Adam Rafferty’s Blog – Guitar and Spirit

How To Write a Song – (Reprise – A la Seth Godin)

You can have the best mics, preamps and converters.
You can have Logic Pro.
You can have all the plug ins.
You can have the samples.

You can have the look.
You can have the groove.
You can have the online presence.
You can have 100 bazillion youtube hits.

You can have the lyrics.
You can have the dance moves.
You can have the sex appeal.
You can have the “gigs” in the hip spots.

You can have the intellectual explanation.
You can have the university teaching position.
You can have the “chops.”
You can have the harmonic know-how.

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All of that is fine and good and adds tremendously to a musical experience.

I’m not dissing any of that. It’s all very good and excellent stuff!!!

However in the end, after all of that….

Sing me the melody.

How to Write a Song

By Adam Rafferty 28 Comments

I know this is a very bold title to a post, but after reading some horrifying information online yesterday on the topic of songwriting, I felt like I had to throw my hat in the ring on this subject.

On a portal “expert answer” site I saw an article that looked like “well, you have written some words, and some chords, and now you need to find a good melody.”

Editorial opinion: you have not written a song yet if you have “chords in search of a melody.”
[Read more…] about How to Write a Song

Music: There’s More Than One Way to Do It

By Adam Rafferty 43 Comments

Greets friends. I am riding the train across Germany on a gorgeous August morning. Now I’m just passing Bonn – Beethoven’s hometown.

This past week I taught a small workshop with 6 attendees. A few of the students were semi-pro players. Over dinner one night, a very interesting discussion arose with the students. [Read more…] about Music: There’s More Than One Way to Do It

Everyone Needs a Coach

By Adam Rafferty 6 Comments

A few days ago I walked out of my apartment, on the way for a Starbucks coffee and lo! I saw 2 young fellows and one of them was stringing an acoustic guitar.

He was winding the pegs slowly by hand, so I had to pre-empt the Starbucks trip.

“Hold on, let me help you.” I went back upstairs, snagged a pegwinder (with clippers) and an extra set of strings, and a CD as a gift.

“Gimme that” I said. I showed him how to wind strings on quickly using this tool. I offered him the strings as a backup, and the CD was simply to inspire him.

I asked the guys their plan.

“We’re gonna play in the subway and see if we can make some money.”

“Cool, kick ass!” I told ’em.

On the way back from Starbucks, they were still in front of my building, rehearsing.

“Hey do you guys have a postcard or something to give out to people?” I asked.

“Um, no.”

“What if you draw a crowd and people dig it? You gotta hand them something otherwise they’ll have no idea who you were. They’ll forget about you in 10 minutes.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

We went on with a few other topics, but my point is that these guys needed a coach.

My years of experience allowed me to call up “bullet points” in seconds, and quickly identify the “holes” in their strategy.

That made me think “Heck, I am no different. I need a coach, since there are probably things slipping past me too!” (In fact, I’d love to still be taking guitar lessons…)

I went home immediately and called Rick Goetz – (https://musiciancoaching.com/) a well respected music coach – to set up a session for myself. I meet him at 4:30 today.

With a the new “I Remember Michael” CD out – I bet there’s something that Rick can teach me strategically.

I’ll let you know how the meeting goes, I am excited.

Michael Jackson Guitar

By Adam Rafferty Leave a Comment

Hi Gang!

I just wanted to share this little interview with you – it’s the EPK for the new Michael Jackson Guitar Tribute CD “I REMEMBER MICHAEL”.

I speak a little here about my inspiration from MJ & hearing his music as a kid growing up in New York City in the 80’s.

Enjoy!

– Adam

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkiwdQcqSqw]