The U.P. Music Scene Podcast and Poll Question

Posted on September 5, 2012 by admin

Jason Pyles here… I have two items for The Songwriting Podcast listeners:

1. The Songwriting Podcast listeners might remember that Dan Korhonen (of Dan’s Acoustic Garage fame) won our jingle-writing contest at the end of Episode 9. Dan is a prize-winning songwriter and the host of The U.P. Music Scene Podcast.

I recommend listening to Dan’s podcast about the special musical culture found there around the U.P. Music Scene. (Dan has even interviewed the likes of actor-musician Jeff Daniels!)

But my somewhat selfish reason for this blog post is Dan invited me to appear as a guest on his podcast. He asks about some behind-the-scenes info regarding The Songwriting Podcast, but we primarily talk about my journey as a podcast producer and podcast production, in general. So, if you’re thinking about starting your own podcast, then check out the episode here:

Jason appears on The U.P. Music Scene Podcast Continue reading →

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Ep. 14 – BRYAN ODEEN: Songwriting for the Soul

Posted on September 1, 2012 by admin

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Though there is no fanfare during this episode, one year ago today exactly, we launched The Songwriting Podcast on September 1, 2011. Our podcast is one year old today.

For Episode 14, Jason interviews music therapist Bryan Odeen, who is one half of the duo Little Bluestem, with Liz Montgomery. Jason and Bryan discuss music therapy as an occupation, and they talk about the cathartic uses for songwriting, both for others and for one’s self. They also discuss spiritual songwriting. In this episode you’ll hear some tips for writing effectively yet tastefully expressive songs. Don’t miss it! Continue reading →

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Ep. 13 – ALBUM REVIEWS: Cold Spring Harbor & Port of Morrow

Posted on August 15, 2012 by admin

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Jason Pyles and Craig Tovey give two, in-depth album reviews on Billy Joel’s first solo album, “Cold Spring Harbor” (1971), and The Shins’ “Port of Morrow” (2012), respectively.

In these reviews, Craig and Jason discuss various concepts, such as the phenomenon of having to warm up to a new album — even from a band you already love; how vocal quality and range change with age; the importance of writing memorably repetitive melodic themes; how to add additional “lifts” to your song when you’ve already maxed out your crescendoing dynamics — and many other nuanced topics. Continue reading →

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Ep. 12 – MATT CALL: Recording and Producing Your Own Music

Posted on August 1, 2012 by admin

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The Songwriting Podcast is a monthly music podcast where three hosts revel in the technical and creative aspects of the craft of songwriting, typically with a songwriter guest.

In Episode 12, Craig and Jason were honored to interview Matt Call, the frontman for the Asheville, North Carolina-based band, Lewis. Matt is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, percussionist — as well as several other musical titles. The primary theme for this episode is Recording and Producing Your Own Music. We also discuss evolving as a musician, and we listen to Matt’s song, “Straight Jacket,” in its entirety and hear about his method for writing it.

On Bandcamp.com: Lewis music

Matt Call and Lewis videos: YouTube channel Continue reading →

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Ep. 11 – Bonus – GRANT ADAMS: Finding Your Strengths as a Songwriter and Playing to Them

Posted on July 1, 2012 by admin

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The Songwriting Podcast is a monthly music podcast where three hosts revel in the technical and creative aspects of the craft of songwriting, with the help of guest songwriters or some other music industry professionals.

Episode 11 features our very own Grant Adams addressing the theme Finding Your Strengths as a Songwriter and Playing to Them, as well as an in-depth look at songwriting method and other topics. Continue reading →

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