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  • Songstuff Writer and Artist Development Challenges

    By john

    Independent writers and artists face several large disadvantages when they are compared to signed, mainstream writers and artists.  Disadvantages that add up to making it a competition that indies can’t win. Hell they can’t even compete.   Lack of budget and poor contacts are fairly obvious disadvantages. Lack of experience and a lack of knowledge restricts songwriters and artists alike. Lack of an overall strategy, and a limited set of incomplete tactics, makes for a critical problem
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Site Development

Member Hub Pages

We recently introduced the "Member Hub", a place to pull together a whole host of useful stuff for our members. The main hub page itself includes:   The latest Songstuff Stuff site blog entries. Access to the latest Member Articles (new feature!) The latest topics from our Showcase board The latest images The latest Lyrics critique posts &

Songstuff

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Songstuff Stuff

What makes a song great?

For songwriters, it is an ongoing discussion, what exactly makes a song great? If you could understand exactly what it is that makes a song great, then perhaps you could use that knowledge to your advantage when writing new songs, and avoid common mistakes. Unfortunately it isn't as cut and dried as that. There is no right answer. That is why there are no song writing rules, only guidelines. So we started a topic to encourage our members t

Songstuff

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Rudi's Blog

What About White Dirt?

This morning I awoke tired again. It was my fault I didn’t get to bed early enough. While brushing my teeth I wondered what sort of day I’d be in for. Fridays are usually quiet because few people are onsite. But… when problems do occur on Fridays it becomes manic for the same reason. I then idly wondered what I would say to myself 12 hours from now if I’d had a really bad day.   It would be along the lines of; [i]‘don’t go in. Just take a day off. Never mind that you’re using up premium days

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Malfunction. No Target Aquired.

Now that August bank holiday has past, I am reviewing the past year critically. A lot of what has happened since is connected to the hole in my life that opened up when my partner Jan died on August bank holiday 2014.   My employer sent me home on 2 weeks compassionate leave, during which time I helped clear Jan’s flat of all her possessions. I did this together with her son Ian and her friends Pam & Lorna.   I spent ages taking her stuff to charity shops and to the tip. When the funer

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Picks Review

Picks Review:   Using and choosing picks is highly personal. No one can give a generalised review. My review is based upon what I am used to and the techniques I use. My use of picks is confined to electric guitars only. I never use them on acoustics. The techniques I use.   Lead: predominantly alternating up & down, AKA speed picking. Hammer on/pull off. Basic sweep (not the shredder type). A personal Staccato version of economy picking. Exceptions: I do not tap.   Rhythm: Var

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Pick Article (Also Posted In Guitar Area)

Picks / Plectrums   Pete Walker, a guitar store owner and lifelong enthusiast said to me that ‘everybody can hold down a few chords & string a couple of phrases together, it’s the picking hand that makes a guitarist sound unique’.   This is a big subject. Nothing varies so much between guitarists as the sort of pick they use and the way they use them. It’s the most neglected subject too. Players obsess about their main equipment more than anything else (and spend a lot of money doi

Rudi

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Just1L Blog

Pondering

As I was sitting here today thinking, a thought crossed my mind. If you look at what's popular today, most of it has made a subtle, yet dramatic change. TV went to Reality TV. Motocross/Skateboarding, "extreme sports" took things to a whole new level in the past decade or so after X-Games started. News has gone 24/7. What did music do? It went to TV to create reality TV shows. It didn't change music (well it did, but I don't think it took it forwards really), just exploited a hole that needed to

Just1L

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TPistilli's Blog

We Sing Praise

(the chord arrangement got messed up with the copy/paste thing)   WE SING PRAISE   Verse: Am G Am The Father showed His love for us when He sent His only son G Am F G And Jesus showed His love for us when He shed His precious blood Am G Am The Spirit shows His love for us when He leads us into truth G Am F G And how we show our love for Him, (is) with a heart of gratitude…   Chorus: C G We sing Praise, sing praise F C F C To our Heavenly Father, to Jesus His Son F Am G F A

TPistilli

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TPistilli's Blog

Backslider Come Home

BACK SLIDER COME HOME (for heavy rock song) verse 1 Freed from sin you had it made. Turned from light preferred the shade. Sleep with swine in the bed you made. There's one way to numb the shame. Pre-chorus The sin you love has got you bound. But there's still time to turn around… Chorus Backslider, back backslider come home, come home You haven’t gone so far that you can’t come back Backslider back backslider come home, come home. With open arms God wants to take you back Back

TPistilli

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TPistilli's Blog

Welcome To My Blog

I have never, ever had a blog and have very little idea what the heck I am doing. With that said, I will not be chronicling what I had for breakfast or how many pounds I put on during the holidays . This is just a repository of my lyrics, songs, and works in progress.   It is my sincere desire that someone would, one, actually look at this page, but two, would like to possibly collaborate to makes songs. I have no delusions that anything I do will actually be made commercial, but how cool

TPistilli

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Rudi's Blog

Not Socialised Properly

This has been written as an expression of regret. Not a challenge nor an attack.   I watched another youtube video of willseasyguitar recently. I have learned a fair amount from Will (if that is really his name) and been entertained sometimes too. I can say the same for Scott Grove. Both these fellows like to broadcast on a broad variety of topics, though they are best known as guitar buffs.   I’m now used to hearing ‘hey’ as a greeting. I also realise that ‘How’s it going?’ is not a que

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Juggling Guitars

My guitars are mostly leisure instruments, but some are grafters.   The Soloist is the main grafter; a real workhorse. I’ve had it 18 years & it feels like a part of me. I’m trying to spec up the Deuce to become a grafter too (it’s cheap). It will never be anything like as fine as the Soloist but I just like it for some reason.   The elderly Washburn G5V is a practice model. It has been played more than any other guitar, and it shows. Both The Soloist & the G5V have significant ru

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Hagtrom Deuce Update

update to 'Hagstrom Deuce' thread I started in the guitar area of the forum. I tried out the Deuce at gigging volume on Saturday morning. I brought it out for the last few minutes having done most of the rehearsal with my usual Jackson Soloist. I was also trying out the Line-6 pod 400 signal processor (with the custom tones I had tailored to each guitar). Not an ideal situation to introduce 2 major changes at once, which is why I used the trusty Jackson for all but the last few minute

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Guitar Watching

The Gibson Les Paul Special Double Cut 2015 I’ve been curious about these ever since finding the Hagstrom Deuce. This is the model the Deuce is based on. The more expensive 2014 Special had the full arch-top shaped body cap and trim. The 2015 version is half the price with a slab body and minimal features. It looks basic & cheap, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It has a rugged visual appeal. I handled one a short while ago. It didn’t seem too bad. I played one at Nevada M

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Thumb Osteoarthritis

thumb osteoarthritis: Had this in both thumbs for about 3 or 4 years. Until last year it never interfered with my guitar playing. Now it does. Now I cant use the thumb-over-the-top technique to fret the bass E. I use it a lot in fingerstyle. The thumb just doesnt bend enough anymore, and if I try it hurts too much anyway. For soloing and band work. I only discovered yesterday how I minimise thumb use. Normally the thumb grips the back of the neck when the fingers press down on the fi

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Hard & Easy Guitars

‘Hard Guitars & Easy Guitars. I love ‘em both. As a young’un I wanted ever lower action, lighter gauge strings, lighter string tension and all the things that go to make playing easier. More than that, I needed these things in order to play properly at all. I don’t recall exactly when it was I realised that I didn’t need those features anymore, but it took a little while to sink in. Moreover, I now seem to be able to play any guitar at full throttle regardless of its set up.

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Guitar Cases.

Unusual for a blog entry. I am posting it here in addition to the forum so I can retrieve it if needed in future. Instrument cases. Cautionary tale #1 On picking up a guitar from the luthier, he pointed out that the tip of my guitar’s headstock was resting on the base of the case. In other words it was not being supported by the neck as it should be. He warned me that he had seen a lot of broken necks due to poorly fitting hard cases and that a heavy shunt or two could do that. He

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Choosing A Back-Up E-Guitar

How to choose a guitar? The easiest way is to go to some shops and try out a couple in each (any more than 3 can become confusing). What about when you have a pretty good idea of what you like already. 17 years ago I spent 18 months looking for a replacement for my Strat. I came away with a Jackson Soloist that is still the best fit for all my needs. However, there are some things I don’t like. 1/ Floyd Rose Bridge. These cost about £215. So I definitely paid for something I didn’t wan

Rudi

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Rudi's Blog

Last Gig Of The Year

Last gig of the year: Friday 19 December 2014 Club V Fareham Recreation Ground. Denny’s 60th birthday bash. Denny himself is in a covers band, and they opened for us (Blown Out). I was very glad that people did get up and dance to them. Though it was at the last song! This was their first gig, and they did well. They did one of the songs we do ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’, so the party heard 2 versions that night. Club V is a wonderful place. It’s got 2 control rooms for DJ/a

Rudi

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Paulettea's Blog

It's Just Another Day

It's just another day they say, Commercial in every way, Cling! Clang! hear the ring of the till and the sleigh bells ring. It's just another day they say, Let's keep it simple.. no frills, no thrills. The sick, the scared, those in despair, Poor and them living in poverty some damaged in war, Is it just another day? Is this what they say? It's just another day they say, Let's keep it simple no frills, no

Paulettea

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Paulettea's Blog

Success ?

Busy..busy... A world that is spinning, Busy...busy..... We're not grinning our heads are spinning. People are stressing..need rest... Reaching for the top in your job, Hard slog not a jog, we need to be filled with zest. Busy..busy... A world that is spinning, Busy...busy..... We're not grinning our heads are spinning. Relationships skimpy like a bikini top, Holding on tight. The tim

Paulettea

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Songstuff Stuff

New Article - Independent Music - The Importance Of Building A Team

Independent Music - The Importance Of Building A Team All too often, bands overlook one of their biggest assets: each other. As individuals it is far harder to stand out. The amount of tasks they can complete effectively limits just what they can achieve. By electing to work alone they greatly reduce their ability to work, and therefore their chance of success. This article goes through the pros and cons of teamwork for songwriters, musicians and bands, discussing what they stand to ga

Songstuff

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