DSA Monthly Meetings

DSA MEETS THE FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH Except August

Education • Networking • Encouragement • Advocacy

Learning Opportunity presented by the Dallas Songwriters

* Monthly Workshops which feature guest speakers from all fields of the music industry.

• Critique sessions that give honest, creative, and helpful advice on improving writing style and technique.

Motivating and Uplifting Songwriters through Education

Meeting Agenda & Song Critique Procedures

Meeting Agenda: 
6:30 PM - Sign In/ NETWORKING 
7:00 PM - ANNOUNCEMENTS & PROGRAM 
8:00PM - CRITIQUES-  ($10 per Song, Members Only) 
The Critique Panel consists of 1 to 3 respected industry professionals. The Panel, DSA members, and guests will listen to each song and then judge each song based on 6 categories: Hook, Melody, Lyric, Structure, Originality, and Emotional Truth. View the critique form.  The panel will give their comments and critiques about each song after the song is played. After all songs have been played and critiques are complete, everyone votes for the top two songs for this meeting. 

Critique Rules: Submitted song should be on a CD (only one song per CD) that should include your name and phone number. Approximately 20 typed lyric sheets should be provided for each song. Lyric sheets should NOT include your name, but a phone number is helpful for identification. Songs must be written or co-written by a current DSA member. (Only 1 song per member per meeting please) Only the first 10 songs submitted will be played due to the limited time.  A song submitted without a lyric sheets may not be played if there are 10 other songs that have lyric sheets. The song is commented and scored before the author is announced.
At the end of each year, a Songwriter of the Year is announced, determined by the most winning songs for the year. Also, a Song of the Year is awarded by an independent judge from the music industry, who reviews all the winning songs from the year.

MIC (Mail In Critique) Program- Members may mail in to our PO Box a Cd to be critiqued at the meetings for a fee of $20. Your critique will be recorded and sent to you as an MP3 file. This offers members who are unable to attend the meeting the benefit from the critique program and a chance to compete for the Songwriter of the Year Award. Here's a comment from Morri Hartgraves about the program, "Thank you for putting the time and effort into MIC.  The program is really benefitting me as a songwriter.  Sherrie and Blake's comments were appreciated.
Mail your Cd and a check for $20 to Dallas Songwriters Meeting Critique, Sammons Center for the Arts, 3630 Harry Hines Blvd. #20, Dallas, Tx 75219 or you can pay online at our  kagi store: http://store.kagi.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?storeID=7TE_LIVE&& and pick the product at the bottom of the page DSA_Meeting_Song_Critique_7TE.  After payment completion either mail a cd to the above address or mail an Mp3 to the A&R Director, Roger Russell.
Expect up to two weeks for a reply.

ZINE SWAP 
DSA is offering a place to swap magazines at the  monthly meeting. Instead of throwing out your music magazines, bring them to the meeting to share with other members. We will  provide a space at the sign in tables for the Zine Swap. 

DSA LIBRARY 
Songwriting /Music related books are available for checking out by DSA members at the meetings. Donations to our library are accepted. 
  
Center for Community Cooperation  2900 Live Oak (at Liberty)