What's in a Song
This is a weekly podcast about the craft of songwriting hosted by Berklee College of Music Professor Scarlet Keys. She takes deep dive into the craft, technique and art of songwriting in conversations with eminent songwriters, producers, and other creatives asking questions only a songwriting professor would ask so listeners can walk away inspired and armed with clear and actionable tools and techniques they can apply to their songwriting.
Episodes
Upcoming classes:
To sign up for the April 5th workshop: "The songwriting of Taylor Swift":
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1252499231919?aff=oddtdtcreator
To support this podcast and membership:
https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys
Show take aways:
- Try writing a song using the words and rhythm of a nursery rhyme to try audio doodling in your melody.
- Write your chorus first
- Start a song with t...
In this episode, I speak with Neuroscientist, author and musician Dr. Daniel Levitin on how music affects our health. From reducing cortisol to lessening the effects of Parkinsons and how we can use music as medicine! We talk science and his new book "I Heard there was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine":
Daniel Levitin's music:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iRoKs96ka4AJPOA39VJj5?si=s...
To sign up for the November 23rd virtual LYRIC WRITING WORKSHOP:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1070697919299?aff=oddtdtcreatorhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/1080037885389?aff=oddtdtcreator
My guest today is New England based singer/songwriter Jesse Terry.
Before I introduce him I wanted to let you know that on Saturday Nov. 16th I am offering a virtual 3 hour songwriting workshop. There are a few space...
In this episode, I talk with singer/songwriter Kylie Rothfield.
She shares what she learned about singing and stage fright from Alicia Keys. We talk about what she learned from writing with some of the best writers in Nashville, song craft, process and so much more. This was a good one!
Pre save Kylie's single coming out Sept. 27th here:
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylierothfiel...
In this episode, singer/songwriter Michael McDermott talks about writing process, writing from your life and shares new songs off his two new albums dropping Sept 13th.
Join the "What's in a Song" membership community:
https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys
https://michael-mcdermott.com/home
Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/
Otto Gross: ht...
Today I have Berklee Professor Ben Camp on the show discussing AI
We talk about where it is now and what it means for songwriters in the future. We talk ethics, creativity, originality, works that are derivative and Ben takes a song we wrote together years ago and puts it through AI to demonstrate some of the current possibilities AI offers creatives.
Ben Camp has taught songwriting to over 2,000 s...
In this episode, Pat Pattison, author of "Writing Better Lyrics" walks us through step by step of how to find metaphors. This is the exercise I gave to writer Madi Diaz that she talked about in the previous episode.
Pat talks about the difference between simile and metaphor for songwriters, passing metaphors and central metaphors and takes us through a song by Eli and Fur and Gillian Welch.
My guest today is one of my former students singer/songwriter Madi Diaz
Madi grew up in Pennsylvania where she was homes schooled by her mother and took piano lessons from her father at the age of 5.
After high school, Madi was accepted to Berklee College of Music and met her first collaborator Kyle Ryan which led to her recording her first record skin and bones in Hawaii.
Later, Madi went on to tour with ...
In this minisode, I talk about writing melody and thinking of melody as the song's tone of voice.
Auditioning melodies to make sure we pair the best notes with our most important words and the power of unstable notes in writing great melodies.
To join my summer songwriting class "Writing Better Melodies" click here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/melody-writing-intensive-tickets...
"Inspiration is for Amateurs"
"Don't be 'a writer' but instead be writing." - Faulkner
"Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!”
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
To join the "What's in a Song" community membership: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys
Link to song from band ...
In this Episode, Robert Ellis Orrall talks about writing with Taylor Swift. What she was like as a young writer, how he set up the showcase that got her a record deal and shares two songs her wrote with Swift along with an original from his latest record.
Upcoming workshop: Taylor Swift Master class this Tuesday May 28th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-songwriting-of-taylor-swift-writing-great-melodies-tic...
My guest today s an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Will Kimbrough.
As a producer, he has produced albums for Rodney Crowell, Todd Snider, Kim Richey, Garrison Star and Matthew Ryan to name a few.
His songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Little Fear, Jack Ingram, and he has collaborated with Rosanne Cash, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, and Mavis Staples...
The storytelling effects of nouns.
Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/
Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw
Scarlet's website:
https://www.scarletkeys.com
Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/
Scarlet's website:
https://www.scarletkeys.com
Scarlet's instagram: https:/...
In this minisode, I talk about the power of verbs and how they can do more than just their expected work but can help to tell your story, create characters and build metaphors.
Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/
Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw
Scarlet's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scarletkeysofficial/
Scarlet&apo...
In this episode, Ingrid talk about her influences, meeting her producer and shares three songs from her upcoming album.
She talks about writing in opening tuning and writing process.
https://www.instagram.com/ingridsaga/?hl=en
Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/
Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw
Scarlet's website:
ht...
In this Episode I talk with singer/songwriter/producer/actor Aidan Laprete about
Voice lessons, finding your sound, and producing.
He walks us through writing melody takes - gibberish to find melodies, turning mumbles into words and making it make sense and shares guitar voicings to help you out of sonic ruts.
Aidan is from Hawaii and was first known for his ukulele playing at age 8. He has been in film a...
Stuart Roslyn is a composer, producer and musician specializing in original music for motion pictures and their trailers. He also creates unique soundscapes for network tv and big brand commercials. His career spans more than 20 years composing and producing many genres of music for the biggest names in entertainment. He is either directing a full orchestra or writing and mixing in his studio.
Today, Stuar...
In this episode, I share a little peak into the craft and poetry of Taylor Swift's songwriting.
We look at her choice of chord progressions and one way in to one of her epic bridge sections as well as her use of metaphor.
You will walk away with a few tools from the woman currently ruling the world that you can try in your own songs no matter what the genre.
Upcoming workshop signup: https:...
David Wilcox is an award winning and highly acclaimed American singer songwriter from Asheville North Carolina.
His storytelling cuts deep into the soul and observes the human condition from both the nerve center and the outside looking in. He’s released more than 20 records and is famous for his thoughtful insights, humor and open tunings on guitar.
In this episode, David talks about process and prompts and ...
David Wilcox is an award winning and highly acclaimed American singer songwriter from Asheville North Carolina.
His storytelling cuts deep into the soul and observes the human condition from both the nerve center and the outside looking in. He’s released more than 20 records and is famous for his thoughtful insights, humor and open tunings on guitar.
In this episode, David takes a deep dive into his writing p...
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