Monthly Archives: October 2011

[Video] Ralph Murphy on Songwriting

Found this lecture by Ralph Murphy last night, and was really impressed. Mind blowing, actually. The way he talks about it, success as a songwriter has very little to do with music. The more important aspects are targeting women in the midst of their morning routine, and presenting the performer as a winner.

In the first half of this lecture from the Loyola University New Orleans, Ralph talks writing for 7am vs writing for 10pm, presenting winners, correct use of pronouns, and the six forms.

From the Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting website:

Murphy has served as President of The Nashville Chapter of the Recording Academy and has been a NARAS National Trustee and President of the Nashville Songwriters Association International. As well as serving as Vice President for the International and Domestic membership Group of the American Society of Composers Authors an Publishers, he also has served on the Southern Regional Writers Advisory Board of ASCAP, the Songwriters Guild of America regional advisory board and is a member of NSAI, NARAS, CMA, CCMA, SAC, SGA, and ASCAP

[Video] Gypsy Jazz, C Major Turnarounds, and Substitution magic

Oh hai friend.

The other day I stumbled across this video for a C Major turnaround lifted from Angelo DeBarre, which I enjoyed.

Unfortunately, no tablature was included in the lesson. So I have been nice enough to provide some. And in the process I ended up learning some stuff. So now I am sharing. Check the PowerTab file here. Continue reading

[Video] A Day To Remember – Original Jazz Arrangement

Oh WordPress.com, how I’ve missed you. And oh how patiently you’ve waited for me to return to you, with your spam folder filled with nonsense comments, and all-new menus.

To business!

I have been having a bad day. Not as bad as Steve Jobs, perhaps, but decidedly far too much time spent in a doctor’s office, thank you very much.

Upon my return home this evening, I decided to muck around with some jazz chord voicings that I’ve been lifting from All Jazz Blues, and some lead licks that I copped from a PowerTab of Django‘s Sweet Georgia Brown, which I downloaded last night prior to falling asleep on the couch with my guitar on my chest.

Django Reinhardt

This dude, is THE dude

Continue reading