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Independent
Music Reflections: The Elements of Song
An active musician, singer/songwriter, and the founder of Riparius Records, Ragland brings to this interview a career that has studied musical composition and improvisation with Macarthur Genius Award winning pianist and educator, Ran Blake. His performances have included appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., New York's Knitting Factory and New England Conservatory's legendary Jordan Hall. He released his first solo CD, Untethered, in 2001. [Steven Digman] Could you define the basic elements (the ingredients) you consider necessary for writing a good song? [Gar Ragland] What separates a song from other forms of music is the lyric, and the relationship between the music and the lyric. So to start, the theme presented by the lyric needs to be strong, and the angle of delivery needs to be clever. There is a finite number of themes available to the songwriter, most of which have been addressed many times over by a number of very talented songwriters. However, there's real room for innovation in how that theme is delivered. What's the context? [Who's] doing the delivery? Is the songwriter observing, experiencing firsthand, or both? This is the territory in a song to really be clever, and unique. Next, the relationship between the lyric and the music has to be solid. Does the feel of the music- both the melody and the harmony (i.e., chords and chord progressions) reinforce the theme of the lyric? If so, then chances are the song is on its way to being solid.
[Gar Ragland] Wow - anything and everything. Basically, all resources can be divided into two camps: external and internal. As for external resources, what's so enjoyable to me about songwriting is the way it encourages, perhaps even necessitates, living one's life in an observant, adventurous way. To try to stay attuned to subtleties that, if you weren't mining for ideas, would otherwise be missed. External resources for me include people watching, museums, historical figures and historical events. As for internal resources, I find my songwriting to be an extremely effective vehicle for sorting through my own emotions, feelings and issues. Daniel Lanois, one of my musical heroes, calls it 'soul mining.' Songwriting is an amazing tool for developing greater self-awareness, and it's an amazing form of self-administered psychotherapy. As humans, we're emotionally complex by design, and our modern, complex lives further creates an endless sea of internal songwriting resources! [Steven Digman] Are there any non-musical influences that have influenced your writing? [Gar Ragland] ... Most of my songwriting resources are non-musical. The sources of inspiration are almost always non-musical, yet it is through a lifetime of listening to and playing music that I as a songwriter use a musical medium to capture, develop and articulate the ideas that are sparked by those sources. [Steven Digman] Who are your Favorite songwriters (songs)? [Gar Ragland] ... I have so many favorite songwriters, but I'd have to say my top five are Joni Mitchell, David Byrne, Hank Williams, Cole Porter and Stevie Wonder. [Steven Digman] What are some of the common mistakes that you believe new songwriters often make? [Gar Ragland] Trying too hard to sound like someone else, and trying too hard not to. This sounds contradictory, but I'll try to explain myself. Clark Terry, the great trumpet player and educator, once said this when asked what steps one should take to achieve musical greatness: "Emulate, Imitate, Innovate." When done sequentially, I think he's right on the mark. As artists, we all need musical mentors and role models. The composite of these alone goes a long way toward making someone's style unique. For example, how many songwriters can cite the five artists I mention above as being their favorite songwriters? How many can site yours? As a fan of all of these artists, the next step for me as an artist in developing my own style is to absorb the elements of their music that I'm so drawn to in the first place. That begins first by lots of listening, and then by imitating the music, first by learning to play and sing their music, then to write in a similar way. Songwriters often make the mistake of not doing this in an attempt to be unique before their own style has actually developed, and that does not happen overnight. It's a lifelong process! Second, I think of number of songwriters stop at the point when they're writing just like they're songwriting heroes, resulting in a 'heard before' style and spending too much time reinventing the wheel. While I believe that emulation is a fundamentally important step, the process needs to continue to move forward. This is accomplished by emulating a number of different types of songwriters, and in time, one's own songwriting style develops through the subconscious hybridization of the styles of a number of different songwriters. Songwriters can begin this process, and reap its benefits, from a very early stage, and they should have the confidence in their own skills and creative abilities to it. [Steven Digman] What one rule (or rules) should a songwriter always follow? [Gar Ragland] This may sound cliché, and it is, but for good reason: Follow your own voice. In this world of uniformity and homogeneity, the arts desperately need to remind society of the beauty and empowerment of self-expression, of transcending cookie-cutter influences in our lives. Songs are a wonderful vehicle for being reminded of this, especially if the artist/songwriter has led by example in the creation of the music. Hallelujah! Songwriters should always be mining for material, and never discount the value of their ideas and source materials for songs. [Steven Digman] Always break? [Gar Ragland] Any rules they've ever been taught about songwriting! There are so many ways to 'skin the cat' as a songwriter, that every songwriter should be open to any and all vehicles for writing songs. Most songwriters, myself included, develop their own set of rules, which often work well but can at the same time prove limiting. We should all be open to trying new approaches to songwriting, however unorthodox they may be." [Steven Digman] The business side of songwriting: how difficult is it? [Gar Ragland] There is a lot of uncertainty in the music world, and the music industry is traditionally a tough industry in which to work. First, do it because you love it. Don't be primarily motivated to 'make lots of money' - chances are you'll find yourself disappointed. That being said, there is no better time than the present for the independent songwriter/musician to be in the industry. Advancements in technology (recording equipment and the Internet) have served as empowering tools to the independent artist by effectively weakening the stranglehold that record companies once had on determining whose music was heard. It is a difficult business to break, but one that currently has a considerably large number of opportunities to exploit. [Steven Digman] And finally Gar, do you have any advice to offer for new or unpublished songwriters? [Gar Ragland] Capitalize on the current tumultuous state of the music industry. Find a niche and develop it. Capitalize on the relatively inexpensive price of great sounding home recording equipment and the cost-effective marketing power of the Internet. Make a great recording of your own, build a website that showcases your talent, and sell CDs from your website. If you're a performer, sell them at shows as well. If you're a songwriter who doesn't perform, find local talent whose performance style matches your writing style and have them perform your material. Work with a producer who has experience in getting the job done from start to finish, who has both a creative and business vision for your music. This is a particularly wise investment if you've never gone through the experience of putting together a recording project and/or business plan for your music. It's like having a personal tutor to walk you through each step of the way. If you choose this path, work on a project fee basis, and work the producer for all that he/she is worth! Chances are you'll learn the ropes well enough to do it on your own for subsequent projects. Last, search for sources of revenue other than selling CDs. Work to license your music for film, television shows, commercials, etc. The Internet is an excellent resource to learn about non-traditional sources of revenue for your creative work. For Information about the Mountain Stage New Song Festival, go to www.newsongfestival.com
INDIE
NEWS BEAT Kin Za Za's "The River" Selected for Indie Music Video Festival
Montreal, Canada -- "The River" by Ambient-World, pop duo Kin Za Za was selected as one of 50 music videos for the 2nd Annual Indie Music Video Festival (www.imvf.com). The duo beat out artists, musicians and videographers from Canada, the U.S., U.K., Australia, Norway, and Germany to be included in the two-day festival touring through Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Seattle, Washington DC, Hamilton (ON) and Los Angeles. "Kin
Za Za were selected for the visual impact of the video and on the
strength of the song, The River," said Festival Directors Nicole
Steen. The next stop on the festival's, presented by Justice Through Music is on Saturday November 15 at the American Film Institute Silver Theater on Silver Spring, Maryland. More
on Kin Za Za Sultry Latin Jazz Release "Let Him Hear My Heart"
The arrangements on Let Him Hear My Heart are a manifestation of fine and meticulous craftsmanship and immense talent. The vocalist has a hand in six of the ten arrangements here, a seamless mix of horns and string washes and Latin grooves; and when Resto isn't putting the charts together, Renee Leyva is, on the cool percolations of "Gracias" and "Lejos," the most percussive and most "Latin" sounding tunes on the disc. "Many of the songs are autobiographical, or paintings of scenes or situations I or friends of mine may have experienced," explained Deborah. "CHEVERE for example has to do with a non-Hispanic guy and a Hispanic woman not speaking each other's language, but when they kissed the language was well understood." What the media has to say: "I should have put it on the minute it came in the mail. What a polished effort. Ms. Resto is one of the most sensual and emotive singers I've heard this year. Great production and arrangements, too. I'm partial to the two Renee Leyva arranged tunes, but the sounds are solid throughout." -- Dan McClenaghan, All About Jazz "Let Him Hear My Heart is a romantic and exotic listening journey combining English and Spanish, often in the same songs. The smooth grooves are enhanced by salsa, bright horns and other cool textures that make this album extra special." -- Sandy Shore, Smooth Jazz "SCINTILLATING... SULTRY... SEXY... These adjectives just begin to describe the long awaited vocal arrival of Deborah Resto. Her artistry will soon overwhelm and dazzle the music industry." -- Louis Laffitte, Latin Beat Magazine Industrial Rock Artist DAX Partners With Focus Marketing
Philadelphia, PA -- When Austin, TX based artist DAX decided to attend Jean-Marc Rejaud's workshop "The Why's and How's to Focus Your Music Career" at the 2003 Independent Music Conference in Philadelphia, little did he know the impact it would have on his career. "I found Jean-Marc's session at the Independent Music Conference to be extremely engaging and informative," says DAX, "a musician or band would be crazy not to consider the principles behind Focus Marketing." It did not take long for Jean-Marc and DAX to develop a strong relationship and chart a strategy to propel the independent singer's career to the next level. Focus Marketing will apply its unique set of information management methodologies based on the "80/20 rule," with marketing best practices usually reserved for Fortune 100 companies. "DAX has already achieved an impressive record of success for an independent artist and for me this is the clear sign that an artist is ready to reach the next level," explains Jean-Marc. "Our responsibility is to help leverage that success, fan base and valuable data to develop a practical and focused marketing strategy. Focus Marketing will leverage its methodology to leverage the 80/20 rule (where 20% of your customers are responsible for 80% of your business) to identify top fans and markets targets for DAX." At the heart of Focus Marketing's approach are the tools and methodology to gather and analyze data on existing and potential fans and translate that information into targeted and cost-effective marketing strategies. "Focus Marketing's expertise is not simply in applying the 80/20 rule," explains Jean-Marc. "Rather, it is our experience in information analysis and actual marketing campaign management for companies like American Express or L'Oreal that sets us apart. No other music marketing company can combine information and marketing skills with such a background of experience from top companies." That message had a concrete impact at the Independent Music Conference where Jean-Marc was reinvited to IMC2003 Follow-Through Workshop, a series of monthly meetings providing follow-through advice and assistance of the lessons learned from the conference held this fall. "I participated to many conferences so far and I have to recognize that the IMC is one of the most energizing forums for artists and music professionals that I have been exposed to," said Jean Marc. "Not only the content and the participants are of high quality, but Noel Ramos is not afraid to shake up the status Quo by promoting new ideas and concepts." Focus Marketing, based out of Jersey City, NJ is a company bridging data analysis, marketing strategy development and implementation for the music industry. Url: http://www.focusmarketing.us/music/ Email: jmrejaud@focusmarketing.us A Call For Entries For The 1st Annual Buzz Music Calendar Contest
The full service public relations, marketing, and business development firm is introducing the First Annual Buzz Music Calendar Contest. A call for entries is being sent out to musicians of all genres and locations. Submissions will be judged upon quality, originality and composition. Entries featuring the band near a well-known landmark in their town are highly encouraged. Submissions received after November 9, 2003 will not be accepted. Submissions should include the best quality color photo of the band possible and a 3x5 card that lists: band name, names of each member, website, hometown and state, genre of music and a personal quote, and the photo credit. The calendars will be printed on glossy 100 lb text weight paper and will measure 8.5" x 11" when folded, and 11" x 17" when hanging and feature full bleed dynamic color. Thirteen total images will be featured (one cover and 12 months) and all images will bleed to 11.5 x 9, trimmed 11 x 8.5. The Image Resolution will be 150-300 DPI. All submitted photos become the property of Buzz Communications, LLC and will not be returned. Bands should send submissions to: Buzz Communications, LLC; PO Box 370105; Milwaukee, WI; 53237-1205. Please mark "Photo Contest" on the outside of the package. "Guerrilla Music Marketing" Book Appears In Major Motion Picture
In an era when many companies pay big bucks to get their products "placed" in major motion pictures, one do-it-yourself author is enjoying widespread exposure with the appearance of his book in the new film "The School of Rock." And he didn't have to pay a dime or twist one arm to earn his spot on the Silver Screen. In fact, Paramount Pictures approached him to use the book in the movie. "About a year ago I was contacted by a company that secures props for motion pictures and told that Paramount wanted a copy of my 'Guerrilla Music Marketing Handbook' for possible use as a prop in a movie starring Jack Black," explains St. Louis, MO-based author/publisher Bob Baker. "I signed the release form and mailed off a copy." Baker says he had mostly forgotten about the movie until he heard promotions for "The School of Rock" over the summer. "But I didn't get too excited," he admits. "I figured my book was one of many props gathered for the movie, and that I'd be lucky if it ended up on a bookshelf in the background." Inside The Music Business Radio Show Gives Unsigned Artists Unique Exposure Opportunities Inside The Music Business: The Weekly Radio Show with Eric Kline which just launched Sunday on 1080AM (in South Florida) and is simulcast and archived on InsideTheMusicBusiness.com, has announced two very unique opportunities for unsigned artists to receive exposure to the listening audience. Each week, along side national execs and artists, a local unsigned act performs. In addition, Kline announced something that will guarantee an unsigned act exposure. "We had an overwhelming response from local artists after Sundays show," says Kline. "People from S. Florida to Chicago were calling wanting to know how they could get on the show. I cam e up with the idea of designating a certain amount of my advertising space to those aspiring artists. If an artists truly believes in themselves, they can purchase :30 or :60 second spots that play their music and contain a directive such as a website for the public and the industry to check them out." Johnny Cash Musical Tribute Set For November 10 A musical tribute to the late Johnny Cash is set to take place November 10 at the historic Ryman Auditorium with some of the biggest names in music. Performers scheduled to-date includes his daughter, Rosanne, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Sheryl Crow, Hank Williams Jr., Jack Clement, Steve Earle and Larry Gatlin. Musicians not yet confirmed are Bob Dylan, Bono and Bruce Springsteen. "John Carter, Rosanne and the rest of the family just wanted to give the public closure to their feelings about John's death," Lou Robin, Cash's manager said. "They thought maybe this would be an opportunity for a lot of different entertainers to come and voice their feelings and perform and entertain."
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As
Director of The Mountain Stage New Song Festival, Gar Ragland
kindly offers his insightful thoughts for both new and old songwriters
alike, about the musical opportunities that exist for writers, and
the applied playing physics ... on writing a song.
Focus
Marketing to leverage its information management and marketing expertise
to help elevate DAX to the next level.
