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How Songwriting Really Works!

Techniques & Secrets of the World's Greatest Songwriters

August 10-15, 2008 

Retreat Contact: Bryan Fogelman, 800-736-7238, bryan@reorafting.com
Check out our photo gallery for pictures from previous songwriting retreats.

2008 ASCAP Prize Draw Winners

"How Songwriting Really Works: Techniques and Secrets of the World's Greatest Songwriters" is our  retreat for songwriters willing to devote themselves to writing songs that will stand the test of time. In other words, create songs that will be classics for years to come. Better than the songs you hear on the radio today and better than many "hits" that are really not that well written.

"How Songwriting Really Works" will be held at our beautiful river's edge retreat near Vancouver, British Columbia.

The retreat will be hosted by Wayne Chase. Wayne is the author of one of the most creative and original works on songwriting that has ever been written, "How Music Really Works".

Songwriting Instructors
	Wayne Chase Wayne is a music and songwriting scholar having spent 20 years researching and analyzing the greatest songs of our times. Wayne is the creator of the Gold Standard Song List, a compilation of 5,000 of the greatest songs of the last 100 years based on the lyrical and musical characteristics of each song in 11 genres. Wayne holds 5 patents on connotative analysis and is considered one of the world’s leading experts on the emotional meaning in language. Wayne’s websites include: www.howmusicreallyworks.com www.goldstandardsonglist.com www.completechords.com
	Nancy Bos Nancy is the author of “Singing 101”, a beginning voice instruction CD set, as well as “Vocal Workout:  Strength and Flexibility”, a vocal exercise CD built on pop, rock and the blues.  Nancy teaches at the Cornish College of the Arts and at her private studio in Seattle, WA. She is an international workshop clinician, teaching an integrated method that includes voice technique, repertoire development and performing skills.  Her students include professionals in rock, folk, pop, musical theatre and classical as well as beginners learning how to match pitches, improve technique or discover personal style. Her music education began at Luther College but she is constantly reading, attending conferences and lectures and studying with experts in the fields of voice, theatre, psychology, otolaryngology and neuroscience.  She serves on the board of two chapters of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and volunteers with the Bellevue Youth Theatre.

 

Retreat Highlights: Music

• Why Technology Will Not Help You Write Brilliant Music
• Why the Ability to Read Music and Play a Musical Instrument Expertly do Not Matter
• Why Co-Writing Music Will Probably Do You More Harm than Good
• Understanding and Using Certain Types of Scales and Modes, and Avoiding Modal Blunders
• How to Use the Nashville Number System
• How to Take Advantage of the Strengths, and Avoid the Weaknesses, of the Four Types of Chord Progressions
• How to Use Circular Harmonic Scales and Chase Charts
• Understanding and Using Power Chords and Slash Chords
• Ten Guidelines for Creating Great Chord Progressions and Avoiding Chord Progression Blunders
• Understanding Human Memory Limitations and Avoiding Memory-related Pitfalls
• How to Handle Beat, Pulse, Meter, Tempo, and Rhythm
• Understanding the Differences Between Vocal-melodic Phrases and Structural Phases
• How to Use Binary Structure, the Soul of Great Song Form
• Understanding and Applying Harmonic and Melodic Cadences
• How to Use Four Types of Modulation and One Type to Avoid
• How to Apply the Wundt Curve in Composing Music for Songs
• Ten Specific Techniques for Creating Emotionally Powerful Tunes
• How to Evaluate Your Progress, Build on Your Strengths, Correct Your Weaknesses, and Dramatically Improve Your Music-writing Skills

Retreat Highlights: Lyrics

• Why Technology Will Not Help You Write Brilliant Lyrics
• Why Co-writing Lyrics Will Probably Do You More Harm Than Good
• Four Essential Tools That Will Help You Write Great Lyrics
• Understanding the Survival and Reproductive Value of Gossip and its Role in Making Lyrics Compelling
• Understanding the Central Importance of EPA and Applying it in Lyric-writing
• Understanding the Differences Between Function Words and Content Words
• How to Choose Emotionally Powerful Words by Part of Speech
• How to Use Flesch’s Personal Words Index to Make Lyrics More Interesting
• How to Use Flesch’s Personal Sentences Index to Make Lyrics More Compelling
• Understanding the Difference Between Abstract and Concrete Word Choice, and Avoiding the Abstract
• Why Realistic Stories and Scenarios That Happen to People in Everyday Life Make for Boring, Forgettable Lyrics
• Understanding the Effectiveness of Parallel Construction, and How to Use it
• How to Use Twelve Kinds of Rhyme by Similarity of Sound, Syllable Number, Accent, and Phrase or Line Location
• How to Avoid Blunders in Accent-matching
• How to Apply the Wundt Curve in Writing Lyrics
• How to Create and Use RIT Seed Lists, Phrase Lists, and Rhyming Couplet Lists
• Why You Need Never Again Experience or Worry about Writer’s Block
• How to Evaluate Your Progress, Build on Your Strengths, Correct Your Weaknesses, and Dramatically Improve Your Lyric-writing Skills

All-inclusive Prices

Fees include 14 meals, snacks, beverages, resort amenities, 4 full days of workshops, critiques & evening sessions for 6-day / 5-night retreat. All-inclusive rates are:

All-Inclusive	$CDN
Camping (own tent)	$850
Shared Cabin Tents (3-4 sharing)	$975
Standard Cabin Tent (double occupancy)	$1050
Rivers Edge Cabin Tent (queen bed, single)	$1250
Non-Retreat (spouses, family etc.) — Deduct $300 CDN from above fee

Note: 5% GST & 3% land & water access fees added to all prices. Seats are limited. $200 CDN non-refundable deposit per person will secure your seat. Balance is due July 1/08. Call for single occupancy rates. Prices subject to change without notice.

Receive a free copy of American Songwriter Magazine.

Muse's Muse, SAC & Book Purchaser Discounts

A $50 discount is offered to Muse's Muse subscribers, members of the Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) and for purchasers of Wayne's book "How Music Really Works". Plus, Muse's Muse and SAC members can apply on-line for a $200 scholarship to the 2008 retreat.

Vancouver International Airport & Travel Info

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is 3 hours drive from REO. Car-pooling will be arranged when possible. Seattle Airport (SEA-TAC) is 4.5 hours south of REO.

Arrive at REO for 3 pm check-in Sunday, August 10 (Arrive YVR no later than 10:30 am). Depart REO Friday, August 15 (Leave YVR after 5 pm).

Inspirational Setting

Enjoy an intimate songwriting retreat in the dry, sunny side of the coastal mountains in British Columbia, Canada. Our August temperatures average a beautiful 25-33 C (80-90 F).  Our blue-sky days give way to amazing star-studded nights.

2008 ASCAP Prize Draw Winners

Thank you to everyone who entered REO’s ASCAP Music Expo prize draw. The winners are listed below. To redeem your prize and book your songwriters retreat, call our reservations office at 1.800.736.7238 (Toll Free) from Monday to Friday 9am-5pm PST or email us at info@reorafting.com. Didn’t win? That doesn’t mean you can’t join us! But hurry! These retreats sell out fast.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER of an all-inclusive 6 day/5 night Songwriters Retreat in July OR August

William Portela

$200.00 prize winner for EITHER the July Songwriters Retreat OR August Songwriters Retreat

Joe Slyzelia

$100.00 prize winners for the August Songwriters Retreat (August 10-15 2008)

Debbie Cucalon	Kevin Nelson
Ron Gaiser	Marcellus Parkham
Jon Iger	Simone Porter
Stacy Kray	Nicolas Scott
William McElroy	Lori Steele

$50.00 prize winners for the July Songwriters Retreat (July 13-18 2008)

Ken Bennett	Christina Meyer
Dawn Cheetham	Milady Merelte
Sherie Davis	Josue Parilla
April Higuera	Ronee Reece
John McLellan	Jen Stackpole