How Songwriting Really Works!
Techniques & Secrets of the World's Greatest Songwriters
August 10-15, 2008 with Wayne Chase, Tom Kimmel & Nancy Bos
Retreat Contact: Bryan Fogelman, 800-736-7238, bryan@reorafting.comCheck out our photo gallery for pictures from previous songwriting retreats.
FREE Book with Retreat Booking!
Receive Wayne Chase's best selling book "How Music Really Works" ($45.00 value) for FREE when you book for our our August retreat, "How Songwriting Really Works.""How Music REALLY Works!, 2nd Edition, focuses on specific techniques a player, vocalist, or songwriter can use to seize the attention of listeners and move them emotionally.
For the benefit of the majority of musicians (amateur and pro) who do not read music, the book contains no music notation. Instead it provides in-depth, visually-oriented, easy-to-understand (and humorous!) text and graphics covering every important aspect of music-making and lyric-writing" - Roedy Black Publishing Inc.
2008 Muses Muse Prize Draw Winners
"How Songwriting Really Works: Techniques and Secrets of the World's Greatest Songwriters" is our retreat for songwriters willing to devote themselves to writing songs that will stand the test of time. In other words, create songs that will be classics for years to come. Better than the songs you hear on the radio today and better than many "hits" that are really not that well written.
"How Songwriting Really Works" will be held at our beautiful river's edge retreat near Vancouver, British Columbia.
The retreat will be hosted by Wayne Chase. Wayne is the author of one of the most creative and original works on songwriting that has ever been written, "How Music Really Works".
| Songwriting Instructors | |
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Wayne ChaseWayne is a music and songwriting scholar having spent 20 years researching and analyzing the greatest songs of our times. Wayne is the creator of the Gold Standard Song List, a compilation of 5,000 of the greatest songs of the last 100 years based on the lyrical and musical characteristics of each song in 11 genres. Wayne holds 5 patents on connotative analysis and is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the emotional meaning in language. Wayne’s websites include: www.howmusicreallyworks.com www.goldstandardsonglist.com www.completechords.com |
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Nancy BosNancy is the author of “Singing 101”, a beginning voice instruction CD set, as well as “Vocal Workout: Strength and Flexibility”, a vocal exercise CD built on pop, rock and the blues. Nancy teaches at the Cornish College of the Arts and at her private studio in Seattle, WA. She is an international workshop clinician, teaching an integrated method that includes voice technique, repertoire development and performing skills. Her students include professionals in rock, folk, pop, musical theatre and classical as well as beginners learning how to match pitches, improve technique or discover personal style. Her music education began at Luther College but she is constantly reading, attending conferences and lectures and studying with experts in the fields of voice, theatre, psychology, otolaryngology and neuroscience. She serves on the board of two chapters of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and volunteers with the Bellevue Youth Theatre. |
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Tom KimmelTom Kimmel jokes that he's the only Nashville songwriter to have his songs featured in Captain Kangaroo, Miami Vice and Touched By An Angel. But it's true! Tom's songs have appeared on albums by dozens of major artists from Linda Ronstadt to Johnny Cash and Joe Cocker, in feature films (including Twins, Runaway Bride and Serendipity), and television shows (Dawson's Creek, As the World Turns and Party of Five and many others). An outstanding performer, recording artist, poet and teacher, he has released seven albums and a book of poems. For more information on Tom Kimmel, please see his website: www.tomkimmel.com |
Retreat Highlights: Music
- Why Technology Will Not Help You Write Brilliant Music
- Why the Ability to Read Music and Play a Musical Instrument Expertly do Not Matter
- Why Co-Writing Music Will Probably Do You More Harm than Good
- Understanding and Using Certain Types of Scales and Modes, and Avoiding Modal Blunders
- How to Use the Nashville Number System
- How to Take Advantage of the Strengths, and Avoid the Weaknesses, of the Four Types of Chord Progressions
- How to Use Circular Harmonic Scales and Chase Charts
- Understanding and Using Power Chords and Slash Chords
- Ten Guidelines for Creating Great Chord Progressions and Avoiding Chord Progression Blunders
- Understanding Human Memory Limitations and Avoiding Memory-related Pitfalls
- How to Handle Beat, Pulse, Meter, Tempo, and Rhythm
- Understanding the Differences Between Vocal-melodic Phrases and Structural Phases
- How to Use Binary Structure, the Soul of Great Song Form
- Understanding and Applying Harmonic and Melodic Cadences
- How to Use Four Types of Modulation and One Type to Avoid
- How to Apply the Wundt Curve in Composing Music for Songs
- Ten Specific Techniques for Creating Emotionally Powerful Tunes
- How to Evaluate Your Progress, Build on Your Strengths, Correct Your Weaknesses, and Dramatically Improve Your Music-writing Skills
Retreat Highlights: Lyrics
- Why Technology Will Not Help You Write Brilliant Lyrics
- Why Co-writing Lyrics Will Probably Do You More Harm Than Good
- Four Essential Tools That Will Help You Write Great Lyrics
- Understanding the Survival and Reproductive Value of Gossip and its Role in Making Lyrics Compelling
- Understanding the Central Importance of EPA and Applying it in Lyric-writing
- Understanding the Differences Between Function Words and Content Words
- How to Choose Emotionally Powerful Words by Part of Speech
- How to Use Flesch’s Personal Words Index to Make Lyrics More Interesting
- How to Use Flesch’s Personal Sentences Index to Make Lyrics More Compelling
- Understanding the Difference Between Abstract and Concrete Word Choice, and Avoiding the Abstract
- Why Realistic Stories and Scenarios That Happen to People in Everyday Life Make for Boring, Forgettable Lyrics
- Understanding the Effectiveness of Parallel Construction, and How to Use it
- How to Use Twelve Kinds of Rhyme by Similarity of Sound, Syllable Number, Accent, and Phrase or Line Location
- How to Avoid Blunders in Accent-matching
- How to Apply the Wundt Curve in Writing Lyrics
- How to Create and Use RIT Seed Lists, Phrase Lists, and Rhyming Couplet Lists
- Why You Need Never Again Experience or Worry about Writer’s Block
- How to Evaluate Your Progress, Build on Your Strengths, Correct Your Weaknesses, and Dramatically Improve Your Lyric-writing Skills
All-inclusive Prices
Fees include 14 meals, snacks, beverages, resort amenities, 4 full days of workshops, critiques & evening sessions for 6-day / 5-night retreat. All-inclusive rates are:| All-Inclusive | $CDN |
| Camping (own tent) | $850 |
| Shared Cabin Tents (3-4 sharing) | $975 |
| Standard Cabin Tent (double occupancy) | $1050 |
| Rivers Edge Cabin Tent (queen bed, single) | $1250 |
| Non-Retreat (spouses, family etc.) — Deduct $300 CDN from above fee |
Note: 5% GST & 3% land & water access fees added to all prices. Seats are limited. Call for single occupancy rates. Prices subject to change without notice.
Receive a free copy of American Songwriter Magazine.
Muse's Muse, SAC & Book Purchaser Discounts
A $50 discount is offered to Muse's Muse subscribers, members of the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) and for purchasers of Wayne's book "How Music Really Works". Plus, Muse's Muse and SAC members can apply on-line for a $200 scholarship to the 2008 retreat.Vancouver International Airport & Travel Info
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is 3 hours drive from REO. Car-pooling will be arranged when possible. Seattle Airport (SEA-TAC) is 4.5 hours south of REO.Arrive at REO for 3 pm check-in Sunday, August 10 (Arrive YVR no later than 10:30 am). Depart REO Friday, August 15 (Leave YVR after 5 pm).
Inspirational Setting
Enjoy an intimate songwriting retreat in the dry, sunny side of the coastal mountains in British Columbia, Canada. Our August temperatures average a beautiful 25-33 C (80-90 F). Our blue-sky days give way to amazing star-studded nights.Retreat Contact: Bryan Fogelman, 800-736-7238, bryan@reorafting.com
2008 Muses Muse Prize Draw Winners
Thank you to everyone who entered the Muses Muse prize draw. The winners are listed below. To redeem your prize and book your songwriters retreat, call our reservations office at 1.800.736.7238 (Toll Free) from Monday to Friday 9am-5pm PST or email us at info@reorafting.com.$200.00 prize winner for August Songwriters Retreat
Sarah Honkala
$100.00 prize winners for the August Songwriters Retreat
Bob Macdonald and Ruslan Moiseev
$50.00 prize winners for the August Songwriters Retreat
| Dan Cohen | Rick Vincent |
| Michael Airton | Rachelle Nones |
| Debbie Pennington | Rik Shafer |
| Carl Glover | - |
| Lisa Boubel | - |