Tag Archive for: Miranda Lambert

Renaissance Feature 2 MEME 2

 

We are in dark times, my friends, but the future of Renaissance Tunnel Coldthe music business is a bright one.

 

 

The Renaissance is coming.

 

 

The music will improve tremendously, believe it or not.

 

The current market conditions are setting the stage brilliantly.

 

Renaissance Sterile music

 We are going through a breakdown of quality art and have been for a couple decades. Post-Modern art is derivative and sterile, to put it mildly.

 

 

This was happening before the internet and reality TV and now it’s been amplified. Everybody wants to be famous, not even necessarily talented.

 

I know it doesn’t feel “healthy” in any way, but this is OK! We’ll have a few years of nauseating, obnoxious, never-ending moronic art served up via our social media feeds and flat screen TVs.

 

Here’s the thing. The market will grow tired of it.

 

Renaissance Early AdoptersA bunch of you already are, you’re the early adopters.

 

The masses will follow much later.

 

Huh?

 

Yes, this is how marketing works and has always worked for hundreds of years. You have the early adopters like the people who camp out overnight for the new iPhone.

 

Then the masses follow in force.

 

To demonstrate how old this human behavior is (and for the purposes of building faith that we’re on the right track), I’ll share a little historical value bomb.

 

Renaissance Horsepower

 

 

Do you know why we refer to engine power as horsepower?

 

 

 

Back in the day when the automobile was a new technology to the masses, there were throngs of people who refused to ride in cars because they weren’t horses.

 

“It’ll never stick, it’s a fad, it’s always been horses and always will be.”

 

Imagine that!

 

They were too freaked out by the technology change.

 

Renaissance Buggy Ride

 

 

The automakers began talking about the power of the engine in terms that the masses could easily relate to; horsepower.

 

 

 

 

It stuck. Makes sense now, right?

 

Our modern-day version of that is when your parents refuse to use computers. Maybe their completely oblivious to social media and complain about it.

 

Have you heard anyone talk about social media as if it’s a demon to society?

 

We artists, we do this ourselves.

 

Renaissance Change

 

 

For some reason, we’re not comfortable with change.

 

But the only thing we can rely on is that the world will constantly change.

 

 

 

 

So, the artists who can adapt will be the artists that make a living because they will be the artists that we know about.

 

They figured out how to get to us. How to get to the market.

 

For example, most artists refuse to utilize the power of YouTube because they can’t get any traction on their own music. They tell themselves the story, “I don’t want to be known as a cover artist” to justify their lack of strategy, understanding, and inability to adapt.

 

Renaissance The Rolling Stones

But they’ve completely overlooked the fact that the first Beatles record was all covers.

 

 

Renaissance Rolling Stones 12x5

They’ve completely overlooked the fact that the first TWO Rolling Stones Records were comprised of all covers (except for 3 songs on 12×5).

 

 

 

 

They don’t consider some of today’s biggest stars like Bieber, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Melanie Martinez, and Miranda Lambert as “cover artists” but they all started out on YouTube or TV singing covers.

 

Renaissance Artist Collage

 

 

Eventually, the community of artists will let go of their past, unicorn-like delusions of how the music industry used to be (which is typically misguided anyway).

 

They will also jettison their naive feelings on the way it should be (with everyone getting a blue ribbon for trying and/or for having some talent).

 

 

 

Once this inevitably happens they’ll focus on what’s truly important; the work.

 

In the immediate future, we consumers will continue to become inundated with crap and clutter from the non-creative, derivative, fame-seeking, bottom-dwellers.

 

All sterile pop, rock, country, rap, etc. will begin to numb us, the masses, to the point of apathy.

 

 

 

We’ll all stop caring.

 

This will be scary.

 

This will naturally spur a new renaissance of significant art.

 

Important artists will rise up from the ashes.

 

Renaissance Drowning Clutter Sterile ROCK POP MEME

 

 

I say that it will happen naturally because the only thing that will cut through the clutter will be sincerely compelling talent and creativity.

 

 

 

 

 

Renaissance Phoenix MEME Important Artists

 

 

If you think about it, we’re seeing bits of this prediction already, aren’t we?

 

 

 

 

Artists like Noah Guthrie and Karmin, for instance. Radio may have helped grow their brand but it certainly didn’t create their brand.

 

Renaissance Noah Karmin Collage

 

We lack some super power tastemakers right now. Terrestrial radio used to influence a market, then on a larger scale, MTV (in the early days); these were huge tastemakers.

 

 

The DJ’s and VJ’s put their stamp of approval on it and we accepted the offering, didn’t we?

 

New tastemakers will arise with massive amounts of power.

 

Some will give way to the proverbial corporate poison apple.

Renaissance MTV Logo

 

 

Others will realize, like Snapchat, that authenticity is what sells and will keep them relevant in the marketplace. They’ll shun the apple and stick to the moral, genuine, and effective approach that garnered them the market attention which made them attractive to the corporate world, to begin with.

 

 

 

The renaissance is coming. A renaissance of art, ideas, thinking, and philosophies that will be astonishing to witness.

 

Renaissance is coming MEME

 

 

It’s percolating.

 

 

 

Artists everywhere are just beginning to ask the right questions.

 

“How can I cut through the clutter?”

 

“How can I become more compelling?”

 

“How can I take this artistic piece to another level?”

 

“How can I really reach my audience?”

“What does my audience feel, want, and demand?”

 

The Renaissance is coming!

 

I’m so freaking excited about it!!

 

No longer do artists need to ask permission to present their work to the masses.

 

They’re beginning to understand this.

 

An artist can create something compelling, present it to the market (a large market), and refine it from there.

 

Any artist can easily FIND THEIR AUDIENCE!

 

Renaissance Brainwashed

 

 

 

This will be an audience of consumers who are responding to the art because it speaks to them as opposed to being brainwashed into liking it through repetition.

 

 

 

 

In the future, artists will become brand ambassadors.

 

They will be valued quite highly because they have something most companies and brands don’t have; PERMISSION.

 

Renaissance Gold PERMISSION MEME

Permission being defined as the ability to reach a mass of people who are looking forward to their next communication from the artist.

 

 

Imagine an artist with 1 million email addresses, phone numbers, and/or device ID’s.

 

Picture an artist with that kind of reach who understands how to create compelling content, aside from their music, that is relevant and personal to the 1 million followers.

 

Renaissance 1 million MEME

Envision those 1 million followers not tolerating the interruptions, but ANTICIPATING whatever content is coming from said artist.

 

 

 

Can you see it?

 

I can.

 

Brands will bow at the feet of artists who have crafted a unique relationship with their fans because it’s the only way to get through anymore.

 

Renaissance Bow At The Feet

 

Artists will be the pied pipers, the cult leaders, the powerfully benevolent managers of a loyal following who will listen intently.

 

 

 

It’s not about, “I have 1 million contacts”, anymore. It’s going to be about, “I have 1 million relationships.”

 

Artists, they will pay to align their brand with yours.

 

They will pay dearly to be associated with your cool, with your hipness, and with your energy.

 

You have compelling art.

 

Renaissance Next Stop The Future

 

Get that compelling art in front of people who are wanting to consume it.

 

 

The rest will take care of itself.

 

I promise.

 

JUST WORK.

 

 

 

Stay

 

In

 

Tune.

 

 

 

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How do you find your sound?

Find Your Sound Feature 1

It’s different for every artist, at least it should be. There has to be attention paid to what the artist is doing creatively so that the sound is what the artist is really, genuinely trying to do or you end up with a dancing chicken. That’s no fun.

 

There also has to be some thought put into the marketplace. This may sound non artistic but I beg to disagree. With some projects, subtle, intelligent changes can be made to cut through the clutter or expand the audience without stifling the art.

 

A bunch of you reading this article believe that to find your sound is whatever you happen to write about which makes it “organic”, more natural, etc.

 

That is true to a degree, however there has to be intentional curation, there has to be serious thought put into what this project is going to sound like, representation, the message, the image, the artistic “lane’. If there isn’t it comes out sounding haphazard and somewhat schizophrenic.

 

Find Your Sound Adele 21

 

 

Thematically, Adele’s 21 was all about her breakup. If she threw in a killer hit song about anything else, it wouldn’t have fit. That’s what I mean by schizophrenic.

 

 

 

 

Just because it’s a hit song doesn’t mean it’s a hit song for you. Here’s a great example.

 

One of my favorite songs last year was Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids”. GREAT song! (OK it really speaks to me and my upbringing in a faded little map dot called Delavan, Wisconsin. Love that map dot)Find Your Sound Kenny Chesney American Kids

 

This was a HUGE hit for Kenny. What you may not know is that “American Kids” was pitched to Lady Antebellum first and they passed on it; appropriately so.

 

What?

 

Find Your Sound Lady A

 

 

Yes, that song is killer, but it wasn’t for them. It didn’t fit their brand so it wouldn’t work right.

 

 

Here’s my point.

 

Finding your sound starts at “30,000 feet” where you begin to craft your artistic lane with the broad strokes first. You have to put some DEEP thought into this because it will become the blueprint that will give guidance to whichFind Your Sound BluePrint songs to pick if they’re outside cuts, which of your songs you should, record and which of your songs you should either let someone else record OR save for a future project.

 

How much thought?

 

 

Marrying a project that is genuinely consonant with the artist from the inside out with an artistic lane that is ideally empty or hopefully not very crowded is an art form.

 

Case Study #1: Bailey James

Find Your Sound Bailey James

 

When I first heard Bailey I was blown away by her voice. She was simply an astonishing little 11-year old girl with an incredibly mature voice. Her instrument is somewhat reminiscent of the great Patsy Cline in tone and her melodic sensibilities.

 

Right away, that’s exciting because I don’t really hear anyone in the country music marketplace that sounds like her; this makes her voice more “identifiable”.

 

What wouldn’t be distinguishable is if she sounded like or was trying to sound exactly like Carrie Underwood, or Miranda Lambert which is usually the case here with most wannabes in Nashville.

Find Your Sound Carrie and Miranda

 

So that’s a step in the right direction.

 

 

Next what is really unusual, is that (now) 13-year old Bailey James genuinely likes old school country like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, etc.

 

 

 

I think that when your Bailey’s age you HAVE to love 5 Seconds of Summer and Taylor Swift (check!) but other than these two artists she drives her parents crazy listening to, well, “Crazy”.

Find Your Sound Patsy Cline

 

 

Here is unique value proposition #2. If we made a record that was reminiscent of old school country Patsy Cline the project would be in harmony with Bailey’s artistic soul.

 

I would be real. Which is to say it wouldn’t be contrived.

 

Get it?

 

This information began to get my creative juices flowing.

 

What if we made a record that was retro (ish) sounding? At the time there was nothing like this on the radio, (although very recently Maren Morris seems to be doing REALLY well with her very retro sound, salute! This helps my cause).

Find Your Sound What if

 

What if we made the melodies evocative of Patsy Cline which you don’t hear on country radio right now?

 

What if we supported these melodies with old school country chords and chord progressions which you don’t hear on the radio right now?

 

Find Your Sound Country Guitar Chords

 

What if we added a neat artistically harmonious twist? Let’s make the lyrics more like Taylor Swift’s early records.

 

 

There were many reasons for Taylor Swift’s success and one of the big ones is that she and Scott Borchetta created Find Your Sound Taylor Swift Fearlessan artistic lane that was previously non-existent.

 

There were exactly ZERO artists lyrically catering to 9-14 year olds.

 

All country music artists were adult themed lyrically.

 

Here’s the twist. Taylor grew up.

 

Taylor went from:

“She wears short skirts

 I wear T-shirts

She’s cheer captain

       And I’m in the bleachers”

To writing

“I’ve got a long list of ex-lovers,

        They’ll tell you I’m insane

        But I’ve got a blank space baby,

        And I’ll write your name.”

 

Find Your Sound Authenti City

 

 

So who’s speaking for the 9-14 year olds in country music now?

 

 

Keep in mind we haven’t written any songs yet for Bailey’s project.

 

This very thought process led to some serious conversations that I had with Bailey and her parents.

 

Find Your Sound Couple Music CollageIf we make a record like this, we’re going to have to commit to using the internet and touring to build a following as we probably wouldn’t be getting a lot of love from country radio, at least at first. If we wanted love from country radio we’d have to make a record like Kelsea Ballerini, which is fine, but why be derivative just to chase radio?

 

Country radio wouldn’t probably help us because she doesn’t sound like what they’re spinning right now and they don’t want to take chances. They’re losing listeners by the droves every single day.

 

Besides, radio is becoming increasingly less effective in breaking new artists so the money spent on radio promo wouldn’t really be well spent at this particular stage of the game.

Find Your Sound Guitar Music Collage

 

We all agreed that this was the kind of record we wanted to make and we began to get Bailey with the songwriters that were willing to do business our way.

 

I say “our way” because it takes guts and commitment to purposefully write something you know probably isn’t going straight to radio. Writers get paid on the back end, with performance royalties, so why would they want to mess with this?

 

I gathered some writer friends and we went to work. I told the writers that the imagery had to be specific, keep it in the schoolyard. If the lyrics were universal enough that Carrie or Miranda could sell it, they had to go back to the drawing board. I wanted the kids to look at Bailey and say, “She speaks for us. She is our voice.”

 

Melodically we wanted bigger melodies like Patsy Cline. Chord wise we wanted 1960’s country.

 

See what I’m doing here?

Find Your Sound 30,000 feet

 

I have an artist that lives and breathes old school country who is STOKED to make a record in that vein. I also have a vacuum in the market place.

 

Perfect.

 

Moreover, I told Bailey’s parents if we made a record like this Bailey would stick out like a sore thumb from all the Disney bubblegum pop music.

 

We all agreed this was a good thing to “stick out”.

 

Find Your Sound Blueprint Fingerprint

 

This initial understanding of a defined artistic lane was mission critical to picking the songs that made the EP. Bailey and the writers wrote a bunch, we picked 5 Bailey co-writes, 1 outside cut, and they were all melodically and lyrically dialed into the vision.

 

Are you picking up what I’m putting down?

 

 

 

I have some questions for you.

 

Have you defined your artistic lane?Find Your Sound Define

How much competition is there in your artistic lane?

What kind of thought have you given towards your sound?

 

To find your sound you have to build around your strengths as an artist.

 

Bailey’s strengths, artistically lay in her voice, her love for old school country, and her age which gives us an advantage in the marketplace. This all has to do with the making of her sound, at least a sound that has a chance of standing out in the current marketplace and being heard by someone.

 

So Bailey is a great example of a solo artist whose sound was put together a certain way from the very beginning.

 

But what if you’re a band and you’re songs are already written? Let’s take a look at Van Halen and see exactly what producer Ted Templeman did to create their sound.

Find Your Find Your Sound DLR

 

David Lee Roth is arguably one the very best front men ever to walk on stage (and in the interest of complete transparency I’ll tell you that he’s my favorite. AMAZING LIVE SHOW.)

 

However DLR would never win American Idol.

 

 

 

Ted was smart enough to know that the “live show” attraction of DLR wasn’t going to translate well onto tape. That’s a live thing. Eddie would though.

 

FREE VALUE BOMB: Btw, Templeman who was also a Sr. VP of Warner Brothers Records along with Mo Ostin Find Your Sound Free Value Bombwho was the Chairman, passed twice on Van Halen demos, it didn’t come across on their recordings. They LOVED Eddie and wanted to sign him alone, but didn’t like DLR (Templeman originally wanted to put Sammy Hagar with Eddie!) It wasn’t until they both saw Van Halen live opening for Dokken (whom they were there to see) that they got it and agreed to sign Van Halen.

 

 

Templeman wanted the record to be about the guitar. That’s what was so special. Think about it.

 

COMPARE: Here is a link to one of the earlier Van Halen demos. Let’s just dissect the first song “On Fire”. It’s all there but it’s scattered and a bit out of focus isn’t it? Structurally as well as moment-wise.

  • The harmonic guitar lickFind Your Sound Van_Halen_Demo
  • Occasional badass DLR vocal scream (notice the first high note DLR hits is a real weak sounding falsetto without the signature multi overtone growl that he easily performs later on in the chorus “I’m on FIYAAAAA!”
  • The chorus hook, the vocal arrangement on the pre chorus “I’m hangin’ ten now baby, as I ride your sonic waaaaave” (ascending scream behind wave).
  • The guitar lead

 

Now, listen to VH I album cut of “On Fire” very carefully. The differences can mostly be attributed to Templeman’s input crafting their sound. Finding moments and featuring them.

  • First of all a bunch of fat was cut from the track.
  • The guitar was panned all the way to the left with only the reverb return coming out of the right. (Definitely a Find Your Sound Van Halen Irevved up guitar sound that Templeman credits completely to Eddie)
  • Drums and bass were all the way to the right with DLR straight up the middle. (This abnormal mix strategy FEATURED the guitar.)
  • Bombastic beginning chord progression before the signature riff starts.
  • Notice, from the get go, the recording is loaded with all kinds of guitar licks filling up the vocal holes, featuring Eddie’s guitar prowess.
  • Notice Templeman LOVED the harmonic guitar lick and featured it making it a recurring guitar hook. VH did it on the demo, Templeman did it more.
  • The vocal melody was re-crafted subtly but it’s genius because it’s more powerful and memorable (more question/answer on the melody…do you hear it?)
  • The end of the guitar solo was changed a bit to give Eddie a “lily pad” to land on giving the lead, which was ascending and creating tension, resolution at the end.
  • All the falsetto voices from DLR are badass strong tone with signature growl that was intermittent on the demo. Many are doubled.

 

So to find YOUR sound you need to think like a record executive and create a lane with little or no competition. You also need to think like a producer and bring out the strengths of the act on the recording.

 

Sometimes you just need to write a BUNCH to hone in on your sound. The Beatles wrote at least 50-150 songs before they began to get it.

 

Find Your Sound Microphone

 

Last thing. Both the artists in these case studies are extremely talented. Both of them needed outside help to focus the talent and make it really shine for an audience.

 

 

Who’s helping you?

Stay

In

Tune.

 

If you found this article valuable, please SHARE and COMMENT on it. Thank you!

Song Not Enough

Good Songs are not enough.

I received a tremendous response to my last article entitled “Your Biggest Mistake Ever” (thank you). It seems everyone is starting to catch on to the importance of marketing. Songwriters (hopefully) have great songs but struggle with getting attention and getting them monetized and I want to thank those of you who asked me to write about some strategies on how to advance a songwriting career using marketing techniques.

Songs Cartoon Man

How does one influence the buying decision of someone looking for songs to cut?

 

The answer is presentation and relationships.

 

I have some ideas.

 

Songs B2b B2CRight off the bat, if you aspire to be a songwriter and not an artist then your business model is B2B not B2C. Meaning you want to sell your songs to people who will make recordings that generate revenue as opposed to creating the actual recording that will generate revenue.

Get it?

B2B = Business to Business.

B2C = Business to Consumer.

 

 

Trust me when I tell you that your game plan has to be ALL about relationships. The more relationships you have, the more opportunities you create for yourself. Songs Bonds

 

Relationships in the entertainment industry are everything and songwriting is no different.

 

Songs 2 Turtle Doves

 

You need relationships with other songwriters and up and coming artists. These relationships will naturally lead to connections with producers, A&R execs, publishers, song pluggers etc.

 

 

Songs Network Computer Key

 

Did you ever notice that when Adam Sandler makes a movie it’s always got the same cast? Those people are his friends.Songs Sandler

 

 

 

Songs NigelDid you ever notice that whenever Christopher Guest makes a movie (“This is Spinal Tap”, “Waiting for Guffman”, “Best in Show”) the cast is almost exactly the same? Those people are his friends.

 

Could Sandler and Guest find superior talent with other actors and comedians in their industry?  Sure, they’re big stars, their movies make money, and they can get anyone they want.

I happen to love their casting choices, but there is always someone more talented or someone with bigger and better marquis value, right?

Why stick with the same old, same old when you can get this year’s “Johnny Hot Sausage”?

They make business decisions to write and cast their movies based on relationships first.

 

Is it surprising that Ashley Monroe is singing a duet with Blake Shelton when you find out she is friends with Miranda Lambert?Songs Ashley Monroe

Is it surprising that Ashley Monroe co-wrote a couple Miranda Lambert songs like “Me and Your Cigarettes” and “Heart Like Mine”?

 

Did you know that Cole Swindell was frat buddies with Luke Bryan?

Is it surprising that Cole Swindell co-wrote a ton of Luke Bryan hits?

 

Are you picking up what I’m putting down?

Good, so we’ve established that while you certainly need great songs, success as a songwriter requires relationships.

Great songs are simply not enough.

Songs How picOk, so HOW do you create relationships?

 

My first (and very obvious) thought is a Sam Kinison’s advice to end world hunger, tell the hungry to “GO WHERE THE FOOD IS!”

 

Move to where there are a ton of songwriters. The more songwriters and artists, the more opportunities, right? It’s a numbers game so stopSongs 1940 crowds having your dream build up and get crushed on 1 opportunity.

 

You will require many.

 

If you can’t move to an artist-centric city like Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles then you can certainly visit from time to time and make it worth your while; have a strategy for targeting and creating relationships.

 

Songs LocationI know, I know, that’s not possible for all of you to physically move. Let’s explore some other ideas.

 

Let’s tackle the big question, what if another songwriter, publisher, producer, or artist says “YES”?

 

 

Do you have a solid professional representation of your songs that demonstrates your talent or will you be presenting your product with excuses and disclaimers about the quality of songwriting and/or recording?Songs No Throwing Garbage

Disclaimers suck.

 

Songs Cars Covered in IvyThink about the concept of disclaimers in a different light. Let’s say you go to purchase a car and you ask the person selling the car if it works. They tell you the car looks great but it needs a new engine, tires, A/C, and transmission because they never took care of it and they had a bunch of REALLY GOOD reasons why they couldn’t afford the time and/or money to do it.

 

Would you buy the car?

Would you care about the reasons why it didn’t work or would you simply focus on the fact that the damn car doesn’t run?

Nope. This is business, man, that car needs to get you reliably from point A to point B.

You don’t have time for nonsense when it comes to your car, do you?

Disclaimers about your product, i.e. the song or the recording, are UNPROFESSIONAL.

Professionals don’t have time for nonsense from non-professionals.

Make sure you have at least a couple competitive recordings of your very best songs so you can start a possible relationship off proudly, without a disclaimer.Songs Better

 

Get down to business with your presentation. Consumers want to be wooed and transported to your artistic world, business people need to hear what you wrote immediately so they can make decisions.

 

Remember, you’re selling the lyric, melody, and vibe of the song NOT the recording. In short, have a demo edit just for B2B presentations, no fat, just meat; similar to a movie director’s artistic cut vs. the distributed version of the film.

Once you have the tools you need to begin a professional relationship, I would focus on how to create a symbiotic relationship.

Symbiotic means both parties add value to the relationship.

One sided relationships never last, ever, think about it.

 

One sided professional relationships are impossible to start when it’s obvious that they are one sided. (The ONLY time one sided relationships have a chance is when they are a valued relationship for other reasons, but I digress)

 

 

In plain English, the big hit songwriters are not going to be beneficial to you immediately so I wouldn’t waste time and energy treating them like a “make or break” priority in your career.

 

Songs Ying Yank

This strategy will only render negative results which creates frustration and will leave you second-guessing yourself.

 

Find relationships within your “class” or “generation”. In this metaphor “class” and “generation” have nothing to do with age and everything to do with a measurable spot on an artistic journey.

 

Find your beehive.

 

Songs Beehive in a Tree

Don’t ignore or lament your place on the artistic journey, honor it.

It’ll make you better.

It’ll make you honest.

It’ll make you work.Songs Work For It

 

It’ll make for better songs.

 

If you’re really writing hit songs, believe me, you will attract attention from the appropriate people.

If you are somewhere on your way to writing hit songs, believe me, you will attract the appropriate people.

 

Songs Sandbox

 

Focus on finding songwriters who are willing to play in the sandbox with you, first; expand from there. This strategy will render immediate results that will add fuel to your fire rather than snuff it out.

Start targeting songwriters for co-writes.

 

 

If you’re in a big city, find out where the songwriters hang out and go there.

 

Participate in writer’s nights, open mic nights, go to artist shows, etc.

 

I would also be looking to target songwriters online.  There are HUNDREDS of songwriter communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.

The best way to create any relationship is to do something for them rather than asking them to do something for you.Songs Pepper Chef

 

What could you do for a songwriter you would like to work with? What are you good at? There is literally no better relationship builder than one person doing something for another person expecting nothing in return.

 

Expect nothing in return.

 

Songs GiftTime is something we all have and it’s the best gift anyone could give. How could you offer up your time to benefit someone you would like to create a relationship with?

Daredevil Production creates regular, long lasting relationships with all the interns we work with.  They offer their valuable time in exchange for knowledge and a course credit.

This means the world to me. I NEED it.

Get it?

 

What do other songwriters need?

Everyone needs gas money, grocery money, musical equipment, gift cards, etc.Songs Good At

What if you went online to a songwriting community and offered up a simple contest? For instance, if you are a lyricist you would post up your best lyric and offer a $25 gift card to songwriter who can write the best melody to it.

 

Boom.

 

Get weird.

 

That’s a nice little artistic challenge with a possible immediate payoff.

You just created a relationship with a writer who possesses a clear talent to complete your artistic circle and it only cost you $25.

 

Maybe a songwriter needs a service or skill outside of the music business that you can offer up.

Maybe they need web design, logo design, construction work, legal help, accounting advice, automotive maintenance, recording time in your home studio, etc.

 

What do you have that is of value?

 

Quit focusing on one song. This will limit your responses and become disappointing. Maybe your one song is a smash hit song but it isn’t trending right now.Songs Attention

For instance, in the 90’s ballads were huge, ballads were trending. Now they are not in style. So if you’re emotionally pinning your hopes and dreams to a ballad in today’s market you’re going to get a ton of rejection.

Nobody is buying ballads today, regardless of the quality, like nobody is buying hamburgers for their vegan restaurants.

 

 

Quit focusing on getting ROI on 1 song or a limited amount of songs. If you require instant return on your investment to believe the journey is worth it, professional songwriting and the entertainment industry is not your bag, baby.

Songs Austin Powers

KEEP WRITING.

 

Songs KEEP WRITING

The more you write, the better you get, the more relationships you create and/or deepen.

The more you write the more product you have to monetize when you do get a big break with your first cut and/or single.

 

 

The more you write the bigger your body of work becomes which makes you look more professional.

 

Songs Twisted NailThink about it this way, if you were buying a house would you trust the carpenter who’s built 100 houses or the new guy who has big dreams and no reputation?

 

 

One final way I can think of (at the moment) is to do some business.

  • Organizations like NSAI are a great place to run into other songwriters.Songs SWAMB
  • PAY for mentorships with hit songwriters. You will learn, you will improve, and you will develop relationships, you write better songs.
  • Songwriter Conferences like
    • SongwritingandMusicBusiness.com are FANTASTIC events to meet other writers, industry pros, network, and get great feedback/advice on how to navigate the songwriting business.
    • Tin Pan Alley
    • Here’s a Music Connection guide to songwriter conferences.

 

 

Stay

In

Tune

 

 

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