Audio By Carbonatix
Ah, now here’s an idea we can co-sign. Just received word from Mike Marchant (Widowers, Houses) alerting us to a rad new idea he’s about to execute, a songwriter’s workshop at the Meadowlark. Dubbed as “Dissecting and Perfecting the Pop Song – A Songwriter’s Workshop,” the sessions are slated to take place on the first and third Mondays of the month, beginning Monday, October 19, and will be moderated by the Widowers frontman, a guy who, without question, knows his way around a tune. (Don’t just take our word for it. Listen for yourself below)
MP3:
Our work is funded by readers like you who make voluntary gifts because they value our work and want to see it continue. Make a contribution today to help us reach our $50,000 goal! The first half of the evening will be dedicated to, well, dissecting
pop songs — listening and discussing, picking apart the things you
like and dislike about a particular song. “We’ll dissect the song’s
lyrics, chord progressions, and arrangement,” Marchant explains via
e-mail.
“We’ll listen to great songs and awful songs. We’ll praise the Beatles
and take a shit on Creed. Doing this will help us learn what works and
what doesn’t work, and it will help us all write better music.” Brave souls are also invited to bring in their own recorded music for
scrutiny, which will provide a good segue into the second half of the
session, when Marchant performs a song for the group and opens himself
up for scrutiny. Folks will likewise have the opportunity to perform
and discuss their songs. “This is where all of us can set our egos aside and learn a little
bit,” notes Marchant. “Good-natured criticism is essential, because
every songwriter makes
mistakes. I don’t want anyone to get the idea that there’s a right or
wrong way to write a song, or that other people’s opinions should shape
the way you write. I just want to learn more about pop music and the
many different ways it affects people.” The evening will then end in drunken debauchery. (Er, did we say that
outloud?) Uh, we mean, it will end with a homework assignment. Each
week, attendees will be tasked with writing a song in a different
style, with different tempos, and then present them for evaluation at
the next session. Hell, we’re tempted to go just to listen to Marchant
as he unlocks the secrets of his exceptional songwriting prowess.
Dude’s a great songwriter, even if as he humbly deflects such praise. “I’m no better
than you at writing songs,” Marchant insists, reiterating that he’s not
setting out to teach anybody anything, just “hosting and moderating. I
hope to see you at the Meadowlark on the first and third Mondays of the month.
It’ll be a good time, and we’ll all learn something. And they have
beer and a teepee.”
MP3:
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