Any experienced professional songwriters here? Need input-
- Thread starter Farmhand
- Start date
Farmhand
Super Member
I'm all over the place (think Fred Eaglesmith crossed with Matthew Sweet), but these are country songs that I'm sending off.
I don't particularly care for country music, but that seems to be where the $ is, so I've written a few and have gotten encouragement from folks farther up the food chain. They all say the same as I've always heard- that it's a closed society and you have to "know somebody."
I figure that if I keep connecting dots then eventually I'll meet somebody who knows somebody whose second cousin's dentist knows somebody.
I don't particularly care for country music, but that seems to be where the $ is, so I've written a few and have gotten encouragement from folks farther up the food chain. They all say the same as I've always heard- that it's a closed society and you have to "know somebody."
I figure that if I keep connecting dots then eventually I'll meet somebody who knows somebody whose second cousin's dentist knows somebody.
Farmhand
Super Member
I'm not interested in releasing these songs myself, except as the demos I've already recorded and handed off to friends and other musicians- you never know where they'll end up. I don't get out of Maine much, but I know folks who do and they play my stuff when they're out and about and give me reports of how it's received.
Ideally these songs will get picked up by someone who's a real performer and I'll hear them in the grocery store or from the car next to me at a stop light.
Ideally these songs will get picked up by someone who's a real performer and I'll hear them in the grocery store or from the car next to me at a stop light.
Quadman2
Lunatic Member
With my scant knowledge base and having had relatives who made it just so far with their orig material, the main block they ran into were lack of credible connections in order to get their proverbial "foot in the door".
I learned a heck of a lot when I started a thread on this forum of why some bands with talent don't make it and found there's a terrible amount of politics as well as important connections that makes the difference. I think the same applies to the writing of compositions and catching the ear of a performer who takes your material runs with it, and you're in. Some may say luck is part of it, but I think whis was more of a factor in the past. Today it's all business.
Good luck on your efforts though, and keep writing as you can only become better at your word craft.
Q
I learned a heck of a lot when I started a thread on this forum of why some bands with talent don't make it and found there's a terrible amount of politics as well as important connections that makes the difference. I think the same applies to the writing of compositions and catching the ear of a performer who takes your material runs with it, and you're in. Some may say luck is part of it, but I think whis was more of a factor in the past. Today it's all business.
Good luck on your efforts though, and keep writing as you can only become better at your word craft.
Q
PureQuill
AK Member
If you’re not ASCAP or BMI you won’t be taken seriously.
It cost nothing to join BMI.
https://www.bmi.com/creators
It's fast, easy and free to join. Songwriters, publishers and composers can simply click the button below, allowing BMI to represent your music. More information ...
https://www.bmi.com/join
http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/the+difference+between+ascap+and+bmi
It cost nothing to join BMI.
https://www.bmi.com/creators
It's fast, easy and free to join. Songwriters, publishers and composers can simply click the button below, allowing BMI to represent your music. More information ...
https://www.bmi.com/join
http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/the+difference+between+ascap+and+bmi
Join BMI, join here for amazing help and critiques https://www.nashvillesongwriters.com What genre' are you writing?
Farmhand
Super Member
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. I write country songs as a joke and they end up being crowd favorites- go figure.
I'm talking to a studio in Boston about recording an album. They lead the artist through the crowd-funding thing to raise money for the project, so in the next month or so I'll know how much I can get done. I have an album's worth of songs ready to go, and people have been bugging me for years about getting them professionally recorded.
I'm talking to a studio in Boston about recording an album. They lead the artist through the crowd-funding thing to raise money for the project, so in the next month or so I'll know how much I can get done. I have an album's worth of songs ready to go, and people have been bugging me for years about getting them professionally recorded.
If you can perform your own songs, start taping youtube videos and sell your product. Nashville has changed in the last 5 years. EVERYTHING is done in-house from the writing to the recording. The commercial market is held very close to the vest.
Seaneman
Member
What specifically are you asking? Most of the info already in this thread is... questionable. It reads like people don't understand the difference between becoming an artist and promoting yourself as such, and selling your songs for publishing. Apples and Applesauce. If you have interest from a publisher, are you needing input about any potential contract? Publishing deals require the publisher to commercially record the demo's for pitching to artists, so don't confuse your record with the publishing usage. If they are interested in a particular song, but not signing you to a deal, they will make a deal for that song only, and the contract will reflect the writer/publishing cuts, duration, etc. If there is a good chance they can place a particular song, I would NOT include it in your recording, songs already in release can be prohibitive for some artists. Joining a PRO before anything progresses past casual conversation is mandatory, and also the easiest part of it.
Farmhand
Super Member
Well, here's what I'm up to with all this:
I have songs that have been positively received by people higher and higher up the food chain, in the U.S and U.K. At this point I'm negotiating with a studio in Boston to crowd-fund an album of these songs. Anyone I might shop these songs to wants to hear finished, polished, radio-ready singles, and this is my best chance to do so. I'll hire a studio drummer, but I can play and sing everything else.
I have no interest in being a full-time performer. Lots of people do, however, and they need material. I'd be just as happy to get these songs into the hands of someone who can get them out there.
For now, I'm registering everything with BMI, networking, and gearing up for an Indiegogo fundraising campaign.
I've learned a heck of a lot since originally posting this thread and am on the yellow brick road, off to see the wizard.
I have songs that have been positively received by people higher and higher up the food chain, in the U.S and U.K. At this point I'm negotiating with a studio in Boston to crowd-fund an album of these songs. Anyone I might shop these songs to wants to hear finished, polished, radio-ready singles, and this is my best chance to do so. I'll hire a studio drummer, but I can play and sing everything else.
I have no interest in being a full-time performer. Lots of people do, however, and they need material. I'd be just as happy to get these songs into the hands of someone who can get them out there.
For now, I'm registering everything with BMI, networking, and gearing up for an Indiegogo fundraising campaign.
I've learned a heck of a lot since originally posting this thread and am on the yellow brick road, off to see the wizard.
