The singer-songwriter Feist has made some of the very best music videos of all time. I love them. They inspire me. This one is a classic that just makes me want to rush home and write another musical so I can see it live on stage! You can learn more about this Canadian born singer-songwriter here.
Author Archive
The Songwriting Guitar
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
I know there are people writing new musicals out there (if you’re one of them, contact me at Rodney Robbins’ mail). If you are looking for an inspiring guitar that will get your creative juices flowing and make you want to sit down and dream up your next shows, check out this video of a Goodall Concert Jumbo. I currently play a custom guitar engraved with the name of my new play, “Big Feet, Big Love.” It’s a Carvin electric, but my favorite acoustic guitars are all jumbos–Goodall, Martin, Gibson–they all have that warm, rich, deep-but-not-boomy sound I love. Jumbo guitars also sound great in live theater settings because they can play plenty loud, but also have a natural tone that complements singing voices well.
Sing It Like You Mean It
Saturday, April 17th, 2010 | Permalink
Here is a singer who knows how to put her heart into a song. This YouTube.com video is of 9 year old Kari Kinnett singing and playing the Suzuki Q-chord. She does an incredible job and really puts her soul into this song. I love this video. Well done Kari.
If you are looking for a song writing or singer rehearsal tool, I highly recommend the Q-chord. I used one to write much of the music for my musical “Big Feet, Big Love.” One day, I’d love to hear Kari Kinnett sing on stage in one of my shows. She sings like she means it.
No Boring Biographies
Thursday, April 15th, 2010 | Permalink
I’m working on my “Fun Biography” for the website, and the writing process is a hoot! I haven’t updated my autobiography in awhile, and I forgot how much fun it is to look back at the places I’ve been, remember funny stories from my past, and own up to some of the things that seems so important or embarrassing back then, but just sound kooky now. If you haven’t done this, or made your talented actors do it, you are missing out.
Let me give you one hint that is bound to improve anyone’s autobiography.
Look up the places you lived at Wikipedia. When I did this, I suddenly remembered that my home town of Walpole, MA is infamous for having a state prison. As a child, I never knew this was a supermax prison, or that it once housed the Boston Strangler (until his bleeding corps was found in the infirmary). Now I’ve got a gruesomely entertaining story to tell about my childhood. Try it yourself and see what cool things you can discover, and remember. If you’ll go ahead and try this, I’m sure you’ll become a better talk show guest, and a much more entertaining person to be around at parties.
Rodney Robbins Almost Paralyzed–Again
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010 | Permalink
Rodney Robbins here. I’m stuck in one spot again. No worries. It’s just another attack of Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis. This is a rare genetic disorder where the muscles won’t always hold a charge and just stop working. What causes attacks of Periodic Paralysis? Cold (I think it’s the shivering that makes cold such a strong trigger). Heat stress. More than usual physical activity. High carbohydrate meals. Excitement (like opening night). Fighting with my darned computer. I hope your day is going better than mine. Usually, I sign things, Rodney Robbins–The Singing Playwright, but today I’ll sign this post, Rodney Robbins–One Flat Possum
Rodney Robbins
Songwriting Secrets and Clues
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010 | Permalink
Songwriting secrets are learned in funny ways. I hear songwriting clues all around me. Clues about the words and the music, clues about the lyrics, the melody and the structure of songs. I’ve been working on a kids picture-poetry book for fun, and one thing poetry writing has helped me with is “hearing” the structure in song lyrics. By reading about types of poems and actually sitting down and writing a lot of kids poems, I’m getting sensitized to this underlying poetic structure.
For example: I was driving to work yesterday, listening to an alternative channel, and I heard a repetitive song that I liked. I couldn’t get my audio recorder going fast enough to catch it in “tape,” but I did catch the structure.
A. B.
A. B.
A1. B.
C.
Tomorrow, I’ll post the comedy lyrics this poetic structure sparked in my brain. Till then, here is an interesting songwriting link.
The "Big Feet, Big Love" Guitar.
Explode Your Press Release by Making it Tiny
Tuesday, April 6th, 2010 | Permalink
Things move fast in the media world. For many busy media professionals, the press release for your new play (or mine), is probably too long. Oh, you need to write the whole press release to get the idea clear in your mind, but you may not send it out that way. The simplest, easiest way to use a press release to explode your ticket sales is to condense it down to one or two sentences, then call your favorite media contact and pitch it to them.
If this is someone you’ve worked with before, you probably know the best time to call. You certainly don’t want to bother anyone in print or television when they are on a deadline or about to go Live On Air! So, call when you at least THINK it will be a good time to talk, then remind them who you are, and see if they have time to for a quick pitch.
It might go like this:
“Hello, Bernice? This is Rodney Robbins, the playwright from Charlotte, North Carolina. You interviewed me last year about working in the arts while living with chronic illness. Do you have time to listen to a story pitch?”
This part of the call is fast, simple, clear, honest and direct, and your listener will appreciate it. If you get the okay to continue, or a good time to call back, THEN you pitch your press release idea condensed down into one or two sentences. You’re looking to pitch the entire idea in 15 seconds or less (and yes, I’m serious that you should get a stop watch and time your pitch before calling).
Here is an example:
“My new play is a drama about young man with multiple personalities, which is related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Would you like to interview me and learn the five warning signs of PTSD, and the weird new therapy that’s proven more effective than anything else?”
I timed it and those two sentences take about 15 seconds. It is very clear what I’m offering. By condensing down to, basically, a few bullet points, I’m making Bernice’s job easier. She can tell what I have in mind and knows quickly if she is interested. If she’s not, no worries. Heck, I’ve only been on the telephone about 30 seconds. Maybe next time.
So, to explode your press release, think of cold fusion. Make it tiny and call your favorite media professional today.
Rodney Robbins Blog Updates
Friday, April 2nd, 2010 | Permalink
Attention fans. For those of you who are wondering where the heck all the articles went, soon they will be migrating over here from my TypePad blog. For now, you can still read them by clicking this My New Play link. I also plan to create some new e-mail courses on play writing and theater publicity. A series on press releases is coming, as is one on easy ways to write a musical. The world needs more new musicals!
It’s tough trying to write, and work full time, and deal with three chronic illnesses. I hope you’ll be patient with me. I’m typing as fast as I can!
If there is anything special you want to know, a problem you can’t solve, or an issue you think I could help with, drop me a line here: e-mail Rodney Robbins.
Happy Easter!
Explode Your Press Releases
Friday, April 2nd, 2010 | Permalink
If you’ve ever written a press release, sent it to your local newspaper and gotten NO response, you need to know that the rules have changed. You still need to write press releases–they are the bedrock foundation of your publicity effort–but not for the reasons you may think!
In talking with publicity experts, I’ve learned that due to the economy, the internet and the rapidly shifting media environment, it is now a different world out there! I’m working on a free e-mail course that will teach you to explode your press releases, get the word out about your new play–or mine–and sell more tickets!
For now, you can click here and subscribe to this blog. I’ll send you a monthly update of all the new articles, including an alert with the Press Release Course is ready. You can easily unsubscribe at any time, and I won’t sell your e-mail address to anybody, ever. Subscribe now, with confidence.
Rodney Robbins Speed Writing Secret
Thursday, April 1st, 2010 | Permalink
Ask yourself questions.
Asking questions. It’s one of the biggest secrets for writing fast. Ask yourself some questions, then write out the answers.
- What does Janet want?
- What does she do for a living?
- Where does she breakup with her boyfriend?
- What’s the meanest thing she says to him?
- How do we know she’s angry about the breakup?
- Who asks her out next?
- What does she say?
This playwright is writing so fast her head's spinning!
If you know that Janet is a 6-foot tall, gun toting redhead with a fondness for stray dogs and leather jackets, I’ll bet you could dream up one heck of a story just by answering these questions in a narrative form. Heck, go ahead and give it a try right now. Using the character description, above, write either a short story or a single scene that answer the questions. Attach it to an e-mail and send it to me at this address. I’ll share the best ones as free downloads. I think you’ll be surprised how quickly you can write a story by asking questions.