Mr John BRAHENY - one of the best Songwriter writers ever! Check him out.
May 2009 – John Braheny - JB News for Songwriters
Hi you all,
Hope this finds you doing well.
Sorry to take so long between newsletters. Seems John Lennon was right when he said, “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.”
Here are a few announcements of what I’ve been doing, what I think I’ll be doing, and inviting you to do.
1. I’m on Skype.com Audio and Video – Free Calls
2. Special Discount Skype Consult Offer
3. NEW: The Songwriting School of Los Angeles
4. We’re on Facebook and Twitter – join us
5. Our New Web Sites/Blogs with New Articles
6. Urgent Call to Action
7. New YouTube Video Clip
8. Another Way to Stay in Touch
9. Recommended Sites and Blogs
(1) Skype.com
I am now doing more consultations with songwriters via (free long distance) online, video/audio Skype.com . It’s free to join and makes connecting one-on-one a lot easier and more fun. Just like “in person,” you can play your song and show me your lyrics as I critique them. Also – great for international clients. I’m consulting writers in Australia, Poland, Argentina, the U.K., as well as in the States.
(2) Consultation DISCOUNT OFFER: AUSTERITY SPECIAL!
The first 20 people to schedule appointments for online 1 hr. phone consults via Skype.com (audio or video) will get $25 off the regular $125 hr. fee (i.e., $100 hr.). E-mail me up to 5 songs and/or lyrics ahead of the appointment and/or any questions you may have about the business or your career. We’ll cover as much as we can in the hour. If you want to go longer, I’ll pro rate it based on the $100 rate. Email me at john@johnbraheny.com, put “Skype Consult” in the title and send the $100 (USD) to me via PayPal.com with the above e-mail address.
Note: If you just want in-depth critiques on individual songs via email, I’m still doing them at $25 per song.
(3) The Songwriting School of Los Angeles
Closer to home, I want to welcome Rob Seals and his wife, Ashley, who have just started The Songwriting School of Los Angeles in Burbank. ( www.TheSongwritingSchool.com) They remodeled a former post-production building with a recording studio, grand piano, and several classrooms. Great vibe and “freeway close.” Rob is an old friend, an excellent songwriter/artist/producer who has devoted much of his time to teaching young kids and adults music, English and songwriting. The school has great promise to become a center of songwriting activity, classes and workshops in the LA area. JoAnn and I are excited about teaching classes at this new school. Stay tuned.
(4) We're on Facebook & Twitter
JoAnn and I finally succumbed to Facebook. I avoided it for a while but I finally did it and it's taken on a life of its own. If you'd like to be my "friend" (and many of you have been for a long time) just go towww.facebook.com and look us up. Just remind me you’re on my newsletter list. I use it to let you know what I'm up to and to keep track of you. Obviously, it isn't necessarily important for all of you but, like me, if you've made many years worth of business contacts who you rarely communicate with and you'd like to do it without spending hours writing personal e-mails to hundreds of people, then it’s very helpful. I entered my first round of names and e-mails and when they responded I discovered how many of them knew each other. It started a second round - kind of a "2nd degree of separation," many of whom I knew from my friends talking about them. I found industry people I hadn't connected with in years, and we discovered mutual friends. It takes some extra time. I had to overcome the feeling that I'm obligated to answer every message. Not! SO please understand that THAT is the time sucker. A couple of things I’m not doing is joining fan clubs so please don’t ask me to do it. It won’t get me out to see your gig on the other side of the country. From your POV, however, it’s a good idea.
(5) Got a new look to OUR WEB SITES
I have an updated website & blog. Same name: johnbraheny.com. I’ve carried over articles (click ‘blog’) from my previous site on the craft & biz of songwriting. Easier for me to update my articles, add new ones, update my book, post my teaching appearances, and provide you with some valuable new resources. I’ve got a couple new posts, including an audio report of my near-fatal trip to Jamaica . Be sure to check out JoAnn Braheny’s updated creativity blog: Goosing Your Muse.
(6) Urgent call to action on the new Performance Rights Act - It insures that, for the first time, artists and musicians, in addition to songwriters and publishers, will receive royalties for terrestrial (over the air) radio airplay. This tells you how to contact your representatives to encourage them to vote for the bill. Though the action is set for May 11-12, 2009, you can still send it afterwards. The hearing starts today, and the vote will be coming up soon, so hurry.
http://johnbraheny.com/urgent-help-pass-this-bill-with-action-on-may-11-12/
(7) NEW YouTube Video
Our friend and Mac IT guru Doug Welch www.welchwrite.com who wrote the section on podcasting for the 3rd Ed of The Craft and Business Of Songwriting, has been inspiring me to do some more video songwriting tips. We got started a few weeks ago.
3-minute tip. youtube.com/johnbraheny
(8) Another Way to Stay in Touch
Google has a feature I like called Google Alerts . If you want to keep track of a topic like "Songwriting," just enter that word in the box. Every time something new shows up on the Web that has "songwriting" in it, it will automatically be sent to you. If you want to know what I'm up to just put "John Braheny" in the box and it'll let you know whenever I've got a new article or I'll be appearing somewhere. Put in "Barack Obama" and your computer will explode! (Just kidding.)
(9) Recommended SITES AND BLOGS
I've discovered some great songwriting blogs and sites via Google alerts. Here are 3:
songfacts.com - great site for interviews – how hits were written, etc., findthatsong.net - for info on songs you hear in TV commercials. songwritingzen.com - has some very insightful articles. I found this one because Corey Stewart quoted an article (excerpt from my book) on Taxi.com site about hooks and included a link to the article.
For those of you in the Dallas, Houston, Austin area … you may be seeing JoAnn and me in July 2009 for a series of songwriter workshops …will let you know as soon as the details are solid.
Best wishes to you all,
Keep in touch!
John Braheny - john@johnbraheny.com. / Phone messages: (818) 528-5152
moimoi
South SINGAPORE
2009*May*14 ~0818A~THU
