Creative strategies for more versatile, productive, and innovative songwriting
This seminar ran in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney in August 2010
This highly participatory seminar provides an intensive introduction to the discipline of 360º Songwriting. We’ll practice specific techniques for catching song seeds from the “full 360”— rhythmic, melodic, harmonic, and lyrical sources of inspiration—and learn to use transformations and structure to support overall integrity of emotion and meaning in our songs. We’ll pay particular attention to the almost-lost art of melody; explore ways to build compelling harmonies that tell their own story while complementing song theme and structure; and expand our musical palettes with modal resources to express a range of moods and themes.
In the music business these days the term "360" is mostly applied to new kinds of deals that record labels are offering artists, partnering for (some would say demanding) a share of publishing, tour revenue, merchandise, etc. In contrast, 360º Songwriting is a philosophy of creative work that specifically helps songwriters adapt and thrive in the face of their changing roles in today’s diverse—and increasingly global—music industry. In this new landscape, writers and artists with highly individual voices are finding significant audiences through new avenues such as digital distribution and promotion, or film and TV placements open to alternative sounds and styles. Rather than relying on limited (and limiting) formulas and prescriptions for hit songs, success in songwriting now requires both high levels of craft and versatility: to write within a stylistic idiom or out of the box; to draw on unique sources and influences rather than cater only to so-called “mainstream” formats; to be at ease collaborating with writers and artists who have varied processes and creative ways of working. To help develop these skills, the 360º Songwriting approach is founded on detailed attention to songwriting process, building on intuitive practices used by many master songwriters to spur their creativity.
With detailed examples, exercises, demonstrations and discussion, and facilitated peer critique of selected participants’ songs, this seminar is bound toprovide new insights and perspectives on your writing.
Detailed Description
For experienced writers to those just setting out on the path, this weekend workshop introduces a comprehensive set of techniques with the potential to dramatically transform your songwriting. Mark Simos is an innovative songwriter for progressive Americana artists such as Alison Krauss and Union Station, and a versatile co-writer who has worked with artists ranging from American singer-songwriter Catie Curtis to Australian Jimmy Barnes. 360º Songwriting synthesizes Mark’s working philosophy as a songwriter and co-writer, distilled through many decades of teaching experience at clinics and summer workshops, as a technical trainer and method developer, and as a professor in the Songwriting Department at Boston’s Berklee College of Music.
Rather than relying on limited (and limiting) formulas and prescriptions for hit songs, the 360º Songwriting approach is founded on detailed attention to songwriting process, building on intuitive practices used by many master songwriters to spur their creativity. Every writer tends to fall into preferred, comfortable songwriting habits; the 360º discipline enhances our capacities to vary our processes, and especially to capture and develop song ideas from any direction or modality: melody, chord progression, rhythmic groove or riff, a lyric title (or just a good line), an image, story or theme; writing from inner inspiration or in response to a specific opportunity or challenge.
The 360º model resonates with today’s diverse—and increasingly global—music industry, where writers and artists with highly individual voices are finding significant audiences through new avenues such as digital distribution and promotion, or film and TV placements open to alternative sounds and styles. Success in songwriting now requires both high levels of craft and versatility: ability to write both within a genre or style and out of the box; incorporating unique sources and influences rather than catering only to so-called “mainstream” formats; ease in collaborating effectively with writers and artists with varied processes and creative ways of working.
Using 360º songwriting techniques, you will be able to catch—and retain—seed ideas for songs from diverse sources of inspiration. You will get to different kinds of songs as new creative pathways open fresh stylistic, thematic and even emotional territory in your writing. Increased flexibility helps you complete songs, avoiding getting stuck with song fragments through a repertoire of alternate strategies and routes to develop songs. Songs become better structured, thematically unified, with less filler. The 360º approach is also ideal preparation for the rapid-fire spontaneity and responsiveness required in collaboration and project-based writing.
Point of View: Choosing the Best Lens With Writing Better Lyrics author Pat Pattison This seminar ran in May and June in New Zealand and Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney Illuminate your songwriting: Involve your audience more deeply in your song by creating the most potent lens for them to look through. This weekend seminar will focus on Point of View as a tool, illustrating and understanding all the possible angles for viewing, and their effects on the listener. Choosing the right Point of View is the difference between “Wow!” and “Next.” Let everyone see your songs shine like they should.
The workshop on "Point-Of-View" that Pat taught in Austin, Texas was nothing short of AMAZING. This seminar was the best one yet. Pat's wisdom and humor make him a wonderful teacher, and the techniques that he showed us are simple and efficient additions to my song writing toolbox They expand the possibilities of my lyrics and my songs. They are not just solutions to problems or ways to overcome obstacles in song writing; they are basic and incredibly effective techniques that I will be using on a regular basis from now on. With his seminars, workshops, and books, Pat's pool of knowledge and wisdom can make ANYONE a better songwriter! Ian Egan
Pat Pattison’s week-end seminar on Point of View was an incredible adventure and Pat is no ordinary teacher! He doesn’t simply tell you about songwriting and leave it at that. You experience the tools that make the difference between great songs and mediocre writing and you “Get it!” It doesn’t seep in slowly, it’s like “Bam!” Now I’m wondering how I ever wrote songs at all without this knowledge. Mo McMorrow
Your Songs: A
Producer’s Prospective
A Weekend Seminar with Emmy Winning Stephen Webber
This seminar ran in May in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
Have you ever wondered
what top record producers look for in songs? Get your material into top shape,
and take your records and demos to the next level as Emmy-winning producer
Stephen Webber reveals Ten Essential Skills and Most Common Pitfalls designed to sharpen your writing and
production tools. Taken from Webber’s award winning, standing-room-only classes
at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, this weekend workshop is full of
concepts that can literally save you decades of trial and error in your craft.
In the master class segments of the weekend, Stephen will provide professional,
personal feedback of participants’ CDs, demos, rough mixes, pre-production
recordings, or live performances of original material. This feedback will focus
on strengthening your material; codifying your artistic vision, identity, and
intention; finding your voice; focusing your record’s arrangement to emphasize
your strengths, and realizing professional standards of production and
engineering. Recordings (or performances) can be in any style of vocal or
instrumental music, including rock, folk, country, metal, World, R&B,
hip-hop, dance, house, techno, etc.
Songwriting Seminar with Beth Nielsen Chapman This seminar ran in April in Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney
Topics Covered included:
Dating
the Muse/Training The Brain
Lifting
Off With the Muse:
Fasten your seatbelts as you embark on the spacious, limitless journey of
writing a song letting the creative spirit to guide the process along the path
of “not knowing”, eluding the pitfalls and limitations of your ego and your
brain and opening the channels of
intuition.
The
Care And Feeding Of The Creative Spirit: Cultivate and nurture that gift within you.
Protect, defend and develop a healthy Muse .“Four Food Groups”, “Setting Out
The Tea”, “Weightlifting in the Gym of Creativity”, and “Planting Your Garden” are some of the many tools and
tips you can learn.
The
Art of Creative Survival In the Face of
Commerce and Fear.
There’s
Got To Be A Morning After: Beth
will critique songs and talk about looking at what you’ve written in the ‘light
of day’. Learn to let‘the critic’
within you speak out to nip and tuck…. this is one of the most incredible ways
to grow as a writer. Learn how to re-write….and
un-re-write!
The
Jungle Of The Music Business: “Lions & Tigers & Bears, Oh My!” Dropping breadcrumbs, tapping your heels
together and other methods of finding your way back to your creative
center. Art vs. Commerce: How and when to wear your armor.
Talent has no compass: mustering determination.
The
Three “R’s”: Recover, Rejuvinate, and Re-write again! (nothing to lose but a sheet of paper and
some pencil lead) Sacred Waiting: Facing the ‘great white’
{blank piece of paper-just think of what Paul Simon has to live up to!).
And….Singing With Your Speaking Voice/Writing With Your Singing Voice.
