Hello and welcome to the website for Women in Music Minnesota. We are a non profit 501 C 3 to help women and girls in music. I hope that you will have a chance to browse our site and be able to attend a show, write in, or take a look at our forum!

We have a web broadcast LIVE show Sat. Feb. 27th and Sat March 27th. Both will be broadcast from www.TwinCitiesRadio.net from 1-3pm Central time. I hope that you will be able to see the show. We will be showcasing some talented women songwriters from many generations who will play both current and older songs.

Sunday, March 28th, is our Women's Jam! It will be at the Mainstreet Bar in Hopkins, MN. It starts at 7:30pm and it's free, open to the public and all ages. You can also tune in live at the link in the middle colum that says "live webcam". (make sure to allow pop ups)

WIMMN has also been very active in many other projects as well. This summer is our music camp for girls to play in a band that will take place at Perpich Center for the Educational Arts in Golden Valley. You can get more information at www.PopRockers.org . We can only take 35 students, so make sure to sign up early before you lose your spot.

Please check out the Minnesota Women's Music History website; we are gathering stories from folks who had Moms or Grandma's who have played professionaly in Minnesota or friends who have made a significant impact on the music scene for Minnesota. So, take a loook and see if we have forgotten some folks, or bands, or stories that should be included.

Take care and check back again next week for an update!
Rebekka

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Questions? Leave a message on the hotline: 651-649-4877
rebekkafisher@comcast.net
Rebekka Fisher

BALANCE, Melody Writing

Predictability               Surprise

Simple                       Complex

When writing, we should always be mindful of balance between predictability & surprise, simplicity & complexity.  All components of the song need to have balance, and melody can have such a lasting impression that it is critical to find a melody that fulfills the listener’s need.  We are mathematical creatures and a good melody has mathematical balance.  It’s that mathematical map we create when we create a good melody that stimulates both sides of the brain, which then stores the information in two places, increasing the memorability factor.
Test your songs with your colleagues to see if your melody is memorable. Play it for them once, and ask them to sing back to you what parts they remember.  You will quickly learn which components of your song stay with the listener.  Usually it’s the strongest part of your song that is memorable, except we all know those annoying ones that seem to never leave the brain.  Try to be the first example and not the latter.
In the following example there is significant repetition. We know that one of the most important ingredients of a successful song is repetition.  On paper, this song appears to have too much. Listen to see if the variations are enough.  Go to www.myspace.com/jillholly and click on I’m In This For Good.

Do I have more memorable & exciting songs than this one…yes!  However, to illustrate this concept, I’ve chosen this song for its simplicity. There are distinct pauses between each line, thus making it easy to reference. Once you take a close look at the other components of this song, you’ll see that it is surprisingly complex, but to the ear, it feels simple and sincere.

Verse 1
Line 1: 9 syllables, 9 notes  (melody one)
Line2:  9 syllables, 9 notes  (melody one, with a slight change at the end of the phrase)
Line 3: 9 syllables, 9 notes  (melody one)
Line 4: 5 syllables, 5 notes  (melody two, but similar to melody one)

Line 5: 9 syllables, 9 notes  (melody one)
Line 6: 6 syllables, 8 notes- even though this line is shorter, it sings as though it’s a match but with a twist
Line 7: 5 syllables, 5 notes  (melody two with a slight variation)
Line 8: 5 syllables, 5 notes 

In the song used for this example, the second verse matches with verse one.

Even though there is, on paper, a ton of repetition in these verses, the chords underneath have a pattern that moves.  Since the melody is rather linear, the accompaniment moves, to give the illusion that the melody is changing, adding complexity.

Listen to more songs and start recognizing what melody lines repeat and where the changes occur.  How does your song measure up?  Is your melody distinct, yet simple enough to make us “get it?” Does the melody you’ve chosen highlight the sentiment & lyric creating more significance in meaning?  Check for balance…too much surprise…not enough?

Now go write song great songs and hopefully we’ll be singing along!

© 2010 Jill Holly