All posts by Brent Baxter

Great advice from our June 2018 “Play For A Publisher” event!

Want to get inside the mind of a hit music publisher?  Read on!

We had a great “Play For A Publisher” event in June with Tim Hunze of Parallel Music in Nashville.  The Songwriting Pro community brought some strong songs, and Tim brought some great advice.  Let’s dive into some of his advice!

Publishers are looking for GREAT songs.  Bring your best and let him know who you are as a writer.  Bring something that represents the real you, not just who you think the publisher wants you to be.

Want more?  Read on below.

_______________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Even thought it might be an honest line… beware if it makes the singer look like a jerk.  Singers tend to prefer songs that make them look good.

Be sure you write to the hook.  If you have a great hook but a cliche’ setup or even a non-setup, it’s a missed opportunity.

Aim for the fringes.  If an artist usually writes a particular type of song, it’s going to be really hard for you (not writing with the artist) to get a cut on that type of song.  Aim for the fringes.  Aim for what they don’t write.

A clean guitar/vocal with a loop beats a bad demo.  Either go simple demo or do a great full demo.  A mediocre or “not great” demo hurts you.

A great place to find new artists is the “New Boots” playlist on Spotify.

Most artists don’t want songs that are super wordy.

A lot of artists like good, positive message songs.

These are just a few of the value-bombs Tim dropped on us that night.  If you’d like a get a legit music publisher to give YOU some advice… I have a great opportunity for you.

Songwriting Pro’s next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up, and our guest is John Ozier of Ole’ Music!  John has worked closely with several #1 hit songwriters, and he’s been getting songs recorded by major artists.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!  Play for a publisher.  Get his professional feedback.  Make a connection.  Overcome your fear.

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.SWP 4

The C.L.I.M.B. Expand Your Brand #12: Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON iTUNES…   HERE FOR STITCHER (Android)… & HERE FOR THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

If you want to take your artist game to the next level, this bonus episode is for you!

You’re probably selling too much.  You might be coming off as obnoxious on your feeds, like the person you just met at a party who can’t stop talking about themselves.  This minisode will teach you a couple guidelines which will make your feeds cool, relevant and sharable so you can grow you audience!

If you’re a singer, songwriter or indie artist who wants to grow your career, THIS is the podcast for you!

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON STITCHER (for Android)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business.  What is leverage?  It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.”  We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

It’s exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB.  If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes.  Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!The CLIMB iTunes review 3

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe to the show on:

Stitcher

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

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, a top 10 in Texas, and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Wordplay Thursday #250

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a fill-in-the-blank to get you started. Feel free to use it to start off YOUR song.  It could be the first line of your song, or not.  Feel free to change the line up some.  It can be serious or silly.  Whatever gets you going!

“You left your _______________ on the/my __________…”

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!

Wordplay Thursday is a fun way to generate new song ideas- and who doesn’t need more song ideas?  If you’d like MORE “creative kickstarters,” join the Frettie.com community today!  In our private Facebook group, I share a handful of creative kickstarters every week.  Plus, there’s plenty more cool stuff for Frettie members!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT FRETTIE!

 

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

The C.L.I.M.B. #129: Rhyming mistakes that can ruin your song

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON iTUNES –  HERE FOR STITCHER (Android) –  HERE FOR THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

Rhymes matter, and in this episode, Johnny and Brent break down two major rhyming mistakes that can ruin your song.  Songwriting is a super-competitive business, and rhymes can make or break your song.

If you want the world to hear your music, you wanna hear this.  The link to listen is above and below.

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON STITCHER (for Android)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business.  What is leverage?  It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.”  We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

It’s exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB.  If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes.  Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!The CLIMB iTunes review 3

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe to the show on:

Stitcher

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

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.

Should a songwriter hold back their best ideas?

Are you sitting on your A-list song ideas, waiting for someday when you might get in the room with a hit songwriter or an artist?

Are you intentionally NOT writing these titles/ideas with your current cowriters because they’re unknown, unproven, or don’t have publishing deals?

That can be tempting.  After all, you don’t want to “waste” your brilliant idea with anyone less than a hit songwriter or an artist.  It’s tempting.  But it’s also a mistake.

Read on if you want more songwriting success. ________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Here are four reasons you should NOT save your best ideas for “someday.”  This is why you should bring your best stuff to EVERY cowrite.

1. Today’s unknown cowriter might be tomorrow’s hit writer.

Erin Enderlin was definitely higher up the Nashville ladder than I as when we started writing together (she still is, by the way).  But back then, she was still a college student with no cuts to her credit.  It’s a good thing I decided to pitch her the idea of “Monday Morning Church” instead of waiting till “someday when I get to Nashville and get to write with a hit songwriter.”  ‘Cuz you know what?  Erin WAS a hit songwriter.  And so was I.  It just so happened that we’d write our first hit… with each other.  If an unknown writer is talented and hardworking, don’t hold back your best stuff.  I’m certainly glad I didn’t.

1 today unknown tomorrow hit

2. Your best work creates better opportunities.

Simply put, your B-list work isn’t going to open A-list doors.  Always bring your best.  And as your best gets better, you’ll start to get noticed by folks higher up the ladder.  If nothing else, think of your best stuff as bait for better cowrites.  Here’s an example.  You’re a lyricist, but you’ve only written with “B-list” melody people.  Opportunity might happen when a publisher says, “Wow- what a great lyric and idea.  Let me get you with some of my melody writers.”

1 best work better opps

3. There’s more where that came from.

If you keep writing, you’ll have more ideas.  You’ll get better ideas.  You’ll write better grooves, better guitar licks.  Your creativity is a renewable resource.  Trust that your current “best stuff” is not the only “best stuff” you’ll ever have.

1 more best ideas

4. The clock is ticking.

For one thing, your current best stuff might not even be relevant in a year or two.  The market may change.  Trends may shift.  Strike now, while the iron’s hot.  Also, you are (or at least, you should be) growing as a songwriter.  Most of your A-list stuff today will become your B-list stuff tomorrow.  But the clock slows down for really good work.  A great song stands the test of time, and you can only write one if you’re writing the very best you can, not holding back for “someday.”  So do your best work as often as you can.

Does this mean that EVERY best idea is right for EVERY cowriter?  No.  But the point is that you want to do your very best work, regardless of who else is in the room.  Your songwriting skill is like a sport- you play like you practice.  If you don’t make it a habit to always do your best (acting like some cowrites are just “practice”), your best may not be there when you need it- when you finally do get in the room with that hit songwriter or artist.

What about you?  Have you held back on presenting your best stuff to cowriters.  How’d that work out?  Have you presented your best stuff to an unproven cowriter only to be happily surprised by the results?  I’d love to hear from you.  Please leave a comment.

Also, if you’re looking for an opportunity to connect with some music industry pros, I have a great opportunity for you.  In August, I’m hosting a “Know The Row” event with not one but TWO legit music business pros!

On August 14, you can hang out online and ask YOUR questions to music publisher, Scot Sherrod, of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in several hit country songs, and his current roster includes rising country star, Walker Hayes (“You Broke Up With Me” and “Craig.”)

Then on August 16, you can hang out online and ask YOUR questions to songwriter and recording artist, Aaron Goodvin.  As a songwriter, Aaron has had songs recorded by country stars Luke Bryan and Cole Swindell.  Goodvin is also a rising artist on Warner Bros. Canada with a few hits and award nominations to his credit.  And he just signed as a songwriter with Reviver Records.  Reviver is home to hit-making artists such as LoCash and David Lee Murphy.

This is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with two real-deal music biz professionals.

You and I both want to learn what Scot and Aaron have to share.

Here’s the deal.  You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time and Thursday, August 16, 2018, exact time that evening TBD.  And these special “Know The Row” events are FREE to members of Frettie.com!  (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT MUSIC PUBLISHER, SCOT SHERROD, AND RECORDING ARTIST, AARON GOODMAN.

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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Song Title Challenge #19: Faith And Consequences

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON iTUNES –  HERE FOR STITCHER (Android) – HERE FOR THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

Get into a pro songwriter’s mind!

Johnny takes a title submitted by a CLIMBer like you, and he springs it on me live!  Then I have to figure out how to make it a hit… yikes!  Watch me blow up or flame out.

If you want to submit a title, send it to Johnny at info@daredevilproduction.com.  It’s not a cowrite.  You keep 100% ownership of whatever you write, and you’re free to use any ideas I throw out.  I am NOT a cowriter on this.  Any ideas are simply my gift to you!

If you’re a singer, songwriter or indie artist who wants to grow your career, THIS is the podcast for you!

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON STITCHER (for Android)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business.  What is leverage?  It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.”  We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

It’s exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB.  If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes.  Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!The CLIMB iTunes review 3

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe to the show on:

Stitcher

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

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, a top 10 in Texas, and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Wordplay Thursday #249

Welcome to Wordplay Thursday!

Here’s a fill-in-the-blank to get you started. Feel free to use it to start off YOUR song.  It could be the first line of your song, or not.  Feel free to change the line up some.  It can be serious or silly.  Whatever gets you going!

“If you want me to _______________, you better…”

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!

Wordplay Thursday is a fun way to generate new song ideas- and who doesn’t need more song ideas?  If you’d like MORE “creative kickstarters,” join the Frettie.com community today!  In our private Facebook group, I share a handful of creative kickstarters every week.  Plus, there’s plenty more cool stuff for Frettie members!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT FRETTIE!

 

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

The C.L.I.M.B. #128: It’s Not About You!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON iTUNES –  HERE FOR STITCHER (Android) –  HERE FOR THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

Johnny and I hate to break it to you, but your success is NOT about you.  Your music career is NOT about you.  The sooner you realize this, the faster you’ll C.L.I.M.B. up that music biz mountain.  So, what do we mean by this?  Listen up to find out.

If you want the world to hear your music, you wanna hear this.  The link to listen is above and below.

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON STITCHER (for Android)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business.  What is leverage?  It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.”  We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

It’s exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB.  If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes.  Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!The CLIMB iTunes review 3

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe to the show on:

Stitcher

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

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.

Should you copyright all your songs? Well…

Should I copyright all my songs?

That’s a question I used to ask, and it’s one I’ve heard a lot over the years from other songwriters. Here are my thoughts on it. Hopefully, this will give you some answers, some guidance and some peace. By the way, I am NOT a lawyer, so this is NOT legal advice.  Always check with a legal professional before making big decisions.

Read on.

________________________________

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro, and this FREE ebook will help transform your thinking, your songwriting, and your success.  Get it today!

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

What do the pros do?

I used to work in the royalty department of Bluewater Music. We wouldn’t send off a copyright registration until the day a song was commercially released. The last time I checked, it cost $40 to register a work, and it’s just financial suicide for a prolific writer or publisher to invest that much per song. I’ve had years when I’ve written 100 songs – that’s $4,000 just to register the copyrights! Even if you only register the songs you demo and pitch, it’s still not a good use of time and money.

What if somebody steals your song?

First of all, it’s hard to sue and prove plagiarism. You can’t copyright a title, idea or approach. Secondly, you have to prove the “thief” had access to your song. Thirdly, and most importantly, they’d have to make enough money off your song to make it worth your time to take legal action. Basically, it would have to be a hit. And that is VERY hard to do! The odds of that happening is so very slim that it’s a non-issue. Don’t let it stop you from pitching your songs or playing them out.

Do you protect your songs at all?

Yes. I leave a paper trail to prove the date of creation (which is a huge part of proving ownership). But, honestly, this is more to protect ME from someone suing me. I keep a paper calendar where I write my cowrite dates and cowriters. I write on a laptop, but I also copy the lyric into a series of notebooks with the date on each page. Additionally, I keep the Garageband file of each worktape. For songs which are part of a publishing deal, there’s an additional paper trail- assignments, Schedule A, etc.

You own the song the moment you write it down or record it. Registering your song with the copyright office just helps to prove it.

So, that’s me. I don’t copyright a song until it is commercially released. But how you handle it is up to you. If it’s worth $40 a pop to help you feel comfortable sharing your top songs with the world, that’s cool. I hope that gives you some answers.

If you have other questions (copyright or otherwise), and you want to ask a music industry pro, I have a great opportunity for you.  In August, I’m hosting a “Know The Row” event with not one but TWO legit music business pros!

On August 14, you can hang out online and ask YOUR questions to music publisher, Scot Sherrod, of Rare Spark Media.  Scot has had his hand in several hit country songs, and his current roster includes rising country star, Walker Hayes (“You Broke Up With Me” and “Craig.”)

Then on August 16, you can hang out online and ask YOUR questions to songwriter and recording artist, Aaron Goodvin.  As a songwriter, Aaron has had songs recorded by country stars Luke Bryan and Cole Swindell.  Goodvin is also a rising artist on Warner Bros. Canada with a few hits and award nominations to his credit.  And he is also signed as a writer with Reviver Records.  Reviver is home to hit-making artists such as LoCash and David Lee Murphy.

This is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with two real-deal music biz professionals.

You and I both want to learn what Scot and Aaron have to share.

Here’s the deal.  You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Tuesday, August 14, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time and Thursday, August 16, 2018, exact time that evening TBD.  And these special “Know The Row” events are FREE to members of Frettie.com!  (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET MUSIC PUBLISHER, SCOT SHERROD AND RECORDING ARTIST, AARON GOODVIN.

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, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

The C.L.I.M.B. Expand Your Brand #11: 5 Wording Mistakes You’re Probably Making

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON iTUNES…   HERE FOR STITCHER (Android)… & HERE FOR THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

If you want to take your artist game to the next level, this bonus episode is for you!

In this episode, Johnny and Lexi share 5 wording mistakes that YOU are probably making in your social media.  Uh oh!  But don’t worry- The C.L.I.M.B. is here to help you avoid these mistakes and supercharge your brand and career.

If you’re a singer, songwriter or indie artist who wants to grow your career, THIS is the podcast for you!

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast is live and ready for download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON STITCHER (for Android)

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN ON THE C.L.I.M.B. WEBSITE

The C.L.I.M.B. stands for “Creating Leverage In The Music Business,” and that’s the goal of this podcast- to help singers, indie artists and songwriters like YOU to create leverage in the music business.  What is leverage?  It’s “strategic advantage; the power to act effectively.”  We want to help YOU make stuff happen in the music biz.

It’s exciting to see how folks are digging the show- and being helped on their CLIMB.  If YOU like it, we’d really appreciate it if you’d subscribe and leave a rating or review on iTunes.  Positive ratings and reviews help us to climb the iTunes rankings so more people become aware of the show and we can help more singers, songwriters, and indie artists like you make The CLIMB!The CLIMB iTunes review 3

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE C.L.I.M.B. ON ITUNES

If you aren’t on iTunes, you can listen to the show at our website:

TheCLIMBshow.com

If you have an Android phone, you can subscribe to the show on:

Stitcher

Thanks for your time. It means a lot to me, and hopefully it’ll be a lot of help for you!

God Bless and keep C.L.I.M.B.ing,

Brent

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, a top 10 in Texas, and a #1 in Canada… so far.