It’s officially February. You’ve made it through the, deep (yet, festive) dark woods of Christmas – as well as the agony of that excruciating six-weeks till payday. How do you feel? Have you rumbled your resolution yet? It typically takes around twenty-one days to form a new healthy habit; so if your New Year’s Resolution was to kick your band off the ground, do not fear. Going out in the cold to rehearse and share music-tips should soon start to feel like less of a hardship.
We do know something, and that’s that you’re a long-time out of pressies. There’s nothing left from your family to read, learn and play with, right? So, where do you turn next? Don’t worry, we got you. Here, we value your need to rest and relax, but we also know the trick to keeping creative lies in music-tips in how you hone your craft. So, we thought we’d combine the two, and break down three ways you can pass the time, whilst still learning tips about music.
Read – Songwriters on Songwriting, Paul Zollo
Songwriting can sometimes seem like a lonely sport. There’s a reason the trope of the troubled poet is a dark one; scruffy-haired and wiry, fingers curled around a bottle of cheap gin. Spending so much time in your head can be isolating; especially when you present with pride your newest baby, and the band aren’t so enthusiastic.
Our first recommendation, then, might make you feel less alone. Paul Zollo’s Songwriters on Songwriting, features 52 (or 62, in the revised addition linked above) interviews with all your songwriting supremes present. It includes many who have already passed on to the great gig-hall in the sky. It has everything from anarchistic anecdotes about your favourite tracks, music-tips, songwriters listing their incredible inspirations, and details of the technicalities that went into your favourite song.
Paul Zollo spent ten years writing and interviewing musicians for the book, and if you need a little reassurance that there’s no right or wrong way to write, as well as a whole host of music-tips, then you will surely find it here. The truth is, with songwriting, you have to find your own magic – but seeing where your heroes found theirs’ is, we at Zimrii reckon, a good place for you to start.
Learn – Sodajerker on Songwriting Podcast
Without a doubt, we’re in a podcast revolution. If you missed the memo, a podcast is an episodic series of audio recordings that you can download and listen to in your own time. The most commonly known podcast is, surely, This American Life, with their sister project Serial coming a close second. Podcasting became popular due to its ease of access – you just plug in and take off – making them easy to listen to whilst driving, cleaning, or while working out. It makes sense then, that during your day-to-day when you can’t handle an instrument; you podcast some extra skills on how to write a song with that ‘spare’ time.
What makes the Sodajerker podcast so unique is that the hosts Simon and Brian are songwriters themselves. They’ve written songs for a number of contemporary artists, as well as having a large opus of their own music available on SoundCloud. The podcast boasts an impressive five stars on the Apple Store, from over a hundred ratings. The boys have conducted interviews with everyone from Noel Gallagher to Alicia Keys to Billy Bragg; and their sensational songwriting experience allows them to jump into the deep end with their analysis, covering technicalities such as melody, pitch, music-tips and song structure – as well as the stories behind the music.
Their down-to-earth, laid-back attitude allows you to access these interviews easily, and we’d forgive you for thinking of the boys as the bandmates you never had!
Play – CryptoKitties
The Zimrii platform is unique in its use of BlockChain technology. This cutting-edge new system uses a decentralized database to record your copyright; ensuring smooth and on the spot licensing of your tracks. It’s essentially a giant internet record book, recording every transaction that happens with a timestamp and a unique number. This is written in indelible ink, that everyone can view and no one can edit (only add to).
This technology is truly revolutionary for music, as it will make copyright and ownership issues a thing of the past (we’re looking at you, Radiohead). It also means you won’t be waiting months for your royalties, as you’ll be paid on the spot. We’re biased, but we think that’s super sweet.
We understand, though, that when you google BlockChain technology, to really understand what makes it tick, it seems awfully overwhelming. Our final recommendation seeks to combat this fear.
CryptoKitties is the first BlockChain game that allows you to adopt, raise and train virtual cats – breeding them to create new cats and unique combinations, all utilising BlockChain technology. Each cat that you breed or buy is unique, and 100% owned by you and no-one else. In the world. Anywhere.
The makers of CryptoKitties have coded hidden combinations into the game that are only achievable by breeding certain types of cats, which, if you’re lucky to happen upon, can be traded for way more than the original price of the parents. It uses Cryptocurrency, so if you hit the jackpot, you might even be able to support a vinyl pressing for your band. Just about.
Most importantly, it has a log of all actions and previous transactions, with what you did, and a time stamp. This is literally BlockChain technology! It’s that easy. It’s quick, and easy to understand; and will make you realise just why Zimrii should be your brand-new home to manage your music.
Found an essential songwriting resource?
Join Zimrii, the innovative music platform that allows you total control of your music business. Using BlockChain technology to register your Copyright and lock-down your ownership, Zimrii uses Smart Contracts and integrated crowdfunding features to help you connect with your audience and earn direct to artist – cutting away the outdated middleperson. It’s the twenty-first century music revolution!
Also published on Medium.