SongMatrix Retreat with Wayne Chase
August 28-Sept 2, 2022
The Songwriting Revolution Has Only Just Begun. Don’t Miss Out!

Songwriting on a Whole Other LevelHow is it possible that some songwriters have been able to turn out masterpiece after masterpiece, consistently? What did they know that you don’t know? How did they write so many timeless songs, songs well-loved through multiple generations?You’re probably familiar with many of the songs of these writers. They’re in a league of their own: Bob Dylan, Lennon-McCartney, the Gershwin brothers, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Smokey Robinson, Andersson & Ulvaeus, Joni Mitchell, Johnny Mercer, Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Cole Porter, Leonard Cohen, Jagger-Richards, Jerome Kern, Berry & Johnson, Hank Williams Sr., Rodgers & Hammerstein, Harold Arlen, John & Taupin, Van Morrison, Tom Waits. And others. These are songwriters whose work is on a whole other level. How did they get there? The answer is that they knew certain songwriting techniques that today's songwriters and producers have never had access to. You can learn those techniques. The same ones known and used by the world's greatest songwriters. The same ones required to gain entry to that league. The New Songwriting Revolution is About...• Writing brilliant songs—masterpieces—consistently, by using masterful techniques. “Good” songs are not good enough.• Writing songs that don’t need the help of high-level production, performance, choreography, video, etc. A songwriting masterpiece stands on its own. • Writing songs that are only possible by using a matrix of techniques not known by today’s songwriters. ![]() Wayne Chase - Author, SongMatrix: How Songwriting Really Works! |
The Songwriting Revolution: Don't Miss OutMeasurable Standards of Song Quality• How to prepare your original song for the SAM Exam: files required, current passing scores, and verification • How to test your song’s implementation of musical and lyrical technical variables to determine the song’s score on the masterwork standard • What to do if your song fails the SAM Exam • How to calculate your lyric's Human Interest Index score • What to do if your song fails to achieve a score of 70 or higher on the Human Interest Index • How to prepare your lyric for the Character Test • What to do if your lyric fails the Character Test • How great songs handle ten musical and lyrical "landmine" techniques • How a songwriting workstation differs from a practice room, recording set-up, or DAW environment • The role (if any) of AI in great songwriting Musical Techniques of the Masters • How all seven harmonic scale degrees are used in great song composition• How all 12 notes of the chromatic scale are used in great song composition • How and when great songs break 2^n structure • How great songs incorporate certain backing vocal techniques such as non-lexicals, vocal takeover, and Greek chorus • How great song composition maximizes the effectiveness of enharmonic change • How great songs build in the “perfect (flashbulb) storm” technique • How great songs establish a certain melodic pitch range within the first 10 seconds of vocal onset • How unique recurring chord sequences are used in great song composition • How the Song Snippets Composition Chart enables the integration of all song components Lyrical Techniques of the Masters • How great lyrics implement the subjunctive mood• How great lyrics incorporate apophenia triggers for narrative modulation • Why random selection of words and techniques is vitally important in great songwriting, and how to leverage it • How great song lyrics implement techniques such as ablaut reduplication, anadiplosis, chiasmus, diacope, and symploce to refresh the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad in the listener’s working memory • How great song lyrics implement techniques such as adynaton, catachresis, hypallage, prolepsis, and syllepsis to spark a listener’s emotional identification with characters • How great song lyrics implement techniques such as anastrophe, congeries, enallage, hendiadys, and pleonasm to stimulate the creation of long-term episodic memories in the listener’s brain • How great song lyrics exploit the psychological effects of time-indicating words and idioms • How great song lyrics avoid implementing confusing homophones Exclusive Content: Each participant will receive more than 450 pre-release pages of material from the forthcoming book, SongMatrix: How Songwriting REALLY Works, plus exclusive content from the forthcoming book, Words with Power. |
Retreat Instructor - Wayne Chase
Wayne Chase is the author of half a dozen reference works on musical and lyrical technique. |
![]() |
Absolutely Incredible and Inspiring Experience! ★★★★★ “I can't say enough about how amazing the songwriting retreat was at REO. So much talent and creativity. Fantastic people creating together everyday in the most gorgeous setting you could imagine!” |
Gsilverakag |
Rates: All-inclusive 6 day/5 night Retreat
All prices are per person all-inclusive. Sale ends July 15, 2022. Groups = How many people in one tent.
Groups of 4
|
Rate | Sale |
$1450 | $1299 |
Groups of 3
Rate | Sale |
$1550 | $1399 |
Groups of 2
|
Rate |
Sale |
$1750 |
$1599 |
Single Occupancy (Private Tent)
Rate |
Sale |
$2150 |
$1999 |
Shared Tent (Private Bed in 3/4 share)
|
Rate |
Sale |
$1550 |
$1399 |
Camping/Own Tent (email to book)
Rate |
Sale |
$1350 |
$1199 |
Fine Print
|
Ready to book?
|
Retreat Contact: Bryan Fogelman
Call 604-307-3122 or email Bryan
For Reservations: 1-800-736-7238
Check out these pictures from previous songwriting retreats




























Retreat Information
YXX Airport ShuttleREO offers an optional shuttle departure from YXX Abbotsford airport from $80 pp (min 2). For shuttle transport fr Vancouver to REO see the eBus schedule for times and rates to Hope BC. REO offers shuttles fr Hope to REO from $60 pp (min 2) . |
|
Ride Shares / Car RentalsWe try to help arrange ride shares with other songwriters from the Vancouver area. Car rentals from $350 are available from Vancouver (YVR, 3.25 hours to REO) and Abbotsford (YXX, 2 hours to REO) for 6 day/5 night rental. |
Retreat Start TimeCheck in begins at 4 pm on Sunday August 28. Our keynote presentation begins at 6 pm. All meals are included in your retreat package from Sunday dinner to Friday breakfast. A complimentary social hour is offered on Mon and Wed at 6:30 pm |
End time & DepartureOur final session is on Friday Sept from 9:30-10:45 am. Check out time is 11 am, except for those that are catching the 10:30 shuttle to Hope BC to connect with the bus ride to Vancouver. or for shuttles to YXX Abbotsford BC. |
|
Pre and Post Retreat ExtensionsA retreat extension is a popular add-on to enjoy our beautiful wilderness resort. Great for long-haul travelers to unwind before or after. Rates start at $249 CAD pp per night with lodging and 2 meals. Please call for details on all of our amazing pre and post-retreat package options.
Retreat OrganizerBryan Fogelman has organized and hosted the REO retreat for the past 22 years and has learned from many of the best songwriting mentors in the world. Bryan started Blue Crush Music Ltd as an artist development company. In addition to his own songs, Bryan is writing and producing songs with artists and producers in Sweden, the US, Australia and Canada.
|
Book Now
Searching Availability...