~ lyric writing

Q: I’m a guitar player, I play different chord progressions but have a hard time coming up with melody and lyrics. I try to fit lyrics to what I've got but all I can come up with is bits and pieces. Is there a technique i could use to help develop the process?

A: here's two exercises I've done that gave me an intuitive lift:

a) each day for a week, take a hit song in your genre, and write out, longhand, the lyrics for that song. Just write them out. A different song, for 7 days. I tried this and it was very interesting how I began to appreciate the structure and storytelling abilities of the writer(s). At the end of the week, I wrote two of my best lyrics to date.

b) each day for a week, take a hit song in your genre, and write NEW lyrics (that are unique) for the existing melody. You must rhyme in the same place and use the same meter. At the end of the week, you'll have 7 new lyrics you can set to music.

And one comment from me, as a songwriter. I used to noodle around the guitar, improvising with scraps of lyric, but the songs I wrote that way tended to be long, meandering and unfocussed. So I decided to try writing the lyrics first. I work on structuring a good lyric, with contrast between sections, that pays off into a hook, etc. Once I have the lyrics in shape, then I work on putting them to music. Not that there is any right or wrong way to do this, but just a thought - if you do exercise b, then you can work on setting those lyrics to music.

In addition, you might think of joining in a songwriting challenge. 50 songs in 90 days is coming up (Jul - Sep). Nothing makes you focus and put something together than the challenge of having to write, record worktape, and move on.
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/50songs90days/

~ getting songs to market

Q: How do I find A&R reps I can shop my songs to? I know there are directories but you have to buy a new one every 6 months.

A: This is the $60,000 question everybody wants answered.

Buying directories… assuming the information is up-to-date and they accept unsolicited submissions from unknown songwriters… and you have good demos of undeniable hit songs… even then the chances are slim that you’ll get a deal. And you have to also ask yourself if labels, who tend to have staff songwriters and songwriting artists, and who tend to be connected to music publishers… would seriously list themselves in a directory. But if you do submit, tread warily… make sure your music is copyrighted before sending it out, and have a qualified entertainment lawyer vet any offer you get.

I suggest, if you’re a songwriter with songs… go to live music events in your area, for folks who play the kind of music you write - I mean, look for local bands & artists who might have a need for new material to perform and record. This would get you on the CDs of rising artists and give you a credit or two to your name.

Attend music conferences like South by Southwest, the Ascap Expo, etc… to make connections and get feedback on your work from people in the industry

My two suggestions incorporate two things - the idea that you should face to face with people in the industry - create relationships with music-loving people. And… when you get an opportunity, make sure you have an excellent product to present.

Just some thoughts.

~ scared to go to singing lessons

Q: I can play several instruments really well and would like to sing, but I'm scared to do it in front of a teacher.... My main problem is my tone. I'm not sure if I'm better off not singing, or joining a band or getting a teacher. I have been told I'm horrible before. Some people say that my problem is that I'm not pushing the words and notes out as loud as I should.

A: You need to remember the purpose of going to a voice teacher is to be helped, not to be judged. Voice teachers are not like Simon Cowell. Just because we "own" a voice doesn't mean we understand how to use it effectively. The advice to "push" or "be louder" is not helpful. What does that mean? Shout?

Wouldn't you like to know how to 'tune' your voice? Wouldn't you like to know how to achieve power without pushing or sounding bad? Wouldn't you like someone in your corner who understands the voice and will help you bring yours out?

My advice would be... not to sing at this moment in time, so that you avoid bad habits.... and look for a teacher who works with you, and with your voice, to help you achieve strength, range, and good tone. Expect to spend at least a few months growing your skills and toning your 'vocal muscle'. And don't be afraid to 'audition' teachers til you find someone who is both knowledgeable and a 'fit' for you.

Q: I just got a call from a PR firm who heard my music on myspace and is trying to convince me to try their service. They offer a 5 day trial for $2.95 automatically recurring at $60.00 a month until you cancel. I think I should decline.

A: here's the questions I think you should always ask yourself before you purchase a service:

- what is your definition of success, and what is your business plan for your music? how does this service support your goals?

- what is this service going to do for you that you're not doing or couldn't do yourself? You should do it yourself first so you understand what is required, and only purchase help when you don't have sufficient time to do it anymore / or if you can't access that area of the market yourself.

- what is their track record? One assumes a proactive musician has been building their network, reading newsletters and forums to do with music all the time. If this was a fantastic service that really helped artists, then why haven't you heard of it before now?

- who do they accept as members? Have you listened to that music? Is it well-produced, commercially viable?

- how do they go about executing your "pr" for you? What specifically will they do and how will they report the results to you. If they're going to be lumping your music in with other artist's music on a compilation CD, forget it. If they're going to be pitching your music to radio stations... get yourself a copy of the Indie Bible, read the articles and pitch yourself (and follow up your pitches as advised in the book).

- even if they do succeed in getting you "pr" what is the point of that? Do you have a product you are selling, do you have a tour you're selling tickets for... how is this investment going to end up as dollars back in your pocket?

- I don't put any reaccuring charges on my credit card if I can help it. $60 a month = $720 per year. Do they offer a discount if you pay the year up front? (That's more than double a TAXI membership, or an SongU membership, or a NSAI membership. These organizations have good reps.)

See the left hand column of this blog for resources on marketing & PR.

HTH

Link: "6 Ways to become the Most Listenable Person You Know"

Yeah, okay. Some good ideas. But. I think the best way to be 'listenable' is to be authentic and share yourself, warts & all. Read books, magazines, think outside the box, be open to new ideas, explore your creativity. Lead a life full of interest, then you will be interesting.

~ on making mistakes

Seth Godin asks: 'what's your biggest failure'?

A: My biggest mistake? I used beat myself up for not starting sooner. For not standing up for myself when I was in school. For thinking too much. For doing too little. My biggest mistake was believing the messages I got from other people. My biggest mistake was buying into the idea that you can't do art for a living (people still try to tell you that, while you're standing there making a living at it). Human beings are complex. I was able to heal from these things and move forward from them by *doing music*. I'm certainly not a perfect human being, I certainly make mistakes. My hard drive is full of musical tracks that went nowhere. My bedroom is stacked with canvasses, illustrations of ideas that dried up. I have the half-finished books and scripts. But I consider these educational experiments, playing, trying things out, doing art for the sake of doing art. My biggest mistake is when I think too much about the end product, what other people might say about what I'm doing. If I can focus on the moment and trust my instincts... who knows where I will end up.

~ touring

Q: I'm from the UK, and I'd like to play some gigs in the States. I mostly play solo, have a new CD out. I'd love to open for someone, or book some solo gigs.

A: You might try the Musican's Altas if you're interested in booking gigs in the US
http://www.musiciansatlas.com/

There's also a great house concerts site... can I find it... yep, they've got a pretty good list.
http://www.houseconcerts.com/venue.php

Depending what you play, if you appeal the college crowd, you might have an in. Derek Sivers wrote an article about that -
http://cdbaby.net/college2

You need to decide what cities you want to play (and who is going to tour with you), then firm up some gigs, work out your transportation/accomodation & budget, and then use the Indie Bible to pitch your CD to local radio stations & work on marketing your self.
http://www.indiebible.com/

Your music is good, but your myspace page doesn't reflect your 'solo artist' style music - if you're pitching yourself as an acoustic act or a solo artist, you need to present music that fits that image. You might put together a video of yourself playing live & solo, so that folks booking acts can hear & see what you do.

Just a few thoughts.

about co-writing

Q: I’ve been looking for someone to demo a couple of my songs. I found a couple of companies that write music for lyrics but when I looked them up on BBB I wasn't impressed. I’ve been writing country song lyrics for some time now. I need someone to write music. I mainly write country and comedy/novelty songs. As for now, I would like to get my songs on a demo.

A: Post your lyrics in the lyric section of a good songwriting forum. Ask if any country musicians are interested in co-writing with you.

It is my opinion that you should *never* pay someone to write music for your lyrics (good for you for checking out BBB). That is a co-write, and that means both co-writers jointly own the song. Always sign a co-writing agreement before you start working together. Don't jump in to co-writes, either. Exchange emails, listen to their work, check out their posts, is that someone you want to work with. Be prepared to share in the cost of making any demo. Be wise enough to know that you shouldn't spend that money without understanding your goal. If your goal is to pitch songs to artists, be aware that this is extemely competitive and as an unknown you're up against the best, known songwriters in pursuit of that goal - more so in country than any other genre.

As far as demo's go - don't put the cart before the horse. Find someone to collaborate with who can record a vocal/guitar or vocal/piano worktape. Go to SongU or NSAI or get the worktape evaluated by a good professional songwriting teacher - for country I recommend Pat Luboff. If and when the song merits it, then you get a properly done Nashville-style demo. Then the work of pitching the song(s) begins.

It's also crucial that you understand what sub-genre of country you are writing, and make sure your demo reflects that.

John Braheny's "The Craft & the Business of Songwriting" is a good resource. Also Jason Blume's "6 Steps to Songwriting Success". I also think Jason Blume's "Inside Songwriting" is a good primer for what it's like to pitch songs to the industry.

Songwriting forums:
Just Plain Folks -- http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/
Muse's Muse -- http://www.musesmuse.com/forums/
Irene Jackson -- http://irenejackson.com/forum/index.php
Songwriter101 -- http://www.songwriter101.com/

HTH

Overcoming not wanting to practice

I've had several conversations on this topic recently. I'm writing this from the perspective of singing lessons, but you can apply it to many other things as well. More than one student has told me their stories of beating themselves up because they are struggling to find space & time & willingness to practice. They tell me what they are telling themselves. As we've had these conversations... these thoughts have come up...

- make your goal to 'simply start'. Don't set a time limit ('it has to be 30 minutes'), just start, no matter how much you don't want to do anything.

- with 'simply start' - don't insist it has to be scales, just focus on breath & sighs, or even sing a song you like on "boh boh boh"

- one way to support 'starting' is to marry it with an activity... 'every time I plug in the kettle for tea, I'll do something with my voice... while it's cooking'

- one way to support 'practice' to find a daily activity that would work with it... like wearing your walkman and singing while you tidy the house, or doing your tape in the kitchen while you're cooking dinner, some folks do their tape in the car on the way to and from work

- when you practice - put a tick on the calendar - P 'tick' so when the voices in your head start... you have visual confirmation of how many starts you did in a day and in a week, visual evidence to show that judge in your head

- if life gets away from you, and you don't practice... don't cancel your lesson... come to your lesson and let that be your practice

- recognize that reluctance to practice could very well be coming from that thing inside you that has a vested interest in you not changing. Julia Cameron talks about 'blocked creatives'... even as we work to become unblocked, there are still blocks within us. See the reluctance as part of that old programming... and follow the 'simply start' philosophy. That thing within us knows that when we DO the activity, we change. So it actively & strongly resists starting.

Our job is to simply start.

rhyming + writing a chorus

Q: I'm new to writing and have a couple of questions.

#1: Can you rhyme every line in a verse like a four line verse that ends in words like pain, rain, vain, train.

#2: Writing choruses. I write my verses and then struggle to find a chorus.


A: If you are new to songwriting, there is a great book I'd recommend you read, by Jason Blume, called "6 Steps to Songwriting Success". I think you will find it very helpful.

Question one - should you rhyme every line of a verse? Well, IMO, it would be better not to. Further than that, I would recommend thinking outside the 4 line box. I see many many lyrics by new writers that have 4-line verses with a 4-line chorus and a 4-line bridge. Experiment. (e.g. Have a 5-line verse that rhymes lines 3 and 5, married to a 4-line or 6-line chorus, and a 2-line bridge that rhymes both lines.) You could, have a chorus that rhymed every line - if the rhymes absolutely work for the song.

The reason I suggest you read Jason's book is you will learn about imperfect rhyme, alliteration, internal rhymes, etc. You need to know these things, otherwise you will find your writing hemmed in by the need to make perfect rhymes.

In addition, I suggested, say, a 5-line verse and a 6-line chorus because CONTRAST is extremely important in songwriting. I try to write the contrast into my lyrics so that they support the need for the music to have contrast.

Question two - how to write a chorus. Some people will tell you to write from a title. So if your title is "I lost you today" everything in the song needs to point to that title. The verses tell the story, and lead to the punchline of "I lost you today".

The KEY is to make sure that your chorus is the "conclusion" or the "payoff" or the "punchline" of the verses. Remember too, that a chorus can be simple and punchy. Sometimes they even repeat the same lines.

let's do an example, just off the top of my head... trying to be unique with your idea of the rhymes

V
pain, hammers my head
rain, soakin my hair
vain, that's what you are
train, goin' nowhere

C
you stopped me in my tracks
I didn't cop to that
til too late
you stopped me in my tracks
I couldn't walk away
til too late-
ev'ry time I took you back
you stopped me in my tracks

Might not be a hit song, but hope that example helps you to see what I mean by 'think outside the box' with structure and rhyme.

Stage Fright

Q: I taught myself to play guitar a little, and my friends say I sing okay. I've performed a couple of times but the stage fright was so bad I never did it again. But I'd like to.

A: You are not alone, suffering with stage fright. Everyone does. Even those who look really comfortable up there. Take some lessons to be more secure with your instrument(s), including voice; practice every day, and get experience by going to small friendly open mics or seniors homes where the audiences are very appreciative of every effort. There’s also a great book called “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”, I recommend it.

Q: When paying for a demo, should you pay for live music only? How much does it cost? I've heard $600 a song or even more. What do I look for?

A: Yes, it costs that much or more. You have to really know that your songs have a shot before spending this kind of money. And you have to really know that the place you are going to creates demos that are acceptable to the ears of the industry.

I spent between $600 and $900 per song, demoing 7 songs 3 or 4 years ago. What's that, about $4000? None of those songs have ever got a deal.

I thought they were good, my producer thought they were good, etc etc. But I didn't know, I didn't understand, what 'commercial' meant. If I'd spent $100 someone like John Braheny or Jason Blume could have critiqued my songs. It would have been hard to take, to hear that what I thought was good was poor. And it would have been even harder to understand that even anything good isn't good enough. Nothing less than great will even get a look.

Secondly, those costly demos... were a mix of live and midi. Nothing wrong with midi... if it's worked with so it is indistinguishable from the real thing. Nothing wrong with EZdrummer if it's worked with properly. But the midi on my demos is obvious to the experienced ear, and the virtual instruments used to give sound to that midi are not of good quality. I hear that now, but then I was so excited about my songs coming alive... and I didn't even know that would be an issue.

In addition, I did not have the experience to even know what to ask for. I should have, for example, taken in a couple of recordings of hit songs in the genre I was shooting for, and talked to the producer about having that kind of arrangement/setting for my song. And finding the right singer. Someone who sounds something like the "a la" artists I intended to pitch the song for.

IMO I foolishly hired someone who didn't have the necessary experience to take my songs from worktape to effective, pitchable demo. I don't blame them, I blame me. I didn't know what I was doing. Buyer beware. In the end it didn't really matter because the songs themselves were not worthy of the money spent upon them. An expensive lesson.

I recommend that you take what you feel are your top 3 best, killer songs - and have them critiqued by professionals. NSIA, SongU, John or Jason, Harriet Schock, Pat & Pete Luboff. In all cases the feedback is the opinion of the person writing the critique, but this will give you a fairly good idea if what you think is great, is commercially viable. If the results of this exercise are good, then start shopping for a producer who produces songs that sound as close as you can get to the hit songs in the genre you are going to be pitching in. Make sure the singer used on the demo is excellent. The singer sells the song.

my voice cracks when I sing

Q: I try so hard to get my voice back the way it used to be, when it really worked. But it cracks and it hurts when I sing, and sometimes I cough. What am I doing wrong?

A: The most important thing you need to do is to stop trying to make your voice be something else. People try to imitate the stars they love, or they try to make their voice do something they imagine is good. And all they do is strangle their voices. You see this on American Idol auditions all the time.

Your voice is like a dog you are trying to get to jump through the hoop. You can't make the dog jump through the hoop, it has to jump on its own. Even if you lift up the dog, you can't make it jump. You simply hold out the hoop and invite the dog to jump through it. You have to invite your voice to be with you.

Your voice is cracked and strained because you are trying to make it 'be' something. You need to accept it for exactly what it is. Even if you plan to work or train, you must always work with what you have, and trust that it will progress.

Voice is a funny thing. the harder you try to make it 'be', the further away you push it.

Sing music that suits your voice in keys that fit your range. Don't imitate other people. In addition - this is very important - always look for quality, not quantity. Sing songs you like, but sing them as yourself. That's all we really have anyway.

offering lyrics "for free"

Q: You can use my lyrics for free as long as you give me credit on your CD. You will not own the lyrics and can't say you wrote them.

A: Unfortunately it’s not true that someone setting your words to music can do so “freely” and then not own the result.

The truth is that both of you would own the resulting song, meaning that it is a co-written piece of music. They could do very little with the song without your input. In other words, they couldn’t pitch it to an artist, they couldn’t pitch it to film/tv.

So using your lyrics would preclude them doing anything but recording it themselves on their CD. And in that case, you can, in writing, waive your share of the mechanical licencing fee for that song, however, you will still be owed your share of the songwriting royalties if the song is played on radio or in PRO registered venues. And I have had some legal advice on the subject of co-writing, and it is recommended that you always get a co-writing agreement signed.

If there is clear separation between the contributions, you can agree on a reversion clause so that if the song is not published or placed within a certain period that property reverts back to you. In the absence of a co-writing agreement the law considers the song to belong to both of you equally, regardless of who contributed what.

If it were me, I would also expect my co-writer to at least participate in the process of the music development & give feedback on melody and setting. I would also expect them to share in the cost of demoing the song, if any.

One additional note - avoid any situation where the same lyrics may be used by different people for different songs. The legal entanglements get too complicated. One lyric, one song - at least until the revision clause clicks in.

Disclaimer - I am not a lawyer & the above should not be misconstrued as legal advice.

songwriting notes from Road Rally 2007

This was my 3rd Rally (a music conference for songwriters/musicians/artists), and altho I had my notebook, I didn't write much down this time. I just kinda soaked it up.

But here are some of my scribbles:

RALPH MURPHY - re county music writing - especially lyrics:
-- humour, irony, detail; the woman is always right;
-- 4 to 7 repetitions of title, first use of title within 60 secs;
-- the singer is never a loser or over 30

FETT - re audio mastering
-- mastering means adding finesse, power, clarity, polish, cleaniness to a mix
-- it is NOT a fixing process

Steps of mastering:
1) - completion of the mix process - you get the stems (stereo sub mixes) as well as the final mix, the final mix is two tracks
2) a - tone shaping - looking for warmth, crispness - balance the tone & ensure frequencies are shared between low, med & high band -- this should be subtle 2) b - leveling - smoothing out the dynamics of the mix
3) - audio repair

If you are mastering an album you want to make the tone of each cut have the same tonal quality -- look for a tonal centre for the album. Also want to have a loudness centre for the album

TED LOWE - re film/tv
-- pitch music with updated sounds & great mixes
-- tempo matters - groove is more important than melody a lot of the time
-- be quirky or distinctive

FILM & TV PITCH PANEL
-- uptempo gets used more; start with meat & potatoes
-- know what you are pitching for - what would the music be used for, where do you hear it
-- if pitching with vocals -- they must be great
-- whatever you're doing, strive to do it better

A&R LISTENING PANEL #1
-- the listener should feel / have a visual interpretation of the music
-- there is a move back to music with heart & soul
-- emotion in lyric & voice -- more natural, less midi
-- makes a difference to have even one or two organic tracks if using virtual instruments
-- songs must have a really big payoff in the chorus

As noted above, one of the panelists at the Road Rally said, "whatever you're doing, strive to do it better". I seldom reach the bar, but when I do, it feels good, man. My vocal coach was the same. Encouraging, supportive, exacting. When he said it was good, I knew it was great.

It reminds me of something I read about high school students going out in the world to get jobs. They may have made it through school with a C+, but C+ doesn't cut it in most jobs. I don't want to be a C+ singer or a C+ songwriter. I want the industry to demand more of me; make me work harder than I've ever worked before; make me become more than I am; make me strive for excellence in all I do. I want to earn my "A+'s" and be proud I rose to the challenge.

do I need a licence to use music for my videos?

Q: I started a company that will make DVD slideshows and videos for families. I will use music on the DVDs that I have bought (thru Itunes or the actual album). Do I need a license to use these?

A: Yes. You may have purchased a CD or a download, but that is just for your personal listening pleasure. In order to use any song or music for DVD slideshows or videos, you need to obtain a licence.

Song copyrights are held by music publishers and/or artists, while sound recordings (the masters) are controlled by record companies and/or artists.

A synch license pays copyright owners when their music is used in combination with visual images such as music in films, TV, videos, computer programs, etc. The producer of the audiovisual production usually requests a synchronization license from the song publisher. These rights are administered and licensed by the publisher who accounts directly to the writer.

I suggest you contact NMPA and ask them to assist you in locating the person(s) you need to contact to licence each song you intend to use.
http://www.nmpa.org

The other option is to look for and use royalty-free music.

non-musicians+non-singers+lyricists...beware

I was just making a comment on a songwriting board, about those scam demo companies that suck lyricists and non-musicians in... and take advantage of their dreams & lack of knowledge of the industry. I wanted to post my thoughts here because I think this is serious business. It's serious because folks with talent are getting ripped off and I don't think any of us can afford to get ripped off.

If you are an aspiring songwriter and you dont sing, play an instrument, and/or write music, youve got a tough hill to climb. But IMO *paying* someone to write music for your lyrics is a mistake. IMO *paying* someone to make a demo AND giving them a share in the royalties is a no-win for you, and a big win for them. They don't have to do anything-- they've already made their money off of you. And, the demos suck. Imagine what the other publishers, music supervisors, etc. think. In fact, when they see a demo from one of those scam companies they immediately file it... in the waste bin.

I believe you should find a local musican to co-write with. You should both invest in the songs, and you both take the risk of it not working oute.g., youve both made an equal investment in the song(s). Even better, you should take guitar lessons, learn how to read notation, and learn the skills of being a songwriter, over time. If the music is in you, all you need is the skills to bring it out. No one else can write for you what you could be inspired to write if you had the means.

I know we all think that we're the next best & brightest songwriters... but let's also be intelligent enough *not* to fall for the scams. And let's also be smart enough to understand life, and art, is a process, and that you grow over time into the artist you were meant to be. There are no shortcuts. Define success for yourself, set your goals, and work slowly and surely on achieving them.

I'm earnest about this cause 3 years ago I wasted $3,000 on making great demos of songs that sucked. I'm more sober now, and I won't spend a penny until I have a worktape that has passed muster with folks I trust.

I don't mean to be discouraging to the non-musicians among us. I'm only saying this cause I care.

Whew, I'm glad I got that off my chest.

workin' out 'work for hire'

Q: I registered a song through the copyright office about a year ago, submitting a recording of me singing the melody along with the lyrics. Two weeks ago I hired someone to put music to the song. This was a work for hire and I have receipts. Now my question is when do you acknowledge a work for hire or do you? I mean if someone has paid upfront and outright for the services, then doesn't that person own the work? All parties knew up front and accepted payment understanding that this was a work for hire. I am just trying to forsee any potential problems before I promote the song to a few people.

A: The song totally belongs to you. Keep your receipts and all your notes. You can also get each person who works on the recording (musician(s), singer(s) and producer/engineer) to sign a ‘work for hire agreement’.

What you’ve done is fine, I would have
- registered, as you did, the lyrics & melody using the PA form and stating “Author of Words & Music”
- registered the suund recording using the SR form and stating “Author of Words, Music & Sound Recording’

A Work for Hire agreement states the person acknowledges they were paid for their performance on the ‘master’, and that they have not contributed to the ‘writing’ of the song, but to the extent that their contribution could be considered ‘writing’ they hereby waive all rights in perpetuity. Make sure you note the names of everyone who participated in the recording on your file, and that you have receipts/cancelled cheques from each of them.

I always give credit to the performers in my liner notes, etc

John Braheny’s “The Craft & The Business of Songwriting” is a good resource.

Songwriting Blog: http://theshysinger-songwriter.blogspot.com/

Don't Fall for It

JPF is a great resource. Check out this thread on Scam tactics:
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum11/HTML/000648.html

Indie CD?

Great article - 10 Things to Do Before You Release Your Album
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum2/HTML/005337.html