The lead vocalist and guitar player from this band, which really blew up in the early 80’s (and then soon after disbanded), went on to become a favorite solo artist of mine. There are many things about his playing, singing, and songwriting that appeal to me. One of the characteristics of his style that I really admire is the warmth of his sound. Both his playing and his singing are just so mellow and sweet. And his songs and his playing are very melodic and often use fun rhythmic elements (like the drums in Cannibals!). Another thing about his songwriting[…]
Music
Writing a New Song is Like Falling in Love all Over Again!
It struck me today that the energy and feeling that comes with writing a new song feels a lot like falling in love: floating on a cloud of hope and wonder, inspired by creative surges, feeling like life is so full of possibilities! Remember that incredible, joyful feeling when you found someone special who seemed to think you were special too? It’s one of the most amazing experiences a human being can have. Falling head-over-heels, cascading through emotional joy, wearing a happy smile, and humming a happy tune. I’ve also been one of the fortunate ones who ultimately found my[…]
Mugglinworks – A Powerful Resource for Learning Music Theory, with a Unique Twist
mugglinworks.com One of the best free resources that TEAM founder Gary Gray has shared with me and the other musicians from across the world that he mentors on a weekly basis in our MasterMind* sessions is Mugglinworks.com. Mugglinworks has a variety of tools and resources, but one of the fundamental sets of tools on the site is their “Music Theory for Songwriters” section, found here: https://www.mugglinworks.com/chordmaps/. If you click through to that link and scroll down, you’ll see that there are two multi-part sections of links to tutorial content, starting with some basics and evolving through to a unique concept[…]
Moving Into an Incredible New Phase in my Musical Journey!
I am so excited to share this! Over the last two years, my life as a musician with a simple goal (producing a full length album) has taken an incredible path, raising my composing, recording, and mixing abilities to truly professional levels. Not only am I collaborating with brilliant musicians from all across the world, I am also being taught by an amazing mentor and having my songs produced by world-class producers! How it all started… Back in 2013 and 2014 as I was working on recording and producing my first EP, Keeping the Dream Alive, I stumbled across a[…]
What do you get When you mix a Kick-ass Action Star, ZZ Top, and the King of the Jungle?
Early on in the pandemic, I found myself binging movies (and I know I wasn’t the only one 🙂 ). I was particularly drawn to the countless flicks starring Liam Neeson kicking ass, hunting down his missing daughter, or getting back at someone who had wronged him in some way. I watch movies in the same small room that serves as my home studio. This often leads to me grabbing my guitar or sitting at my DAW to noodle through an idea that was inspired by something I heard in a movie. Maybe it was part of a soundtrack, but[…]