"That voice! You'll recognize it everywhere. Eli Conley possesses the rare gift of a distinctive vocal timbre that separates him from scores of singer-songwriters in the modern folk ilk.... This is the stuff that long, successful careers are made of."
Tom Semioli, Minor 7th
Tom Semioli, Minor 7th
News
August 10, 2021
I just got home from the Rocky Mountain Song School, a place I go every year to ground myself as an artist and learn from some of my heroes like Mary Gauthier. She has a wonderful new book I just finished reading that's part memoir and part writer's manual: Saved By a Song.
This year I had the honor of being in a masterclass with the great Darrell Scott. If you don't know him, I recommend starting with You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive -- but really, you can't go wrong with any of his music! It's hard to put what I learned from him into words, but one big thing is that every song is different. There are no rules to follow. You approach each song and ask it what it needs to become most truly itself.
Another lesson from Song School that really stuck with me comes from songwriter Ellis Delaney. She encouraged us to approach performance not as "look at me and how great I am," but as making an offering. As a performer, it can sometimes be really tempting to focus on the people who aren't receiving what I'm offering -- the ones on their phones, waiting to hear the person playing after me. But if I give my attention to the people who are listening, everything changes. I become much less focused on myself and asking "what do these people think of me?" I can connect with the people who are ready to receive what I have to share, and it's a much deeper experience for all of us.
I tried to do that here, when I got a chance to perform my new song "Alone" on stage at Song School:
I just got home from the Rocky Mountain Song School, a place I go every year to ground myself as an artist and learn from some of my heroes like Mary Gauthier. She has a wonderful new book I just finished reading that's part memoir and part writer's manual: Saved By a Song.
This year I had the honor of being in a masterclass with the great Darrell Scott. If you don't know him, I recommend starting with You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive -- but really, you can't go wrong with any of his music! It's hard to put what I learned from him into words, but one big thing is that every song is different. There are no rules to follow. You approach each song and ask it what it needs to become most truly itself.
Another lesson from Song School that really stuck with me comes from songwriter Ellis Delaney. She encouraged us to approach performance not as "look at me and how great I am," but as making an offering. As a performer, it can sometimes be really tempting to focus on the people who aren't receiving what I'm offering -- the ones on their phones, waiting to hear the person playing after me. But if I give my attention to the people who are listening, everything changes. I become much less focused on myself and asking "what do these people think of me?" I can connect with the people who are ready to receive what I have to share, and it's a much deeper experience for all of us.
I tried to do that here, when I got a chance to perform my new song "Alone" on stage at Song School:
Speaking of sharing, I'm excited to announce my first performance in awhile -- a birthday show!
Eli's Birthday Livestream Concert
With Special Guests!
Saturday, October 2nd
6:30 pm pacific / 9:30 pm eastern
Free
Live here on my website
Also, save the date for this upcoming in person show in the Bay Area with powerful songwriter Briget Boyle (pandemic permitting, of course).
Eli Conley & Briget Boyle
The Monkey House
1638 University Ave, Berkeley, CA
Sunday, November 21st
Matinee! Doors 4 pm, Show 4:30 pm
$10 - $20 Sliding Scale (Cash at the door)
Reserve Tickets
With Special Guests!
Saturday, October 2nd
6:30 pm pacific / 9:30 pm eastern
Free
Live here on my website
Also, save the date for this upcoming in person show in the Bay Area with powerful songwriter Briget Boyle (pandemic permitting, of course).
Eli Conley & Briget Boyle
The Monkey House
1638 University Ave, Berkeley, CA
Sunday, November 21st
Matinee! Doors 4 pm, Show 4:30 pm
$10 - $20 Sliding Scale (Cash at the door)
Reserve Tickets
Upcoming Online Classes
Sing Your Song (Online)
Singing Class for Queer & Trans People & Allies
Tuesdays, September 21 - November 16, 2021
6 - 8 pm Pacific / 9 - 11 pm Eastern
Using fun musical games and exercises, this online class will help you get more comfortable singing while accompanying yourself on an instrument, or singing with backing tracks. Beginners and karaoke lovers welcome!
You will get personalized voice coaching to help you build on your strengths and transform your vocal blocks. We'll put a particular focus on body-based singing technique, finding the right keys for your voice, understanding and embodying rhythm, and developing your expressive song performance.
Participants should be able to carry a tune (generally stay in key when singing solo), but you do not need to have any formal musical training to participate. The class culminates with an online recital. Glitter will be optional but highly encouraged!
Testimonials:
"As someone who loves to sing but struggles to do so publicly, I found Eli's class to be incredibly safe and affirming. I learned how to have faith in my voice and musicianship while getting to know lots of lovely folks! Eli is an incredibly skilled teacher."
"It was so heartening to work with a group of queers and allies finding their voices and sharing their talents and growing exponentially in their performance skills due to the enthusiasm and specificity that Eli provides."
Unlock the Song Inside: Beginning Songwriting (Online)
A Class for Queer & Trans People & Allies
Thursdays, September 23 - November 18, 2021
6 pm - 8 pm Pacific / 9 - 11 pm Eastern
Everyone has songs inside of them. What do yours sound like? Join us to unlock your creativity and let your songs out!
This is a supportive online community class for queer and transgender people and allies. Whether you're totally new to songwriting or you've been writing for years, this class will get your creative juices flowing! We'll explore the way that chords, melody, and lyrics come together to create a song, and learn strategies to strengthen each of these elements of our songwriting.
Over the course of nine weeks participants will share works in progress and receive supportive feedback to help them grow as songwriters. We'll analyze songs to understand how music takes listeners on an emotional journey. We'll also cover point of view, rhyme, common song forms, and basic chord theory to help take the guesswork out of choosing the right chords for each song.
It is recommended (but not required) that participants be able to sing a simple song and play an instrument at the same time, or create and sing over their own beats/musical backing tracks. No other musical experience is necessary. You do not need to read music or know any music theory to participate. Beginning songwriters are very welcome!
Words from Past Participants:
"What a beautiful and powerful vision: co-create space to literally lift up each other's voices. As a trans person, and as a queer person, I have so embodied the violent belief that my voice does not matter. To have a space to explore my own unlearning was truly a much needed reminder that when I honor my voice, I honor my spirit, my aliveness."
"Such a powerful experience connecting to my voice as a songwriter. Eli's expertise, guidance and ability to draw out strong work and pass on skills was so important."
"I found myself continuously in awe of each person's unique voice, style, and capacity to create in each round of sharing. I felt moved by something in everyone's songs and that was powerful."
Intermediate Songwriting (Online)
A Class for Queer & Trans People & Allies
5:30 pm - 8 pm Pacific / 8:30 - 11 pm Eastern
Every Other Wednesday: September 22, October 6, October 20, November 3, November 17, & December 1, 2021
Building on themes from Unlock the Song Inside: Beginning Songwriting, this online class offers an opportunity for queer and trans people and allies to learn more advanced songwriting tools. We'll explore techniques for writing memorable melodies, choosing an intentional point of view, understanding meter (the rhythm of the words), writing an effective bridge, getting your music and lyrics telling the same story, and setting up your verses so the song takes on deeper meaning as it goes. Every session there will be a new songwriting prompt, and participants will share works-in-progress and get supportive critique to strengthen their songs.
Each participant will also get a one hour private coaching session with Eli focused on performance, singing, guitar, music business, teaching, in-depth song feedback, music theory, or another topic of their choice.
No formal musical training is needed, but participants should have some previous background with songwriting. It is recommended (but not required) that participants be able to sing a simple song and play an instrument at the same time, or create and sing over their own beats/musical backing tracks.
Words from Past Participants:
"This class helped make music make sense to me in a way it never has before. It felt a little like a magician showing me how to pull the rabbit out of the hat, and Eli is a master magician. The combination of teaching the theory of songwriting and the practice of songwriting was great, with Eli showing us actual examples of the theory through other people's songs as well as our own. Eli creates a very safe space to explore songwriting, and I will always be grateful to him."
"Eli holds safe space for messy, human existence. It was a great environment to share my vulnerable creativity, in any stage."
