Review: Songwriters Discuss How to Rejuvenate Old Song Projects at Orange County Songsalive! October Workshop

Eight talented songwriters gathered together at the Goldenwest Diner in Westminster, California for the pre-Halloween 2016 iteration of the Songsalive! Orange County Monthly Songwriting Workshop. Kate Albright got things started right off with a spooky song in waltz-time about the sea of negativity in the media and the blog-o-sphere. Joyce Melton was next, presenting one of her earlier songs – about missing a loved one who has passed on. Gil Mossard was next with a short but tremendously heart-felt song about leaving a relationship that is just not working right. Bob Winter followed with a spirited country song about declaring your individuality in a world that reduces you to a number. Lucius Austin gave us a romantic number about spending Christmas with the ones you love. And finally, Craig Smetana finished things up with a country-style lyric about a man dreaming of the day he gets out of jail – and back to his girl. For good measure, Rick Willingham gave us a “song skeleton” in the form of a new guitar melody he is working on.

After we finished dinner, the discussion turned to the group discussion topic of the evening: How to take songs you have put aside (because of writer’s block, or other pressing projects, or whatever) and get them started again – and, more importantly, finished. Bob Winter suggested not letting a song “lay fallow” for too long, lest you lose the inspiration that got it started in the first place. Echoing that, Kate Albright stressed the importance of “brainstorming”, getting the song out and down on paper or computer as completely as possible and soon as possible, BEFORE you let your brain try to start editing it. Rod O'Riley remembered a professional songwriter who suggested finding song fragments on similar topics and perhaps combining them into a single finished song. And several people noted successes they have had bringing along song fragments to jam sessions, and working with a collaborator to see that the song gets done.  -Rod O’Riley

NAME OF NEXT EVENT: Songsalive! Orange County Songwriter Showcase
DATE OF NEXT EVENT: November 22, 2016
TIME: 7:30 pm
LOCATION: Sam Ash Music Store, 14200 Beach Blvd, Westminster, CA 92683
COST: FREE!
SHOWCASE ARTISTS: TBA

More info at www.songsalive.org/calendar