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February 25, 2009
The 50 Worst Songs Ever
This article has been up on Blender.com for a while, so some of the video links no longer work, but chances are you will start the hear many of these songs in your mind the minute you read the title.
I had fun recalling many of these inexplicable hit tunes . But once in a while, the most unpleasant sensations rushed upon my beleaguered memory.
Posted by leonolguin at 06:23 PM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2009
The PWSRN, and The Magic Keyboard
I played a gig with Sybil Gage at a place, which shall remain nameless (although it has a name) last Saturday, February 21, 2009.
Now I love working with Sybil; we’ve been working together for almost three years, and we’ve had a lot of fun, but occasionally…
Anyway, upon entering this cavernous eatery which seats almost 300 at one time, one would never guess that there was a recession going on, as the place was packed with people ordering mass quantities of food and drink. I, of course, have yet to sample the food since the tradition of feeding the musicians at the restaurants where they entertain has seemingly long since died.
At this PWSRN (place, which shall remain nameless) I did not use my normal keyboard set up, which consists of my trusty Roland RD-700SX (don’t ask me what all those numbers and letters mean…), and my Korg Triton LE (for left hand bass lines).
I was instead to use their “house keyboard,” which was one of those electronic keyboards made to look like a grand piano. It was a consumer keyboard made by a well-known manufacturer (a MWSRN….) complete with countless auto-accompaniment features and about 1,524 buttons for various functions.
I managed to find a basic grand piano sound for the right hand and an acoustic bass for the left, and off we went.
The show was going very well in spite of the vast, echoing, loud, music-unfriendly venue. Sybil, as usual, was giving it her all, and I was doing my best to keep up with her. However, it became apparent that this keyboard had a minor quirk: it changed sounds whenever it felt like it. I was playing one particularly rollicking song, and my “piano” suddenly changed to a group of oboes, stopping the song dead in its tracks. Needless to say, this was embarrassing. At other times the bass would shift up two octaves, ending up no longer sounding like a bass, or the sound would simply fade away.
All right, I must fess up. It was not really a “magic keyboard.” I think what was really happening was that I was accidentally bumping into one of those 1,524 buttons, many of which were located only a fraction of a inch above the actual keys, thus setting off some unwanted feature, or changing the sound. This became especially apparent during one number when I began to hear a completely out-of-sync drum beat creeping into my playing. The frantic search for the “turn off the drum machine button” while trying to continue the song is an experience I am not anxious to repeat.
Well, we made it through the gig, the show was well-received (which means my keyboard difficulties were not readily apparent to the audience), and we may be going back to this PWSRN, so maybe I’d better learn more about this keyboard made by a MWSRN.
Beethoven never had to worry about buttons on his keyboard.
Posted by leonolguin at 02:57 PM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2009
Lyrist 101
Here’s another blog I think anyone who is interested in songwriting should check out. Its written by my friend Linda Schaible from Orlando, FL.
http://lyrist101.blogspot.com/
Now, you may be wondering, what is a “lyrist?”
This term originated with the great songwriter Oscar Hammerstein, who wrote countless famous songs in partnership with Richard Rodgers. (Remember “The Sound of Music?”)
He preferred to be called a “lyrist” rather than a “lyricist.”
Later on, the great songwriter Sammy Cahn adopted this term to refer to what he did.
At Lyrist 101, you’ll gain some great insight into the art of songwriting. Here’s what Linda has to say about herself (taken from her blog):
A member of the duo Amelia Earhart Returns during the '90s. Received some air play on WMCW in Spindale NC. I'm a published poet, and winner of the Bain-Swiggett poetry prize for forms; collaborated on the score for a PBS documentary; shared the stage with Christine Kane, Gillian Welch, Mindy Smith, Guy Carawan, Stacey Earle and The Nields. Can play 5 or 6 instruments (not all at the same time, and most not very glamorous) and come from a family of British musicians. Unfortunately none were Beatles, but it's a legacy I'm proud of - Huthwaite Prize Band was started by my great-great-great grandfather (my mum's a Cooper) in 1857.
Enjoy the blog!
That’s right, enjoy her blog, and keep reading this one, too!
Posted by leonolguin at 11:45 AM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2009
The Comeback Begins
As many of you know, my wife Sheryl was diagnosed with Lymphoma back in early July of 2008.
Her last performance in 2008 was on Saturday, June 28th, at a place called the Galaxy Grill (now a different restaurant). She was not feeling well, and had not been herself for some time. Indeed, by the next evening, she was admitted to the hospital in tremendous pain, and we still did not know what was wrong.
After nearly a week in the hospital, and after numerous tests, we finally learned what it was. The rest of the year was taken up with doctor visits and chemotherapy sessions.
So here we are in February 2009. She is done with all treatments, and is now on the long road to recovery. Little by little, day-by-day, she is gaining strength and stamina. (And hair!) She’s started driving again, and was able to walk the dog for the first time in over 8 months this very morning. Albeit, it was just once around the block, but it’s a start!
She’s been playing her guitar more and more in the past several weeks, and the urge to write songs is strong.
And finally, she is stepping into performing again. It’s a “bit by bit” process, she’s not yet up to doing an entire show, but she was able to perform a few songs recently at the And All That Jazz Café.
Tonight she will be doing a couple songs as a special guest during a Songwriters’ Round to be held here in Cocoa, at the Café Unique.
I am so proud of her that I can barely express it in words. I’ll be there cheering her on tonight, just like everyone else who cares deeply about her.
Of course, I’ll enjoy the other songwriters, too!
Posted by leonolguin at 01:06 PM | Comments (1)
February 17, 2009
Live Music is Still Alive!
Check out Space Coast Live. This site is a calendar for all the live music performances taking place on the Space Coast (Brevard County, Florida).
Right there on the home page we learn that this site lists 1930 events, involving 685 different groups or solo musicians, playing at 453 venues.
What does this mean? There is a lot of live music going on in our little corner of Florida. There’s something for every musical taste.
This kind of thing is going on all over the country. Yet, we don’t read about it much in the mainstream media, where we mainly get stories about the “stars.”
It has been my privilege and honor to work with several of the musicians listed on Space Coast Live. They all have something unique and valuable to say through their music, and they all deserve to be heard.
Support live music!
Posted by leonolguin at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2009
Happy Presidents' Day
Hope you’re having a happy Presidents’ Day!
I can remember when we used to celebrate Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays separately, and there was no Martin Luther King Jr. day, although there certainly was a Martin Luther King Jr.!
I’ll be back tomorrow.
Posted by leonolguin at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
February 13, 2009
Must Read Article
This article should be of great interest to all of you music makers and music lovers:
Music vs. the Music Industry
This is from Seth Godin’s Blog.
A bit about Seth from Rollo & Grady.
Business Week has called Seth Godin “The Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age.” He’s the author of 10 international bestsellers and is considered the top marketer in the Digital Age. His e-book Unleashing the Ideavirus was downloaded more than 2 million times before it was published. And his blog is consistently ranked one of the top 20 in the world by Technorati. Through his writing and speaking, Seth has changed the way people think about marketing, change and work.
Seth graduated from Tufts with majors in Philosophy and Computer Science and received his MBA from Stanford. In 1992 he founded Yoyodyne, one of the first online marketing companies. He sold Yoyodyne to Yahoo! in 1998 and became its VP of Direct Marketing.
In 2005 Godin founded Squidoo, a free, interactive, easy-to-use site allowing anyone to create pages (called lenses) about topics in their expertise.
Posted by leonolguin at 04:10 PM | Comments (0)
So Who Cares?
More people watched the Grammies this year than last. While fewer people are buying music, they still care a great deal about music!
Why do they care? I think they want to catch a glimpse of what life for a musician is like. Some musicians like to shroud themselves in mystery and hide behind a carefully constructed persona, but in reality they are just doing a job and trying to get paid for it.
For those who aspire to “make it” (like all those “American Idol” contestants), the big question is, can someone make a living in music?
Obviously, some folks do, but all most people see are the “big stars” that are rich and famous (seemingly!)
The life of an artist is a rich source of fascination. Imagine, making a living doing something you love. Fame and fortune!
But is this life all that it seems?
I’ve been a professional musician for my entire career. There have been a few detours along the way, when I tried to do something more “practical” but I always came back to music. So how do I know that I’m doing the right thing? Should I get a “real job?” Believe me, I still frequently ask myself that very question.
What is it like to make a living in music? Well, here’s how I do it:
I record music (after all, I am still the project studio guy).
I teach music. I teach both privately and in a classroom setting.
I write music (a percentage of my income is made up of royalties from songs and instrumental pieces).
I write about music (this blog, along with eBooks and audio books).
I perform music. I play out regularly with my wife Sheryl Paige, and with prominent local jazz singer Sybil Gage. (Paige and Gage!) You’ll be reading more about them, to be sure!
I supervise musicians. I am the music coordinator at Christ Community Church in Titusville Florida (a part time position).
And yet, still I wonder, is this what I should be doing? I believe this question goes through the mind of almost every musician at one time or another, especially when they experience the inevitable frustrations that plague the life of a music-maker.
But even with all the frustrations, I stick with it. Most days I’m glad I do.
Posted by leonolguin at 10:50 AM | Comments (1)
February 12, 2009
Starting Over
A few years ago I started this blog, planning to write about what it was like to own and operate a small recording studio.
I ended up with a few dedicated readers (thanks Spike and Sandy!) but I soon came to realize that this was a rather limited subject. The average person has little or no interest in recording studios and how they operate.
I let the blog sit for a couple of years. In the meantime, quite a bit has happened! We’ve dealt with all the ups and downs of running a micro-business, and then for over half of 2008, we dealt with Sheryl’s cancer.
From June 2008 until the beginning of 2009, we pretty much shut down the business.
Now, we are rebuilding everything. Without going into all the details, I will say here that we are starting over in just about every way. However, we are grateful that we have been granted a chance to start fresh.
So, I decided to being blogging again. The blog is still titled “Project Studio Guy”, but now I plan to write about music in general.
So, why am I doing this?
A fair question. Here are the reasons I’ve come up with so far:
I want to provide encouragement, and a little practical help to musicians. I’ve known many musicians who wanted to make the leap in to music full-time, and I’ve been able to help a few of them make the leap. I’ve also helped countless others get started doing music part-time.
I want to provide a glimpse into what life is like for the full-time and part-time musician. This is for all the music lovers, not just the music makers.
Occasionally I will offer my humble opinions on what is going on in the “music industry.” There are good things happening, but you rarely read about them in the news.
I’ll talk about the musicians who have blessed us with their talent, and those who have tested our patience.
And of course, we’ll have some fun with the weird stuff!
Posted by leonolguin at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 11, 2009
Art Is Not a Luxury
I read in the paper last week about the great actress Olympia Dukakis. She was giving a talk to a group of arts supporters in Winter Park, Florida, and she quoted the Spanish poet and dramatist Federico Garcia Lorca:
The poem, the song, the picture
Is only water drawn from the well of the people,
And it should be given back to them in a cup of beauty
So that they may drink
And in drinking, understand themselves.
I believe Lorca was saying that the arts help us better understand ourselves and the world around us.
The culture of the United States generally thinks of the arts as a luxury. Something that can be cut when budgets get tight. How many public schools have greatly curtailed their arts programs in tough economic times?
The truth is that the arts are vital essentials in telling our story.
Its one thing to read a textbook about the Holocaust, its quite another to watch a work of art such as Schindler’s List and find oneself deeply moved by the horrors conveyed, and courage displayed.
One can read about the transcendent beauty of certain American landscapes, but their true splendor is captured even more vividly in the work of Ansel Adams.
One can ponder the pain of love gone wrong, the joy of love gone right, or the mysteries of life, but the mind truly soars when encountering these concepts artfully expressed in a well-written song teamed with a passionate performance.
A child who learns to speak confidently on stage will one day make effective presentations in a corporate boardroom.
If you are an artist, you have the opportunity to have a tremendous impact on everyone who sees and hears what you create. The world needs to hear you, as you contribute to its collective story.
You, the artist, are a necessity!
Posted by leonolguin at 12:11 PM | Comments (1)
February 10, 2009
The Game of Tens
Musicians can be prone to jealousy. Remember the old joke:
Q: How many musicians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: 12. One to screw in the bulb, and 11 to say, “I could do that.”
While the propensity towards jealousy is there, I have seen many musicians largely overcome it, and learn to truly rejoice in the success of another.
Our NSAI group (Nashville Songwriters Association International http://www.nashvillesongwriters.com/) is a good example.
We have had some of our members get songs published and recorded, and the group celebrated their success together. If there was any jealousy it remained well hidden, and in fact I believe that our members have mostly learned to avoid this destructive emotion.
The music industry’s annual ritual that we call the Grammies was held a couple of days ago, and it can be hard to completely quell any lingering feelings of envy when we see the praise and recognition heaped upon those who appear to be less than deserving.
With the advantage of age and a certain degree of maturity, I have found it easy to overcome any jealousy that might arise by playing the “Game of Tens.” I picked up this concept from a chapter of a book I read about the problems that men face in our culture, and their search for meaning and significance.
If you think anyone can find significance through the pursuit of fame, take this pop quiz to determine your “significance IQ.” I’ve adapted these questions for musicians:
· Can you name the ten musicians who have sold the most records in the world?
· Can you name the ten most admired musicians in the world?
· Can you name the ten top selling albums of the past ten years?
· Can you name the past ten winners of the best new artist Grammy?
· Can you name the past ten winners of the Grammy for song of the year?
· Can you name the past ten winners of the Grammy for album of the year?
This seems to be a rather heartless but objective illustrator of the folly of pursuing only fame and fortune, doesn’t it? The highest achievements in our society are like the vapors that appear for a while and then vanish. (That’s a biblical reference: you can look it up, see James 4:14).
There is certainly no reason to be jealous of another’s achievements, but there is every reason to celebrate with them.
Now try playing the “Game of Tens” this way:
· Name ten musicians you personally know whom you greatly admire, not only for their music, but also for the kind of person they are.
· Name ten people who like your music, and who care about you as a person.
· Name ten family members who love you.
· Name ten songs that have touched you deeply.
· Name the ten most memorable concerts you have attended.
Can you think of any other Tens?
Who knows? Maybe you have shown up in someone’s “Game of Tens.”
Posted by leonolguin at 11:32 AM | Comments (1)