The Playground
The Simply Music blog
Meet The Team – Jose Rivera
We asked Jose Rivera some questions to gain some insight into his role here at Simply Music, what lights him up musically and some facts that make him the person he is. Your full name: Jose Benjamin Rivera When did you start and what is…
A Study in Songwriting – Pt 4: Gordon Harvey
Songwriting doesn’t have to be done balancing pen, paper, guitar and coffee cup on your lap. In fact, most modern pop music is constructed on the computer from the get-go. Gordon Harvey outlines this process through the example of a song by his band Aquiline.…
A Study in Songwriting – Pt 3: Jennifer Lee
Simply Music Teacher Jennifer Lee continues the conversation about writing songs with a reflection on how simple projects can be the unexpected beginnings of great inspirations, including some of the wonderful songs on her forthcoming album. Photo by Remo Fioroni For me, I’m certain that…
Neil & Will Henshall from Focus@Will – Interview
Will Henshall is a successful songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, researcher and infectious personality. He’s also the developer of Focus@Will, a program that uses specially-designed music to improve focus and productivity. In this wide-ranging chat, Neil Moore speaks with Will about the science behind music’s ability…
A Way of Listening – Happy Songs: Pt 1
Recently I read an article by music educator and prolific blogger Ethan Hein called The Happiest Chord Progression Ever, citing The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” as the example of a triumphantly happy song, made so in part because of its irresistibly funky groove…
Lullabies – Why Do I Sing Them to My Son?
As far as we know, parents have always sung their children to sleep. It’s understood that for a young child the melodies and rhythms of simple songs add to the already profoundly comforting experience of a familiar voice. And the comfort can go the other…
A Study in Songwriting – Pt 2: Sue Lopez
After our Songwriting Tips from Simply Music Friends – Pt 1 post, we asked contributors to give us a more in-depth insight into their process of creating songs. You’ll find that there are as many ways of writing a song as there are songs to…
Chords – Who, What, Where, How & So What?
Image via Gavin Whitner (http://musicoomph.com) In search of the first chord Have you ever wondered when the first ever chord was played? How did it happen? Where did it happen? What is a chord? And what is its importance in understanding Western Music? This article…
Discover New Music in the Streaming Era
If you’re as old as I am, you might remember a now largely vanished delight: walking into a record store and being instantly struck by something fantastic being played over the speakers, or seeing a cool-looking album beckoning to you from the new release racks.…
Meet the Team – Stacie Davison
We asked Stacie Davison some questions to gain some insight into her role here at Simply Music, what lights her up musically and some facts that make her the person she is. Your full name: Stacie Lynn Davison When did you start and what is…
