Wordplay Thursday #19

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Here’s a Thanksgiving-themed writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.

“I’m as thankful as _______.”

I’ll give you two examples to get you started:

“I’m as thankful as a sinner saved by grace.”

“I’m as thankful as a turkey pardoned by the President.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!

SHOUT OUT!

Thanks to everyone for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #18 (read it here)! Great job!

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-Brent

Getting A Foot “Indie” Door

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It was just announced this week that Chelsea Bain has signed a record deal with Bigger Picture.  (Bigger Picture is home to artists including Craig Campbell, Chris Cagle, and Chris Janson.)  This is exciting news for me because I have a song (“Simple Is Hard”) on Chelsea’s independent album.

This is actually the second time I’ve had a song cut on an artist’s indie album right before the artist got signed to a record deal.  The other was James Dupre’ (“Ring On The Bar”), who later signed with Warner Bros. Nashville.

In both cases, somebody pitched my song to an indie artist, who recorded the song.  This is how I first found out about each artist.  Thankfully, I did some research, found out that each artist is good, working hard, and building a good fan base.  So I reached out and started a relationship- BEFORE they signed a record deal.  In James’ case, we’ve been writing songs now for a couple of years.  Chelsea, I have yet to meet in person, but we’ve shot some messages back and forth.  This wasn’t so much in the hope that each artist would sign a big deal- I reached out because I dig what they do and I like what they did with my song.  So it came from an honest place.

Now, I have no idea if Bigger Picture is going to put out Chelsea’s current album or start from scratch.  Either way, though, I have a foot “indie” door (yes, I like bad puns).  Getting a cut on her indie record might’ve gotten me a little access.  But the fact that I’ve also built some communication with her should give me a better chance to pitch some songs directly to her or maybe even write with her.  Hopefully, I can help her get a big ‘ol hit.

This goes as further proof that there is no such thing as a bad cut.  Today’s indie artist just might be tomorrow’s label artist.  So, if you do get an indie cut, do your research and don’t let a potential opportunity pass you by.

God Bless,

Brent

If you want to hear these cuts, click here…

Chelsea Bain – “Simple Is Hard” (by Brent Baxter and Robin Welty)

James Dupre- “Ring On The Bar” (by Brent Baxter and Byron Hill)

YOU VS…

What did I miss?  Have you had a similar experience?  Anything you’d like to add or ask?  Leave a comment!

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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Video Tip: Fresh

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FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Walk-on Songwriters

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It’s football season, so I’ve been going through the highs and lows of my Arkansas Razorbacks and Arkansas State Red Wolves.  I have football on the brain.  I love football (and I have the surgical scars on my knee to prove it).  Anyway, it hit me the other day that we’re all walk-on players.  (Walk-on players are on the team, but NOT on scholarship.)  If walk-on proves his worth on the practice field, he will be given an opportunity to see playing time during a game.  If he does well, he may receive a coveted scholarship the next season.

Likewise, we come to Music City as walk-ons.  We’re not on scholarship- nobody is paying us to play.  We hit the practice field- we write and play out.  If we prove our worth , we see some action “in the game” – our song gets pitched to an artist, we write with a pro writer, we get some indie cuts, etc.  If we prove our worth in the game, we might receive a scholarship- a publishing deal, a major cut, etc.

Good luck.  Play hard.  And, most of all, enjoy the game!

God Bless,

Brent

YOU VS…

What did I miss?  Anything you’d like to add or ask?  Leave a comment!

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Wordplay Thursday #18

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Here’s a writing prompt for you.  It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank.  You can use one word or several.  Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want.  The point is to get the creative juices flowing.  And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you.  Try coming up with at least five things.

“She’s hotter than  _______.”

I’ll give you one example to get you started:

“She’s hotter than a habanero on fire.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments.  Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating.  It’s a family show, after all!

SHOUT OUT!

Thanks to Samary, Steve, Nila Kay, Roger Vines, Scott Wesley, Cathy, Andrew Clayton, Wally Henderson, Justin Heath, and Matt Martoccio for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #17 (read it here)!  Great job!

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

Hey, ya’ll.  If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post.  Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below.  And I love it when you share this blog through facebook, Twitter, and wherever!  Thanks!

-Brent

8 Questions To Ask Before You Demo That Song

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So, you’ve written a stack of songs, and you’ve mowed a bunch of yards to get demo money.  The big question right now is not when to demo, where to demo, or how to demo.  The big question to ask is SHOULD you demo this song?  If you thoughtfully and honestly answer the following questions, you will spend your money more efficiently and effectively.

1. Is the song finished?

I love the emotional high of having just finished a song and feeling like it’s a big ‘ol hit.  But it’s important to step back and make sure it’s really finished.  90% right and 100% right might mean the difference between a pass and a keep or a hold and a cut.  Have you played it for an industry pro and gotten their feedback?  Have you played it for other writers and asked them for their honest opinion?

2. Is it a wide pitch?

A wide pitch is a song that fits a large number of artists.  A narrow pitch is one that only a very limited number of artists could record.  For example, if you say, “If George Strait doesn’t cut this, I don’t know who will,” that’s a narrow pitch.  As a general rule, I’m gonna demo the wide pitch, because there are more pitch possibilities- there are more paths to victory.

3. Is it commercially relevant?

Is this a song that a large audience will want to hear?  Will it make the listener laugh, cry, dance, or think?  It’s not about you- it’s about the audience.

4. Who could sing this?

As I discussed in my post, “The Band Is A Brand” (read it here), a wise artist is really only looking for songs that fit their brand and speak to their audience.  Does this song fit the general branding of the format?

5. Does the song have a fresh melody and lyric?

You HAVE to bring something different, especially if you are a new, unknown writer.  YOUR vanilla has no chance.  An artist has no reason to invest in your vanilla when they can get vanilla from friends, established hit songwriters, or just write it themselves.

6. Will I pitch it… really?

If you have already demoed ten songs just like this one (and they’re not getting cut), and this one isn’t any better… what’s the point?  Will you really pitch it?  Maybe you should spend your time writing a song that you will pitch instead of demoing a song you won’t.

7. Does this song NEED a full demo?

You should do what’s best for your song.  Some need a full demo- rocking uptempo anthems, for example.  Certain ballads and midtempos might be best presented with two guitars, a drum loop, and a great singer.

8. Is it great?

I’ve never had a so-so song get pitched to and cut by a major artist.  I just haven’t.  My cuts are each different- fast, slow, funny, sad – but, to me, each one has something really strong about it.

Good luck!  Thanks again for checking out MvR.

God Bless,

Brent

YOU VS…

What did I miss?  Anything you’d like to add or ask?  Leave a comment!

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Video Tip: Mechanical Pipeline

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Here’s a little more discussion on mechanical royalties.  To watch the first video, CLICK HERE.

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Oh, Canada!

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I got word yesterday that the song I wrote with Byron Hill and Gord Bamford and recorded by Gord just went #1 on the Canadian country chart, to be published later this week.  It’s both a great and a strange feeling.  “Great” because it’s a #1 song- my first!  “Strange” because “When Your Lips Are So Close” is a hit in another country, so I haven’t even heard it on the radio yet.  There’s an odd kind of unrealness to it- almost like Byron and Gord could just be pulling my leg.  But it IS real, and I’m thankful for it.

I’m sharing this because I want to publicly thank Byron who brought me in on the cowrite (and coproduced the album), Gord who already had a great thing going and didn’t have to write with me but did, and the Lord, who is the ultimate source of this blessing.  Thank you.

I’m also sharing this to remind myself and you that the musical world is bigger than just Nashville and Music Row.  There are opportunities around the world for songwriters with great songs.  It’s easy to only look at Nashville, but Nashville isn’t all there is.  Now, don’t get me wrong- I’m not turning away from Nashville by any means.  But I think it’s wise to be open to “Nashville-Plus.”  Nashville plus the rest of the world.  Good luck, ya’ll!

God Bless,

Brent

www.gordbamford.com

www.byronhillmusic.com

 

 

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com

Wordplay Thursday #17

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Here’s a writing prompt for you.  It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank.  You can use one word or several.  Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want.  The point is to get the creative juices flowing.  And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you.  Try coming up with at least five things.

“My wallet’s thinner than  _______.”

I’ll give you one example to get you started:

“My wallet’s thinner than a penny on the railroad tracks.”

I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments.  Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating.  It’s a family show, after all!

SHOUT OUT!

Thanks to Andrew Clayton, KK, Matt Martoccio, Wally Henderson, Samary, and Willa Thompson for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #16 (read it here)!  Great job!

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

Hey, ya’ll.  If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post.  Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below.  And I love it when you share this blog through facebook, Twitter, and wherever!  Thanks!

-Brent

6 Ways Songwriters Can Keep Motivated

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Whether you are a amateur songwriter hoping to “go pro” or you are a young pro trying to break through to the next level, a key element of success is simply to keep going.  And it isn’t easy to keep going.  For every person pulling a U-Haul into Nashville, there’s someone moving back home because they just don’t have the heart anymore.  So, how do you give yourself the best chance to keep going?  Here are a few ways.

1. Connect with your “why.”

If you don’t have a clear understanding of why you write, it’s really hard to answer the dark-valley question, “Why should I keep trying?”  To dive into this a little further, click here to read, “5 REASONS SONGWRITERS NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY WRITE.”

2. Celebrate the small victories.

Don’t ignore or downplay the small victories- especially early in your journey.  Be grateful.  Let the little victories give you confidence and fuel for the journey.

3. Connect with a supportive community.

We all need people who encourage, support, and believe in us.  They can be online or face-to-face, family or friends, cowriters or non-songwriting creatives.  It doesn’t matter who they are, just that they will support you.  And be sure and support them, too!

4. Display visual reminders.

Remind yourself that you’re a songwriter.  Remind yourself of your dreams and goals.  Remind yourself of your victories.  Create a vision board.  Keep your guitar where it’s handy, not hidden in a closet.

5. Pace yourself.

This is a marathon, not a sprint.  Be persistent, but be patient.  You have to find a family/money/music balance that is sustainable over the course of years, not months.  It might mean you can’t quit your day job just yet.  Maybe you can only write one night a week for now.  Sure, we all want instant gratification, but patience pays off.

6. Protect a positive attitude.

To stay in it for the long haul, you have to believe success is possible, and a lot of belief simply comes from your mindset.  Always seeing the glass as half-empty will cause your dreams to die of thirst.  Watch what comes out of your mouth.  Not only does what you say reflect what’s in your heart, it reinforces it.  Practice speaking positively- strengthen that part of yourself.

God Bless,

Brent

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1591841666/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3T29M0RCAXK3Y&coliid=IASA2W64M9RTX

YOU VS…

What did I miss?  Anything you’d like to add or ask?  What qualities are important to YOU in a mentor?  Leave a comment!

SHOUT OUT…

I’m blessed to have the #2 country song in Canada this week (Nov. 13, 2013)!  Gord Bamford released “When Your Lips Are So Close” as the lead-off single to his new album, “Country Junkie.”  It’s Gord’s highest-charting song so far, and mine, too.  (“Monday Morning Church” recorded by Alan Jackson got as high as #4 here in the US.)  Thank you Gord and Byron Hill for inviting me in to write with ya’ll!

www.gordbamford.com

FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG

If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post!  Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page.  It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below.   Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it.  I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else.  Thanks!

Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

Brent Baxter Music:  http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com