Make 2012 the year you master songwriting like a Samurai masters his sword! Download Samurai Songwriting issues 1 and 2 PLUS the John Lennon Hit Songwriting two-part telesminar for one super low price. Read on... Here's what we cover in Samurai … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2007
Average Words Per Song And The 80/20 Rule
In preparation for my 2008 song-a-week project, I wanted some numbers to give me an idea of how much writing I would need to do. Using the 80/20 rule—only 20 percent of my writing will make the cut while 80 percent will go into the waste … [Read more...]
Graham English Talks Episode 14
Merry Christmas! This is a very short message with a musical Christmas gift by the late [tag]Oscar Peterson[/tag]. Download: Graham English Talks Episode 14 … [Read more...]
Oscar Peterson Is Dead
How sad to read that Oscar Peterson is dead on Christmas Eve. He died yesterday at the age of 82. This video made the top peak performance articles of 2006. There's no doubt why. … [Read more...]
The Best Of Graham English 2007
It's time for my yearly reflections and celebrations. By far the most popular and most controversial post of 2007 was The Zen Of Attraction. I'm surprised at the attention it received because I wrote it as an aside. Some people loved it and some … [Read more...]
Rewriting Song Titles For Practice And Inspiration
Here's an exercise I love to do when I need inspiration for song titles. If nothing's coming naturally, this trick can really get the creative juices flowing. Even if I end up using nothing that I come up with, I find that within a day or two, one of … [Read more...]
Another Great Wired Piece With David Byrne On The Music Business
Along the same lines as the Thom Yorke interview, David Byrne lays out the "Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars." There's plenty of audio, a conversation with Brian Eno, another with Radiohead's managers, and there's plenty of … [Read more...]
Gmin 130bpm Ultrabeat 12-19-07
This was an exercise in using Ultrabeat. Along with a Nu School Breaks Kit is a Grind Bass and Funk Organ. Download: Gmin 130bpm Ultrabeat 12-19-07 … [Read more...]
Great Wired Article On Music With David Byrne And Thom Yorke
Wired has put together an excellent multi-media article about Radiohead's recent experiment and the music business in general. Byrne: What about bands that are just getting started? "Don't sign a huge contract that strips you of all your digital … [Read more...]
Three Injured in Fire Next Door
There was a terrible fire on Harvard Place in Somerville, a street parallel to mine. Around 11 p.m., Katie and I heard sirens directly outside our house and we discovered the beginnings of a massive fire right outside our back door. The … [Read more...]