What's in a Song

Episodios

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  Part 2 Taylor Swift "Ruin the Friendship" The music, Nashville tunings, copy right infringement 25.06.2026 32m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode Scarlet Keys is joined with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett. Joe breaks down the chords in this song and shares Nashville tunings for the guitar. Joe gets granular in this discussion as he compares Lenny Kravit's "It Ain't over 'til it's over" with "Ruin the friendship" and clarify's what constitutes copyright infringement. He talks about copyrighting your songs and how to protect your original work while still finding inspiration from song...
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  Part 1 Taylor Swift "Ruin the Friendship" - lyric techniques and the power of a great bridge 12.06.2026 52m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk about Taylor Swift's narrative and lyric techniques. We break down the bridge in the song "Ruin the Friendship" with a focus on lyrical techniques and a touch on melody. We talk about the power of a bridge and the alchemy this bridge has on the rest of the narrative. Support this podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Venmo: @scarlet-keys What members are saying: "I've been in Scarlet's songwriting group since it be...
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  Diagnosing a song 23.04.2026 9m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk about the critical thinking skills of a songwriter and the puzzle of the song. When your song feels like it's missing something or you might feel bored by your own song but don't know what to do to change it. After the song is written, it's important to know what to look for on how to make the song as effective as possible. I hope you will join me for my next online class to learn what to look for and the solutions that can make your...
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  Taylor Swift's Eldest Daughter break down with Guest forensic musicologist Joe Bennett 09.02.2026 1h 29m

  Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to a new season! We are continuing on with the Life of a Show Girl interpreted with new up coming episodes. Today, I am joined with Dr. Joe Bennett as we break down "Eldest Daughter" by Taylor Swift. Songwriting retreats: Star Island In person songwriting retreat: https://starisland.org/program/songwriting-intensive-the-art-of-the-song/Support this podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Join the “What’s in a Song” community: https://buyme...
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  Taylor Swift's "Father Figure" The break down with guest Forensic musicologist Joe Bennett 09.11.2025 1h 17m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we break down Father Figure from Taylor Swift's record "The Life of a Showgirl". In this episode we look at: The chord progressionMelodic hooksRhetorical devicesGuitar voicingsThe stunning bridge and what the back ground harmonies are bringing to this section to make it so spectacularPhrasingProsodySign up for the Master class:The songwriting secrets of Taylor Swift Nov 18th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator Support this podcast:...
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  Taylor Swift's Opalite - break down 26.10.2025 1h 22m

  Send us Fan Mail Track32 on "The Life of a Showgirl" - Opalite I'm back with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett In this episode we look at: The chord progressionChord tensionsHarmonic rhythmBorrowed chordRhetorical deviceProductionDirect modulationTo sign up with the virtual live master class "The Songwriting of Taylor Swift" with Scarlet Keys: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator Joe Bennett: To learn more about forensic musicology and professor Joe Benne...
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  Taylor Swift's "Elizabeth Taylor" - The break down 12.10.2025 1h 22m

  Send us Fan Mail Track 2 on "The Life of a Showgirl" - Elizabeth Taylor I'm back with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett In this episode we look at: The chord progressionChord inversionsTensionsHarmonic rhythmPhrase lengthsMelismaWriting from a titleMelodic hooks To sign up with the virtual live master class "The Songwriting of Taylor Swift" with Scarlet Keys: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator Mailing list: https://www.scarletkeys.com/ Instagram: @scar...
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  Breaking down Taylor Swift's "The Fate of Ophelia" with Musicologist Joe Bennett 06.10.2025 53m

  Send us Fan Mail This is the first of a 12 episode series where Berklee College of music professor Scarlet Keys talks about each song off of the new Taylor Swift album "The Life of a Showgirl" searching for clues and signature moves that Swift uses as a writer to write songs that resonate with millions of listeners and pack stadiums. They are listening for literary devices, chord progression, ear worm, melodic hooks and theme. Scarlet wrote the course "The songwriting of Taylor Swi...
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  It's never to late to become a songwriter with former Berklee College of music president Roger Brown 15.09.2025 1h 3m

  Send us Fan Mail About this weeks guest: Roger Brown is an American businessman, philanthropist, and academic administrator and former president of Berklee College of Music. Brown is also the co-founder of Bright Horizons and founder and chairman of the Salt Lick Incubator. He is most recently a grammy nominated songwriter!!! In this episode, Roger talks about becoming a songwriter later in life, writing the truth and retiring from Berklee and creating a company for emerging artists c...
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  From Buzz to Bond: Queen of PR Ariel Hyatt talks about how to create real fans 11.08.2025 1h 3m

  Send us Fan Mail Today, Ariel Hyatt introduces the concept of the Three Communities every artist must understand: - **Ambient Fans** who are aware of you - **Engaged Fans** who pay attention and interact - **Superfans** who support, advocate, and stick with you over the long term. She talks about the power of the mailing list, gaining true fans and if you only have 10 min a day to market, how should you spend your time. To sign up for Scarlet's virtual Metaphor class: Mond...
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  Imposter Syndrome (no more) with Dr. Jill Stoddard on the inner critic, the wise mind and so much more 23.05.2025 57m

  Send us Fan Mail To sign up for the online songwriting in process class: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1376858744569?aff=oddtdtcreator On today's show I have Psychologist Dr. Jill Stoddard So much of what goes into a song is the psychology of the songwriter. Mindset is so important to the creative. Today, Dr. Stoddard talks about how to work with our inner critic, why we have it, how to focus on meaning even when your critique is loud. She talks about how important self...
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  Writing songs for Social Change with Multi grammy winning singer/songwriter Mark Simos 25.04.2025 1h 31m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Mark Simos takes us through writing songs for social change, political protest, songs for that evoke empathy and songs of conscience. We talk metaphor, point of view and the most effective way to handle this delicate topic. We give you a song prompt and this episode is woven with songwriting crafts gems. Spotify songs for social justice: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0PigbEAOxbwXOwvHFsq1vZ?si=cc729ee146d54003 To join the weekly writing class: https://buym...
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  Creative agility and writing process with hit songwriting Rodney Alejandro 21.02.2025 46m

  Send us Fan Mail Upcoming classes: To sign up for the April 5th workshop: "The songwriting of Taylor Swift": https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1252499231919?aff=oddtdtcreator To support this podcast and membership: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Show take aways: Try writing a song using the words and rhythm of a nursery rhyme to try audio doodling in your melody.Write your chorus firstStart a song with the chorusYou need input for output: Go hear live music, new music, travel, tr...
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  Music as medicine- The health benefits of listening to your favorite songs with Neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Levitin 10.12.2024 1h

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I speak with Neuroscientist, author and musician Dr. Daniel Levitin on how music affects our health. From reducing cortisol to lessening the effects of Parkinsons and how we can use music as medicine! We talk science and his new book "I Heard there was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine": Daniel Levitin's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7iRoKs96ka4AJPOA39VJj5?si=su7HYKBPT5y1LKw1ws5YfQ https://www.daniellevitin.com/contact https://w...
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  Singer/songwriter Jesse Terry - Writing great melodies and crowd funding 01.11.2024 1h 1m

  Send us Fan Mail To sign up for the November 23rd virtual LYRIC WRITING WORKSHOP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1070697919299?aff=oddtdtcreatorhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/1080037885389?aff=oddtdtcreator My guest today is New England based singer/songwriter Jesse Terry. Before I introduce him I wanted to let you know that on Saturday Nov. 16th I am offering a virtual 3 hour songwriting workshop. There are a few spaces left and you can sign up through the show notes or on my websi...
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  Kylie Rothfield on writing process, craft, what she learned from Alicia Keys about singing and stage fright 23.09.2024 1h 7m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I talk with singer/songwriter Kylie Rothfield. She shares what she learned about singing and stage fright from Alicia Keys. We talk about what she learned from writing with some of the best writers in Nashville, song craft, process and so much more. This was a good one! Pre save Kylie's single coming out Sept. 27th here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylierothfield/never-loved-somebody?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=Email+&utm_sour...
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  Songs with a message, writing from your life with Michael McDermott 08.09.2024 1h 2m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, singer/songwriter Michael McDermott talks about writing process, writing from your life and shares new songs off his two new albums dropping Sept 13th. Join the "What's in a Song" membership community: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys https://michael-mcdermott.com/home Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/ Otto Gross: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMnxx19QD-vxD4wnYGTn3Jw Scarlet's website: https://www.scarletkeys.com Scarl...
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  What does AI mean for songwriters with award winning songwriter and Berklee Professor Ben Camp 26.08.2024 1h 12m

  Send us Fan Mail Today I have Berklee Professor Ben Camp on the show discussing AI We talk about where it is now and what it means for songwriters in the future. We talk ethics, creativity, originality, works that are derivative and Ben takes a song we wrote together years ago and puts it through AI to demonstrate some of the current possibilities AI offers creatives. Ben Camp has taught songwriting to over 2,000 students at Berklee College of Music, and is a gold record awarded writ...
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  Creating metaphors with Pat Pattison 05.08.2024 54m

  Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Pat Pattison, author of "Writing Better Lyrics" walks us through step by step of how to find metaphors. This is the exercise I gave to writer Madi Diaz that she talked about in the previous episode. Pat talks about the difference between simile and metaphor for songwriters, passing metaphors and central metaphors and takes us through a song by Eli and Fur and Gillian Welch. https://www.patpattison.com/ Mixed by Peter Sykes: https://www.petersykesmusic.com/...
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  Madi Diaz on writing process, and the magic of co-writing 24.07.2024 1h 13m

  Send us Fan Mail My guest today is one of my former students singer/songwriter Madi Diaz Madi grew up in Pennsylvania where she was homes schooled by her mother and took piano lessons from her father at the age of 5. After high school, Madi was accepted to Berklee College of Music and met her first collaborator Kyle Ryan which led to her recording her first record skin and bones in Hawaii. Later, Madi went on to tour with the civil ward and Landon Pig. She was featured in Paste ma...