Songwriter Interviews- wrap-up, therapy needed... http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:04:11 GMT http://bandzoogle.com Songwriting tips and tricks from Bendigo's Gorgeous Voices Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=102634 Last weekend I took a songwriting workshop at the Gorgeous Voices Festival in Bendigo. A few people asked me about songwriting, and I said I&#8217;d post something about the process. Here&#8217;s a basic overview: Create a bunch of content so you can cull it back Select your favorite ideas Play with them! find rhymes (rhyming dictionaries expand your choices) explore themes in the thesaurus The main gist of the idea was to create as much content as possible from that creative, free associating place. Then, and only then to go into re-writing mode. The most fun part of this workshop was exchanging ideas with some very creative songwriters, <a title="Jessica Paige" href="http://www.jessicapaige.net/" target="_blank">Jess Paige and her brother<a title="Josh Romig" href="http://www.myspace.com/joshromigmusic" target="_blank"> Josh Romig. What struck me most about their creative process was that they&#8217;re both constantly playing with different ideas and different stories. I especially liked that Josh got his best ideas on the bus: he&#8217;d write them down, and find a home for them in a song later. My main question for the songwriters was meant to be: &#8216;Where do you get stuck?&#8217; But we never got to stuck. Stay tuned and I&#8217;ll post a list of my favorite songwriting books and resources. (yes, I&#8217;m a bit of a songwriting nerd&#8230;) Zerafina writing a song on St Kilda beach <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gocomments/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godelicious/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gofacebook/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gotwitter/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/gostumble/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/godigg/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.wordpress.com/1.0/goreddit/zerafina.wordpress.com/1/"> Last weekend I took a songwriting workshop at the Gorgeous Voices Festival in Bendigo. A few people asked me about songwriting, and I said I’d post something about the process. Here’s a basic overview:

  1. Create a bunch of content so you can cull it back
  2. Select your favorite ideas
  3. Play with them!
  • find rhymes (rhyming dictionaries expand your choices)
  • explore themes in the thesaurus

The main gist of the idea was to create as much content as possible from that creative, free associating place. Then, and only then to go into re-writing mode.

The most fun part of this workshop was exchanging ideas with some very creative songwriters, Jess Paige and her brother Josh Romig.

What struck me most about their creative process was that they’re both constantly playing with different ideas and different stories.

I especially liked that Josh got his best ideas on the bus: he’d write them down, and find a home for them in a song later.

My main question for the songwriters was meant to be:

‘Where do you get stuck?’

But we never got to stuck.

Stay tuned and I’ll post a list of my favorite songwriting books and resources. (yes, I’m a bit of a songwriting nerd…)

Zerafina writing a song on St Kilda beach

Zerafina writing a song on St Kilda beach


]]> Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:04:11 GMT 730F46EF580CAF8E217195CAD3E50371 Songwriting Workshops & Caberet Performance at Gorgeous Voices Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=96068 This weekend I'm heading to ( the very gorgeous) Bendigo for the <a href="http://www.gorgeousvoices.org.au/" target="_new">Gorgeous Voices Festival. At 12 noon on Sat 17th I'll be conducting a <a href="http://www.gorgeousvoices.org.au/program.html" target="_new">songwriting workshop 'From Inspiration to Final Song' - which is exactly what it will be about! We'll find ideas from words and music using some techniques from David Bowie, myself, each other, and Berklee's lyric writing professor, Pat Pattison. I'm guessing there will be a range of people at the workshop-&nbsp; &nbsp;some who have never written a song some who have song-fragments some who have completed songs and want to know how to make them even better I'm looking forward to it being fun and creative. And I'm hoping we can write some awful stuff. As<a href="http://www.patpattison.com/home/" target="_new"> Pat says: 'Write sh*t, because it makes the best fertilizer.' (I bet that's not on his webpage!) If you want some extra inspiration about writing songs, go to Pat's myspace and listen to the recording: <a href="http://www.patpattison.com/home/" target="_new">Senses It's lots of fun, and is all about engaing your audience. On the weekend I'll also be playing as part of the <a href="http://www.gorgeousvoices.org.au/program.html" target="_new">Caberet at 3pm. Hope to see you at the Gorgeous Voices Festival! Gorgeous Voices Festival.

At 12 noon on Sat 17th I'll be conducting a songwriting workshop 'From Inspiration to Final Song'
- which is exactly what it will be about!

We'll find ideas from words and music using some techniques from David Bowie, myself, each other, and Berklee's lyric writing professor, Pat Pattison.

I'm guessing there will be a range of people at the workshop- 
  •  some who have never written a song
  • some who have song-fragments
  • some who have completed songs and want to know how to make them even better

I'm looking forward to it being fun and creative. And I'm hoping we can write some awful stuff. As Pat says:

'Write sh*t, because it makes the best fertilizer.' (I bet that's not on his webpage!)

If you want some extra inspiration about writing songs, go to Pat's myspace and listen to the recording: Senses
It's lots of fun, and is all about engaing your audience.

On the weekend I'll also be playing as part of the Caberet at 3pm.

Hope to see you at the Gorgeous Voices Festival!
]]> Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:10:30 GMT 01AF41A15C8A222A569DCF5A30D9F8D9 Photography with Shannon McDonald http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=96062 On Friday I headed down to St Kilda with photographic wiz <a href="http://www.shannonmcdonald.com.au" target="_new">Shannon McDonald to take some photos. We had so much fun!.&nbsp; At one point we got to ride the Carousel/Merry-Go_Round; the one with all the lights and painted horses. I felt so happy and at home... like I'd engineered the whole thing just so I could ride it! You can see a few more photos I haven't posted yet on her <a href="http://www.shannonmcdonald.com.au/blog.html" target="_new">blog What's so exciting is that she engages with such a spontaneous creative process. A photographer has to be so comitted to being in the moment- creating and capturing that magic of something that passes so quickly. I happen to know that she's also a brilliant singer- so it's not surprising that she's so immersed in creativity as a vocation. Check out more of her work at <a href="http://www.shannonmcdonald.com.au" target="_new">www.shannonmcdonald.com.au Shannon McDonald to take some photos.

We had so much fun!.  At one point we got to ride the Carousel/Merry-Go_Round; the one with all the lights and painted horses. I felt so happy and at home... like I'd engineered the whole thing just so I could ride it!

You can see a few more photos I haven't posted yet on her blog

What's so exciting is that she engages with such a spontaneous creative process. A photographer has to be so comitted to being in the moment- creating and capturing that magic of something that passes so quickly.

I happen to know that she's also a brilliant singer- so it's not surprising that she's so immersed in creativity as a vocation.

Check out more of her work at www.shannonmcdonald.com.au
]]> Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:47:52 GMT 11CC0319AD238E989EE6A0D6B7FCE324 Songwriting Workshops & Caberet Performance at Gorgeous Voices Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518648 http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=90...This weekend I'm heading to ( the very gorgeous) Bendigo for the Gorgeous Voices Festival. At 12 noon on Sat 17th I'll be conducting a songwriti... Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT 8D9CC66A52AF9ED4039E47731E060C0B Songwriting Workshops & Caberet Performance at Gorgeous Voices Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=113103 http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=90...This weekend I'm heading to ( the very gorgeous) Bendigo for the Gorgeous Voices Festival. At 12 noon on Sat 17th I'll be conducting a songwriti... Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT 49E6A41FC44B462A534C438F661E780F Link for writers and creative types http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518649 Hi my creative friends!I promised you a link to my favorite blogger, and his inspiring free e-book:279 Days to Overnight SuccessI told some of you I couldn't remember his name- here it is Chris Guille... Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:00 GMT 86799E3FB9BADCACFDFF4F582B2C2221 Link for writers and creative types http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=77635 Hi my creative friends!I promised you a link to my favorite blogger, and his inspiring free e-book:279 Days to Overnight SuccessI told some of you I couldn't remember his name- here it is Chris Guille... Mon, 14 Sep 2009 10:00:00 GMT 2AECDE1DE9692339CD54A2EEF85668B0 The Infamous Interview http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72162 By popular demand- here's the interview with Stephen Cummings. Gasp as he insults the building and the emcee. Swoon as he ducks another question, puzzle as he quotes Lou Reed and storms off the stage...
Gasp as he insults the building and the emcee. Swoon as he ducks another question, puzzle as he quotes Lou Reed and storms off the stage...

Zerafina attempting to get a quetion in with Stephen Cummings at the Melbourne Writers Festial

]]> Fri, 04 Sep 2009 05:48:01 GMT 9D70572A9D0330E913A946F395D15AB2 Lasooing the bear... http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518650 The interviews for the Melbourne Writers Festival- Songwriter Speaks sessions so far...One of the interview subjects felt more like bear-baiting (with me as the bait) than an actual interview.I never ... Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT BD033FD2F4C782D497E97F487CCAF14C Lasooing the bear... http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72151 The interviews for the Melbourne Writers Festival- Songwriter Speaks sessions so far...One of the interview subjects felt more like bear-baiting (with me as the bait) than an actual interview.I never ... Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT 0910CF3E19C722C9A35166AA858E01F4 Any questions for Stephen Cummings or Lilith Lane? http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518651 Here's your chance- do you have any questions for the legendary Stephen Cummingsor the relative newbie, the very cool Lilith Lane? I'll be interviewing Stephen this Saturday the 22nd, and Lilith on Su... Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT D6C39E8D536721FB9A37CE200F81E367 Any questions for Stephen Cummings or Lilith Lane? http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72152 Here's your chance- do you have any questions for the legendary Stephen Cummingsor the relative newbie, the very cool Lilith Lane? I'll be interviewing Stephen this Saturday the 22nd, and Lilith on Su... Sat, 15 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT 01178FCE7D7D75C817E4326CCEC50602 twitter, the musos who do http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518652 http://mashable.com/2009/07/08/twitter-musicians/ Just a little list of musicians who twitter. I'm looking for artists who write creatively on their posts. Any recommendations? Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT 7F6956B2B20663869C47183847F7C4C9 twitter, the musos who do http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72153 http://mashable.com/2009/07/08/twitter-musicians/ Just a little list of musicians who twitter. I'm looking for artists who write creatively on their posts. Any recommendations? Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:00:00 GMT EB40939F74CB3429E3D7BEC0CA7B2FDE Full Details of Melbourne Writers Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518653 Ok- here's the deal.At the Festival Club: I'll be interviewing Angie Hart, Tim Rogers, Jen Cloher, Stephen Cummings and Lilith Lane for the Melbourne Writers Festival.There's a vague link to me here a... Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:00:00 GMT 8C59F1110456AC9148BCDE5DAF3D817F Full Details of Melbourne Writers Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72154 Ok- here's the deal.At the Festival Club: I'll be interviewing Angie Hart, Tim Rogers, Jen Cloher, Stephen Cummings and Lilith Lane for the Melbourne Writers Festival.There's a vague link to me here a... Sun, 19 Jul 2009 10:00:00 GMT 89E229D6EEE49B9F130672C88A236FA6 Songwriter Interviews Melbourne Writers Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518654 I'm so excited...but can't give away full details yet.So I'll just have to spread a rumour that I'll be interviewing one of my favorite songwriters of all time for the Melbourne Writers Festival. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT A07798E769E8C726300599B0E6EAFB0E Songwriter Interviews Melbourne Writers Festival http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72155 I'm so excited...but can't give away full details yet.So I'll just have to spread a rumour that I'll be interviewing one of my favorite songwriters of all time for the Melbourne Writers Festival. Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT 2EBEA288CD3ED3701E26CD6B6D746C70 Self-mutilation (unintentional) http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=518655 It's true.That glass of red wine while cooking risotto...It threw off my concentration while cooking.Down to the last stage- parmesan and parsley- and whack- the sharp knife right through my nail of m... Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT 92CD6A5738C63EC4E3668A3C565A4037 Self-mutilation (unintentional) http://zerafinazara.com.au/blognews.cfm?feature=904487&postid=72156 It's true.That glass of red wine while cooking risotto...It threw off my concentration while cooking.Down to the last stage- parmesan and parsley- and whack- the sharp knife right through my nail of m... Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:00:00 GMT 13BFDF2EF7F652B14C9A2E26FAA9BA61