Songwriters’ News – Volume V, Issue 2
President's Message
by Doug Millaway
One of my biggest criticisms of many original songs has to do with the lack of melodic structure. Creating a compelling melody is key to writing a memorable song, so I thought I’d suggest some tips to help you develop melodies that connect with listeners:
A melody should be easy to remember. It should hopefully focus on simple, catchy ideas that listeners can hum or sing. Simplicity can often make melodies more impactful, but I also hear a lot of folks who tend to follow the root note of the chords being played, and therefore lose the melodic connection. At the same time, be sure to have the melody complement the underlying chord structure. One way to practice this is simply to play one chord over and over and try to find all the notes that “fit” the chord.
I think a good melody will vary between different song sections. For example, the verses may be lower and more subtle, while the chorus becomes higher and more energetic. These differences keep listeners engaged and can also create emotional highs and lows. Writing melodies that are easy to sing or play, and are memorable is important, as they can become the melodic hook. For most vocalists, a range of about an octave and a half is ideal.
Try to have the melody reflect the mood and message of the song. Smooth, long notes can evoke reflection or sadness, while upbeat, dynamic patterns might show excitement or urgency. Use the melody to amplify the emotional tone of the lyrics. In my case, I have had to try to break my habit of singing quarter notes that end up preventing a dynamic flow. It’s not easy, but you can teach yourself to pay attention to detail.
A memorable hook is essential for a great song. Try to identify a short, catchy melodic idea and repeat it strategically throughout the track, especially in the chorus. Hooks are what listeners remember most. As I mentioned before, do your best to avoid writing melodies that are flat or robotic, and use dynamic changes (louder or softer moments) and phrasing to create movement. It’s important to pause in places where breathing would naturally occur, especially for vocal melodies.
Finally, melodies thrive on the push and pull of tension and release. You can try using dissonant notes or unexpected twists to build tension, (Paul Nye often calls this a “left turn”), then resolve to familiar chord tones or melodic lines for satisfying moments.
Hopefully, these ideas will give you some ways to improve your melodies. The biggest thing to do, however, is keep writing and keep listening to what makes the music you love worth listening to.
Good luck!!
Doug Millaway
Mill Away Publishing
Blind Owl Studio
Meeting Dates
By Mike Rudquist
Please Note: Going forward, all online Zoom events will use the same Zoom link. Here is a members-only link to our "Member Event Access" page which has the Zoom link:
https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/member-event-access/
Also Note: All monthly MAS online meetings will be held within the same time frame of 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. (This does not include the Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show. See the event listing below for times.)
Monthly Mixer with Doug Millaway
Wednesday, February 5, 2025, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
This meeting allows for all types of topics to be explored and discussed as it relates to songwriting – the writing process, production, inspiration, the music business – all topics related to the craft, production and business of songwriting. This is a moderated open discussion, and participants are encouraged to share their personal experiences and expertise.
Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show with Carl Unbehaun
Thursdays all month – February 6, 13, 20, 27
Every Thursday evening from 6 to 7 pm, fellow MAS member and radio DJ Carl Unbehaun offers music written and/or performed by Minnesota musicians on his Minnesota Homebrew Radio Show. Radio station KSRQ in Thief River Falls (90.1 FM) streams Carl’s show via the Internet. On the FIRST Thursday of the month, Carl dedicates his entire show to music written by members of the Minnesota Association of Songwriters!
To submit your songs to Carl’s MAS-dedicated show or to have it played on any Thursday night, contact Carl at minnesotahomebrew@gmail.com.
To listen to Minnesota Homebrew on your devices, click here: https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/radio-airplay/.
Online Round Robin Song Share with Paul Nye
Wednesday, February 12 – 6:30 – 8:30
This is a laid-back, come as you are type get together with fellow songwriters to share your songs in a take turns fashion either performing live via zoom or with a recorded version of your songs. Just for fun and just to get together and play. Even if you want to just join in to listen, this is the place for you!
Evening with MAS Special Guest Speaker Lacy Green
Monday, February 17 – 6:30 – 8:30
Growing up in the foothills of North Carolina, Lacy Green began her musical journey at 13 after her dad taught her how to play “Blackbird” on his 1969 Martin D-18. She honed her performance and songwriting chops for the next ten years at venues across the country before making her new home in Nashville. She has since signed her first publishing deal, and as a songwriter, she has had her music featured in film and TV and recorded by other artists. She has performed on some of Nashville's biggest stages, including CMA Fest, The Bluebird Cafe, and Music City Roots, and has been featured by Radio Disney, YouTube Nashville, and Taste of Country. Lacy has also made trips to Washington, DC with the Nashville Songwriter's Association to represent songwriters to Congress and fight for better copyright laws. Her latest EP “Nice Things” blends the best of tradition and innovation with her thoughtful songwriting and soulful vocals.
Monthly Online Song Review Session Hosted by Doug Millaway
Wednesday, February 26 – 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
This is our general information and song review meeting. You are welcome to play an original song in any phase of its development or completion for purposes of potentially improving it based on feedback received.
Please refrain from submitting songs you do not intend to change from feedback given. You’re welcome to share those in our Round Robin Song session above.
Our review sessions are one of the best opportunities to help you learn and improve your craft. Giving feedback on other writer's songs, and listening to others doing the same, is a great teaching tool.
You may submit your song’s audio and-or lyrics only for review up to the time of the review session. Please note, we are limited in the songs we can fit in, so you’ll want to watch for the email announcement to submit them and get it in early. Please do not submit songs prior to the announcement to avoid missing out.
We will play an MP3 of your song directly in the room. While MP3s played digitally in the room are generally easier for people to hear, they are not required for feedback. We’ll also accept lyrics only.
Find more detail, go to our Song Review Meeting page on our website: https://mnsongwriters.org/activities/meetings.
You can check out all MAS events on our website calendar at https://mnsongwriters.org/events/
Live Events
Writing Prompts Workshop with Rachel Dunlap
Saturday, February 15- 2:00 -4:00 pm
Shoreview Library Community Program Room
Shoreview Library
4560 Victoria St N
Shoreview, MN 55126
Start off 2025 right by writing with some of your fellow MAS members at the next in-person writing workshop that I will be hosting at the Shoreview Library. We will get straight to writing and spend the time co-writing songs together. If you are looking for a way to add variety to your usual style, look no further. Depending on how many people come, we can break into small groups. We will be in the Community Program Room so feel free to bring an instrument or computer. I will be bringing my MacBook with a good built-in mic and my midi controller. I am not an expert on co-writing but do have some experience and will commit to collaborating peacefully with whomever shows up! Looking forward to seeing you there and writing on Saturday, February 15th from 2-4pm. Please email rachelsaysit@gmail.com with any questions.
Editor's Note
By Mary Kealy-Falk
We have two new features we are adding to the newsletter this month. I had requested that the membership send me any and all the happenings that they are experiencing in their songwriting endeavors so that we can share them with the membership and hopefully give all of us cause for celebration on how much our music and songwriting can give back to us in so many shapes and forms. So far, with the feedback we’ve received, we have compiled two categories which are titled “MAS Members “Putting it Out There” events and the second category is MAS Members “Kudos and Congrats”. I hope you will see yourselves in one or several listings through the next few issues and will be excited to share your good news and songwriting endeavors with all of us as well!
MAS Members Putting it Out There
Listed are events and happenings that were submitted by request of the Newsletter from MAS members.
Circle Up! Live Song Share (and auditions for showcase)
Circle Up Live! Song-share session. Open to all songwriters! Thursday Feb.13th 6pm-8pm at Lunds-Byerly's / St. Louis Park Community Room. Try out your latest songs and get live, curated, peer feedback from a supportive group of songwriters. Acoustic or recorded playback is great. You can also do a live audition for performing at the Saturday Songwriter Showcase event. Hosted by Don Strong.
Every 2nd Thursday 6pm-8pm Lunds & Byerly's St. Louis Park (community room)
Live Songwriter Showcase Saturdays in February at Med Box Grill (Chanhassen) hosted by Don Strong
2/1, 2/8 and 2/22. 5pm-7pm. For more info contact Don Strong at creative.intent.studios@gmail.com
Chad Shank’s At-Home Songwriting
Online Event
Sat, Feb 22, 2025, 10:30 AM CST
5 Ways to Write Stronger Songs – Online Workshop
Online Event
Sat, Mar 1, 2025, 10:30 AM CST
Melody Tools – Free Online Songwriting Workshop
MAS Members Kudos and Congrats
Ann Thompson
I published my first book, currently on Amazon and soon everywhere. While it is about a Christmas tree's journey, its underlying message is for everyone. https://www.amazon.com/Unexpected-Journey-Little-Pine-Potentially/dp/B0DQRG165W
Amazon.com: The Unexpected Journey of Little Pine: A Potentially True Christmas Tree Story: 9798303838970: Thompson, Ann L.: Books
Ann L. Thompson recently retired from more than 45 years of corporate and nonprofit communications work. She holds an M.A. in communication from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a B.A. in communication from the College of St. Catherine (now St. Catherine University) in Saint.
www.amazon.com
Greg Connor
The internet is full of lists that offer good fodder for album ideas. In this example, I found a list of words that had characteristics and different forms of ENJOYMENT, in this case 10 words:
HAPPINESS LOVE RELIEF CONTENTMENT AMUSEMENT
JOY PRIDE EXCITEMENT PEACE SATISFACTION
My goal is to write a song referencing each of these ten words and so far, I have completed 6 of them. You can find these 6 songs in My MAS Gallery Sing the New Songs. Here is the address:
https://mnsongwriters.org/members/greg-connor/mediapress/good-friends/
When completed this album will represent my 16th published album.
Happy Writing Everyone,
Greg Connor
Gus Garfield
Hello MAS and Doug
Haven’t joined an MAS event for a while. Lots of reasons but most importantly is that I have moved into event production and sound engineering and away from my own personal performance. I have set up a sound engineering company to provide sound and supporting services to performers and to smaller venues. I also have a service for supporting the production of backyard concerts and house concerts as well as hosting a season of backyard concerts of my own.
I am still very interested in songwriting, songwriters, and performance, and so building this support business is the next level of engagement. If I can help anyone’s event to be more successful, so much the better!
Thanks
Gus Garfield
Backyard Concerts of MN /Presidential Sound Associates
gus@backyardconcertsmn.com
gus@presound.com
mobile – 612 751 1188
Have Faith in Yourself
How Faith Applies to Playing an Instrument and Writing a Song
By Paul Nye, V.P. of MAS
I was listening to a podcast by Southern California pastor Rick Warren on "Faith,"and it struck me how relevant the concept is to be learning and practicing an instrument and writing a song.
Our culture often says, “I’ll believe it when I see it,” but I think it’s the other way around. Warren called it “faith.” Many of history’s greatest accomplishments began with belief before reality. Werner von Braun, the father of the nuclear movement, once said, “There has never been any great accomplishment in history without faith.”
Artists, architects, and creators first believe in their ability to create before they begin. Persistence is the key, even when it feels counter to our culture’s instant gratification mindset. Doing the right thing often means doing it when you
don’t feel like it. Isn’t that the essence of practicing your instrument and/or working on writing a song?
The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is often willingness. Successful people do the hard work that others avoid. Mastering an instrument or songwriting takes hours of practice—even when you don’t feel like it. You can’t
reach proficiency without discipline, commitment, and faith in your ability to improve.
We must believe we can play and write songs well before we actually see results. Motivation and faith fuel that belief, and they’re essential to building thehabits needed for success.
Here’s a new concept for practicing your instrument and crafting a song – develop a holistic approach to your playing and songwriting and believe in your potential to become proficient at it and it can become a reality.
Have faith in yourself first and you can ultimately achieve that. Finally, let that belief drive you to greatness. Just a little encouragement for the day!
Co-Writing: The No Free Zone
By Pat Pattison
Submitted by Mark Grim
Pat Pattison, Songwriting Professor from Berklee College of Music
The best advice I ever got on co-writing was from Stan Webb, my first professional co-writer. When Tom Casey, a VP at SESAC in Nashville, set the appointment up for me, he asked Stan to talk to me a bit about the Nashville co-writing process, a process that dominates the songwriting culture there.
I was waiting in the SESAC writer's room with my notes and titles, some complete lyrics, song ideas, and I was feeling nervous. What if I can’t come up with anything? What if he thinks all my ideas are dumb? They don't look too good to me right now either… Not only would that humiliate me, but it would put my students' credibility in question too, and it'd be all my fault.
The door opened and there stood Stan Webb, my co-writer for the day, a guy with hits. He came in and did something curious: he shut the door, re-opened it, shut it again and then pushed hard to make sure it was closed. Hmmmm. Was he worried about folks listening and stealing our good ideas? I was deeply concerned just with having a good idea. It would have been a relief to have an idea good enough that a secret listener would want it.
He sat down opposite me on a couch and seemed to size me up. He grinned and said, "Is that door closed?" Yikes. "Yes it is," I answered carefully, not knowing where he was going with this. Was it a secret initation? "Good, I'm glad it's closed," he said, "because you can probably tell by looking at me that I'm gonna say some of the dumbest things you've ever heard." I stayed quiet. He went on, "And if you do your job right today, you're gonna say some of the dumbest things I ever heard, professor or not." "No doubt there," I thought. He grinned again and said, "But, as long as that door is closed, nobody needs to know how dumb both of us are. I won't tell if you don't."
He told me that he hoped I didn't mind, but Tom had asked him to talk to me about the co-writing process in Nashville, so he wanted to tell me just a couple things before we got going on a song. I told him to take his time.
He said, "SAY EVERYTHING that comes to your head. Say it out loud, no matter how dumb it is. Don't censor anything. If you say something really dumb, you might give me an idea that's not quite as dumb. And then I might have a decent one that gives you a better one that gives me a great one. If you'd never said the dumb one, we would never get to the great one."
"So that means that we'll never say "no" to each other. The co-writing room is a "NO" FREE ZONE. If you say something and I don't like it, I just won't say anything. Silence is a request for more, more, more. It says, 'just keep throwing stuff out there.' When either one of us likes something, we'll say YES. Otherwise, just keep going."
We had a great writing session. I lost my fear of looking like a fool. I came up with a lot of dumb ideas, and my dumbest idea of all led us to the best part of the song. We really did say everything. And the silences were golden – what a great way to ensure that we always get the best out of each other: nobody has to defend anything, and the only ideas that make it into the song are automatically ones we both like. The "NO" FREE ZONE gets the best out of both writers: there are no arguments, and there never needs to be compromise.
I've always been grateful to Stan for his wise advice that day. It helps me every time I co-write, but also every time I write. My inner critic (most frequent co-writer) has also learned to abide by the "NO" FREE ZONE. And Stan's words still echo in the songwriting classrooms at Berklee College of Music, where literally hundreds of students have worked in the "NO" FREE ZONE and have had great co-writing experiences because of it.
Thus, my advice: never talk about writing in a co-writing room, especially about technique. You're supposed to be writing, not talking about it. Stay inside the song, inside the characters. Don't run away to the intellectual level. Most people are tempted to talk about those wonderful technical effects in their lines – assonance, rhythm, deep thoughts or metaphors– out of fear — to cover their bases and try to dress up what they're afraid might be a dumb idea, in academic robes. A dumb idea is still dumb, even with professorial robes on. Just write. And write fearlessly.
One final thought: in terms of SAYING EVERYTHING, I hereby grant you permission to write crap. Lots of it; all the time; the more the better. Remember: crap makes the best fertilizer.
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