Sparks from the Fire

In a recent letter, Byron V. Johnson presents a compelling idea to consider.

He writes:

I am acquainted with the belief that the word hallelujah is the highest praise that we can give God.  I do not share that belief, although I would agree that the word may be described as the premier word for praise, which for me is quite different than speaking of hallelujah as the highest praise.

In your article, “Hallelujah! The Power of the Word,” you wrote of the word hallelujah, “It is the penultimate word in the human language in praise of God.”

From that statement, would I be correct in thinking that you regard the word as not merely one of several Hebrew words for praise, but in contrast to them, it is a praise in itself when uttered? (more…)

I thought many of you might share an interest in a back-and-forth I recently had with one of our inspirational music composers.  We’ve probably all experienced this perplexing problem at one time or another in our creative endeavors.  The following contains excerpts of our dialogue.

Composer: I have been seriously stalling about doing some more composing.  Fear of the blank page, I guess.  I know you know what that’s all about… I’m not prolific at the best of times, but I need to start and get those first bars done…

Yours Truly: The basis of all this is that you have the music in you. There’s no question in my mind that this is true.  If you can write (the songs I’ve heard of yours), you can go as far as your dreams.  You have a great skill and talent and could easily have a terrific audience for your music.  I think that “fear of the blank page” really means that you’re starting wrong.  It means that you’re trying to start on the wrong beat, so to speak.  I’ve seen it in so many composers and writers.  I experienced it myself years ago until I figured it out.

(more…)

As a child growing up I always thought someone with an ego was someone who was deemed bigheaded or conceited.  If you had a big ego, you were far too impressed with yourself.

In the past 5 years or so through the exploration and study of Eckhart Tolle’s two seminal books, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment and A New Earth, both which I’ve read and re-read many times, I’ve come to see and understand the word ‘ego’ in a much more expanded light.

According to Tolle’s official website, “at the core of Tolle’s teachings lies the transformation of consciousness, a spiritual awakening that he sees as the next step in human evolution. An essential aspect of this awakening consists in transcending our ego-based state of consciousness. This is a prerequisite not only for personal happiness but also for the ending of violent conflict endemic on our planet.”

(more…)

Some of you have asked, so here are my thoughts on the essentials for a great song:

1. The Hook – The hook, handle or title should all be one in the same and be the central idea of the song. It should be the strongest and most focused concept – what the song is about. It should also be accompanied by the strongest and most memorable (sticky) musical phrase. It’s the essence of the song and usually it’s found at the beginning or the end of the chorus.
2. The Rhymes Rhyme – Let’s not let the beauty of this lyrical technique slide into oblivion. I recommend Clement Wood’s The Complete Rhyming Dictionary: Including The Poet’s Craft Book for all you lyricists out there. It’s the one all the pros use. “Beat” rhymes with “Feet”. “Beat does not rhyme with “sweets”. When you rhyme with perfect rhymes, you do not disappoint the ear. When you don’t, you do. (more…)

Stephen Schwartz - Composer/Lyricist

Many years ago when I was in my mid 20s, I served as composer-in-residence at the New York Shakespeare Festival for around five years.  It was an unbelievable opportunity to learn on the job, get major experience writing for the theater and work with the best people in the business.

Most composers for the theater are happy if they can get a show on and out there in the public eye once every three to five years.  In my five years at the Festival I did music for over 40 productions.

In the course of doing all that work I had the opportunity to meet and work with the best talent in the world in the theater.  At the time, though I often wrote lyrics stumbling blindly along, I always collaborated with a lyricist when it came to anything important.  My abilities as a composer were far ahead of my lyric writing chops.

I remember one evening while there at NYSF running into Stephen Schwartz who was a contemporary.  Steven had written the music and lyrics for Godspell and Pippin and later for Wicked and a host of animated Disney films.  I was looking for a lyricist for a project at the NYSF and asked him if he might be interested in collaborating.

(more…)

I read these truths yesterday morning.  This morning I woke up very early from an end-of-the-world dream where I was stuck in LA after a massive world earthquake and a resulting war with deranged people.  I couldn’t get home.  I couldn’t find anyone I knew.

I woke up in a sweat.  Disturbed deeply.  Frightened by the seeming reality that had just engulfed my life.  Wondering immediately what that was all about.  Carrying forward the feelings of the dream into my waking consciousness.  As I crawled out of bed, the Missus moaned and thrashed about lost in the throes of her own nightmare… (more…)

Why do we resist change – especially as we get older?  Admit it.  It seems to be the way of the world.

But the other way of the world is that a change is gonna come.  It’s inevitable.  Today, in this next hour, things will change in your and my life.  My day will not go as planned.  This year will not shake out the way I now want it to.  Our company, Watchfire Music, will, of necessity, change its direction or fail.  Yours will too.

The world will change.  Haitis will happen.  Somebody, some thing will come along and the course of history will meander off in another direction or sudden and monumental change will affect us all suddenly and monumentally.  The unexpected will happen.

(more…)

Lately I’ve been feeling an inordinate amount of stress before vocal sessions in the recording studio.  As a music producer, I have spent years in the NY studios producing thousands of sessions and producing vocal sessions is one of my fortes, so why this would now happen after all these years of experience was a mystery to me. (more…)