This past Thursday, I took that familiar trip to NYC that I got so accustomed to when I was in the Songwriters Hall of Fame writers workshop back in May and June of 2010. I caught the 3:40PM train out of Poughkeepsie and headed toward Grand Central. My music of choice for the ride was Carole King & James Taylor, "Live At The Troubadour." I'd had the album for a while but hadn't gotten around to listening to it. I listened to it twice on the way down. I took the Shuttle to Times Square, the 1 to 50th St., and then walked the rest of the way to Shelter Studios, just north of the Ed Sullivan Theatre.
The reason for my trip was the official launch event for the New York Songwriters Collective, the new organization founded by Peter Bliss. Peter was the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the leader of my workshop, and he's heading his own endeavor after 5 years with the SongHall.
The turnout was great. On the elevator ride up I met a girl named Meg who is a friend of Ariel Hyatt, the night's featured speaker. I don't know what kind of turnout Peter was expecting, but I was very pleased with the number of people in the room. I got to catch up with some old friends from the workshop, and to meet some new people. It’s amazing how the job of songwriter truly knows no age limit.
Peter spoke for maybe twenty minutes about his background, the NYSC and its planned mission - bringing songwriters together with the people they need to help make their careers a success. He's an experienced, friendly, passionate person with a lot of knowledge to share, and I look forward to having him and the Collective in my life for years to come.
Ariel Hyatt spoke for about 50 minutes. If you don't know who she is, Ariel is the founder of Ariel Publicity and a pioneer of what she calls Cyber PR - using the internet and social media in the best ways possible to reach out to your current fans and to make new ones. I already had her book, "Music Success in 9 Weeks," and it's been a big help in learning how to effectively use the website that you're reading this post on, and the social media site that you probably linked from. I also saw her as a panelist back in March at the ASCAP New York Sessions event, but this was the first time I attended one of her feature presentations. Her talk was like a crash course in social media, but I learned some good stuff. There is always more to learn, and it can feel overwhelming. Afterward, I asked her and Jason Loomis (one of her partners in crime) a quick question on an issue that I was having with my mailing list and how I can make it better for you in the near future. (P.S. you can sign my mailing list at the bottom of this page and get two free songs *hint*hint*)
Following the event, I slowly made my way back to the subway, looking for something to eat. Nothing was really doing it for me. Pizza? Nah, I've had too much recently. A snack from Duane Reade? Not so much. A day-old pastry? Eh. In the end, I ended up getting a steak sandwich and fries from Zocalo at Grand Central. Not so sure it was my finest moment. And the people on the train ride back may have hated me for the smell.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
How to Run-down Your Immune System & Compromise Your Vocal Performance Ability
A helpful 12-step guide. Though to be clear, these steps are not for everyone and work best with those who have been suffering from what seem to be unusual fall throat and sinus allergies.
Step 1: Don't get enough sleep. Sure, some of you may be tempted to skip ahead to the more advanced steps, but step 1 is arguably the most important. As always, preparation is key. I would recommend no more than 6 and a half hours of sleep a night for a minimum of 1 week. To help you with this goal, I recommend staying up late doing work or indulging in the offerings available on Netflix Instant.
Step 2: After you've been slowly rolling back the amount of sleep you get for what feels like appropriate amount of time, pick a Saturday and give group and private piano lessons for 5 and a half hours. This step works best if you chose a Saturday when your voice is feeling particularly tired.
Step 3: That night, sing 3 sets of music in front of a kick-ass rock & soul cover band (I recommend In The Pocket, but I hear that they already have a lead singer). Do not go to sleep until at least 4am.
Step 4: Get up the following day at 10am to help prepare and celebrate a 1st birthday party. Included in the party will be abundant amounts of southern food, soda, and beer. (Note: do not attempt to drink enough water as this will compromise the effectiveness of these steps.)
Step 5: Continue Step 1, with the addition of eating foods that are less than stellar in the health department.
Step 6: The following Friday night, perform 2 sets in front of your kick-ass rock & soul cover band. Continue poor eating habits.
Step 7: Go to Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie at 2AM. Theoretically, any bar will do. However, I cannot personally vouch for the effectiveness of other drinking establishments. Do not go to sleep until 4am.
Step 8: Wake up at 8am in order to give 5 and a half hours of group and private lessons. Talk as much as you possibly can.
Step 9: Go from lessons to a birthday get-together where you consume hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and more.
Step 10: Play a solo/acoustic show that night - 2...and a half sets - at your favorite local Irish bar. Don't get to sleep until 3AM.
Step 11: Wake up at 10:30AM.
Step 12: Spend 6+ hours at the recording studio working on new demos for your awesome cover band and tracks for your own album. Make sure you have to sing scratch vocals for at least 13 songs.
*The results of this 12-step program will vary from person to person. This program is based on the sole experience of myself. Data on recovery time is not as of yet available.
Step 1: Don't get enough sleep. Sure, some of you may be tempted to skip ahead to the more advanced steps, but step 1 is arguably the most important. As always, preparation is key. I would recommend no more than 6 and a half hours of sleep a night for a minimum of 1 week. To help you with this goal, I recommend staying up late doing work or indulging in the offerings available on Netflix Instant.
Step 2: After you've been slowly rolling back the amount of sleep you get for what feels like appropriate amount of time, pick a Saturday and give group and private piano lessons for 5 and a half hours. This step works best if you chose a Saturday when your voice is feeling particularly tired.
Step 3: That night, sing 3 sets of music in front of a kick-ass rock & soul cover band (I recommend In The Pocket, but I hear that they already have a lead singer). Do not go to sleep until at least 4am.
Step 4: Get up the following day at 10am to help prepare and celebrate a 1st birthday party. Included in the party will be abundant amounts of southern food, soda, and beer. (Note: do not attempt to drink enough water as this will compromise the effectiveness of these steps.)
Step 5: Continue Step 1, with the addition of eating foods that are less than stellar in the health department.
Step 6: The following Friday night, perform 2 sets in front of your kick-ass rock & soul cover band. Continue poor eating habits.
Step 7: Go to Mahoney's in Poughkeepsie at 2AM. Theoretically, any bar will do. However, I cannot personally vouch for the effectiveness of other drinking establishments. Do not go to sleep until 4am.
Step 8: Wake up at 8am in order to give 5 and a half hours of group and private lessons. Talk as much as you possibly can.
Step 9: Go from lessons to a birthday get-together where you consume hot dogs, hamburgers, soda, and more.
Step 10: Play a solo/acoustic show that night - 2...and a half sets - at your favorite local Irish bar. Don't get to sleep until 3AM.
Step 11: Wake up at 10:30AM.
Step 12: Spend 6+ hours at the recording studio working on new demos for your awesome cover band and tracks for your own album. Make sure you have to sing scratch vocals for at least 13 songs.
*The results of this 12-step program will vary from person to person. This program is based on the sole experience of myself. Data on recovery time is not as of yet available.
Monday, October 10, 2011
The Voice
No, not that "voice." My voice. Anyone who came out to Saturday's ITP show at Noah's Ark in Poughkeepsie may have noticed a strain in my voice. It wasn't as powerful as it normally is, it full-out cracked during a song in the first set, and you'll have to believe me when I said that it took a lot more work for me to get those notes out than it should. And the question is: why? I think there's a couple of reasons.
First, the season change. I have felt allergies affecting my throat over the past month or so as the tempuratures have gone from hot, to warm, to cold, to warm, to hot, to cold, to warm. It's really been all over the place, and I think it's given no gifts to my throat. I've also been told that people have had stronger allergies this year than previous, and this includes people who have never (or rarely) experience them. As a result, I've noticed that I sound very nasally when I speak, my range is not what it should be, and it also affects my diction. It's not painful, but it's an annoyance.
Second, I give group and private piano lessons for 5 1/2 hours on Saturdays which require a lot of talking. This past Saturday was the first day since March that I had to teach and then sing 3 hours worth of music, and it's the first time that I've had to talk so much before singing. My voice is obviously not used to this kind of strain. Couple that with the weather, and you can get an idea of what I'm dealing with.
I was watching the new Martin Scorsese documentary on George Harrison (which is great, by the way) and there's a scene where George is shown gargling a mixture of vinegar, honey, and warm water. Supposedly it coats your throat and vocal chords as a way of protecting them. The things we do to keep our voices healthy. I may try that. I may also go see a doctor, since we're getting close to the point of laying down vocals for the new album and I want my voice to be as strong as possible.
First, the season change. I have felt allergies affecting my throat over the past month or so as the tempuratures have gone from hot, to warm, to cold, to warm, to hot, to cold, to warm. It's really been all over the place, and I think it's given no gifts to my throat. I've also been told that people have had stronger allergies this year than previous, and this includes people who have never (or rarely) experience them. As a result, I've noticed that I sound very nasally when I speak, my range is not what it should be, and it also affects my diction. It's not painful, but it's an annoyance.
Second, I give group and private piano lessons for 5 1/2 hours on Saturdays which require a lot of talking. This past Saturday was the first day since March that I had to teach and then sing 3 hours worth of music, and it's the first time that I've had to talk so much before singing. My voice is obviously not used to this kind of strain. Couple that with the weather, and you can get an idea of what I'm dealing with.
I was watching the new Martin Scorsese documentary on George Harrison (which is great, by the way) and there's a scene where George is shown gargling a mixture of vinegar, honey, and warm water. Supposedly it coats your throat and vocal chords as a way of protecting them. The things we do to keep our voices healthy. I may try that. I may also go see a doctor, since we're getting close to the point of laying down vocals for the new album and I want my voice to be as strong as possible.
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