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Free songwriting classes to foster next gen music

Edward ScownGeraldton Guardian
Former Fitzroy Xpress bassist and Geraldton music personality Daron Keogh.
Camera IconFormer Fitzroy Xpress bassist and Geraldton music personality Daron Keogh. Credit: Lisa Favazzo/The Geraldton Guardian, Lisa Favazzo

Some of the biggest pop songs of the past 20 years were written by a man you’ve likely never heard of, Max Martin.

While he doesn’t take the stage, he’s one of the most successful men in show business.

Songwriting is a skill you can pick up too, even if you’ve never held an instrument. WA Music Hall of Famer Daron Keogh is running free workshops as part of the Mid West Music Development Program. Every Tuesday he’ll be collaborating with musicians to teach, right from the basics, how to write lyrics.

“You don’t always have to play an instrument, there are so many ways to get involved with music,” Keogh said.

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The program played host to Birds of Tokyo’s Ian Kenny in August as part of a masterclass session. He said the songwriting process was about “stitching together” all the elements of a song before a story could be told.

“The melody just has to be good enough glue ... and from there we can inject the story,” Kenny said.

For those who are more interested in the technical side, there will be workshops on Wednesdays coaching sound and lighting equipment setup.

Techs are often criticised but sound and lighting is crucial to any live performance and a difficult skill to master.

The workshops will run for nine weeks, with songwriting starting October 19, sound and lighting October 20 and music and musicianship Thursdays from October 21.

To register, contact Keogh on 0487 779 393, or email dancingbrolgasmusic@gmail.com

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