My Town
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 1:42 pm
I thought I'd share with you all the result of the free MOOC on-line course I took through Sheffield University. Billed as a course on song writing it was really a course on song arranging.
Lyrics were supplied on the course by a local Sheffield poet (Matt Black) and it was our task, while following the six weeks of lessons to arrange a song from them. We were allowed to make our own lyrics on the same subject (which was "My Town") but I got zero inspiration for my own and there was not really much guidance on the course on doing your own words.
Lessons were in video form and in addition to those done by the academic teaching staff there were also videos where songwriters in various genres talked about the subject.
A big plus for me was that Martin Simpson, my favourite acoustic guitarist, did a video at the end of each week showing how he progressed with doing the same as the students were on his version. At the same time intimidating (he really is very good) but also inspiring.
I ended up with my third and final arrangement mid way through the course - an essentially fingerstyle folk-ish song with the guitar in Csus2 tuning. (CGCGCD). With a bit of nylon string guitar and mandolin thrown into the arrangement, and the doubled up vocals I have to do in the refrain to beef up my voice.
It's on my old Soundcloud page, which I don't use any more as it was eating up too much of my free time. I did this as I needed to link it through to the courses own Soundcloud page. I think it worked out OK, but I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on it.
Here it is:-
https://soundcloud.com/vikingblues/my-town-3a
From this came the rekindled desire to try and write my own songs. I await to see if that wish is fulfilled!
Lyrics were supplied on the course by a local Sheffield poet (Matt Black) and it was our task, while following the six weeks of lessons to arrange a song from them. We were allowed to make our own lyrics on the same subject (which was "My Town") but I got zero inspiration for my own and there was not really much guidance on the course on doing your own words.
Lessons were in video form and in addition to those done by the academic teaching staff there were also videos where songwriters in various genres talked about the subject.
A big plus for me was that Martin Simpson, my favourite acoustic guitarist, did a video at the end of each week showing how he progressed with doing the same as the students were on his version. At the same time intimidating (he really is very good) but also inspiring.
I ended up with my third and final arrangement mid way through the course - an essentially fingerstyle folk-ish song with the guitar in Csus2 tuning. (CGCGCD). With a bit of nylon string guitar and mandolin thrown into the arrangement, and the doubled up vocals I have to do in the refrain to beef up my voice.
It's on my old Soundcloud page, which I don't use any more as it was eating up too much of my free time. I did this as I needed to link it through to the courses own Soundcloud page. I think it worked out OK, but I'd be happy to hear your thoughts on it.
Here it is:-
https://soundcloud.com/vikingblues/my-town-3a
From this came the rekindled desire to try and write my own songs. I await to see if that wish is fulfilled!