Quest for the perfect mic: Mystery shopping for musicretailer.com
Originally published May 23, 2016 for The Music and Sound Retailer as part of the MI Spy nationwide mystery shopping series. I met this new writing client at NAMM 2016. Mics To Make The Heart Sing For me, the quest for the perfect vocal mic to suit diverse live and recording situations is life-long. For that reason, I,...
Covering #ASCAPEXPO in Hollywood! Gonna meet Bill Withers!
This is where being a musician AND a writer comes in handy! Got my press pass to cover #ASCAPEXPO! Stay tuned, and read on for more information about the upcoming conference! Highlights: Aloe Blacc to Interview Legendary Bill Withers! Chart-topping Songwriters and Composers Added to 3-Day Lineup Include Grizzy Bear’s Chris Taylor, Toby Gad, William Larsen,...
Why I left Facebook to find the fractal side of life
I’m afflicted or blessed, depending on your point of view, with the quest for the meaning of life. Maybe it has to do with my moods. I’m always trying to find ways to stay productive and/or keep my head above water. Running long distances makes me happy, but for some reason I procrastinate it (I’ve...
For artists only: Lies your day job tells you
I was feeling very San Francisco, frighteningly SoHo, awfully hipsterish. The multi-act show was packed, the fashionable audience sat in rapt attention. An aerialist was suspended above the band at one point. Later, a singer-songwriter told stories while a slide show splashed art up on the stage backdrop. I’d been hired to perform with one...
Lyrics to Bolero Cocomo (To Dream)
By popular demand, here are the lyrics I was commissioned to write for Pacific Mambo Orchestra’s Bolero Cocomo, a composition and arrangement by Aaron Lington. To dream of a melody sweet and new To know that when night died down I’d call you And we’d repaint the dawn To dance until I forget you’ve gone...
Are you dead or alive?
I’m tired of “I’m old.” I’ve been feeling old since I left home at 18. I got married at 22, and by the time I was 30 I was a wife and a mom with a house and a career and I felt old. I meet old people all the time. They’re 35, or 23,...
Forget about time and find the rhythm instead
Time is infinite, ever flowing, on-ungoing. The six-year-old running barefoot at dusk with his mommy wears a watch for the first time. He calls out the time constantly, in time with the innocent slap of his feet on the pavement. He has no concept of measuring time. Yet wearing his big brother’s big blue...
Feeling Superior to Someone Else is the Least Effective Way to Feel Better About Yourself
We all do it, it’s true. But indulging in this sentiment for too long isn’t good for you. Feeling superior to someone else is the least effective way to feel better about yourself. Why? First, you do so by comparing lists of your pros vs. their cons, generally focusing on their cons and how your...
Birth of an Arrangement: The Names of the Winds
It was the second set of our show. The pianist shot me a malevolent glare, then proceeded to butcher the opening chords of the song I was about to sing, obfuscating the key so I couldn’t tell what note to start with. He finished the intro; silence lingered as the band waited for me to...
Fury Unleashed: Canine Edition
Thanks for the run today. You know, I’ve been meaning to tell you how much I appreciate being on a leash. It’s like, when I’m on a leash, I don’t have to fight anyone. Sure, I slaver in a mentally unbalanced way whenever I see another dog, but I don’t have to follow through! I’m...
See you at NAMM! My first (appropriately geeky) endorsement deal!
So I’ve had a really interesting gig these past few months, where I get to mix my three main skills as a professional musician & bandleader, a technology journalist/pundit and a copywriter. I’m actually working with Exadel, the makers of Tiggzi, to shape the perfect tool to help musicians build their own mobile apps to...
