Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.
Remember when you first picked up the guitar? It was a mystery. How do those great guitar players do it? Then you watch a YouTube video or pick up a Mel Bay book (showing my age) and it tells you how to form your left hand into G, C, & D. The first time you strum a clean G, it’s magic!
And it quickly becomes pretty dang painful.
Your soft, virgin fingertips haven’t built up their calluses yet, and it feels like they’re going to split open any minute. (And Heaven have mercy if your first guitar has high action.)
But if you play frequently enough and don’t quit, your fingers will toughen up. Making those chords won’t hurt. That high E string won’t be the razor blade it used to be.
Now you’re not quite the beginner you were. Now you have a little “pro” about you.
(I may focus on lyrics now, but there was a time I earned some calluses on an old acoustic.)
Learning guitar can teach you a valuable lesson about pitching your songs to publishers and labels. And that lesson is:
You need calluses.
If you’re like me, your first meeting with a publisher is full of excitement, hope and big possibilities. Well, that’s how it feels on your end, anyway. From the publisher’s perspective, you’re probably just the next person through their door- a stranger who may have potential but probably doesn’t have a hit to play that day.
And the publisher is probably right. And it hurts.
Then you get another meeting, either with the same person or with someone else. Again, publishing deal offers don’t drop out of the sky like confetti at the end of your song.
The disappointment stings.
But, over time, you build up your calluses and it doesn’t hurt like it did. Having someone pass on your song will never feel good, but you’re able to take passes in stride and move on to the next song.
Like playing guitar, if you stick with it and don’t give up, you’ll be rewarded for it.
Enjoy the journey,
Brent
JOIN ME ON A LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP!
On Wednesday, July 15, I’ll be hosting a LIVE INTERNET WORKSHOP from 8:30pm to 9:30pm CENTRAL. I’ll be teaching out of my book, “Finish Your Song! 20 Ways To Overcome Creative Roadblocks.” There are only 11 tickets available for this exclusive event, so don’t delay! The $35 ticket includes a FREE copy of “Finish Your Song!” along with notes and extra content not found in the ebook. To find out more or to get one of the 11 tickets, CLICK HERE or on the image below!
