THE DETAILS- WHAT & WHY [+]
The Songwriter Boot Camp is an intensive day of workshops and critiques for serious songwriters as well as beginners who desire to improve their craft by learning from the best in the industry.This is a great event for serious writers who want to begin the networking process with other writers and publishers.
- HOW DOES THE BOOT CAMP WORK? [+]Show up in the morning...
to sign-in, get a name badge (we don't mail it out in advance)...
General Session / Keynote Address
We will begin the day with a general session. After the general session, we will move into workshops...
Workshop Sessions
These will include everything from writing great melodies, to copyright info, to the benefits of co-writing, to song arranging, and much more...
Lunch on your own...
Critiquing Sessions
After lunch, the groups will go into 'Critiquing Sessions.' We will break up into groups of around 10-15.
The song that you send in (read "How to Submit a Song" below), will be critiqued by a few of our clinicians. If you are unable to submit a song in advance, you may bring a CD with you. It is not necessary to submit a song to attend the boot camp.
The entire group will listen to the song, afterward, the clinicians will give a constructive critique. Depending on the size of the classes, and out of respect for each attendee, a portion of the song may be played (e.g. verse & chorus), as opposed to the entire song, so that each person will receive their allotted time for critique.
We have found that it is helpful for songwriters to listen to the critiques of all the songs, as there is much information to be gleaned.
Songwriters - Acoustic Session
Come spend the remainder of the Boot Camp relaxing and enjoying an informal concert performed by the clinicians. - FOR WHOM [+]Unsigned songwriters, independent artists, aspiring writers...
This event is a great opportunity to learn how to improve your skill as a songwriter, but also to begin the networking process as a writer... - HOW TO SUBMIT A SONG [+]**It is not necessary to submit a song as a Songwriter Boot Camp registrant. If you do, please submit your 3-4 weeks prior to the Songwriter Boot Camp you attend. Use the submission form below on this page.
Here's what we need...
* one (1) song, whichever you feel is your best song. It's not necessary to have a professionally produced demo, but strive to make it as good as you can.
* a lead sheet and/or chord chart with all of the lyrics (remember to bring 12 copies with you)
* Please submit your song online. (mp3's or m4a's preferred audio files. PDF or .doc lyric files)
TYPE OF SONG TO SUBMIT...
You may choose whether you'd like to submit a congregational worship song or an artist performance song.
Songs will be critiqued on the following elements:
CONGREGATIONAL WORSHIP SONG
1. Theological Accuracy
2. Originality
3. Accessiblity
4. Singability
5. Song Structure
ARTIST PERFORMANCE SONG
1. Theological Accuracy
2. Originality
3. Song Structure
4. Style/Genre
REVIEW & CRITIQUE OF SONG
Your song will be reviewed ahead of time by our panel, and then will be placed into a critique group. During the boot camp, your song will be critiqued by 2 or 3 of our clinicians, committing around 10 minutes to each song.
NOTE: If you are unable to submit a song in advance, you can still bring one with you on a CD to the event. Or you can perform your song w/ a guitar, live... bring your own instrument. - WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU [+]* Yourself, a notepad & pen, an open ear and heart.
* Bring 12 copies of your lyrics printed for folks to follow along during the critique.
PLEASE DO NOT BRING PRESS PACKS OR DEMO CDs
Thanks for your understanding on this issue... we simply cannot expect our clinicians to return home with a bunch of CDs in their carry-on luggage.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
SCHEDULE & FORMS- SCHEDULE [+]
subject to change
SONGWRITER BOOT CAMP SCHEDULE
- May 3, 2012 - Buffalo, NY (CMS@theChapel)
- November 8, 2012 - Redmond, WA (CMS Northwest)
EVENT SCHEDULE for the DAY
8:00 – 8:30 AM || Check-In
8:30 || Welcome / Announcements
8:35 – 9:00 || Keynote Message
9:15 – 10:15 || Lyrics Session
10:30 - 11:30 || Music/Song Session
11:30 - 12:45 || Lunch (on your own)
12:45 – 1:45 || Business Session
2:00 – 5:00 || Song Critiquing Session
5:00 || Closing Session - SONG SUBMISSION FORM [+]
THE DETAILS- WHAT & WHY [+]
The VOCALS BOOT CAMP is a 6 hour session for individual vocalists and vocal teams designed to give you the tools you need to improve your singing, and inspire your talent. You will also learn how to take proper care of your instrument (vocal cords), as well as how to sing as a team.
Sheri Gould is a graduate of the University of Ill. She has taught voice privately for 30 years. She has been a worship leader and music director in various local churches since 1986. She was the director of Good News Productions, an evangelistic outreach involving singing, drama, dance and original musicals for 13 years. She writes for Worship Musician! Magazine and Front Yard Worship Magazine and tours the country with her husband teaching and equipping the Body of Christ for music ministry at such conferences as Christian Musician Summit, Seminars4Worship, International Worship Institute, East Coast Worship Summit, Worship Institute Northeast and many more. A home-schooler since 1985, she her husband Doug reside in New Jersey where she is now home-schooling the last of her six children.
- VOCAL MASTER CLASS [+]9am-12pm
In a hands on approach we’ll be discussing some of the most common vocal issues that affect the worshiping vocalist. We'll review some basic techniques that are frequently overlooked by many amateur vocalists. Then we'll go on to study some more in-depth aspects of singing such as: developing better pitch control and intonation, developing your own unique style, song preparation and delivery, issues that affect women, issue that affect men, vocal techniques to avoid, tackling tough passages, extending your range, choosing the right microphone, picking the right song in the right key, enunciation, breathing – all this and more are covered in this interactive class that’s fun yet very informative. - TAKE YOUR WORSHIP TEAM TO THE NEXT LEVEL [+]1pm-4pm
Fine tune your worship team vocals! Learn how to take your group vocals to the next level by sharpening listening skills and intonation. We'll cover mic technique for group singing, getting the best blend for your group, arranging your team, finding the best keys, how to work productively with your tech team and maximize your rehearsals. We'll discuss how to learn and sing harmony. Learning how to sing harmony is within your reach! Learn how to teach others harmony as well. We’ll learn basic harmony structures and how to grow your own ability to find the ‘perfect’ harmony for you and for your group. Lastly we'll cover the challenges of being an effective background vocalist. Being a background vocalist brings with it many challenges. We'll look at many of the facets of being an effective background vocalist including; prayer, appropriate dress and attitude (and how to deal with those bad attitudes of others!), personal mic technique, and how to gracefully submit to leadership!
SCHEDULE & FORMS- SCHEDULE [+]Thursday, May 3
9:00am - 4:00pm (1 hour break for lunch)
The Chapel at Crosspoint, Buffalo, NY
THE DETAILS- WHAT & WHY [+]BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE WORSHIP GUITARIST
Receive the tools you need and learn how to apply them at this workshop. Take home a plan & the materials you need to become a skillful musician.
We will discuss fretboard logistics, single note technique, theory, ear training, fills and leads, rhythm section synergy, styles, chord spelling, vocabulary and families, the CAGED system and how to practice more efficiently.
You will receive a link for a free download of the $99.00 Guitar College Starter Pack, a one year, college level, multi media, home study program to increase your skill and knowledge.
This is for all levels. Bring your guitar.
Rich Severson :: A professional player and teacher for over 35 years, has toured playing guitar with some of the greats of Rock & Roll. After writing books for a major publisher, Rich developed and published his own home study curriculum called Guitar College. Rich taught at GIT/Musicians Institute in Hollywood and Fresno Pacific University where he also directed the jazz band. He’s been playing guitar in church for over 20 years, serving as a band director for seven years. He also performs locally in a variety of venues from solo guitar to big band and orchestras. Rich continues to create new lessons for GuitarCollege.com, 99CentGuitarLessons.com and ChristianGuitarWorkshop.com as well as writing articles for Christian Musician and Just Jazz Guitar magazines. Rich travels the U.S. and Canada instructing and playing at variety of Christian worship conferences and clinics
SCHEDULE & FORMS- SCHEDULE [+]Thursday, November 10, 2011
9:00am - 4:00pm (1 hour break for lunch)
Overlake Christian Church, Redmond, WA
THE DETAILS- WHAT & WHY [+]Go In-Depth with Jacob Cody, Mark Rush & Peter Robinson
of Yamaha Commercial Audio; as well as Doug Gould of Worship MD.
SCHEDULE & FORMS- SCHEDULE [+]9:00am - Audio 101 - Signal flow, console operation
10:15am - Microphones
11:30am - Speakers - Sound systems, speaker design, how to aim your speakers, tuning, etc
12:45pm - Lunch (on your own - there will be food on-site)
2:00pm - Stage Monitoring
3:15pm - Digital Mixing for Live Worship - Putting the knowledge learned together in building a mix
5:00pm - Session ends