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/
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
~ 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.
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.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
~ 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.
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.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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
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
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
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.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
~ 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.
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.
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
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
Sunday, October 26, 2008
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.
- 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.
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