SVSA MUSIC NEWS JUNE 2020 JUNE FEATURE ArtICLE Making music can mirror making a better society by Mike Franke apart and dissect every word These days, racism is a hot coming out of my mouth for fear of topic. I was taught, like most I being racist – or at least being called guess, to treat people the same – racist. Made me want to just shut that ethnicity shouldn’t and doesn’t up and not say anything. matter. I had this on my mind, with my Outwardly, at least, I was guitar in my hand … taught this. Like most, however, I Usually when I sit around and also picked up thousands of subtle play guitar, I play my own stuff. lessons that were not explicitly Naturally, I find myself playing the “taught.” Movies, the media, even same thing over and over again. our own friends and families … Kinda the point, I guess – it’s they all steer us to reinforce certain practice, after all. stereotypes and behaviors that are I do it on purpose, and because barriers that we have to consciously it pleases me. I tell people I have overcome. to play a song of mine about 100 I found myself recently times before I feel like I start to MIKE FRANKE frustrated about having to pick See Feature Article, page 2 Due to coronavirus Room at the Jefferson Wednesday June 24 restrictions, the Center in Roanoke VA at at 7:00 p.m. Check DUES BE next few in-person 7:30 p.m. and end when your inbox for SVSA DUE BE meetings of the SVSA the last song critique emails containing the will be cancelled. is finished, or at 10:30 latest info on deadlines DUE BE Normally, meetings p.m., whichever comes for submitting songs DUE are held on the fourth first. and lyrics. Wednesday of the The next virtual on- Keep safe and keep Pay $35 month in the LL Rice line live meeting will be writing songs! on our website ... it occurred to me that maybe “the process of picking things apart and dissecting every word coming out of my mouth is part of a learning process ... ” FEATURE ARTICLE Continued from page 1 “own” it – find my “groove.” I have to focus on every little So maybe one way to think The trick is to do it consciously, detail, and slow it way, way down about the recent protests is to so that the “groove” doesn’t (for now), to carve those new consider them a call for us – for become a “rut.” pathways in my brain. It’s really society in general – to take some But for the past couple of uncomfortable. refresher courses in treating days, I’ve been learning a song So it occurred to me that people with equal respect, that someone taught me once. (I maybe the process of picking things compassion, and trust, no matter have a video.) I have to play stuff apart and dissecting every word their ethnicity. I’m not used to. My right hand coming out of my mouth is part Refresher courses are where has to move much differently of a learning process, too. Maybe you slow everything waaaay than it usually does. I’m using having labels and boundaries and down, focus on every stinkin’ parts of the neck that I seldom rules shoved in my face is all part little detail, and develop muscle do. My left hand isn’t in its usual of taking baby steps to a greater memory that maybe we’ve familiar shapes. I can’t just go on understanding – even if it is forgotten (or never had in the autopilot. frustrating and sometimes almost first place). The song is particularly debilitating. Not maybe. I know Deep breath. Back to that delicate – not usually my style. this. But sometimes I forget. song… 2 | SVSA MUSIC NEWS | J U N E 2 0 2 0 SVSA Treasurer Mike Franke is the host of our monthly Zoom meetings. Mike gathers the songs that have been submitted for critique, puts the lyrics up on the screen, and facilitates our smooth and informative discussions along the way. SVSA President Mike DeGiorgi fulfills his usual in-person functions by moving things along and generally guiding the meeting to a successful conclusion. If you have not yet signed up for an SVSA Zoom meeting, we urge you to do so. It’s a fun experience! Next virtual SVSA meeting this Wednesday, June 24 The next on-line Zoom SVSA meeting is Wednesday and mp3 files no later than noon on Tuesday June 23. May 27. We’ll start at 7:00 p.m., to allow for a little socializing • As you receive lyrics via Google email, print them so and for anyone new to Zoom to get comfortable with it. Mike you can take notes during the discussion. Also note the email Franke will again be our Zoom host and will e-mail you a link addresses of members who are submitting. before the meeting. You need only to click on it at the time of • You are strongly encouraged to email your critique notes the meeting to participate. You can use a smart phone, tablet, back to the songwriter. You can summarize in the text of the or desktop computer. email or take a picture of the lyric sheet and email it back to Here are the instructions for submitting songs and lyrics the songwriter. Another option is to use the chat function in as well as critique protocol. Recordings only; live performances Zoom to send real-time feedback to each songwriter as their don’t work well on Zoom: songs are being played. • Use the SVSA Google email address to send your lyrics We’ll see you all in cyberspace again this Wednesday! 3 | SVSA MUSIC NEWS | J U N E 2 0 2 0 Meeting Notes by Bill Stanton The second “Zoom Tunes” meeting was held last month. SVSA Treasurer Mike Franke again assumed the role of host. There were 10 members in attendance. Eight members submitted songs for vetting: Barb Martin, Mollye Otis, Bob Schmucker, Mike Pearrell, David Barudin, Mike Franke, Charlie Divers, and Bill Stanton. All eight songs were submitted electronically and members could choose to print out lyric sheets at home or to read along on-screen while the songs were playing. Words to the wise by Greg Trafidlo Jimmy Webb’s book, Tunesmith – Inside The Art Of Songwriting, offers a wealth of valuable information for pro and amateur songwriters. I personally think it’s one of the best sources you could ever own to improve your craft. My underlined, dog-eared copy is my “go to” source for inspiration and helpful information. Below is just a sample of Webb’s advice: The amateur songwriter’s greatest single failing and one that is immediately obvious to the listener Last month, SVSAer Greg Trafidlo was burdened is that the writer does not know exactly where with the sorrowful task of burying a deceased wild the song is going. Often the point of the song is bird. As his house is surrounded by quite a wooded circumnavigated brilliantly. Sometimes there are two or even three pretty good ideas in the song area, he naturally headed out a ways to perform his but the listener is left unsatisfied. (The hors d’oeuvres sad task. In the woods, he crossed over the spot of a were tasty but the waiter never served the main hammock stand that SVSA Secretary David Simpkins course.) So all of our background materials – letters, usually reserves for songwriting (or a nap) whenever lists, “chains,” or streams of consciousness – must the opportunity presents itself. Greg spied a dark be appraised carefully to make sure the words object on the ground that turned out to be a tuner we have chosen make a meaningful contribution – presumably lost by David – that was every bit as to the story or “idea.” The most of the fabulous dead as the bird Greg was intending to bury. Neither metaphor or double entendre ever conceived David nor Greg’s wife Judy Larson know why Greg or the niftiest color-word or rhyme imaginable is expendable if it is not on target – if the meaning of didn’t go ahead and bury the tuner with the bird. the lyric could be clearer without it. (From page 53.) Maybe there’s a song in that! The next SVSA online meeting is this coming Wednesday, June 24. Check your email inbox for a link and an ID number to the next virtual Zoom meeting. 4 | SVSA MUSIC NEWS | J U N E 2 0 2 0 Instinct is at the core of a successful song by David musician/songwriter friend who to identify with these quotes out of Barudin wrote back, “Yah! That same quote a common shared experience. The A New York hit me upside my cranium as well. song results may be unique and Times interview It’s why he’s Dylan and we ain’t!” different, but the writing process of Bob Dylan by He brings up a good point that is often similar. So, I take heart in Douglas Brinkley deserves another. So, I replied thinking I’m a little like Dylan and (06/20/2020), Prine and a million others who a sequel to come up with words that have a previous tune. Brinkley-Dylan chats, has been How many times and in circulating. In it, Dylan covers a different ways do we sense the range of song topics. The quotes, same nascence of a song in a below, on songwriting and the purposeful title line and watched creative process popped out at me: feelings congeal around an idea, (Dylan) “There’s no way just as Dylan said? Then, see the you can change the nature of idea build in an instant to a theme a song once you’ve invented and a message, all to a certain beat it.