Thank You, Mr. Briley

Just finished a workshop with the very talented Martin Briley. He spoke of the importance of "melodic shapes", referring to vocal melodies. The penny dropped. In recent years I've been writing this sequence:

Lyric idea -> Chords -> Vocal Melody

Whereas he's suggesting this :

Vocal Melody -> Lyric -> Chords

Duh. That's why he has gold records and why my mom still helps me out.

A Slow Fascination

to be ridiculous 

fun to play with

to work

without reason

Ice cream together

Listening to our

favorite music 

It's very important

Its where I get off 

It's a trick 

i know how it's done 

It still holds

I still do that

I'm still there

a slow fascination 

measured in years

Stage Fright

...suddenly melts away all at once. It's like I followed a breadcrumb trail back to my reasons for doing this and I'm at peace with all the psychological stuff. My musicianship has galaxies to go, but I don't doubt myself as I writer. I put lyrics and chords together. I sing the songs and that's enough for one person. Amen

.

Explaining Myself

In Professor Rose's Music Appreciation Class... So...I've never made a million dollars. I'm a middle-aged dude with no money in the bank. Why do I write songs? It's obsession.