That said, there's a definite NSAI Dogma. It's the same dogma that circulates the entire Nashville educational community because all those folks are enterwined with the Nashville way of songwriting which is exactly what you'll get in large helpings when you learn anything from NSAI.

We disagree. That's okay. I would not characterize the common threads found in Nashville as "dogma." I would characterize them as...er...common threads. There is bound to be some consistency of thought in any pursuit. In Nashville you have thousands of folks involved in a common goal, so it is natural that some consistency of thought developes. I would not institutionalize it the way you have, but that's okay, too. I am always amazed at the diversity of thinking in Nashville. I find that the record industry there is far more guilty of rigidity than is the songwriting community. When you go see the Nashville acolytes perform at, say, the Bluebird, it is awe-inspiring to hear their songs that do NOT "fit the format." I guess it is just the format-fitting songs that get cut most often. Who would be surprsed by that?


This hasn't been an attempt to run down NSAI.

I never suspected that it was. Your commnets were in no way disrespectful. In fact my post was not much motivated by your comments. I feared that others might have gotten the wrong impression from them. Again, I am not defending (NSAI needs no defense), but trying to clarify.


But rest assured, there is an institutional system of writing that they've nurtured and fed for many years. It's so engrained that it's nearly invisible.. but it's there.

Again, I disagree. Over the years, I have attended a lot of NSAI functions and it still surprises me the extent of the differing viewpoints you get.

The main point I strive to make is that, at a local meeting, like Buzz' group in Chicago, you are going to get opinions from a group of peers...not pros. The people who attend the meetings and share their views bear no mantle of expertise...they are just people trying to get better at songwriting. To characterize them as anything else is probably not accurate. And, if you take a song to be critiqued at such a meeting, you should be realistic in your expectations. The people listening to your song are NOT industry professionals, and you should not expect a professional-level critique.

NSAI is a good organization, but it is not for everyone. I think Buzz has a good handle on it.

[This message has been edited by TrumanCoyote (edited 06-30-2004).]

[This message has been edited by TrumanCoyote (edited 06-30-2004).]