Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 146" This Micro Lesson works through a lick in, "A Mixolydian," that can function well in a Jazz-Fusion situation.
Keeping in mind that, "A Mixolydian," is a mode of the "D Major," scale, we can think of this melodic idea as a lick which operates well over the Dominant 7th chord structure. Harmonies of "Dominant 7th" have major 3rd and minor 7th intervals alongside of perfect 5th's. These tones should not only be targeted in Jazz-Fusion, but also blended with minor 3rd intervals.
In this Micro Lesson's lick we begin from both major 3rd and root tones in measure one. Measure two adds the minor 7th "G" tone. And, measure three introduces the minor 3rd interval (C), against the major 3rd, (C#).
Practice the lick up to a point of memorization and then work on building it's speed. It's a fun lick that can work well over Mixolydian harmonies, or over any functioning or non-functioning Dominant 7th chord. Enjoy!
It's tempting, especially as a new band, to say yes to every show you're offered. You want to take advantage of every opportunity you get to make a mark in your local scene. But even groups just starting out can't or shouldn't accept every gig they're extended. Sometimes a show can actually be detrimental to your efforts.
With the exception of opening for another band or artist with a significant following, (which is a blessing you should always enthusiastically respond to with a resounding yes), here are a handful of situations in which it's totally reasonable to turn down a gig.
1. A member can't be there
Unless it's a recurring issue, which is another thing altogether, don't temporarily replace a band member because he or she can't perform at a particular gig. There are times in which this might be appropriate, but generally, it's not. The member in question might feel jilted, which could cause internal problems, and the stand-in won't know the music as well as your bandmate does. If you must have an outsider fill in, be sure that person has plenty of time to rehearse both alone and with the group, and check with the person who can't make it to be sure that he or she isn't going to resent everyone else for taking the gig.
2. It's a last-minute gig
When a band cancels just before a show, you could be called upon to perform in their stead. That's great that the booking agent or venue owner thought of you, right? If you haven't rehearsed properly, though, think twice about accepting the gig. Preparation is paramount to a successful set. Consider that against the opportunity before making a decision.
3. The show is at a problematic venue
Not every venue is right for every band, and if you've already learned that a certain spot is wrong for you, avoid playing there again. You should definitely be cautious about writing off particular venues, of course, but once you've decided one doesn't work for you – whether it's because of bad sound, the wrong regular crowd, or something else – don't go back.
4. It's too close to another show you've already scheduled
Two shows too close together is not ideal, especially if you're a band with a smaller following. It's very likely that your crowd will be split between the two dates, so you'll probably get two mediocore turnouts instead of a single, sizable one. Don't just check that the date you're asked about is open, make sure you aren't already slated for another night nearby, too.
5. There's no money involved, and you've already played for free
Playing for zero pay is something most fledgling bands do. Venue owners and booking agents often want to be sure you can bring out a crowd before they commit to paying a band or artist. Not only can you gain their trust this way, but also you'll probably play for a bigger crowd if there's no door charge.
You can only do this for so long, though. If you believe you've already proven your pull, don't continue performing for free. Negotiate some degree of payment based on the turnouts you've garnered thus far.
Some of the people whose work is most intimately affected by copyright law are musicians, yet there are many misconceptions and even outright falsehoods circulating in the musical community when it comes to things like the right to perform and make changes to existing songs, and what really constitutes fair use.
If you've ever played a gig without making sure you were covered by a performance license or been tempted to change someone else's song to create a parody, here's what you need to know.
1. The performance right
Many musicians believe they have the right to perform any song, in any place, at any time. The right to perform songs actually belongs to the individual song owners, and not to performers. Song owners are entitled to collect royalties for all public performances of their songs, which means that performers need licenses to perform them.
For gigging musicians, performing cover songs often feels like a free right because many venues pay for broad performance licenses from the performance rights organizations (ASCAP, SESAC, and BMI in the US).
The performance right also affects people who want to play pre-recorded music for the public, including the music you hear on hold or even piped into malls and restaurants. Business owners and musicians are required to pay for performance licenses if they want to play music for their customers, and if your band ends up doing gigs at bars, restaurants, or parties, then you need to make sure that the venue has paid for a performance license before you play any cover songs.
2. The right to make changes to others' songs
Making clever changes to the lyrics or melody of a song may seem like a great way to make your mark and demonstrate your artistic prowess, but many musicians don't realize that they actually need permission from song owners before changing inherent parts of the song. The need to get permission for major changes applies whether you're performing a cover song or making a recording of a cover song. There are some things, such as tempo and key, that you can change as a way of taking artistic license, but anything that alters the fundamental bones of the song, including changes to the lyrics or melody, requires that you get in contact with the song owners first. Be aware that getting permission to make changes often requires paying a fee for the privilege, so plan ahead.
3. Fair use
Contrary to popular belief, there are no hard and fast rules about what is fair use and what is not, making fair use one of the most commonly misunderstood parts of copyright law. Instead of clearly defined rules, the courts evaluate fair use on a case-by-case basis, weighing four factors to determine if something is fair use. Determining fair use includes considerations like whether the use is for commercial or nonprofit/educational purposes and how the use will affect the value of the original work. To read about all four factors involved in determining fair use, see the United States Copyright Office's website.
Fair use myths often include the belief that using a specific limited amount of someone else's work is legal, and you'll often hear people give false statements such as, "You're allowed to sample up to 15 seconds of a song," or, "It's okay to copy one page of a score." But the fact is that there are no clearly defined rules saying that this is fair use, and whenever you use someone else’s copyrighted work without getting the appropriate licenses/permissions, you may be doing something illegal.
There are some things that musicians do which are clearly not fair use, such as providing friends with copies of sheet music or recordings, since such copying and sharing means that the copyright owners will sell fewer copies of their music. But what about parody? The freedom to make social commentary through parody creates lots of grey area where copyright law is concerned. Shows such as Saturday Night Live and late-night talk shows constantly parody the work of artists, but when parodies have a commercial benefit for the creators, they are often denounced as attempts to piggyback off of the work and success of the original artist.
Don Henley's song "The Boys of Summer" provides a good example of the perils of claiming parodies as fair use. An altered version of Henley's song, re-titled "The Hope of November," was created by a political candidate to parody opponents during a campaign. In 2010, the court ruled that this unauthorized use of Henley's song was not fair use because, among other things, it was used for a commercial purpose (to garner campaign contributions), and hurt Henley's chances of licensing the song for future uses. For a more complete description of the ruling, read about the case on the US Copyright Office's website.
The bottom line is that whenever you make a lot of money or gain fame and influence by borrowing someone else's idea, there's a good chance that someone will take legal action against you arguing that your work was illegal rather than fair use. Play it safe and always ask for permission before making changes to someone else's work.
Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 145" This Micro Lesson runs through a 1970's "F# Minor" Rock-pop style riff. This riff sets-up a style very similar to the 1970's band, "The Guess Who."
At the start of this riff we apply pick-up notes to bring in a bend off of the minor 3rd of the "F#" minor chord. It's a blues-rock sound that's common to 70's Rock-Pop music and works well to establish the first measure.
In measure two we cover the VIIth and IVth chords of this key as "Power-Chords" (these are the E5 and the B5). Measure three brings in one of the most popular sounds of 70's Rock, the "Boogie-Woogie" guitar riff. This sound is instantly recognizable but can be a challenge to perform as it requires a fairly large stretch. This reach can be better accomplished by using the index and middle fingers of the fret-board hand to play the root and 5th of the chord.
The riff wraps-up by returning to the "E5 and B5" Power chords and the pick-up notes operate to turn the riff around. Enjoy!
Despite mountains of easy-to-find evidence to the contrary, musicians still have some serious delusions about the music industry and how to “make it.”
To quote the amazing Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Boss-tones – because what he says is #truth – “If it was an overnight success, it was one long, hard, sleepless night.” If that still hasn’t penetrated your skull, here are three more specific delusions musicians still have about the biz, and each one revolves around the idea that overnight successes are a serious myth.
1. Talent is enough to bring you success
Talent is the most important thing. You have to have it. Without it, you have nothing, really. But you also need to hone that talent, sharpen your skills, and develop and fine-tune all other ancillary elements of band-dom. You need to rehearse – daily (if possible). You need to tour in a crappy, smelly van that has a stupid nickname and sputters along with 250,000 miles on the odometer. Having a bus doesn’t make you a rock star, but knowing how to survive and profit off of a tour sure does. You need to put in the daily effort and work on getting along with your band-mates. You need to write (and rewrite, and then test and then play live, and then re-write again) song choruses and corresponding hooks.
And when the timing is right, you’ll need to hire a manager and enlist a professional publicist. You need a lot of things to accompany your God-given talent, but don’t give up. Just go into it knowing that you have to be patient, you need to study, (yes study), rehearse, practice, be dedicated and continue on even when things look bleak and let time do its thing.After that, if you're lucky, something might happen to take you to the next level. Either that or you'll be broke! 2. Ambition is enough to bring you success
Ambition will certainly be the rocket fuel propelling you forward, but there are lots of ambitious, talented people toiling away, still trying to make it while seemingly spinning their wheels. Who doesn’t want to be the biggest band in the world, right? You can’t and won’t get by on your talent, ambition, and charm alone. You’ve got to be a total package, and that starts with excellent songs and ends with presentation and is assisted by your team.
It may seem like all some famous musicians have done is stepped in poop and from that - they got huge – quick. But how well do you really know their back-story? You likely don’t any true idea of what brought them to their stardom. But honestly, stop worrying about what anyone else is doing and worry only about you and what you’re doing – and perhaps even more importantly, what you aren’t doing.
3. Associations are the magic bullet
You can have the same manager, the same publicist, or the same label as a huge and successful band, but that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll have that same level of success because you’re guilty by association. There’s no such thing as passive success in this business. You’ll need to put in the effort and the hours in order to elevate yourself and your band to the next level. Having the right pieces in place will help, but the burden is ultimately on you to git ‘er done.
Remember, a label and a manager are money-lending institutions and steerers of the ship, respectively. Aim for doing a gold medal-worthy backstroke. The team will help you navigate the waters, but whether you sink or swim is totally up to you.
Also, please remember that an entitled, know-it-all attitude will get you absolutely nowhere. Don’t stand in your own way. If you think that you’ve been grounding and pounding for years and have not advanced to your liking, maybe it’s time for an adjustment in your thinking.
Welcome to... "Micro-Lesson 144" This Micro Lesson runs through a slightly "Carlos Santana-ish" inspired Latin-Rock Riff in the key of "A" Minor.
Pick-up notes bring in the riff starting from off of the root of, "A." The "Am7" chord then pushes in the "G" Major chord as measure two arrives. A short turnaround phrase, (using the; Root, 3rd and 7th chord tones of the "Am7"), help to loop the phrase back into the, "Am7," and, "G," chords once more.
The end of the phrase really brings out the Latin feel by introducing an, "F," major chord along with an, "E7," chord with an, "E Major." The "E" chords are borrowed chords from the "A Harmonic Minor" scale.
This is a common sound applied in many latin-Rock songs. And, is quite evident in Carlos Santana's 1999 hit, "Smooth."
Take your time developing the phrase and use a drum machine app set with a Latin beat to perfect the feel. Enjoy!
There's a false assumption about songwriting that some magical moment of inspiration will suddenly strike a person sitting in a room with a guitar, causing them to give birth to a small piece of artistic brilliance, and until that happens, it's not worth picking up a pen and a piece of paper.
It's true that inspiration can come from a variety of places, but the hard reality is that just like playing an instrument, great songwriters become great by practicing. It's especially important to remember that early results are almost never that promising. It's okay to write a crappy song. But, the key is figuring out what about the song wasn't so great and what needs to be done to improve it.
In the meantime, there are exercises that you can do on a daily and weekly basis that will strengthen your writing muscle and make you a better songwriter. Some of these are tried-and-true techniques, some are a little bit outside of the box. Some of them may work wonders for you, some may not. Every writer learns to find what processes work best for them.
1. Learn, play, and diagram your favorite songs Influences are a big part of every songwriter's individual sound. The hard part is figuring out how to absorb your favorite writers and let their influences seep into your own creative process without copying them outright. Learning to play and perform a song that someone else wrote is one way to learn from the inside out what it feels like to sing from that writer's perspective. The reality is that you'll never be able to perform the same way they do, so take liberty in interpreting their songs with your own voice. Memorize the lyrics, learn them as single-note melodies and practice and learn them as if you were preparing to perform. Really let it sink in.
2. Freestyle write and record it
Freestyle, stream of consciousness writing is deceptively simple. Training your mind to spit out new ideas without stopping is a discipline in and of itself. Whether you're playing guitar, DJing in Ableton, singing and playing piano, or working in whatever medium you prefer to write in, freestyle writing can not only be a discovery tool for new ideas, but can also reveal crutches and patterns that you lean on too often. Make sure to record yourself and listen back – you might be surprised as to what you hear.
3. Write with someone else
At least once every three months (or more), try composing with another musician. It's always a good idea to try out musical ideas while composing with another writer, whether or not he or she is more or less experienced than you are. There are always methods you could pick up, but more than anything, writing with someone else forces you to put ideas to paper. Writing alone can often include distractions, but when you have a set aside time in front of someone else, there's more of a sense of urgency to create something. Don't expect every co-writing session to be fruitful; remember that a lot of these are exercises to make you better. You might not end up with a great song at the end, but the process can teach you a lot.
4. Try a segmented or point/counterpoint exercise
A complicated song with multiple sections and a fully developed theme can often be a daunting task to jump right into. This why it is good to try and compose in segments. then, test each segment against other ones. Some will always blend better. And, others may even get thrown away, or perhaps used in a different song. Write a series of verse/chorus combinations and think about each of them like a point/counterpoint. Identify one idea and flesh it out. Follow it up with a second idea that counterpoints that idea – melodically, lyrically, rhythmically, however you see fit. Once you're done and this two part creation is complete, start over and do it again. Some of these ideas might even turn into actual songs, but you can't expect them all to be great ideas. Again, it's all about the exercise.
5. Set aside dedicated composing time
Nick Cave approaches songwriting like a desk job – he commits himself to writing from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., five days a week, with a lunch break in the middle. This can seem a bit stuffy to artists who typically consider the musician's lifestyle of sleeping until noon and getting that flash of inspiration at midnight to be the more inspired approach. The reality is that a surprising number of creative people work within a fixed schedule. Set aside time just for writing and take it seriously.
