Sonoma songwriter releases new book

Cliff Goldmacher explores the connections between songwriting and innovation|

The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation

And how songwriting makes you better at all of them...

Lateral thinking (via metaphor)

Creativity (via verse writing)

Communication (via chorus writing)

Empathy (via observation)

Collaboration (via co-writing)

Risk-taking (via vulnerability)

The diffusion of ideas (via performance)

Sonoma songwriter Cliff Goldmacher’s new book, "The Reason For The Rhymes," was released on Sept. 15. The book focuses on “seven essential skills of innovation” that can be mastered by learning to write songs.

Goldmacher is a Grammy-nominated songwriter, music producer and author. He also teaches workshops to executives on how the skills required to write a song are the same needed to successfully innovate — and anyone can do it.

“The problem, as I see it, is that the ability to innovate is perceived as some mystical, inspired activity available only to a select pool of creative geniuses,” Goldmacher writes in the book. “In fact, when broken down into its component parts, innovation — like songwriting — is simply a combination of skills that we already possess.”

Using songwriting exercises, Goldmacher helps readers develop the innovation skills and demonstrates how learning to write songs enhances each skill.

“Living and working in Sonoma was a big part of my inspiration for writing this book,” Goldmacher told the Index-Tribune. “The community here is a wonderful mixture of innovative and entrepreneurial. I have high hopes that ‘The Reason For The Rhymes’ will resonate with local readers.”

After graduating from Stanford with a degree in political science, Goldmacher instead chose to pursue a career in music. His songs have been recorded by Grammy-winning and platinum-selling artists in genres ranging from Americana, country, pop, blues and jazz to classical crossover and he has collaborated with Ke$ha, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, Keb’ Mo’ and Lisa Loeb. His music can be heard on NPR’s “This American Life” and, along with multiple songs in the top 40 on the jazz charts, Goldmacher’s song, “Till You Come To Me,” co-written by singer Spencer Day, went to No. 1 on the jazz charts.

Goldmacher lives in Sonoma with his wife Sarah, a visual artist, and has a recording studio downtown.

The digital edition is available via Amazon’s Kindle Store or at thereasonfortherhymes.com.

The Seven Essential Skills of Innovation

And how songwriting makes you better at all of them...

Lateral thinking (via metaphor)

Creativity (via verse writing)

Communication (via chorus writing)

Empathy (via observation)

Collaboration (via co-writing)

Risk-taking (via vulnerability)

The diffusion of ideas (via performance)

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