Category Archives: Collaboration

The RPM Challenge 2012

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve just signed up for yet another songwriting challenge called the RPM Challenge. This time you write and record an album (defined as a minimum of 10 songs) during the month of February.

I know some people that for some reason find these concepts as anti-inspirational but personally, I use these songwriting challenges as a great way to just immerse myself into the spirit of unbridled creativity.

It’s a great way to stand up to your inner critic and besides, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with writing songs just for the sake of writing them.

If you’re interested in checking out some more info regarding the RPM Challenge, just go to www.rpmchallenge.com, have a look for yourself and perhaps sign up and have a go. What have you got to lose?

I know I will be tackling it and I’ll keep you all posted with my progress.

Peace,

Corey :)

Getting Ready For FAWM 2012

Posted on by
Reply

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” — Jack London

Man, we’re at the end of January already… Where did it go?

I don’t know where it went but I do know that the beginning of February is also the beginning of FAWM which stands for February Album Writing Month.

I’ll cleaning up my creative space, contacting all of my collaborators and sharpening my pencil for this one.

I know I’ve mentioned FAWM (and my lack of success in it) before in the past but for those of you that don’t know FAWM is a songwriting event that challenges the participant to write 14 songs in the 28 days of February.

However, seeing that 2012 is a leap year the challenge is now to write 14.5 songs in 29 days. The other 0.5 being an extra collaboration with someone new.

Here is some more information about FAWM taken from www.fawm.org

“The FAWM challenge is simple: 14½ songs in 29 days. Why?

If it is inspiration you are after, then FAWM is your club. Each February, this website forges a collaborative community of thousands of musicians worldwide, from all walks and skill levels.

We take on the challenge of writing an album’s worth of new music in the shortest month of the year.”

Interested? Then go to www.fawm.org and join up, immerse yourself into the community and enjoy the ride.

I know I will.

Peace,

Corey :)

Gig Alert: SCALA Songwriters Showcase – July 28th, 2011

Posted on by
Reply

Today I’m preparing for my first originals gig in a couple of months.

It’s a gig I organise for SCALA (Songwriters, Composers and Lyricists Association) showcasing songwriters who perform through my Open Mic Network and it happens tonight. It’s a great way to keep my songwriting chops up to speed.

As a musician who makes a living playing other peoples music, playing my own music is a real breath of fresh air for me. Even though I always put my own individual spin on the covers that I play, the greatest artistic satisfaction I get as a musician is through performing my own songs in front of a crowd that want to be there.

If you’re in the area the gig is at the Higher Ground Arts Cafe located at Light Square in Adelaide and the night kicks off between 8pm and 8:30pm finishing at around 11pm.

I’ll be sharing the stage with 3 other talented songwriters Bryan Foley, Martin Mount and Steven Fotineas with entry being $5 waged, $4 concession and $3 for SCALA members.

It’s going to be a great night so wish me luck.

Peace,

Corey :)

Enhanced by Zemanta

The Second Time Around – Song Video

Posted on by
Reply

As promised here is the video presentation used at the CD launch of “The Second Time Around” a song written by myself, Heather Frahn and members of the Community Re-Entry Program at Flinders University as outlined in a previous post.

Here it is for you to enjoy.

Here is some more information about the Musical Brainwaves project from the YouTube page…

Musical Brainwaves was a group song-writing project with members from the Community Re-Entry Program at Flinders University in 2011. Collaborating with songwriters Heather Frahn and Corey Stewart the members contributed their own song lyrics, voices and artwork expressing positive viewpoints about their lives.

The creation of the song “The Second Time Around” brought much celebration of the things that inspire life and wellbeing.

CRP Members: Ben Howell, Cherrie Almond, Ron Brooks, Bernadette Circtzki, Joelene Schmerl, Adam Houston, Ralph Kloss, Zeke Langsford, Peter Coulter, Gary Irons, John Weston, Peter Guidera, Joanne King, Andrew King, Jayne Linke, Darryl Thompson, Cele Richardson, Meg Bartel, Luna Aboulhosn, Janma Gazmere, Jasmine Grace, Matthew Thomas, Karina Wight, Margaret Ellis, Christiana Wu, Louisa Schettini 

Musical Brain Waves was facilitated by Corey Stewart and Heather Frahn, with visual art assistance from Jasmine Grace. Recording and Music Production by Corey Stewart and Heather Frahn © 2011.

With thanks to Charmaine Mahar, Jaime Gardner and Roger Rees for their support for this project.

Let me know what you think.

Peace,

Corey :)

Enhanced by Zemanta

Musical Brainwaves – The Finished Song

Posted on by
Reply

In previous posts “My Involvement With Musical Brainwaves” and “Musical Brainwaves – Using The Home Recording Studio” you would’ve read about my involvement in this 6 week Songwriting Project held in conjunction with Flinder University and its Community Re-entry Program.

Well, last Friday was the CD launch party of the song “The Second Time Around” written by Heather Frahn, members of the Community Re-Entry Program and myself.

Held at Flinders Uni, it was a very simple affair with about 50 people ranging from members of the project, their carers and Flinders Uni staff and students in attendance.

After an introduction from the Co-ordinator of the Community Re-entry Program it was our turn to give an outline of what we had been doing for the last 6 weeks (well Heather did most of the talking).

Once we finished Heather put on a video collage she made out of all the photos and images taken during the project with the finished song as its soundtrack. Well, there was not a dry eye in the room, it was very powerful stuff. it went down so well Heather was asked to run the video again.

The launch was a great success.

Heather and I during one of our recording sessions

While I was watching the video I was feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and cold shivers running down my spine. This hardly ever happens to me at all but last Friday I was deeply touched, moved and inspired by the event.

I realised that over the past 6 weeks I was provided with proof that music can still matter and that it can still make a profound difference in people’s lives.

I was immensely proud of what we had all achieved with the writing of the song and especially how the finished product sounds as it was totally recorded at home.

Here is the finished product for you to enjoy.

The Second Time Around

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Once I get hold of Heather’s video montage of the song I’ll post it up here.

You have to see it to believe it.

Peace,

Corey :)

Enhanced by Zemanta

Musical Brainwaves – Using The Home Recording Studio

Posted on by
Reply

In an earlier post I mentioned that I was involved with a community songwriting project called “Musical Brainwaves” with good friend and award winning singer/songwriter Heather Frahn.

Well, today and tomorrow, Heather and I will be completing the recording of the song “The Second Time Around” for the project. This will be the first time that my home studio will be used to record something that will be formally released to the general public (albeit a limited release of about 50 copies).

Heather has brought over her mobile recording booth (which I’ll be purchasing for myself later on down the track) to ensure that we get the clearest recordings possible.

I’m really excited about this because it marks another milestone in my learning the craft of recording audio at home however, if I was asked a few years ago whether I would be excited about recording something myself I would’ve said a resounding NO as my answer.

There was a time where I was really afraid of the recording process and always thought that recording music in a studio was something “other people did.”

I have tried a few times over the years to put together a home recording studio but I never used it through the fear of not recording something good.

How silly is that? Me being scared of a medium that if something is not right I could always delete and start again.

Anyway, yesterday I tidied up all of the audio tracks that Heather and I recorded at Flinders Uni over the last three weeks (some choral work in the chorus and some spoken word bits in the bridge) ready for the final instrumental overdubs.

Control Room

Keys & Headphones

Heather’s Portable Vocal Booth

Today is when the real fun begins…

Peace,

Corey :)

Enhanced by Zemanta

FAWM 2011 Is Just Around The Corner

Posted on by
Reply

Today is the last day of January which means tomorrow, being the first day of February is the start of FAWM 2011.

For those who don’t know, FAWM stands for February Album Writing Month and the deal is, to write an albums worth of material in the month of February, which is set at 14 songs in 28 days. You can find out more about this brilliant songwriting concept by going to www.fawm.org.

On the FAWM website it describes the concept in this way:

“This is the club. Each February, FAWM.ORG forges a collaborative community where thousands of musicians of all walks and skill levels write an album’s worth of material in the shortest month of the year. That’s roughly one tune every other day. “Fawmers” are a mix of music professionals, students, homemakers, and folks who work dayjobs but rock nightclubs.”

In theory, the idea of FAWM being the kick-up-the-arse to my songwriting process holds true but in reality it hasn’t been that way which is my fault totally but this year I’m hoping that my songwriting output for FAWM 2011 will be much better than in previous years.

Later on in the year the guys at FAWM also run something called 50/90 (50 Songs In 90 Days) which will run from July to October 2011 but I’ll cross that bridge when the time comes.

I must keep telling myself that FAWM is not a contest and no-one gets judged, it’s a concept which is designed to test my songwriting process.

Am I ready to tackle inspiration, the muse head-on?

I’m going to give it a go this year, are you? Let me know if you do too.

Peace,

Corey :)

Enhanced by Zemanta

SCALA Songwriting Workshop Tonight

Posted on by
Reply

I’m going to be one of the special guests along with good friend and songwriting partner Adrian Miller, for the last SCALA Songwriters Workshop for 2010 starting at 7:30pm sharp tonight at the Higher Ground Arts Cafe.

It runs for about 2 hours or so and in the first hour of the workshop, Adrian and I will talk about “The Joys Of Collaboration” in which we’ll feature two of our songs we’ve recently written together.

In the second hour all attendees will get a chance to play one of their original songs to the group for constructive feedback and encouragement and it’s all for a gold coin donation.

It happens tonight at Higher Ground Arts Cafe at 7:30pm sharp. If you’re in Adelaide I’d love to see you there.

Peace,

Corey :)

(When You Gonna) Stop Tearing Me Apart – Live

Posted on by
Reply

Last Thursday night I performed at the SCALA Open Mic Network Showcase and I was fortunate enough to have two of my songs put to video.

This first song “(When You Gonna) Stop Tearing Me Apart” is a C. Stewart/A. Miller collaboration which deals with a different way of approaching a relationship based song by the protagonist wishes a relationship to end rather than the cliched concept of wishing an unrequited relationship to begin.

Enjoy…

(When You Gonna) Stop Tearing Me Apart
©2010 C. Stewart / A. Miller

Why is it taking you so long to leave me?
Why have you let this thing drag on for years?
Why do you keep giving me this feeling
That I can’t wash away with my tears?
Instead of saying goodbye

When are you gonna stop tearing me apart?
When are you gonna stop breaking my heart?
All I want to know, are you going to let go?
When are you gonna stop tearing me apart?

When did you stop even wanting to love me?
Was there not something that I could have done?
And what makes you keep wanting to stay here
When you know that all meaning has gone?
Instead of saying goodbye

Chorus

When I look into your eyes I see nothing
I can’t even recognise who we were
As we walk down this road leading nowhere
Will you ever realise where we are?

Must I wait for another lifetime
To escape from all this misery?
Is there a chance that you might reconsider
And make up your mind to leave?
Is it time to say goodbye?

Chorus

Stop tearing me apart
Stop tearing me apart

This song was inspired by the title which suggested the overall story which then suggested the lyrical content.

I’ll put up the second video “Mountain Top” tomorrow.

Peace,

Corey :)

Catching Up With Old Friends

Posted on by
Reply

Recently I caught up with an old friend of mine Jeff Smith whom I had lost contact with for about 8 years.

When we finally caught up it was lovely to discover that there was none of the awkwardness or guilt that sometimes comes with a reconnection with a good friend after a long time apart, we just picked up where we left off and interacted as if we saw each other yesterday.

Besides fulfilling a need to reconnect with an old friend, I contacted Jeff to let him know that a song we wrote together way back when called “Billboard Angel” was going to be part of the next SCALA CD release.

I can’t remember how Jeff and I first met but what I do know is that he’s an amazing guitarist, studio engineer and an all round nice guy with unique perspectives on life which make for great conversation and for writing really good songs.

It’s through reconnecting with Jeff that I’ve become really inspired to get stuck into my home studio setup and start recording my songwriting ideas again, something I very thankful for.

I want to finish this post today with another example of a song that Jeff and I wrote. It’s called “Groove With You” and it touches on the concept of two people who just can’t seem to connect fully even though they adore each other. I just love the funkiness of the song.

Enjoy!

Groove With You
© 2001 (C. Stewart / J. Smith)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Peace,

Corey :)