Songdog Music

06/04/2025

Simple, practical tools make all the difference in music practice

The May Newsletter

02/12/2025

SONGDOG NEWSLETTER for February

SUBSCRIBE Here: https://songdogmusic.com/join-our-email-list
(OR just DM me!)

READ FULL ARTICLE Here: https://songdogmusic.com/blog-big-burned-hand-iron-wine-about-a-dozen-things-you-never-noticed

12/12/2024

This is more than just another beginner guitar course—it’s your gateway to truly playing your music with confidence, artistry, and purpose.

Link and more info below . . . .

https://songdog-music.kit.com/products/how-to-play-music-on-the-guitar-course-1

11/27/2024

A solid foundation in guitar playing�grounded in the principles of art,�language, science, and sport�in six focused lessons�that you can learn in 3 - 6 days each

I got a project about to roll out that I have been wanting to do for a long time.�With this little newsletter I launch my first ever online course for beginner guitar.

Have a look!
https://songdogmusic.com/courses-coaching

11/12/2024

Alternative strategies!
Click here to read & subscribe: https://songdogmusic.com/blog-two-quick-ways-to-sound-better-feel-better

10/31/2024

Music ain't for the faint of heart

Two of my students, completely independently of each other, in the last week, have laid claim to being my “worst student ever”.

*Sighs*

Think about it, from my point of view. . . .

so begins my latest newsletter, read more here: https://songdogmusic.com/blog-two-quick-ways-to-sound-better-feel-better

09/27/2024

We write down music as an aid, to help us remember the songs we’ve learned. But writing our music down has another use, more hidden, although when I describe it you’ll go “Oh yeah!”.

Consider language, English for us atm, not only do we write it to communicate and remember; all the knowledge and skills we have from reading & writing create a mental framework by which we understand the language and concepts themselves!​

Think about how much information you get from any given sentence or sign. Information from context, from style, from implication. For instance:

“Yeah, but does yours go to eleven??”

*It was spoken, b/c of the quotes
*It’s a question, asked emphatically, b/c of two question marks
*It was not the first sentence uttered in the conversation: it’s a follow up, in response to something else.
*It’s a play on a very famous line from the movie This Is Spinal Tap.
*It may refer to some dude’s guitar amp. Or not. It could refer anything a meme-maker could make up.
*Ponder a moment. You’ll probably come up with several other data points.

Back to music notation.
“Notation” the word itself should be defined much more broadly than you probably do.

I make the case that ‘music notation’ should be considered to be anything that helps you learn, memorize, conceptualize, compose, or just plain dig, your music. Think flexibly about writing down music and you immediately put yourself in the company of those famous few who made their careers, and probably your favs list, by making music.

You must not be passive in reading/writing music. It’s your music after all, so when you choose and use any notating system, remember that.

*Do it your way.
*Use your understanding.
*Make your own choices.
*Because it is Your Art.

There is nothing static about music, it is always moving in time, that’s its nature. If you think about your writing, and any other memory/conceptual devices you may use, as moving, as constantly shifting along with the music, then you’re going to make better choices and you’re going to make more satisfying art.

Full article link below!

Notes! Not? Necessity?! Knowledge.. Songdog Music, a music-related company from Berea, Ohio