To help your songwriting with a focus on the benefits of innovative songwriting software, tools, resources and programs for your songwriting craft and career.

From Songwriting Software Plus - January, 2005

For the latest updates to Songwriting Software Plus
click here to the What's New For You page.

To search Songwriting Software Plus or the Web via Google click here.

Contents:

Hello

First up; Editor's Note (from the laptop of Robert Curtis)

Followed by Items:

1. Promote Your Songs With Video On Your Site And Or In Your Emails
2. One Minute To Better Songwriting With Evyn Charles (New Regular Tip Column)
2. This Month's Notable Quote
3. Songwriting Software Plus Super Savings Zone

Editor's Note:

It is often said that songs can often be made more interesting by putting images into your songwriting i.e. people, places and things.

Indeed as I've noted before - renowned songwriter and songwriting coach Jai Josefs, author of Writing Music For Hit Songs, notes that writing a song is akin to scoring a movie, a mini-movie if you will.

All this leads me to today's feature article on a new online based software that allows you to literally create you own song movie in actual video.

Technology is making it more and more easy to do this today and I've pointed out a bunch of ways this can be used to promote your songs. You may well think of many more too.

Now the show must go on :)

Item 1

Promote Your Songs With Video On Your Site And Or In Your Emails

Putting your own video on your songwriting site has generally been a rather costly and complicated process. And to send video in an email - super complicated.

But now all that has changed with the introduction of InstantVideoGenerator.

If you want to really make an impression about your personal and performing style then you can't beat video. And having it on your site twenty-four seven makes it work for you full time even when you're sleeping.

Email Your Song Video To A Pitch

Promote your latest song to a pitch opportunity via a video postcard. Imagine how much more interest and attention your song will get when you send it as a a video postcard. And if you're also promoting yourself as an artist then you can't beat having yourself on video to fully package and promote your act.

Promote Your Upcoming Gigs - Send An Email Video To Your List

Imagine you're going to perform at club and you want to give a taste of your latest song you'll be performing. Send it out on a video postcard to your email list and let your fans see an hear just how cool your new song is.

Next imagine they're forwarding your email on to other friends who get a real live performance of you conveniently on their computer that they can play over and over again.

Do you think you'd generate more interest to get more fans out to your show?

Do you think you'd have a much better opportunity to build a bigger a fan list?

Instant Video Is Easy To Try

With InstantVideoGenerator you can try the whole easy process out risk free to see if this will work for you.

And creating the video itself is easy to do - in a nutshell all you need to make a video is a microphone and a webcam - don't have a webcam - pick up one for about $40 at your local software store or any online software site and microphones for computers can be super cheap.

Once you got the mic and cam pop up the InstantVideoGenerator program, make your video and then cut and paste the code into your site or email.

What Kind Of Video?

You can get elaborate but I suggest keeping it simple - like sitting down in front of your webcam and taping yourself singing and playing along on your guitar or piano keyboard or even with your band - or play a track along to your singing. Often simple is the most powerful presentation.

Don't like the take, no problem just tape it over until you're satisfied - save it and it's ready to go.

You can literally tape yourself performing your song within the next few minutes and load it on your site and even email it out.

Works for those viewing it on your site or in an email with either a slow dial up internet connection or a fast one like dsl or cable.

Click here to check it out right now in action and you'll SEE just how easy it is to do and the impact it can have.

End of Item

One Minute To Better Songwriting With Evyn Charles:

Are you afraid that learning songwriting craft, either lyrical or musical, will ruin your creativity?

It's a common fear that learning songwriting techniques may hamper your creativity.

In part some of this fear may be well founded given a significant tradition of music being taught in such a way that demands you learn and master technique while not encouraging creativity.

However, developing more skills, in your lyric and or music writing, will allow you to bring more tools to your songwriting allowing you to have and even expand upon the ways you can express yourself.

To illustrate this - musically, if you don't understand the emotional impact of certain types of chords you'll be less able to most impactfully get across the emotional tone of your song. Your song may sound more happy when you're intending it to sound sad.

Lyrically - if you are unaware of the importance of having a consistent rhythm in your lyric lines one verse to the next then the musical arrangement will not be consistent and will make your song sound awkward.

In the simplest terms - consider how your songwriting would fare if you refused to learn grammar skills.

There are many good books on the craft of lyric and music writing for songwriters at your local music store, and often at your local bookstore or library and of course online.

For a few quick looks right now consider online courses at my alma mater Berklee.com and check out SongU.com and don't forget to check out your own local music scene.

Catch ya in February,

Evyn

Evyn Charles is a full time independent singer-songwriter and musician in Los Angeles and a graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. In addition to regularly performing on his own he's played stints as varied as Club Med to currently being heard on the Orville Redenbacher popcorn commercial as well as playing with numerous classic touring acts.

He is also author of From Guitar Owner To Guitar Player - the no fluff guide to playing guitar readily geared to songwriters. Click here to learn more about From Guitar Owner To Guitar Player and check out Evyn's own site by clicking here.

Notable Quote - For Inspiration And Thought On Your Path To More Songwriting Success:

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."- Thomas A. Edison

Songwriting Software Plus Super Savings Zone:

Lyricist is the premiere indispensable and affordable lyric and lead sheet music writing program that incorporates chord charting (guitar, piano and the Nashville Number System), key transposition, word processing (formatting, spell checking, etc.), thesaurus, rhyming dictionary, media file launch, song organization, emailing of your songs capability plus more!  All the essential tools of the trade for writing and polishing lyrics and preparing lead sheets of your songs.

Performing Songwriter Magazine said this about Lyricist - "...what it does, it does well." March/April 2004

Click here for all the benefits Lyricist gives your songwriting and enjoy the Songwriting Software Plus discount - save $5.00. Or try it FREE for 30 days. CD or download.

MasterWriter is the most powerful suite of songwriting tools ever assembled in one program and is as easy to use as your word processor. This revolutionary new software won Best of Show at MacWorld Expo and has received rave reviews in every major music magazine. It's endorsed by ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, NSAI and is used by hit songwriters including Gwen Stefani, Rob Thomas, Jimmy Webb, Kenny Loggins, Trent Reznor, Clint Black, Jeffrey Steele, and many more. Windows and Mac compatible.

Click here to read more about MasterWriter and save big with Songwriting Software Plus. Or try it FREE for 30 days. CD or download.

Information & Credits

Songwriting Software Express is published monthly by Songwriting Software Plus: Robert Curtis, Editor.

You can send your feedback to feedback@songwriting-software.com.

Your privacy is assured. Click here to view our Privacy Policy page.

Songwriting Software Express and the Songwriting Software Plus web site were
developed and continue to be run and grown using the Site Build It! web site system.

For a fast Site Build It! overview click here for the Quick Tour Slide Show.

Subscription Information