We are delighted to tell you that we have a guest blogger!  According to her website, Aileen Miracle teaches general music and band in the Olentangy Local School District near Columbus, Ohio. This summer, in my teaching at DePaul University’s Kodály program, I had many conversations about creativity with my fellow colleagues, and reconsidered how

I recommend that in order to develop your song, you have to know what you have and what you are missing. Ask yourself what is missing from this list: Melody, Lyrics, Chords/Background music, Rhythm. Once you have figured out the missing pieces, work on adding one thing at a time, and before you know it,

I recommend that when you have an idea for a song or a starting place (i.e. you have a melody or lyrics/poem or chords that you think sound good together) the first thing to do is take your musical idea and write it down or record it for yourself.  You can write the words down,

You have recorded your initial idea for a song,  and you have discovered what you are missing. Now, you must add those things that are missing in order to create the whole song.   I recommend picking one, yes only one, thing that is missing from your song and work on adding it to what you