How to use the Circle of Fifths to write songs

How to use the Circle of Fifths to write songs

I know many of you don’t care for music theory. It’s clinical, it’s boring, and it sucks the soul out of songwriting. Well, news flash: you’re using music theory whether or not you intend to. For myself, I know my theory pretty well, as I learned it at young age. I...
7 ways to bring variety to your collection of songs

7 ways to bring variety to your collection of songs

When writing a collection of songs, whether for a album release or in general, we sometimes end up playing it safe and resorting to tried and true motifs and ideas for every song. For myself, when I become a fan of an artist or band, I like to hear a variety of songs....
Creating Lyric Sheets that Don’t Suck

Creating Lyric Sheets that Don’t Suck

I hope you’re not like me and just keeping all your songs just in your head, It’s a bad habit I’ve developed over the years and one I’m still working against. I’m especially bad at writing my lyrics down, which is surprising considering how bad I am at writing lyrics....
Making an Emotional Impact as a Performer: Part 2

Making an Emotional Impact as a Performer: Part 2

  If you read Part 1 of this three-part series, you’ll also have listened to three different performances of the song “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” What you may have learned is that the way you interpret a song makes a difference in the way people will react...
Making an Emotional Impact as a Performer: Part 1

Making an Emotional Impact as a Performer: Part 1

Having been immersed in the wonderful world of singer-songwriters during my time at Song Talk Radio, I’ve attended quite a number of gigs and open mics over the past year. Everyone I’ve seen perform has great talent in singing, playing an instrument and...
How to get noticed: Promotional Artist Tips: Photography

How to get noticed: Promotional Artist Tips: Photography

We don’t usually talk about Artist promotion in the Song Talk Radio Newsletter. You can find lots of places on the web that cover that. But we do see a lot of submissions so we see all the different levels of “promotional” abilities in artists – and some could really...