WinterSongs West 2013
Thurs., Jan. 24th to Mon. Jan. 28th, 2013
Cost: $479.00 until 12/1/2012 then $499.00
(no private rooms)
Plan to arrive by 3pm on Thursday and leave by noon on Monday
Ready to Register? YES!
Hi Everyone!
Wintersongs West is a 5-day gathering for songwriters that will again take place at our new California home, the spectacular Camp Ocean Pines overlooking the Pacific in Cambria, CA, on January 24th to 28th, 2013.We are so pleased to have the legendary Bob Franke and our new pal Michael McNevin joining us, at WinterSongs West! Also old favorites: Rebecca Troon, Dale Laduke, Severin Browne, and Penny Nichols, will be offering an all-levels buffet of classes in songwriting, guitar, singing, harmony, performance, and more in addition to a full menu of concerts, coffeehouses, and song circles. Students and teachers alike will share songs, information, insights, trade stories and perform for the community we have grown to love. And it all takes place less than an hour north of San Luis Obispo. Join us! And don't forget - the students bring a wealth of information and experience too, so be prepared for lots of great information-swapping! Class descriptions and bios are being added as I recieve them! 
· Severin Browne
·Penny Nichols
·Dale Laduke
·Bob Franke
· Michael McNevin
·Rebecca Troon
Click on an instructor's name for a description of their classes.
Instructors & Classes
Severin Browne
(Class description to follow)
Severin's Staff Bio For even more info, visit: http://www.severinbrowne.com
Bob Franke
-
Songwriting from the Center
It's no small thing to write a song well, but there are many resources to help you accomplish this task. We'll enumerate many of them in an opening lecture, then help you overcome obstacles with individual songwriting assignments, attention to meter, and cogent and compassionate critique designed to turn your "inner critic" from a destructive force to a servant of your goals. It's a fun and safe ride.
Melody and lyric call out for harmony and rhythm in most (but not all) songs; luckily for the solo singer-songwriter, there is a treasury of tested guitar techniques from traditional and popular music to answer that call. For years Bob Franke has been collecting a bunch of the simplest and most effective of these techniques. You bring the song; we'll find, demonstrate, and teach those that serve it best.
Dale Laduke:
Harmony Class with Penny
Basic Piano and even more Basic Music Theory
(It's simpler than you think!)
Dale LaDuke has spent over 25 years teaching piano and music theory and has had some real revelations recently on the simplicity of the subject which he is willing to share with anyone that has even a modicum of interest. Dale's Staff Bio [ Back ] In our performance class our goals are to cover all the details of being prepared to arrive in front of an audience and know that your live performance will be the best that you can offer. Saturday: We will talk about what your performance is, and what is involved, i.e. is your instrument ready, in tune, working, etc., Your vocal, are you ready to sing this song, are you comfortable with the mic sound, etc, and have you learned to perform this song to a level of feeling confident and comfortable doing it ..? And finally, what is the level of strength in the performance, and what can we do to make it a ‘stellar’ performance. Participants will be asked to consider their song for performing on Sunday, or to at least to talk about their song, instrument, vocal, etc. Sunday: Each person will have a chance to perform their song, and we will look at what can be done to make this a dynamic experience for the performer and the audience.
Michael McNevin
Storytelling - Mining Your Past, Mining Your Present:
What makes a song special, memorable, a keeper? Verse, chorus, bridge, and melody are the basic building blocks. But for many songs, it is the story in the lyric that makes it special. As storytellers, we'll explore songwriting angles, blend short fiction techniques with other songwriting and storytelling tools to mine your past, mine your present. Turn the details of big or small life experiences into song fodder, it's just a matter of spotting the story and deciding how to tell it.
Guitar - Riffs, Tunings, & Performance Tips:
Songwriters often have a guitar in their tool box. Good songs don't need flashy playing, but a small riff or departure can add a certain sparkle, mood, musical identity. We'll explore riffs, licks, chord choice, strumming, finger style, and performance tips. We'll also cover 10-20 'alternative guitar tunings', some common, some custom, with handy sheets and chord pictures to play with. We'll also talk a bit about stage tactics - shaping a show, tuning while performing, enjoying the art of being on stage.
Penny Nichols:
Harmony singing
Have you ever wanted to learn to sing in harmony better, how to do it and where it is appropriate in a song? You will have a chance to experience for yourself the fun and unique qualities of singing in harmony and how to begin to master the skills needed to sing in harmony well. You will learn listening techniques, how to recognize chordal relationships and how harmony fits into a melodic landscape. Don't miss the fun of singing in harmony with your pals at WinterSongs West! Here's the workshop you have been waiting for! A chance to work with one of the most experienced vocal recording artists around in a real studio environment on one of your own songs! Learn all about how to give your best performance on a recording, how to communicate with the engineer/producer, how to stay on pitch, how to keep breathing, how to deal with anxiety in the studio, how to evaluate your performance, how to choose the best performance and how the recording process works. Plus you will leave the workshop with one of the best performances on a CD that you have ever done! Penny Nichols is an award winning, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and vocal arranger. She has recorded and toured with everyone from Jackson Browne to Jimmy Buffett and has a doctorate in Education (psychology of music) from Harvard University. Penny is the founding director of SummerSongs and the guiding force behind the SummerSongs community of songwriters that now reaches from coast to coast. For more info on Penny visit: www.pennynichols.com
Rebecca Troon:
Vocal Recording Technique with Penny & Reba
(see description above under Penny Nichols)
Your Voice: It’s Care and Feeding
>Give voice to the inner wilderness! Come sing with your owls, coyotes, and wolves and experience the increased resonance they bring. This is a vocal play-shop with warm-ups, vocal yoga, stretching and exercises. Experience vocal awareness, range, and focus, and learn to heal and repair cracks and blank spots.
Beginning Songwriting With Rebecca Troon
Explore songwriting methods and hone your process in this exciting and playful exploration of songwriting from many angles. Court your muse, feed your soul, and write songs in new ways. Take home tools you can use anytime to continue to create songs that move you.
Rebecca's Staff Bio
|
