Winter 2010: Freedom!

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Upcoming Workshops: March 5th and Summer 2010
I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
SFK Bookclub
Winter Songwriting Challenge
Poll: Shh...We Won't Tell!


  Upcoming Workshops: March 5th and Summer 2010

MARCH 5TH: American Songs Workshop (for children and their families)
A local homeschool group and the Shelter Institute in Woolwich are hosting this event, and I hope you will be able to attend. Please spread the word to any families you think might be interested. Space is limited, so an RSVP is required.

Friday, March 5th at 6:30pm.

Shelter Institute, 873 Route 1, Woolwich, ME

Please RSVP to michelle.larocquetipton_at_gmail_dot_com as space is limited.
The cost is $18 per family. Scholarships are available upon request.

Here is a sweet note from Michele about the workshop:

Josie has offered her workshop on American Songs to school groups, and in this unique event she will be opening the workshop up for families to enjoy. She has won the hearts of OUR family and friends with her beautiful voice, love of children, and interest in American folk songs. Please check her out at Josephinecameron.com and join us for this amazing opportunity.

SAVE THE DATE: 2010 Summer Workshops

The 2010 summer workshop dates have been set! These workshops will be held at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME.

July 12-16, 2010
Songwriting for Kids Vol. 1 (K-3), 8:30am-12:00pm
Fiction Writing for Kids (grades 3-5), 1:30pm-5:00pm

July 19-23, 2010
Songwriting for Kids Vol. 2 (K-3), 8:30am-12:00pm
Poetry Writing for Kids (grades 3-5), 1:30pm-5:00pm

More information will be coming soon!

I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Jourdyn, age 10...Jourdyn wrote a hit song!

Jourdyn, from Reynoldsburg, Ohio, wrote a song called "Heroes" and you can view the lyrics at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. What a cool song! Please stop by and leave a comment for Jourdyn to let her know how much you enjoyed her song.


 SFK Bookclub

I love to read just as much as I love to play music, so I thought I'd make a space in this newsletter to share my favorite books about music. I'll post about all kinds of books: picture books, chapter books, non-fiction, fiction, and poetry. If you have a favorite book to share, please leave a comment below. I'd love to hear about it!

Charlie Parker Played Be Bop by Chris Raschka

This is one of my favorite picture books of all time. The words and the illustrations do a great job of capturing saxophone player Charlie Parker's energetic rhythm and style. Read more about this book...


Songwriting Challenge: Freedom!

I'm always writing about the rules of how a song should be put together: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, and all that jazz. But Charlie Parker and other be-bop musicians wrote music that broke all the rules. Most music emphasized the downbeat, so Charlie played the off-beat. He messed around with strange harmonies and improvisation (making up songs as he went along). His music came out sounding fresh and free...and amazing. It wasn't like anything anyone had ever heard before. Listen to this:

Winter '10 Songwriting Challenge:
Can you write a song that breaks all the rules?

Here are some things to think about:

1. Do you usually rhyme in your songs? DON'T! Or make up a different kind of rhyme scheme. What if you made every word rhyme? Or every fifth word? Could you do it?
   
2. Do you usually use a Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus structure? Mix it up! Repeat the verse 3 times before the chorus comes in. Or have your song be all chorus.
   
3. Do you usually tell a story with your songs? Try to do the opposite. Tell nonsense. You could even write a bunch of words down on little pieces of paper, throw them in the air and sing them in the order that they land. 
4. IMPORTANT NOTE: It's okay if it doesn't sound good! When you experiment, you're bound to hit some notes that sound downright awful. But that's okay. Do you think Thomas Edison got the light bulb right on his first try? Great inventors (and musicians) take the parts that work and try them again. Try a few experiments, find the bits that you like, and put them all together in one great song.
5. Have fun!
   

Poll: Shh...We Won't Tell!



If you can't see the poll, just click here. (Once you vote, you'll be able to see other people's answers, too.)

Summer-Fall 2009: The Bridge

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Songs from 2009 Summer Workshops
I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
Summer-Fall Songwriting Challenge
Poll: Name That Bridge


Songs from 2009 Summer Workshops
My workshop students wrote some fabulous songs this summer! It was a rainy July here in Maine, and that seemed to put them in the mood to write slow, beautiful songs with amazing melodies. Please take a moment to listen to Volcano and Shooting Stars. My classes worked so hard on these songs, and I'm so proud of them!


I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Romany, age 10...Romany wrote a hit song!

Romany, from Queensland, Australia, wrote a song called "Time Will Fly" and you can view the lyrics *and* listen to her sing at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. What a beautiful tune! Please stop by and leave a comment for Romany to let her know how much you enjoyed her song.


Songwriting Challenge: The Bridge

Our Songwriting for Kids Vol. 2 class spent some time this summer learning about and working on an important part of modern songwriting: THE BRIDGE.

In the Vol. 1 class, we learned about VERSE and CHORUS which are the building blocks of popular music. But lots of modern songs also have a BRIDGE. Just like a real-life bridge that takes you from one side to another, a musical bridge brings to to a completely different place in the song.

Here's an example. Listen to Bill Withers singing one of my favorite songs, Lean On Me. Pay close attention and see if you can hear how the melody (the part you can hum) and the rhythm change the minute he starts singing "Call on me, brother, when you need a hand..."



Did you hear how the music went to a completely different place? That's the bridge!

Summer-Fall '09 Songwriting Challenge:
Can you write a song with a BRIDGE?

Here are some things to think about:

1. Take the melody someplace new. Is the chorus low? Sing high. Just make sure it's different.
   
2. Take the rhythm someplace new. Go faster, or slower, add some claps like in Lean On Me, some pauses, or even some foot stomping if necessary!
   
3. Don't forget to come back to the chorus, or another verse in the end.
   

Poll: Name That Bridge

I once got to spend 6 months living two blocks from this beautiful bridge. Can you guess where it is?

(Click for answer)
If you can't see the poll, just click here. (Once you vote, you'll be able to see other people's answers, too.)

Spring 2009: Look Around You!

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NEW SUMMER PROGRAMS!
I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
Spring Songwriting Challenge
Poll: What Did William Carlos Williams Eat?


SUMMER PROGRAMS: Register Now!
I'm excited to announce that we have two brand new additions to our summer programs this year. Songwriting for Kids Vol. 2 (K-3) and Poetry Writing for Kids (3-5). If you like to write, I hope you'll join us for one of our fun workshops. We'll learn how songs, stories, and poems are put together and have lots of fun creating our own! Sessions will be held the weeks of July 13th and July 20th, 2009. For more information, please visit the Songwriting for Kids website or download the 2009 brochure (.pdf).


I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Chloe, age 10...Chloe wrote a hit song!

Chloe, from Renoldburg, Ohio, wrote a song called "Once Upon a Time" and you can view the lyrics at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. I think it's great! Please stop by and leave a comment for Chloe to let her know how much you enjoyed her song.


Songwriting Challenge: Look Around You!

It's springtime, and after a long winter in Maine, I'm so glad to finally open the windows wide, take long walks, and take a good look at the changing world around me. Birds are starting to come back from the south and sing outside my window, trees are beginning to bud (and that means *leaves* and *green* will be here soon!), and little green sprouts are beginning to poke up from the ground.

All of these things can make great subjects for songs. The other day, I was watching a blue bird hop around from branch to branch, and this little rhyme popped into my head:

Hey little bluebird
What you gonna' do?
I might have a little secret
That I could share with you

I jotted it down, and then I started to wonder what kind of secret it could be. Maybe the secret is the beginning of Spring. Or the beginning of a song!

Spring '09 Songwriting Challenge:
Stand outside for 10 or 15 minutes and Look Around You!
Can you write a song about what you see?

Here are some things to think about:

1. Pay attention to your senses. What do you SEE, HEAR, SMELL, or FEEL?
   
2. Let your imagination run wild. Do you live in the country? Try to imagine where that squirrel might be rushing off to. Do you live in the city? Try to imagine where the taxis are all rushing off to. What is that place like? Is it real, or is it a fantasy world?
   
3. Try it again. I bet if you try it again tomorrow, you'll notice something completely new.
   

Here's a video from Secret Agent 23 Skidoo that I like and thought you might like too (thanks to Zooglobble for the link):



Poll: What Did William Carlos Williams Eat?

April is Poetry Month, so here is one of my favorite poems by William Carlos Williams. Can you fill in the blank and guess what it was that the poet ate?

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the ______
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold


(Click for answer)
If you can't see the poll, just click here. (Once you vote, you'll be able to see other people's answers, too.)

Winter 2009: All You Need Is Love

Do you know a friend who would like Songwriting for Kids?
Click here to send them a link to this newsletter!

Reminder: the SFK Club Newsletter has switched to a quarterly schedule. We'll publish an issue in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Here’s what’s in this quarter's newsletter (click a chapter title to go straight to that chapter):

I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
Winter Songwriting Challenge
Poll: Secret Love


I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Lorenzo, age 8...Lorenzo wrote a hit song!

Lorenzo, from Westerville, Ohio, wrote a great song about leaving the past behind. You can view the lyrics at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. Please stop by and leave a comment for Lorenzo to let him know how much you enjoyed his song.

If you'd like to enter the I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest, read the contest rules here. The next winner will be chosen randomly from all the entries and announced in the Spring newsletter. Good luck!


Songwriting Challenge: All You Need Is Love

What would you say if I asked you: what is the most popular kind of song?

It's pretty obvious. Just listen to the radio. Pop in a CD. Shuffle your iPod. Everybody's singing love songs! Love songs have been popular ever since music began.

Why? Because everybody needs a little love...even dogs, tomatoes, and planets (click on those words for videos of songs about each of those being loved or looking for love!)

Winter '08 Songwriting Challenge:
Can you write a Love Song?

There are lots of different ways to do it.
Here are some ideas:

• Write about lost love
• Write about found love
• Write about a silly love (anybody here love Skittles as much as I do?)
• Write about a serious love
• Make sure there are a few details that will make the listener understand why you are/were/or could be in love (what color are those Skittles? what color are her eyes? what color was the sky the day you lost your dog?)
  

Sometimes, you can just keep it simple. Check out this song by The Beatles. They don't get too complicated:

All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need

Poll: Secret Love

If you can't see the poll, just click here. (Once you vote, you'll be able to see other people's answers, too.)

Fall 2008: Got the Blues?

Do you know a friend who would like Songwriting for Kids?
Click here to send them a link to this newsletter!

Reminder: the SFK Club Newsletter has switched to a quarterly schedule. We'll publish an issue in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Here’s what’s in this quarter's newsletter (click a chapter title to go straight to that chapter):

NEW BOOK! Hip Hop Speaks to Children
I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner
Fall Songwriting Challenge
Poll: Names of the Blues


NEW BOOK! HIP HOP SPEAKS TO CHILDREN

I'm excited to announce that my song, "Long Track Blues," with words by poet Sterling A. Brown has been included in a new children's book/CD set edited by Nikki Giovanni. Hip Hop Speaks to Children: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat has received rave reviews and is #9 on the New York Times Bestselling Picture Books list this week!

Read the story behind Long Track Blues at my blog, Please Come Flying.

Listen to the All Things Considered interview with Nikki Giovanni...including a clip from "Long Track Blues"!


I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest Winner

Congratulations to Lauren, age 7... Lauren wrote a hit song!

Lauren, from Louisville, Kentucky, wrote a great song about trying to get to know someone better. You can view the lyrics at the I Wrote a Hit Song! webpage. Please stop by and leave a comment for Lauren to let her know how much you enjoyed her song.

If you'd like to enter the I Wrote a Hit Song! Contest, read the contest rules here. The next winner will be announced in the Winter newsletter. Good luck!


Songwriting Challenge: Got the Blues?

We've all felt down in the dumps. Lost a dog. Lost a friend. The sun won't come out. Bike broke again. That's the blues. The deep down underground blues.

This month's Songwriting Challenge is to gather up all that gloom and doom and put it into a song. A BLUES SONG. I love to sing the blues. Because the funny thing about singing the blues...no matter how bad I feel to begin with, singing the blues almost always makes me feel better.

Fall '08 Songwriting Challenge:
Can you write a Blues Song?

There are lots of different ways to do it.
Here are some tips:

It's all about feeling it.

• What's got you down?
  
• Tell it like you're telling it to your best friend.
  
• Put some soul into it.
• Let it all hang out.

Try to write an AAB Blues.

• An AAB blues has 3 lines per verse. The first line is repeated twice. LIKE THIS:

When you were lonesome, I treated you kind
When you were lonesome, I treated you kind
But since you've got money, it has changed your mind

Days are lonesome, nights are so long
Days are lonesome, nights are so long
I'm a good gal, but I just been treated wrong

(from Bessie Smith's "Lost Your Head Blues")

Poll: Names of the Blues

If you can't see the poll, just click here. (Once you vote, you'll be able to see other people's answers, too.)