January 2023
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| VOL 18 ISSUE 1 | January 2023 |
My friend, Evo Terra was one of the co-writers of Podcasting For Dummies and he was encouraging me to start a podcast way back in 2008...before most of the world had even heard the word yet. Well it took over a decade, but I've finally soft-launched 12NoteDesign, which will be an educational and entertaining series of sessions focused on the pillars of songwriting. Episode 001 was released on the YouTube Channel and it gave a brief outline of the main categories that I plan to explore that make up the acronym LISTEN (Lyrics, Instruments, Structure, Theory, Evolution, and Network). The website is still being developed and the podcasts are not yet available on other podcast platforms yet, but you can see the development so far on YouTube at YouTube.com/12NoteDesign .
I'm not sure what posessed me to purchase a set of crystal singing bowls, but I'm so glad that I did. The bowls cover the 7-notes of the key of C-Major and are tuned to A-440Hz. I bought LED puck lights to place in each of them to represent the colors of the chakras use in meditation, healing, and sound bath sessions. The lowest note is C which represents the Root chakra with Red, and then continues to D-Orange-Sacral, E-Yellow-Solar Plexus, F-Green-Heart, G-Blue-Throat, A-Indigo-Minds Eye, and finally B-Violet-Crown. The bowls resonate in very pure "bell" tones when the mallets are caressed against the frosted outer shell of each bowl. I have added a video with more information about how to play them, purchasing them, and unboxing them on the 12NoteDesign Youtube page https://youtu.be/S9KaGBvJiyE .
I spent quite a chunk of change to take an online course called Six-Figure Songwriting and the biggest take-away was the comraderae that I gained with my fellow participants from all over the world. I co-wrote "A Brighter Star" with lyricist Kay Bell from Syndey, Australia. The lyrics that she crafted for this song are absolutely beautiful and initially seem like a yearning for a distant relationship. Diving deeper, it is revealed that the song is about the death of a loved one and Kay later told me that the inspiration for this song was a woman who lost her infant child. I sang the vocals on the first demo of the song, but it was surely intended to have a female vocalist. Kay sent the instrumental tracks to Nashville recording artist Mella and had her record lead and harmony vocals. This month I am thrilled to release the acoustic piano version of the song that features Mella's beautiful rendition. This song joins a couple of other songs that I have released under the moniker My Minstrals' Gallery which are projects that I've written and produced, but did not sing. Btw, I left in my cello and glockenspiel tracks since they are also acoustic. Here are the links to both versions of the song and the lyrics:
Acoustic version with Mella vocal - https://youtube.com/watch?v=u31rX42DNLY&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
Full production with Mark Greenawalt vocal - https://youtube.com/watch?v=G1dQDR77S08&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE
A Brighter Star
Wish, I were dreaming, but I can't sleep
Dream of you being right here with me
I miss the sound of your voice and the touch of your soft sweet skin
Just for another chance to begin, I'd push all those gray clouds
Every gray cloud, far, far away, far away from here
They must have needed a brighter star
To fill the sky each night
One that would shine forever on
And wash the world in light
They must have needed a brighter star
To fill every whispered wish
Oh, twinkles fall and kiss them all
Near and far
Days when I feel low, I keep trying to fly
High, well beyond clouds to find you in your sky
Memories floating back and all that I ever see
Oh, I see you still here with me and no gray clouds
There's no gray clouds, they're far, far away, far away from here
They must have needed a brighter star
To fill the sky each night
One that would shine forever on
And wash the world in light
They must have needed a brighter star
To fill every whispered wish
Oh, twinkles fall and kiss them all
Near and far
Ooo, you are the brightest star
Upcoming - More videos on 12NoteDesign, a live gig with The Polyesters, The Bodypainting Extravaganza at Phoenix Fan Fusion, Con-Fusion with The Phoenix Library, If Tomorrow Even Knows song is getting mastered.
E-ya later,
Mark Greenawalt
Mark@MarkGreenawalt.com
My gift to you is my music. Please kindly accept by going to these fine streaming services to download and stream! I hope you like some and consider them for your favorite playlists!
copyright Mark Greenawalt, Future-Class X Publishing - Phoenix, AZ 85044
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