Last month we discussed “When is a Song Done?“. Once you deem a song “done”, it’s time to decide if you should demo the song. The main factor that should be considered is, will you be pitching the song. If the answer is yes, then in my opinion you should demo it once the song is deemed ready. It’s really important to pay close attention to whether the song is truly ready to be demoed before you pitch or spend any money to demo the song appropriately. The best way to do that, is to seek feedback from musical friends who’s opinion you trust (not your momma), unless your momma has churned out hits like Diane Warren. Once you’ve had consistent positive feedback, you may be ready to demo.
Some songwriters have the production, instrumental mastery, tools and vocal quality to produce a complete “pitch worthy” demo. If you don’t have all of these proficiencies or you are a non-performing songwriter, you will need to have a solid demo produced by a studio that can provide the services you may not be able to produce.
If you are looking for a low risk approach to demoing a song because you’re not quite sure the song is ready, a simple (guitar / vocal) or (piano / vocal) demo may be all that is needed to get a better idea if the song merits a demo. There are no wrong or right answers to the demo process. I’ve heard arguments for simple demos (guitar/vocal, piano/vocal) and I heard arguments for full blown demos. My personal opinion is your competing to grab an artists attention, with that said, let the song dictate the demo. If you have a groove based song, you are better off obtaining a full demo (all the instruments needed to fill the sound and groove). If you have a strong lyrical song in the ballad genre, you may be able to trim the arrangement based on the merit of the lyric.
When you send your demo to a studio, you should follow their instructions as each studio has its own processes. One thing that I believe makes or breaks a demo is the lead vocal. This is the upmost IMPORTANCE; let me say that again, the vocal is the upmost IMPORTANCE. I have had awesome instrumentation on demos where the vocal simply destroyed the song. This is not to say instrumentation isn’t important but you need someone to convey the melody.
As the songwriter, it’s imperative you provide the studio with as much information as possible to obtain the sound you are looking to obtain…Provide them with an accurate lyric sheet, your thoughts on the song arrangement, instrumentation, and vocalist notes like…sounds like Trace Adkins etc…The more information you provide, the more likely they will capture what you heard in your head. A solid pre-demo goes along ways to assisting the studio as well.
Demo costs are all over the place. You’ll find simple demos in $100 range and full demos from around $200 up to $700 or $800, so it’s best to check out and research studios. If you are a pop writer a specific studio and demo may be very different than the studio requirements for a country song. Bottom line is, do your homework. Ask for samples of their productions. Check their websites. Listen to other songwriter demos online.
Below are a few quality studios I’ve used in the past with a link to songs they have produced for me. There are many other quality studios and price /quality should be factored in along with your budget.
I have no reservations recommending any of these studios.
The Gator Hole
Song Produced and co-written with owner Galen Breen: Tiny Angels
Panda Productions Nashville
Song Produced: Waiting On The World
The Song Cellar
Song Produced: Simply Love
Song Ocean Music
Song Produced: America, Red White & Blue
The Songwriter Studio
Song Produced: I’d Do It Right
My best,
Ray
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
When is a Song Done?
Ah, tough question for sure. Let’s take this from the angle that the songwriter wants to market their songs commercially. And generally, I think the answer resides in additional questions…
1. Does the lyric paint a picture of what you want to say? Anyone can tell a story, but not everyone can hold the listeners attention. The pictures you paint will be the vehicle that captures the listener’s attention.
2. Does your lyric have a hook? When you think of fishing, a hook is used to catch a fish, well in a song it’s used to catch the listener. The hook is generally draped in the chorus because it allows you to cast the line several times, the more times you cast the hook, the better chance you’re going to grab yourself a listener.
3. Is the lyric relatable? If you’re trying to write a commercial song, you want to reach many listeners, so the more someone can relate to the lyric, they will naturally be absorbed in the lyric.
4. Is their a rhythm to the lyric? Yes, I said rhythm. Words have a specific cadence that flow off the tongue. Specific syllables of a word may be stressed differently depending on how it needs to be said. Solid melodies long for a consistent way to utilize inflection when conveying a lyric, specifically in the verses.
5. How bout’ the rhyme scheme is it consistent? Is it forced? Most songs summon the use of rhyme. Rhyme is one of the ingredients in a song that makes it singable. If you used rhyme, it’s not enough to just make sure it matches up in each verse consistently. You have to ensure the words you use roll off the tongue honestly. It’s also very common to over use the same rhymes, see what you can do to find fresh convincing rhymes.
6. Does the melody invoke the emotion of the picture? It’s important in most cases that the melody marries the lyric and become one. This may sound a bit silly, but if you have a lyric that involves an abused child and your melody sings like a polka, it probably isn’t gonna work. It’s not to say that some lyrics may lend themselves to multiple styles. But generally, the way a story is conveyed may dictate how the melody unfolds or vice versa…depending on which comes first the melody or lyric. If you have a yee-haw type melody, you probably ain’t going to be using too many sophisticated words and likewise, if you have a lyric talkin’ about jukeboxes and saloons, you’re probably not gonna wrap the lyric in a pop ballad type melody.
Well I hope these steps help you gauge the completion of your song. Next month, we’ll discuss “Time To Demo”, a further look at the completed song.
My best,
Ray
1. Does the lyric paint a picture of what you want to say? Anyone can tell a story, but not everyone can hold the listeners attention. The pictures you paint will be the vehicle that captures the listener’s attention.
2. Does your lyric have a hook? When you think of fishing, a hook is used to catch a fish, well in a song it’s used to catch the listener. The hook is generally draped in the chorus because it allows you to cast the line several times, the more times you cast the hook, the better chance you’re going to grab yourself a listener.
3. Is the lyric relatable? If you’re trying to write a commercial song, you want to reach many listeners, so the more someone can relate to the lyric, they will naturally be absorbed in the lyric.
4. Is their a rhythm to the lyric? Yes, I said rhythm. Words have a specific cadence that flow off the tongue. Specific syllables of a word may be stressed differently depending on how it needs to be said. Solid melodies long for a consistent way to utilize inflection when conveying a lyric, specifically in the verses.
5. How bout’ the rhyme scheme is it consistent? Is it forced? Most songs summon the use of rhyme. Rhyme is one of the ingredients in a song that makes it singable. If you used rhyme, it’s not enough to just make sure it matches up in each verse consistently. You have to ensure the words you use roll off the tongue honestly. It’s also very common to over use the same rhymes, see what you can do to find fresh convincing rhymes.
6. Does the melody invoke the emotion of the picture? It’s important in most cases that the melody marries the lyric and become one. This may sound a bit silly, but if you have a lyric that involves an abused child and your melody sings like a polka, it probably isn’t gonna work. It’s not to say that some lyrics may lend themselves to multiple styles. But generally, the way a story is conveyed may dictate how the melody unfolds or vice versa…depending on which comes first the melody or lyric. If you have a yee-haw type melody, you probably ain’t going to be using too many sophisticated words and likewise, if you have a lyric talkin’ about jukeboxes and saloons, you’re probably not gonna wrap the lyric in a pop ballad type melody.
Well I hope these steps help you gauge the completion of your song. Next month, we’ll discuss “Time To Demo”, a further look at the completed song.
My best,
Ray
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
New Year, New Start: Stepping Out Of The Comfort Zone
Hi all,
Welcome to the first edition of “A Songwriters Journey” for 2010. With the New Year upon us many of us think about resolutions to improve ourselves. As songwriters, we may want to incorporate new ways to create music by getting out of our comfort zones.
When I think of “comfort zones” what comes to mind is the same old - same old tried and true ways we’ve come accustomed to writing songs. For instance, most often I approach songwriting the same way, with a guitar, a base lyric and develop a melody around that lyric, finally I tweak and tighten. Additionally, my songs have been Country oriented for the most part. But, sometimes you have to step out of the comfort zone to push the envelope on your creativity.
There are many ways to write songs and I have tried several in the past. The one common thing I have discovered by attacking songwriting from different angles is I generally come up with something out of pocket for me. Have you ever tried writing a new song with just a drum groove to get started? I have, the outcome was a Christian Rock tune, written awhile back. I enjoyed the experience so much I wrote another Christian Rock song using a similar approach. Besides getting a couple of songs out of the deal, the experience was a load of fun and took me somewhere else musically.
Here are some tips for moving the dial on your songwriting this year that I have utilized in the past…and will use in the coming year.
1. Try writing with different instruments than you would generally use for songwriting. I have written songs using drums, guitar, piano and bass as the primary instruments.
2. Have you considered writing simply using your voice (Accapella), I have, it works pretty good and it doesn’t lock you into a perceived chordal arrangement.
3. Change the genre that you commonly write in (Country, Pop, Rock Alternative etc…)
4. Change directions. If you commonly write a lyric before the melody, try the melody before the lyric.
5. If you write lyrics you may find yourself writing things that relate to you. If you are content with life, love and family, your lyrics may depict just that. As a lyricist, try moving the dial by approaching a subject from another point of view (think movie). I wrote a Christmas song for the “Tiny Angels, Songs Of Christmas Joy” project called “A Christmas Recipe”, the producer needed another female song to round out the CD, so I wrote a song from a young girls perspective. Talk about changing directions…no I don’t long to be a little girl :-), but I placed the pictures in my head from the perspective of a music video.
6. Co-writing is one of the best ways to “change” your sound and thought process. Co-writers bring different skills and perspectives to the table that you may not have and vice versa.
Anyways, I hope this month’s blog takes you out of your “comfort zone” and helps provide you with some ways to move the creative dial. As always, feel free to add more ways to keep the creative process flowing.
My best in 2010,
Ray
Welcome to the first edition of “A Songwriters Journey” for 2010. With the New Year upon us many of us think about resolutions to improve ourselves. As songwriters, we may want to incorporate new ways to create music by getting out of our comfort zones.
When I think of “comfort zones” what comes to mind is the same old - same old tried and true ways we’ve come accustomed to writing songs. For instance, most often I approach songwriting the same way, with a guitar, a base lyric and develop a melody around that lyric, finally I tweak and tighten. Additionally, my songs have been Country oriented for the most part. But, sometimes you have to step out of the comfort zone to push the envelope on your creativity.
There are many ways to write songs and I have tried several in the past. The one common thing I have discovered by attacking songwriting from different angles is I generally come up with something out of pocket for me. Have you ever tried writing a new song with just a drum groove to get started? I have, the outcome was a Christian Rock tune, written awhile back. I enjoyed the experience so much I wrote another Christian Rock song using a similar approach. Besides getting a couple of songs out of the deal, the experience was a load of fun and took me somewhere else musically.
Here are some tips for moving the dial on your songwriting this year that I have utilized in the past…and will use in the coming year.
1. Try writing with different instruments than you would generally use for songwriting. I have written songs using drums, guitar, piano and bass as the primary instruments.
2. Have you considered writing simply using your voice (Accapella), I have, it works pretty good and it doesn’t lock you into a perceived chordal arrangement.
3. Change the genre that you commonly write in (Country, Pop, Rock Alternative etc…)
4. Change directions. If you commonly write a lyric before the melody, try the melody before the lyric.
5. If you write lyrics you may find yourself writing things that relate to you. If you are content with life, love and family, your lyrics may depict just that. As a lyricist, try moving the dial by approaching a subject from another point of view (think movie). I wrote a Christmas song for the “Tiny Angels, Songs Of Christmas Joy” project called “A Christmas Recipe”, the producer needed another female song to round out the CD, so I wrote a song from a young girls perspective. Talk about changing directions…no I don’t long to be a little girl :-), but I placed the pictures in my head from the perspective of a music video.
6. Co-writing is one of the best ways to “change” your sound and thought process. Co-writers bring different skills and perspectives to the table that you may not have and vice versa.
Anyways, I hope this month’s blog takes you out of your “comfort zone” and helps provide you with some ways to move the creative dial. As always, feel free to add more ways to keep the creative process flowing.
My best in 2010,
Ray
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Songwriters, Reaching Out Through Song
Since I’ve been writing songs, the one thing I’ve come to understand. Songwriters and artists have always been willing to “give back”. With the Christmas season upon us I thought it would be fitting to discuss just that “giving”. At the end of this blog I will point out a few artists and songwriters in action. Feel free to comment on my blog and introduce your own links to charities and causes you may support through songs.
There are so many ways a songwriter can “give”. The obvious way to accomplish this is through proceeds of a song they performed or wrote. Specifically, if the songwriter / artist is a “name brand”, they may have the opportunity to reach a large audience. Another common way to give back is simply through exposing a cause through song. Taking that very same concept to the next level would be to offer free downloads to showcase a particular cause. Some songwriters and artist team up to put an entire CD together with a specific charity in mind.
Whatever your charity or cause, the key here is that music can make a profound impact on society, whether it moves the dial financially or emotionally. Obviously the songwriter and artist needs to curb their attentions to some extent. But then again, you can always support other songwriters and artist from the listener perspective.
Here are some links to songwriters and artists in action. Stop by and see if these charities and causes interest you. If they do, perhaps you may want to think about supporting the charity. Please feel free to add your comments to this blog in an effort to provide us with other ways to utilize the gifts of song to “give back”. Feel free to add your own songwriter / artist charity links.
Christmas for the Kids This album can be downloaded for free, but they ask you to consider making a small donation to a Charity. They suggest UNICEF or your favorite charity.
Juliana's Smile Skip Ewing is one the the most gifted songwriters on the planet in my opinion. He teams with stellar artists like Bela Fleck and Dave Koz to name a few on this wonderful instrumental which can be purchased via download or CD and proceeds support Juliana and her family. This is a must stop by, so you can see the video on Skip's site.
The Melodical Hearts Foundation This is a great group of folks that I had the privilege of working with on their "Music That Matters: New England" CD. Spearheaded by artist Wayne Warner and Juanita Lee, they have produced several charity CDs that generally include name brand artists as well as independent artists and songwriters.
The Changing Hearts Project states as their mission that their goal is to raise awareness and touch hearts, through songs that relate to the plight of the unborn and young woman in need. Organizations are welcomed to use these songs as a vehicle to raise funds, that support the causes of the unborn and woman; through abortion alternatives, counseling, help after abortion and awareness and education. We want this to be a project founded on love and compassion. The songs are now offered freely for personal use, feel free to download and share the songs of the Changing Hearts Project.
My Best,
Ray
There are so many ways a songwriter can “give”. The obvious way to accomplish this is through proceeds of a song they performed or wrote. Specifically, if the songwriter / artist is a “name brand”, they may have the opportunity to reach a large audience. Another common way to give back is simply through exposing a cause through song. Taking that very same concept to the next level would be to offer free downloads to showcase a particular cause. Some songwriters and artist team up to put an entire CD together with a specific charity in mind.
Whatever your charity or cause, the key here is that music can make a profound impact on society, whether it moves the dial financially or emotionally. Obviously the songwriter and artist needs to curb their attentions to some extent. But then again, you can always support other songwriters and artist from the listener perspective.
Here are some links to songwriters and artists in action. Stop by and see if these charities and causes interest you. If they do, perhaps you may want to think about supporting the charity. Please feel free to add your comments to this blog in an effort to provide us with other ways to utilize the gifts of song to “give back”. Feel free to add your own songwriter / artist charity links.
Christmas for the Kids This album can be downloaded for free, but they ask you to consider making a small donation to a Charity. They suggest UNICEF or your favorite charity.
Juliana's Smile Skip Ewing is one the the most gifted songwriters on the planet in my opinion. He teams with stellar artists like Bela Fleck and Dave Koz to name a few on this wonderful instrumental which can be purchased via download or CD and proceeds support Juliana and her family. This is a must stop by, so you can see the video on Skip's site.
The Melodical Hearts Foundation This is a great group of folks that I had the privilege of working with on their "Music That Matters: New England" CD. Spearheaded by artist Wayne Warner and Juanita Lee, they have produced several charity CDs that generally include name brand artists as well as independent artists and songwriters.
The Changing Hearts Project states as their mission that their goal is to raise awareness and touch hearts, through songs that relate to the plight of the unborn and young woman in need. Organizations are welcomed to use these songs as a vehicle to raise funds, that support the causes of the unborn and woman; through abortion alternatives, counseling, help after abortion and awareness and education. We want this to be a project founded on love and compassion. The songs are now offered freely for personal use, feel free to download and share the songs of the Changing Hearts Project.
My Best,
Ray
Friday, November 20, 2009
Christmas Songs, A Significant Songwriter Market
Welcome to this month’s edition of A Songwriters Journey. This month’s topic, well of course with Christmas coming up next month, I thought it might be worth discussing “Christmas” songs. Generally, I’m a bit of a “humbug” with the commercialization of Christmas, but I am a sucker for a great Christmas song and tend to enjoy the spiritual side of Christmas.
Christmas songs are packaged in many ways. Traditional classics, like “White Christmas” penned by the incomparable Irvin Berlin and originally made famous by Bing Crosby. The touching relatively new classic of Bob Carlisle’s “Christmas Shoes”, written by Leonard Ahlstrom and Eddie Carswell. Spiritual godsends, like “Mary, Did You Know” (Mark Lowry & Buddy Greene) and “It Wasn’t His Child” (Skip Ewing). There’s also plenty of room for colorful humorous songs like “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” (Randy Brooks) or lighthearted fare like the classic “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Johnny Marks).
As a songwriter, the one thing that stands out to me, is that these songs have been collectively recorded countless times, by a myriad of artists and are played religiously every year. Why is this important? Two words “residual income”. Residual income is income a songwriter continues to generate every time the song is cut and or played. With a Christmas hit, that means annually, a little more in the songwriters pocket. Additionally, Christmas hit songs tend to “snowball” in popularity as they hang around, becoming classics. So the song tends to have a life of its own.
I’ve got to say, as much as I like the classics, there’s nothing like a fresh, quality new Christmas song. I wish more artists would take the time to sprinkle more fresh material into their CD projects. I’ve heard many excellent undiscovered Christmas songs from various songwriters I’ve met along the ways. And, although some of these songs have been recorded countless times, as stated earlier, generally their is a specific artist that seems to “owns it”; such as, Bing Crosby “White Christmas”, Bob Carlisle “Christmas Shoes” and Gene Autry “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. What artist wouldn’t want to be the “own it” artist for a Christmas classic? The best way for an artist to get there is to start fresh…Bing Crosby already owns “White Christmas”…time to move on. As an artist, find yourself an untapped fresh new classic, your own “White Christmas”.
This “humbug” has found some Christmas serenity in writing Christmas songs. I’ve put pen to paper on a few Christmas songs and waiting for that artist who will “own it” and turn it into a new Christmas classic. In the mean time, slow down and take some time to enjoy the spirit of Christmas and enjoy a few of these potential future Christmas classics from the songwriter website Songramp.com.
First Christmas Day
©2006 Gabriel Heiser and Donna Valentine
A Night Like This
©Denille Spears
Wait by the Window
© Copyright Matt Moran
Christmas For My Missus
© 2003 Blake Hill (BMI), Janice Messer (BMI) & Paul Buckles (BMI)
No Room
© Copyright 2008 Ray Fontenault (BMI), Pegasus Music New Zealand
O Holy Child
© Copyright Tammy Edwards
Sweet Child of Mine
© Copyright Peter Simensky
O Bethlehem
©Denille Spears
My Christmas Card to You
Copyright © Emstone Music Publishing (BMI)
This Christmas
© 2005 Danie Lee Starr
Santa Samba
Copyright © Ross Douglas SOCAN
Pop-Pop-Popcorn
© 2004(p)2007 Roka Records
Let's Keep Christ In Our Christmas
© 2008 Russ Pruitt; Ron Pruitt
Here’s a couple of Christmas CDs chock full of original material.
Bramsar Records, Tiny Angels - Songs Of Christmas Joy
Fun2Know Music, This Time Of Year
Christmas songs are packaged in many ways. Traditional classics, like “White Christmas” penned by the incomparable Irvin Berlin and originally made famous by Bing Crosby. The touching relatively new classic of Bob Carlisle’s “Christmas Shoes”, written by Leonard Ahlstrom and Eddie Carswell. Spiritual godsends, like “Mary, Did You Know” (Mark Lowry & Buddy Greene) and “It Wasn’t His Child” (Skip Ewing). There’s also plenty of room for colorful humorous songs like “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” (Randy Brooks) or lighthearted fare like the classic “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (Johnny Marks).
As a songwriter, the one thing that stands out to me, is that these songs have been collectively recorded countless times, by a myriad of artists and are played religiously every year. Why is this important? Two words “residual income”. Residual income is income a songwriter continues to generate every time the song is cut and or played. With a Christmas hit, that means annually, a little more in the songwriters pocket. Additionally, Christmas hit songs tend to “snowball” in popularity as they hang around, becoming classics. So the song tends to have a life of its own.
I’ve got to say, as much as I like the classics, there’s nothing like a fresh, quality new Christmas song. I wish more artists would take the time to sprinkle more fresh material into their CD projects. I’ve heard many excellent undiscovered Christmas songs from various songwriters I’ve met along the ways. And, although some of these songs have been recorded countless times, as stated earlier, generally their is a specific artist that seems to “owns it”; such as, Bing Crosby “White Christmas”, Bob Carlisle “Christmas Shoes” and Gene Autry “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. What artist wouldn’t want to be the “own it” artist for a Christmas classic? The best way for an artist to get there is to start fresh…Bing Crosby already owns “White Christmas”…time to move on. As an artist, find yourself an untapped fresh new classic, your own “White Christmas”.
This “humbug” has found some Christmas serenity in writing Christmas songs. I’ve put pen to paper on a few Christmas songs and waiting for that artist who will “own it” and turn it into a new Christmas classic. In the mean time, slow down and take some time to enjoy the spirit of Christmas and enjoy a few of these potential future Christmas classics from the songwriter website Songramp.com.
First Christmas Day
©2006 Gabriel Heiser and Donna Valentine
A Night Like This
©Denille Spears
Wait by the Window
© Copyright Matt Moran
Christmas For My Missus
© 2003 Blake Hill (BMI), Janice Messer (BMI) & Paul Buckles (BMI)
No Room
© Copyright 2008 Ray Fontenault (BMI), Pegasus Music New Zealand
O Holy Child
© Copyright Tammy Edwards
Sweet Child of Mine
© Copyright Peter Simensky
O Bethlehem
©Denille Spears
My Christmas Card to You
Copyright © Emstone Music Publishing (BMI)
This Christmas
© 2005 Danie Lee Starr
Santa Samba
Copyright © Ross Douglas SOCAN
Pop-Pop-Popcorn
© 2004(p)2007 Roka Records
Let's Keep Christ In Our Christmas
© 2008 Russ Pruitt; Ron Pruitt
Here’s a couple of Christmas CDs chock full of original material.
Bramsar Records, Tiny Angels - Songs Of Christmas Joy
Fun2Know Music, This Time Of Year
Monday, October 26, 2009
What is songwriting success?
One question that I’ve seen over the years is… “What constitutes songwriting success?”
The first thing a new songwriter should do is to determine just that. It’s like any other venture you might embark on, you need to set goals and determine what constitutes success for you.
Songwriting success is not a one size fits all scenario. For some success can only be achieved by earning your primary income from songwriting. Others feel success comes from the completion of a new song. Let’s take a look at a few scenarios for success.
• Writing and completing a new song.
• A songwriter writes a song that touches someone in a profound way.
• Just getting a song cut.
• Garnering a “major” label cut.
• A songwriter’s song achieves number one ranking on the charts.
• Primary means of living comes from songwriting.
Now these are just a handful of ideas for success and you may actually find success comes from several or all these to some extent or something altogether different. Let’s examine the list from my perspective as a songwriter.
• Writing and completing a new song. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• A songwriter writes a song that touches someone in a profound way. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• Just getting a song cut. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• Garnering a “major” label cut. (So far no major cuts)
• A songwriter’s song achieves number one ranking on the charts. (Still working on it)
• Primary means of living comes from songwriting. (I’m not currently making my primary living)
So now the question is, “Am I a successful songwriter?” Well, when I defined my goal for success many years ago, it was garnering a “major” label cut. Shucks haven’t checked that one off yet. The key word “yet” in that last statement is a MUST if I want to ever succeed. That’s not to say I haven’t had any success and THANK GOD for the steps I have accomplished, it keeps me motivated and working towards my goal of a major label cut. With that said, if I had a major label cut tomorrow, I would like most, continue to work towards the next “BIG” cut.
As you can probably see, success is a process. The process varies for the songwriter and more often than not, the process will probably become a “repeatable process” regardless of meeting ones success goal. In other words if your success factor is writing and completing a new song, more than likely when you have achieved that, you’ll end up writing another song. Perhaps as you hone the craft of songwriting you will find yourself embarking on new goals. Nothing says you can’t shift your mindset in one direction or the other. If there is one thing that I would suggest come from this writing is that the…Bottom line is to set goals. Feel free to comment and add some additional success goals for songwriting.
Looking forward, to moving forward,
Ray
The first thing a new songwriter should do is to determine just that. It’s like any other venture you might embark on, you need to set goals and determine what constitutes success for you.
Songwriting success is not a one size fits all scenario. For some success can only be achieved by earning your primary income from songwriting. Others feel success comes from the completion of a new song. Let’s take a look at a few scenarios for success.
• Writing and completing a new song.
• A songwriter writes a song that touches someone in a profound way.
• Just getting a song cut.
• Garnering a “major” label cut.
• A songwriter’s song achieves number one ranking on the charts.
• Primary means of living comes from songwriting.
Now these are just a handful of ideas for success and you may actually find success comes from several or all these to some extent or something altogether different. Let’s examine the list from my perspective as a songwriter.
• Writing and completing a new song. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• A songwriter writes a song that touches someone in a profound way. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• Just getting a song cut. (I’ve accomplished this task)
• Garnering a “major” label cut. (So far no major cuts)
• A songwriter’s song achieves number one ranking on the charts. (Still working on it)
• Primary means of living comes from songwriting. (I’m not currently making my primary living)
So now the question is, “Am I a successful songwriter?” Well, when I defined my goal for success many years ago, it was garnering a “major” label cut. Shucks haven’t checked that one off yet. The key word “yet” in that last statement is a MUST if I want to ever succeed. That’s not to say I haven’t had any success and THANK GOD for the steps I have accomplished, it keeps me motivated and working towards my goal of a major label cut. With that said, if I had a major label cut tomorrow, I would like most, continue to work towards the next “BIG” cut.
As you can probably see, success is a process. The process varies for the songwriter and more often than not, the process will probably become a “repeatable process” regardless of meeting ones success goal. In other words if your success factor is writing and completing a new song, more than likely when you have achieved that, you’ll end up writing another song. Perhaps as you hone the craft of songwriting you will find yourself embarking on new goals. Nothing says you can’t shift your mindset in one direction or the other. If there is one thing that I would suggest come from this writing is that the…Bottom line is to set goals. Feel free to comment and add some additional success goals for songwriting.
Looking forward, to moving forward,
Ray
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Welcome to my new songwriter blog
Hi all,
I decided to blog about my songwriting journey, as I believe this is a topic where many folks pursuing songwriting have shared many of the same stories. Whether it be song sharks, the demo process, the craft of songwriting and the musical tools used to create songs.
The intent of this blog is to discuss my journey as a songwriter. The songwriting process, song demos and studios, song creation, musical equipment and musical instruments used to create music and songs, such as guitars, keyboards, drums, processing equipment & music software will all be discussed in this blog. Songwriting melody and lyric development and structure will compromise a large part of this blog. Additionally, how to market songs effectively through publishers and Performing Rights Organizations such as BMI, ASCAP and SESAC.
My hope is that I can make the process a little smoother for you and to help you avoid some of the pitfalls as you pursue your songwriting career.
My Best,
Ray
I decided to blog about my songwriting journey, as I believe this is a topic where many folks pursuing songwriting have shared many of the same stories. Whether it be song sharks, the demo process, the craft of songwriting and the musical tools used to create songs.
The intent of this blog is to discuss my journey as a songwriter. The songwriting process, song demos and studios, song creation, musical equipment and musical instruments used to create music and songs, such as guitars, keyboards, drums, processing equipment & music software will all be discussed in this blog. Songwriting melody and lyric development and structure will compromise a large part of this blog. Additionally, how to market songs effectively through publishers and Performing Rights Organizations such as BMI, ASCAP and SESAC.
My hope is that I can make the process a little smoother for you and to help you avoid some of the pitfalls as you pursue your songwriting career.
My Best,
Ray
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