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from the critics would kill the good times! Or so they thought…
The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that the musicians gave to the critics was the Boogie Man!
Yes the Boogie Man was the monster who could criticize and sit in judgment.
In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine the fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill the party as quickly as the review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news!
Funny thing is most people do not believe in the Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is the understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you "get it?"
In the words of Earl Nightingale, "Don't Compete. Create!"
Regardless of what is going on in your life you can always play the music and do the dance! Sometimes the most therapeutic thing we can ever create is to purposely put our focus on joy and creation. We are happiest in life when we create and can easily take responsibility for our creations. However we squelch this inherent ability when we consider the evaluation of the creation as being more important than the act of creation itself. Quite frankly joy is perverted and distorted when creation is done primarily for approval. The misery is amplified even further when we make others responsible for the quality of our lives. This is the big lie of the Boogie Man.
Ralph Waldo Emerson stated…."Do not die with your music still in you."
Very appropriate advice. We all have a mission in life. A purpose which unfolds before our eyes when we manage to overcome our fear of the Boogie Man and just PLAY.
Our beliefs determine our reality. Be careful how you interpret the world. It is EXACTLY like that.
It is horrifying to think about how the Boogie Man turns the possibility of a dream into a nightmare. Or how the Boogie Man distorts our own ideas of success and happiness by making us believe that he can stop the music in our lives! All illusions that unfortunately every great artist has embraced at some point in their careers. You are the Music. You are the Dance. Be careful what you agree with!
Stop and think about what life would be like without the telephone, the car, airplanes, electricity, the internet or any other incredible creation that man has created to resolve the problems related to survival. I can assure that these blessed inventions would never have seen the light of day if their creators were concerned about the boogie man.
The boogie man is not only a concern over the judgment of others. The boogie man is much more insidious, he represents everything in our life that we cannot take responsibility for. Our blame list so to speak. The boogie man is that part of us that makes us believe that the problem is somewhere over there.
The late Jack Paar once said, "My life seems like one long obstacle course, with me as the chief obstacle." Sounds to me like he knew how to do battle with the boogie man.
The secret to all masterpieces is that they fuel the imagination with the great possibilities of the human spirit. They transport us from the world of limitations that we regularly experience and remind us of our potential. Whenever we experience a masterpiece it reminds us that the shackles we feel in our daily lives are optional. The funny thing about greatness is that it will always invite you along for the journey. Masterpieces teach us to recognize the joy of creation for the sake of creation. They spur us on to pursue excellence as our birthright. All masterpieces are embodiments of meaning that would have never occurred had they been concerned with the opinions of critics. If you feel something is holding you back look in the mirror and you will discover your boogie man.
All great masterpieces are the reminders of what life can be like when we learn to get out of our own way. Create for the sake of creating. Respond to the joy of the moment and dance for the sake of dancing. Play for the sake of playing. Laugh for the sake of laughing. Everything else is a chorus of excuses and limitations.
Once asked to describe the key to creativity, Thomas Alva Edison said said, "Never quit working on your subject until you get what you're after." Well, aren't we ourselves a work in progress? If you plan on creating a masterpiece of your life its time to take the stage, do the dance in spite of the critics. That is the masterpiece lesson of Boogie-Woogie. Create!
Sometimes it takes death to teach us about life. Occasionally we must go through misery to understand joy. And sometimes it takes the slang born in the Great Depression to understand that we will always get whatever we put out attention on. You can Boogie Woogie or you can waltz with the Boogie Man. The choice is always yours!
The happiest you will ever be in life is when you take responsibility for your creations and create! It is what it is. Take the stage, do the dance and know that the only thing that can squash the music is YOU! The Boogie Man has no power over those who create for the simple joy they receive from the act of creation. That's the bees knees, the eels hips and the elephants eyebrows. Got it? Therein lies the Secret of All the Great Masterpieces daddy-o! Your life is your Music. Do the dance!
"Stix you start bangin those tubs! Chops you lay down the line…it's time to get this party happening! One…Two…Three…Four!"
Be Careful What You Agree With!
About the AuthorHarald Anderson is the co-founder of http://www.artinspires.com a leading online gallery of motivational and inspirational posters and prints. "When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.artinspires.com/ ...
The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article The Secret Behind All Great Masterpieces: Lessons Learned!
Author: Harald Anderson
The Secret Behind All Masterpieces! : Lessons Learned
The ten-year period which followed the stock market crash of October 1929 is referred to as the Great Depression. This time frame is considered to be the worst and most difficult of Modern American History by business historians. Unemployment was as high as 27% among White Americans and reached 60% in the African American community. In Mississippi, on a single day in 1932, one quarter of the entire state was auctioned off. Scarcity and limitations were everywhere to be seen. The Gross National Product of the country, that unit of measurement which represents everything that is produced nationwide fell by as much as 43%. The prices of wheat and corn and cotton fell so low, the crops were left to rot in the fields. Many businesses and families were wiped out.
We all try to forget unpleasant moments in our lives.
However, the central premise of any meaningful philosophy is to look back upon the hardest times of our lives and locate the wisdom and insight necessary from which success and joy can occur. It has been my experience that usually within the anxiety there are seeds of wisdom for us to learn from if we will only learn to look and understand the experience. When you examine your business, life or relationships it is the tough times that will teach you the most.
During the rough times of the Great Depression the music business also almost collapsed.
American record companies, which had sold in excess of 200 million records in the mid 1920's, had seen unit sales drop by 97% by the mid 1930's. To put it mildly, things were tough! Even the giant Victor phonograph company stopped making phonograph players altogether. However, there was a tiny silver lining in all of this hardship. A certain type of music was gripping regions of the country and offering hope. There was no political message attached to the tunes. No lyrics. It was an earthy, rhythmic, emotional and dynamic music. Its purpose was to make people dance. Huge parties would emerge that would often last for days. Even today music historians marvel how a distinctive and repetitive bass line and energetic rhythm could change the focus of an entire community.
To classify this music as infectious would be an understatement! At its inception this music would be played solo by only one piano player. Since times were tough sometimes two piano players would share the same instrument. Later, there would be as many as six musicians on three pianos all contributing to the infectious power. The result was a celebration of creative energy that everyone could recognize. It was magical. In spite of the economic hardships, people could find genuine joy even if only for a short moment.
The celebrations grew. House parties would turn into block parties. The refrains and melodies would often be played non-stop for what seemed like hours at a time.
Top Musicians of the day could locate work easily once they mastered this art form.
Hope was born against the horrendous economic landscape.
Then in 1938, legendary Jazz Promoter John Hammond saw a huge business opportunity.
He organized and promoted a concert in New York City featuring the three masters of this art form. When Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Meade "Lux" Lewis performed in Carnegie Hall, it launched a national craze. Businesses and clubs had to hop on the bandwagon and get with the program. Newspapers began to assign special editors to cover the 'music beat' and report about this incredible energy as its popularity spread into the clubs. Soon all of the "happening" places were featuring top musicians playing these infectious energetic tunes. Club owners seeking to get good reviews and "cash in" would do whatever necessary to bribe the music editors so they could acquire good press. Bribes of free food, free drinks, free women were commonplace. Musicians and club owners understood that one bad review from the critics would kill the good times! Or so they thought…
The name of this musical art form was Boogie-Woogie. The slang term that the musicians gave to the critics was the Boogie Man!
Yes the Boogie Man was the monster who could criticize and sit in judgment.
In spite of his inability to create or understand music they somehow were qualified to evaluate it. The Boogie Man, like an executioner could determine the fate of musicians and club owners with his words. The Boogie Man was fear incarnate. He could kill the party as quickly as the review could be published. The Boogie Man was bad news!
Funny thing is most people do not believe in the Boogie Man. At least that is what they tell you to your face! However within this story is the understanding of how success and joy is born and how it dies. Did you "get it?"
In the words of Earl Nightingale, "Don't Compete. Create!"
Regardless of what is going on in your life you can always play the music and do the dance! Sometimes the most therapeutic thing we can ever create is to purposely put our focus on joy and creation. We are happiest in life when we create and can easily take responsibility for our creations. However we squelch this inherent ability when we consider the evaluation of the creation as being more important than the act of creation itself. Quite frankly joy is perverted and distorted when creation is done primarily for approval. The misery is amplified even further when we make others responsible for the quality of our lives. This is the big lie of the Boogie Man.
Ralph Waldo Emerson stated…."Do not die with your music still in you."
Very appropriate advice. We all have a mission in life. A purpose which unfolds before our eyes when we manage to overcome our fear of the Boogie Man and just PLAY.
Our beliefs determine our reality. Be careful how you interpret the world. It is EXACTLY like that.
It is horrifying to think about how the Boogie Man turns the possibility of a dream into a nightmare. Or how the Boogie Man distorts our own ideas of success and happiness by making us believe that he can stop the music in our lives! All illusions that unfortunately every great artist has embraced at some point in their careers. You are the Music. You are the Dance. Be careful what you agree with!
Stop and think about what life would be like without the telephone, the car, airplanes, electricity, the internet or any other incredible creation that man has created to resolve the problems related to survival. I can assure that these blessed inventions would never have seen the light of day if their creators were concerned about the boogie man.
The boogie man is not only a concern over the judgment of others. The boogie man is much more insidious, he represents everything in our life that we cannot take responsibility for. Our blame list so to speak. The boogie man is that part of us that makes us believe that the problem is somewhere over there.
The late Jack Paar once said, "My life seems like one long obstacle course, with me as the chief obstacle." Sounds to me like he knew how to do battle with the boogie man.
The secret to all masterpieces is that they fuel the imagination with the great possibilities of the human spirit. They transport us from the world of limitations that we regularly experience and remind us of our potential. Whenever we experience a masterpiece it reminds us that the shackles we feel in our daily lives are optional. The funny thing about greatness is that it will always invite you along for the journey. Masterpieces teach us to recognize the joy of creation for the sake of creation. They spur us on to pursue excellence as our birthright. All masterpieces are embodiments of meaning that would have never occurred had they been concerned with the opinions of critics. If you feel something is holding you back look in the mirror and you will discover your boogie man.
All great masterpieces are the reminders of what life can be like when we learn to get out of our own way. Create for the sake of creating. Respond to the joy of the moment and dance for the sake of dancing. Play for the sake of playing. Laugh for the sake of laughing. Everything else is a chorus of excuses and limitations.
Once asked to describe the key to creativity, Thomas Alva Edison said said, "Never quit working on your subject until you get what you're after." Well, aren't we ourselves a work in progress? If you plan on creating a masterpiece of your life its time to take the stage, do the dance in spite of the critics. That is the masterpiece lesson of Boogie-Woogie. Create!
Sometimes it takes death to teach us about life. Occasionally we must go through misery to understand joy. And sometimes it takes the slang born in the Great Depression to understand that we will always get whatever we put out attention on. You can Boogie Woogie or you can waltz with the Boogie Man. The choice is always yours!
The happiest you will ever be in life is when you take responsibility for your creations and create! It is what it is. Take the stage, do the dance and know that the only thing that can squash the music is YOU! The Boogie Man has no power over those who create for the simple joy they receive from the act of creation. That's the bees knees, the eels hips and the elephants eyebrows. Got it? Therein lies the Secret of All the Great Masterpieces daddy-o! Your life is your Music. Do the dance!
"Stix you start bangin those tubs! Chops you lay down the line…it's time to get this party happening! One…Two…Three…Four!"
Be Careful What You Agree With!
About the AuthorHarald Anderson is the co-founder of http://www.artinspires.com a leading online gallery of motivational and inspirational posters and prints. "When Art Inspires, Dreams Become Realities. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.artinspires.com/ ...
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article Considering Copyright when using your CD Burner
Author: CD Duplication Plus
If you have a CD burner you can take on all kinds of music projects. Before you do so, let's examine the subject of copyright. This is an area that you should become familiar with before using a CD burner. So the question is, what exactly is copyright? It is a tricky subject even for legal experts. Copyright relates to music so it also relates to those wanting to use a CD burner to copy music.
Copyright is the right to keep others from copying someone's original musical work. If you are using a CD burner to copy an original work without the owner's permission, you may be in copyright violation. People obtain copyright protection to prevent people from copying works like art, literature and music. It doesn't matter if the quality of the work is good or bad, if the work is original, you can not legally copy it. You can't use your CD burner and make a copy of a song even if it's the worst song ever written.
The work must actually be in permanent form to have copyright protection. An idea is not something that can be copyrighted. As long as the music has been written down or recorded, it can have a copyright. In most cases, then, any song you want to burn using a CD burner probably has a copyright.
There is more than one copyright to consider when using your CD burner. The lyrics are protected. The sound recording is protected for 50 years from the end of the year in which it was first recorded. There is also a copyright in the underlying composition and that lasts for 70 years from the end of the year in which the composer died. As you can see, music is protected very well from those wanting to copy it using a CD burner. Sometimes one recording can be protected by more than one person. The person who wrote the music might have copyright protection as well as the person who wrote the lyrics. A publishing company might also have copyright protection on the same recording. If you want to use a CD burner to copy the music you may have to get permission from all three places.
If someone owns a copyright, they are the ones who can reproduce the work. If you are not the person who owns the copyright and you want to make a copy using your CD burner, you must get permission. Many people use a CD burner to make copies of CDs for themselves or others. If you do not own the copyright on the music you can not legally make a copy. The same thing is true if you want to make a copy of a CD to rent or lend to someone else. If you don't own the copyright you can not do this.
It's a good idea to know about copyright laws before using your CD burner to make copies of music CDs.
About the AuthorYou may post this article on your web site as long as no changes are made.
All links must be live. http://www.cdduplicationplus.com
http://www.cdduplicationplus.com © 2005 CD Duplication Plus ...
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article "Who Else Wants to Get Screwed When Signing a Recording or Songwriting Deal?!?!"
Author: Ty Cohen
You've got your recording (or songwriting) contract in hand and everything's coming up roses, right? You get your check, finally, but it's not quite what you expected. If you sign not knowing what's owed you then you might be shorted some well-deserved income. So make sure that anything you sign contains a statement to the following areas (preferably in your favor):
Performing Rights – this means you get a chunk of the change when your songs are played over the radio, television, Internet and at some public venues like concerts and such. And who keeps tabs on this? Check out ASCAP-http://www.ascap.com/index.html , SESAC– http://www.sesac.com/home.asp and BMI– http://www.bmi.com.
Mechanical Rights – This is the most commonly known. It includes anything physical such as tapes, CDs, etc. The Harry Fox Agency is nearly 80 years old and for artists with 2500 or less recordings they can learn more at http://www.songfile.com/ regarding small licensing.
Print Rights – Exactly that – anything in print like lyrics or sheet music.
Foreign Rights – Again, anything that deals with foreign publishing and licensing.
Synchronization Rights – Ever heard a Garth Brooks or Rolling Stone song in a movie or television show? That's synchronization and it can mean big bucks although some artists overlook this very important right when signing.
If you fail to have some or all of these areas covered when signing a contract it can mean the loss of big money for you. If you can afford it hire only the best entertainment attorney to handle your contracts. A good attorney can be expensive, especially if he has to do all the legwork but you can save time and money by looking into products such as the 101 Music Business Contracts software at http://www.MusicContracts101.com . This easy to use, contracts creation software features over 100, professionally drafted, music business contracts and agreements. As with any contract you sign – be it a house loan or a recording contract – it's best to have an attorney look the documents over before doing a final signing. However, a great money saver is arming yourself with knowledge, like 101 Music Business Contracts, before you ever set foot in a law firm. As the www.MusicContracts101.com site suggest, Protect Yourself, Your Music and Your Career – Get It In Writing!
About the AuthorThis article was written by Ty Cohen, the music industry's most recognizable voice!
Ty is the C.E.O of Platinum Millennium Publishing, Platinum Millennium Records as well as owner of www.MusicContracts101.com and www.MusicIndustrySuccess.com . ...
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article Creative Writing - where to find fresh ideas
Author: Stephanie Cage
"I've got to prepare a talk tonight. I think I'll just pop over to the idea store for some fresh concepts."
"I'll do some work on the novel, then. Could you get me a bag of inspiration while you're over there? Oh, on second thoughts, why not stop by Sarah's first? She might have some spare."
What a pity it doesn't work that way. There's no one ready-made source of great ideas. They don't just arrive to order, oven-fresh and neatly packaged, from Ideas-to-go. Yet, at some point, each of us will need to summon up ideas for a talk or a piece of writing, perhaps under pressure of a deadline.
So what can we do to help the process along?
Know how you work best. For some people, ideas bubble up while they're taking a shower or washing the dishes, for others they shape up best on a jog or on the daily drive to work. Some people like to kick ideas around with a few like-minded friends, while others work best alone and in silence. Some find that time pressure results in their best ideas, while for others it induces panic and blankness.
Keep track of what gets your creative juices flowing and take advantage of it.
Relax. Creativity guru Jurgen Wolf (whose site www.brainstormnet.com is a treasure trove of creative ideas) suggests sleeping on the problem whenever possible. Just before going to sleep, and just after waking, are among the most fertile periods for developing new ideas, so take advantage of this by keeping a pen and pad on the bedside table. If you don't have time to sleep on it, put your feet up and a favourite CD on (many people find classical music, especially Bach and Mozart, very effective).
Start from your own experience. Look at your education, your career and your hobbies and interests. Nobody else has had quite the same experiences as you, and other people will be interested in hearing about new topics. Even activities they share, such as parenting, or working life, can still provide interesting material when looked at from your own unique angle, especially if your experiences of them have been amusing or educational.
Look out for issues you feel strongly about. Most people have a few topics that act like a red rag to a bull - if you don't know what yours are, just ask your friends! Or flick through a paper and watch out for news that makes you want to grab your pen and dash off a letter to the editor. Any topic you feel strongly about will make for powerful and sincere writing, and even if you only know a little about the subject, you can always do some research to fill in the gaps.
Stimulate your imagination with something different. I first encountered this technique in a book by Edward de Bono, and it's surprisingly effective for something so simple. Take a word, picture or object at random - from a dictionary, newspaper, or magazine, or even just the first thing that catches your eye when you look up from the page - and find ways to apply it to the problem at hand.
Brainstorm ideas related to your topic. There are few things more demoralising than carefully crafting a talk or article only to discover that it's half the length it should have been and you've run out of material. Start by jotting down any ideas, facts and anecdotes related to the topic, then roughly plan the structure of your talk. Spider diagrams or mind maps are excellent for helping to organise your material (If you haven't used them before, or if you'd like to know more about them, Tony Buzan's The Mind Map Book explains in detail how they work).
Fill the gaps. If you're talking about a subject you're already familiar with, you will probably have most of the information you need, although you might still want to check the odd detail in a reference book or with someone else who knows the subject. If you're researching a subject that's newer to you, you may need to visit the library or search the internet for more information. You may also need to seek out stories or quotations to illustrate some of the points you are making, and as well as dictionaries of quotations, there are a number of web sites which can help you do this. For example, The Internet Movie Database is full of film trivia and quotes, and lyricserver.com can help you track down relevant song lyrics.
Get a head start. Now you know you can come up with great ideas at short notice, but why not make life a little easier by getting a head start for next time? Keep these techniques in mind and you'll be amazed how many of the things that happen to you can spark off ideas for your next talk. Keep a notebook and jot them all down, and next time you come to prepare a talk you'll have your own idea store to pick from.
About the AuthorStephanie Cage is a UK-based author of fiction and poetry, as well as several business reports. Read more of her work at www.stephaniecage.co.uk. ...
Article Page Main Lyrics Sites
| Feature Article How You Can Become A Better Writer
Author: Deanna Mascle
I have been writing professionally for more than two decades and teaching writing nearly that long. Every conference, every writing staff, and every class has always included some writer who asks: "How Can I Become A Better Writer?"
They don't usually like my answer. "Practice writing every day and read to study the writing of others every day."
They don't like the answer for one of two reasons usually. Some people are looking for some quick-fix, magic formula that will make them a good writer in three easy steps. Although my suggestion involves only two steps it is pretty obvious that it is a long-term project. The other group of people will sneer at the first because they consider themselves "real writers" but they don't like the answer any more than the others. They believe they have a gift that simply needs to be unlocked by the magic key that published, successful writers possess.
The simple truth is that there is no way to improve your writing other than to continually practice your craft. Write every day. Experiment, plan, revise, and revisit. Make challenges and deadlines and competitions. Push yourself and your writing will reward you. I promise. Write something inspired by a writer you admire and then write something completely your own.
However it is not enough to simply write in a vacuum -- or an ivory tower. You must also read the writing of others. Read far and wide. Read fiction, nonfiction, poetry and song lyrics. Read argument and persuasion, read informative and biographical, read science and fantasy. Read talented and skilled professionals and read those who are still finding their writing feet.
You are reading to gain inspiration and confidence. You are reading to build your vocabulary and your stockpile of writing tricks. You are reading to learn more about the rhythms and patterns of language. You are reading so that as you write you will be able to develop your own unique voice.
Learning to be a better writer is not the work of a weekend or even a semester. Learning to be a better writer is a life's work. If you really are a writer then you will never consider your work done. I don't know a professional writer who sits back and says "I'm done learning now, I'm as good as I'm going to get". Certainly it need not take a lifetime to reach professional status but you shouldn't make that your goal. Thinking in those terms can hold you back from becoming the best writer you can be.
For example, perhaps the reason your particular project was rejected had nothing at all to do with your writing but was in fact due to your topic, the particular needs of that publisher, or even the mood of the editor when your submission came across their desk. The truth is that you cannot control when you become a published, professional writer, but you can control your progress toward improving your writing. Believe me, the stronger your writing becomes then the easier it will be to achieve that other goal. When you reach the point that you regularly deliver quality writing then you will find a market. If you write it the rest will come. Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Deanna Mascle has been teaching and writing professionally for more than 20 years. Find more articles about writing at Word Craft Online at WordCraftOnline.com ...
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