Week 1
“I’m usually more concerned with how things sound than how they look on the page. Some people write for the page, and that’s a whole other thing. I’m going for what it sounds like right away, so it may not even look good on the page." - Tom Waits
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2022
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Thursday, November 24th, 2022
Tuesday -
Demos, Charts, and Production of Music
- What do you need when you go into the studio
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- Arrangements of songs
- Instrumentation
- Vocals
- Key, tempo, texture, etc.
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- Method of Recording
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- Making Charts
- "Bury Me Beneath the Willow"
- Lead Sheets and Scores
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- Producer or no producer?
- how can they help?
- How can they harm?
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Thursday - Thanksgiving!
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Class Recordings
Week 2
"Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let you. So you have to get up and make it into something, and then you're allowed to sleep." - John Lennon
Tuesday, November 29th, 2022
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Thursday, December 1st, 2022
Tuesday - The Song in You
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- Performing
- Accompanying yourself
- Making your show and booking gigs
- Maintaining your repertoire
- Finding your voice
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Thursday - Work-shopping session [In Person]
- Bring a song to share.
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Class Recordings
Week 3
“If you develop an ear for sounds that are musical it is like developing an ego. You begin to refuse sounds that are not musical and that way cut yourself off from a good deal of experience.” - John Cage
Tuesday, December 6th, 2022
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Thursday, December 8th, 2022
Tuesday - Poetry & Avant Garde Music
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- Thinking outside the box.
- Avante Garde Music
- John Cage, Phillip Glass, John Zorn
- Sound Poetry
- Changing mediums and traditions
- How have previous transitions changed music?
- What is changing now?
- Asking artistic questions.
- Philosophy of music.
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Assignment: What do you think makes great art? Write down a list of things that you look for when seeking art you will enjoy.
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What is your process of analyzing art? What questions do you ask yourself? Write those down to create a process of analysis you can follow.
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Thursday - Work-shopping Session [In Person]
- Bring a song to share
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Class Recordings
Week 4
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” - Thomas Edison
Tuesday, December 13th, 2022
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Thursday, December 15th, 2022
Tuesday - Class Review
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Thursday - Progressions Concert!!!
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[Swallow Hill Cafe]
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Bring a song to perform for a crowd!
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