1 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(2 replies, posted in Songwriting)

There's something really special about revisiting old material, Jim. I have a whole folder of piano pieces I started years ago and never finished, and every now and then I'll sit down and play through one and hear it completely differently than I did back then. It's like you've grown as a musician in the meantime without even realizing it, and suddenly you know exactly what the song needs.

A lullaby is such an interesting form too — it has to be gentle enough to comfort but still carry emotional weight. The "lost lover" angle adds this bittersweet layer where the tenderness of a lullaby meets the ache of missing someone. That contrast is hard to get right without tipping too far one way.

Going to give it a listen. I imagine the reworked version probably has a maturity to it that the original couldn't have had, just from the time and experience between drafts.     

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2 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(2 replies, posted in Songwriting)

What a creative concept, Jim! Weaving song titles into original lyrics is such a clever compositional technique. It reminds me of the way classical composers would quote melodic themes from other works as a kind of musical conversation across time.

The fact that it started as you just fooling around is honestly how some of the best creative ideas happen. In my experience with piano composition, the pieces that come from playful experimentation always end up with a more natural, organic flow than the ones I overthink.

Grah1, I would love to hear your "Garcia's Glasses" too! It sounds like a similar idea and I bet you each brought a totally different flavor to the concept. That is what makes songwriting so fascinating - the same technique in different hands produces something completely unique.

Beautiful work, and what a lovely tribute to Jan!     

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3 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Jim, this is really lovely. The way you weave specific memories into the lyrics makes it feel so genuine — it's not just a tribute, it's a conversation with someone who's no longer here. The melody must carry a lot of emotion too. I find that when I play songs like this on piano, the sustained notes give the words room to breathe in a way that's really powerful. Thank you for sharing something so personal with us.     

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4 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(16 replies, posted in Featured Song of the Month)

Love the suggestions so far! From the piano side of things, I'd add "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" by The Andrews Sisters - it's got that swinging military rhythm that's actually really fun to play. And "Taps" arranged for piano or guitar is hauntingly beautiful, even though it's technically a bugle call.

Also seconding "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" - one of those songs where the simplicity of the chords (mostly C, Am, F, G) lets the lyrics do all the heavy lifting. Pete Seeger knew exactly what he was doing with that circular structure.     

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5 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(11 replies, posted in My local band and me)

Just listened to this on SoundCloud and I'm genuinely moved. The G-D-Em-Cadd9 progression carries so much weight throughout - it's one of those chord combinations that sounds simple on paper but the emotion in the delivery makes it feel completely unique.

What really struck me from a musical perspective is how the pre-chorus shifts the harmonic center to Em. That minor shift mirrors the lyrics perfectly - "the world will try to name my soul" - it's like the music itself is pulling against the expected resolution. As someone who spends most of my time at a piano, I can hear how those Cadd9 voicings would ring out beautifully with some open string sustain on guitar.

And that final slow outgo... "please Louise, see me for who I am" - what a way to close it. The repetition with the tempo change gives it this raw, almost pleading quality. Beautiful tribute.     

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6 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(3 replies, posted in Songwriting)

What a brilliant way to find songwriting material — I love that you overheard one line in a mall and had a full song by midnight! That's the kind of creative process that produces the most authentic stuff.

Graham, your method of eavesdropping in cafes for sketch material is fascinating too. I used to do something similar when I was studying music at university — I'd sit in the practice rooms and listen to fragments of other people's playing through the walls. Sometimes a chord progression I'd overhear would spark an entirely different idea for a piece I was working on.

Jim, I think the reason this song works so well is because it started from something real. You didn't sit down and think "I'll write about a couple arguing" — you actually witnessed a moment and let it grow organically. That always produces better results than forcing a concept. The title itself is so strong too — "I Apologize For Nothing" could mean defiance or regret depending on how you hear it, and that ambiguity makes it more interesting.     

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7 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(2 replies, posted in Songwriting)

Jim, this is exactly the kind of energy Chordie needs more of! I love the idea behind this one — refusing to grow old without a fight is such a universal theme, but you managed to make it feel personal rather than cliché.

As someone who spent years behind a piano before picking up a guitar, I find that songs about aging and staying young at heart are always the ones that resonate most with audiences. There's something about combining that defiant spirit with a melody that just works.

Graham's right, it really is brilliant. The "down roads that never end" part of the title is my favourite bit — it captures this idea that the journey itself is what keeps us young, not some destination. Did you record this all yourself? The production sounds really clean for what I'm guessing is a home setup.     

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8 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(1 replies, posted in Songwriting)

What a great title - "When The Magnolias Bloom Again" just paints a picture before you even hear the first note. I love that you went back and reworked the lyrics rather than starting from scratch. Sometimes the bones of a song are solid, it's just the words that need reshaping.

As someone who comes from a piano background, I find rewriting lyrics is almost like re-harmonizing a chord progression - you keep the structure but change the color. It sounds like the conversation with Brian really got the creative wheels turning for everyone!

Going to check out the SoundCloud version. I'm curious to hear how the new lyrics sit compared to the original feel.     

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9 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(5 replies, posted in Songwriting)

This is such a relatable topic! I come from a piano background and honestly the "My Sweet Lord syndrome" happens even more when you're working with full chord voicings on keys. You play something that sounds gorgeous and then realize it's basically the bridge from some Coldplay song you heard 500 times.

What I've found helpful is changing the rhythm or the voicing even if the root progression stays similar. Like a I-V-vi-IV in straight quarter notes sounds completely different if you arpeggiate it or add a syncopated rhythm. The chords might technically be the same but the feel changes enough that it becomes its own thing.

Also sometimes just swapping one chord makes all the difference. Throw in a diminished or a sus4 where you'd normally have a straight major and suddenly the whole vibe shifts. Glad you went back and reworked it Grah1, that's the right call rather than scrapping the whole thing.     

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10 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(7 replies, posted in Songwriting)

What a beautiful tribute, Jim! Writing a song for someone in the community is one of the most heartfelt things a musician can do, and you can really feel the genuine warmth behind it. Graham and Pam's reaction says it all. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes Chordie such a special place to be a part of.     

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11 Reply by lisa.pianolisa.keys

(42 replies, posted in Acoustic)

Hi everyone! I'm new here, figured I'd jump in on this one since practice is something I think about a lot.

I'm mainly a piano player (been at it since I was a kid) but I started picking up guitar about a year ago. The transition has been interesting because on piano you're used to everything being laid out in front of you, but guitar is a whole different world with the fretboard.

What's helped me the most is keeping it short but consistent. I do about 20-30 minutes of guitar practice a day, usually in the evening after work. I don't force it if I'm not feeling it. On piano I used to do marathon 2-hour sessions but honestly I think shorter focused practice works better for building muscle memory on guitar.

The biggest game changer for me was having a huge list of songs to pick from so I never get bored. I browse by genre or decade on ChordRoom when I'm stuck for ideas, they've got a massive library and it's nice being able to filter by difficulty basically. Keeps things fresh instead of just drilling the same 5 songs.

Also something from piano that transfers well: learn the chord progressions, not just the individual chords. Once you recognise a I-IV-V-I or a vi-IV-I-V pattern you start seeing it everywhere and new songs become way easier to pick up.

Anyway love reading everyone's answers here. Nice community!     

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