Master’s degree in Songwriting
Hi all, SWF 2009 - Final Performance Night! We’re very excited to announce that the University’s Master’s degree in Songwriting has a new home, in the form of a purpose-built songwriters’ studio at our Corsham Court campus. The next enrolment is for September 2010 and we’re taking applications (subject to interview and songwriting portfolio) from now. To find out more about the course visit http://www.MASongwriting.com. You... [Read More...]
Final performance
Final Performance night - all the songs were written during SWF week. On the last day of the the 2009 Festival, we all got together in the cafÈ to play back the last of the week’s songs. Many people had delayed their live performance until this final session, due either to completing a particular song toward the end of the week, or the time taken in developing chord sheets for the house band. So the band had to learn around 20 songs in a 3-hour... [Read More...]
House band sessions
The first house band song, performed on the Tuesday in the cafÈ. We’re two gigs in to the week now, and the house band members (Chris, Josh and me) are deep in rehearsal. The band system works like this; a songwriter completes their song (usually the same day), writes a chord sheet (or gets one of the tutors to write it), then brings this notation to our estimable ‘chord tsars’ Jo and Barry for checking. When the chart is complete,... [Read More...]
Songwriting in the dock: Satriani vs. Coldplay case
I’m sure lots of our community will remember the recent Satriani/Coldplay case [Read More...] Read More →
Midge Ure on songwriting – and a Scottish songwriting competition
Here’s a video of Midge Ure (SWF special guest 2006) on songwriting, with some useful comments on clichÈ in his own first attempts at songwriting – hopefully this should give heart to some of our new writers! [Read More...] Read More →
Will Hodgkinson article
Some lovely quotes here. The only assertion I’d disagree with is ’songwriting can’t be taught’, of course http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/28/music-perfect-pop-song-pulp “A pop song does, however, follow certain rules. It is generally around three to four minutes, has a verse and a chorus, and uses a bed of chords to support a melody, with words that convey some sort of sentiment that an audience can relate... [Read More...]
New site – what do you think?
Dear songwriters, Welcome to our new virtual home. We’d appreciate it if you’d let us know your thoughts on this site, particularly things like… Previous SWF-ers – does the site sum up the experience fairly/accurately? Songwriters who’ve never been to SWF – does the site answer all the questions you have as a potential visitor? Songwriters worldwide – if you’re not planning to visit the Festival, but... [Read More...]
Performance and songwriting
To state the obvious, the UK Songwriting Festival is about songwriting. Specifically, it’s about songwriting as opposed to performance and arrangement. We often use the metaphor of a picture frame – the arrangement and performance are the frame; the song is the picture. A song is transferable to a different performer (i.e. a cover version); a song can be arranged/interpreted in different ways (instrumentation, tempo, groove/feel, arrangement... [Read More...]
Teaching songwriting with a Mac
I occasionally get asked, by Festival songwriters [Read More...] Read More →