Turn Your Testimony Into Song

The first look at the recently published Hymn #1020 may raise your eyebrows a bit. Especially in the chorus. But we'll get to that in a minute, and why, even though it looks a little weird, it's a really great little element of surprise. If there's 1 part of standard Sacrament Meeting music that writers too frequently overlook, it's rhythm. And, I get it. It's not often top of mind in our church music. We focus SO much on our lyrics, our melodies, and our chords. And rightly so. But...

It's about time I get back to reviewing the newly released hymns... long overdue, actually. We last left off with #1018. So today, let's look at hymn #1019, "To Love like Thee." I'd like to point out 5 excellent techniques that make this lovely hymn tick. This is one of the better new hymns, in my opinion. First, here's a fully analyzed copy of the hymn for us to reference. Below begins the list of 5 techniques. #1 — Dripping with color notes Something we're seeing more and more of in the...

As a new or experienced songwriter, we all get stuck from time to time. It can be terribly frustrating. All sorts of self-doubts can creep in. (Maybe I'm not meant to write songs? Maybe I was only supposed to write one song? Maybe I just don't have that gift.) You want to write a song. You may even have a firm topic in mind. But the lyrics and the music just won't come. What do you do? I can't promise this will work for everyone. But it's never failed me. Not once. Actually, it's a 3-part...

Where do our nerves, and worries, and fears of showing our music to people (especially works in progress) come from? Why do we tremble, and quake, and shake in our boots when a new song or piece of ours of any kind gets performed? You might think... the devil. And, that's not wrong. But I think it's really from an obsession with expertise, genius, and hero-worship that is rampant in our modern society... especially in the age of social media. We constantly compare ourselves, our hair, our...

One of the many benefits of participating in the Primary Songwriting Workshop is that I personally typeset and publish your song. These songs are published under the "Free Sheet Music" button on www.latterdaymusiversity.com. Last week, we had our latest New Primary Song Workshop, featuring 11 new songs. And now, you can download these songs. Here are the links: "My Secret Place," by Natalie Melzer "Who Has Seen the Wind," by Natalie Melzer "My Favorite Place to Be," by Kristine Porter "The...

Forgive my ranting and raving, but... ...sometimes I get a little peeved that wards don't plan far enough in advance for Christmas programs. I know, I know. It's June. Why should I worry about this now? Because if I get asked to write something for my ward Christmas program, it's usually in October or even November. Whereas when I'm asked to write a Christmas piece for my Episcopalian friends in Cincinnati, or when I got a double commission from a mega Methodist church in Plano, Texas, a few...

I saw a post from the BYU Organ Workshop yesterday that made me a little sad. They announced a workshop about composition with a fine teacher who is both a great organist and a good composer. Yet at the end of the post, it said that advanced knowledge of music theory was required to participate. They just pulled the rug out from a bunch of people. And they reiterated that ivory tower point of view that, to write great music, you have to be fluent in the most advanced harmonies, further making...

We had a blast presenting 11 new primary songs last night during the New Primary Song Showcase. If you weren't able to make it, or if you'd like to watch it again, you can do so here... It's always so great to see the fruits of 8 weeks of hard work by each songwriter. And as one of the songwriters said last night, it's a miracle how lovely each song is, how individual they are to each songwriter, and how it all comes together. Here's what you'll experience as you watch: 0:00 - Intro 1:35 -...

As I've been typesetting and publishing the 10 new songs you're going to hear in tomorrow night's New Primary Song Workshop... ...I've been re-watching the Rocky movies. They recently all appeared on Netflix again (including the Creed movies)... maybe because it's the 50th anniversary of the 1st? I'm not sure. But as I've been watching, I've been reminded of one of my favorite traits of the Italian Stallion... a trait which has nothing to do with boxing or fitness or any of those things. It...

Yes... yes... there IS a song inside you. Right now. Even if you can barely play basic hymns and primary songs. I know that might be hard to believe. Especially if you've never written anything before. Especially if you've tried before and never finished. Especially if you've always assumed that composing music was for other people... people with more training, more talent, more of whatever it is you think you're missing. But here's what 25 years of teaching music has shown me. The people who...