Rachel Efron will be hosting an online workshop focused on writing melodies February 20th from 6PM-7PM. Only 25 spots available so be sure to sign up! Member price is $50, non-member price is $65. Please be sure your membership is current. Join or renew today!

SIGN UP HERE: https://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/store

JOIN OR RENEW HERE:

https://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/become-a-member

More often than not, writing better songs means writing better melodies. Yet for all of our focus on lyrics and chord changes, we rarely stop and take a look at what writing better melodies really means. In this workshop, Rachel will help you demystify the process of melody writing, and offer some specific tools for finding the catchy, emotive, and fresh melodies to make your songs come alive.

Rachel Efron is a singer/songwriter, producer, and songwriting coach living in Oakland, California. After years of studying classical and jazz piano, Rachel began her journey with songwriting by not only writing one song after the next, but also by transcribing whatever songs she heard that most moved her. She realized that her backgrounds in classical and jazz music theories could be re-imagined to apply directly to the project of songwriting, and without exactly intending to do it, designed a course of study for songwriters — inspired and accessible, based equally in a hunger for sophisticated knowledge and a passionate quest for authenticity.

Over the past 10 years Rachel has taught countless songwriting classes and workshops, mentored nearly a hundred songwriters, and has worked as the music producer for many acclaimed albums of original songs. She teaches the songwriting course at California Jazz Conservatory’s Jazzschool, and hosts a weekly songwriting salon for songwriters out of her own studio.

http://www.rachelefron.com/

Email poppy@westcoastsongwriters.org once you've purchased your spot. You may submit questions to Poppy prior to the workshop for Rachel to review. She will do her best to address questions during the session.

3rd Wednesday of the month August (Playoffs) Location: Aqus Cafe, 189 H St Petaluma, CA SIGN-UP: Start time 7:00PM Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)
Managers - Dave Hamilton & Jay Gottlieb

Third Monday of every month Location: Watermelon Music 1970 Lake Blvd, Suite 1, Davis CA 95616 SIGN-UP: 6:30pm event begins at 7pm Performers Guests and public free. Technical Suppport: Melon Music Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)
Manager: Poppy Peach Nichols

The Portland chapter is a vital resource to songwriters living not only in the Portland area, but also in the northwest. Our monthly Performing Songwriter Showcase offers our members the opportunity to not only share and perform their songs with their peers and community, but to also share in monthly workshops that vary in topic and discussion. Our monthly events are always free to our members, and allow them to showcase their songs at one of the finest listening rooms in the Portland area.

FOURTH Monday of the month EXCEPT FEBRUARY will be on the 17th Location: Spinella's Off the Wall 436 N Main Ave, Gresham, OR TIme: 6:30pm

Manager - Doug Henderson

Songwriters!   Time to dust off those old tunes and/or get feedback on new ones. Play your song (live or recorded) in a casual supportive environment. Please join us and receive honest thoughtful feedback from our talented local songwriting community.  If you’d like participants to have access to your lyrics, please email Mona (mona@momusic.org) by 2:00pm day of WIP and she will make them available to the group. Street parking available Contact Moderator Mona Dena at mona@momusic.org 650-483-1347

SIGN-UP: 6:30pm. Start time: 7:00 pm. Tickets $7 at the door for competing members, $15 for guests If you join or renew the night of the competition, ticket is $7 Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting) Managers - Curt Ingram, Margo Fleming, Tina Dinha

WCS Circle Of Songs From 9PM-11pm on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. No cover.

2nd Wednesday of the month SIGN-UP: Start time 6:30PM Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)
Managers - Gary Koehler & Jay Gottlieb

SONGWRITING COMPETITION PRIZES

There are 2 winners of the Songwriting Competition each month, Best Song and Best Song Runner Up.

A member can win Best Song Of The Month and Best Song Of The Month Runner Up twice during a season (with different songs) in each WCS Location. Playoffs are in August to determine Napa Best Song Of The Year. In August, the winners of Best Song of the Year from every WCS Location compete at the Finals for WCS Best Song of the Year. Three winners are chosen to perform at the annual WCS Conference in September.

Come Join Us! Members and Non-Members welcome Play your song (live or recorded) in a casual supportive environment. Please join us and receive honest thoughtful feedback from our talented local songwriting community.

Please bring your own lyric sheets and kindly email Laurazucker212@gmail.com to let her know you will be attending!

2nd Monday of each Month the Mid Pen Media Center, 900 San Antonio Rd. Palo Alto Reserve your place and pay in advance by going to the STORE on the WCS Website. (You will receive confirmation by email) https://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/store Limited to 10 spots only one song per person)...songs must be radio edits. Walk-in sign-up closes at 7PM (priority given to pre-registered PAID members) Pre-Registered check-in from 6:45-7:00 pm (Priority given to prepaid members) Cost: $20 (members only) - Cost is for use of TV studio. Audience FREE - and strongly encouraged. Donations to WCS are greatly accepted Please make sure that your membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Make 2 copies of your song lyric sheet for the judges to review. Please include your name, contact info is optional.

1st Thursday of the month Location: The Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St., Vallejo SIGN-UP: 6:30PM. Start time 7:30PM Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that your membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)
Managers - Wheeler Cole, Liza Marie Sparks

First Wednesday of the month except January. Location: ArtBoutiki 44 Race St., San Jose SIGN-UP: 6:30 pm. Start time: 7 pm. Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged and please grab something to eat to help support the venue. Please make sure that you membership is current. Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting) Managers TK Tran and John Ribovich

SIGN-UP: 6:15pm. Start time: 7:00 pm. No Cover Small stage with a Mackie 408s FR Sound System, 88 Key Kurtzweil Digital piano Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Bring 2 sets of your lyrics for the judges Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)

LAST Tuesday of the month (No December Competition) SIGN-UP: 6:30 pm. Start time: 7 pm. Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current.

The Vallejo Song Fix-it Sessions

Bring an old song that needs fix’n … a half written idea, a song which needs re-writing … then watch as your peers good-naturedly argue abut how to improve it in a caring, supportive environment. Everybody is welcome, Members and non-members alike. Please bring 5-7 copies of your lyrics (though you don’t need to bring a song to come and participate). Snacks will be available. 4th Tuesday of the month 7-9pm. Contact: email dwheelercole1@gmail.com

The Portland chapter is a vital resource to songwriters living not only in the Portland area, but also in the northwest. Our monthly Performing Songwriter Showcase offers our members the opportunity to not only share and perform their songs with their peers and community, but to also share in monthly workshops that vary in topic and discussion. Our monthly events are always free to our members, and allow them to showcase their songs at one of the finest listening rooms in the Portland area.

FOURTH Monday of the month EXCEPT FEBRUARY will be on the 17th Location: Spinella's Off the Wall 436 N Main Ave, Gresham, OR TIme: 6:30pm

Manager - Doug Henderson

Songwriters!   Time to dust off those old tunes and/or get feedback on new ones. Play your song (live or recorded) in a casual supportive environment. Please join us and receive honest thoughtful feedback from our talented local songwriting community.  If you’d like participants to have access to your lyrics, please email Mona (mona@momusic.org) by 2:00pm day of WIP and she will make them available to the group. Street parking available Contact Moderator Mona Dena at mona@momusic.org 650-483-1347

JEN ADAN: WCS Member who had the #1 Hit – “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”with Blake Shelton. My journey began in San Mateo, CA, when I was about 10 years old. I wrote my rst song in history class and back then, I never knew that someone could make a ca- reer out of songwriting; I thought it was just a hobby. I never told anyone I wrote songs. I nally told my parents on their 25th wedding anniversary, when I was about 15 years old. I wrote a song for them and played it at their party. I told them that I had about 100 more songs that I had written. I entered contests and continuously won. I found out about the West Coast Song- writers Association (WCS), and I joined. WCS has given me tons of contacts and taught me so much about songwriting and the music business. SUBMIT YOUR SONG to poppy@westcoastsongwriters.org WCS Members only, one song only, attach your MP3/song file and paste your lyric into the body of your email. In subject line put: Jen Adan Evaluation Please do not send links as we have to upload the songs. Deadline to submit is no later than January 20th. RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP OR JOIN HERE: https://www.westcoastsongwriters.org/membership

LAST Monday of every month EXCEPT JANUARY will be Monday the 20th. Location: The Bazaar Cafe, 5927 California Street San Francisco, CA 94121 SIGN-UP: 6:30pm; event begins 7:00pm, 20-song limit. Sign-up on a first-come basis, maximum 20 songs for the night, get there early if you want to perform. COST: One Item Minimum Purchase - to help support the cafe. This event is totally acoustic with no sound system, so please plan accordingly. There is an upright piano. Be sure to invite your friends. Audience participation is encouraged.. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)

Third Monday of every month Location: Watermelon Music 1970 Lake Blvd, Suite 1, Davis CA 95616 SIGN-UP: 6:30pm event begins at 7pm Performers Guests and public free. Technical Suppport: Melon Music Be sure to invite your friends. Audience encouraged. Please make sure that you membership is current (Smartphone photo of card is OK) Non-members are ineligible to win (but can perform, time permitting)
Manager: Poppy Peach Nichols