Category Archives: Cowriting

Biz, Cowriting

How To Make A Bad 1st Impression On A Pro Songwriter

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Man vs Row

Here’s the good news. A lot of you probably don’t need to read this. You’re already making a horrible first impression on pro songwriters- and you don’t even know it.

My last few posts have been “6 People Who Can Introduce You To Pro Songwriters” <READ HERE> and “How YOU Can Connect With A Pro Songwriter” <READ HERE.>  So, today, I’d like for us to discuss how to totally blow it when you finally DO connect with a pro songwriter.  Along the way, we might even pick up a couple tips that’ll help you make a good first impression

1. Be an ask-hole

Immediately focus on your needs and what the pro can do for YOU.  Right off the bat, ask him to walk outside with you and listen to your song in your car out in the parking lot.  The thought of getting mugged or stabbed and stuffed in your trunk will be too much for him to resist.  Ask him to take your CD and keep up with it for the rest of the night.  Ask her for a cowrite.  (I know, I know.  You’re really doing the pro a favor by offering to write with her, but she might not see it that way.)  Ask for an introduction to their publisher or other pros.  Or to artists.  They’ll looove that.

2. Grumble, grumble, complain, complain.

If you’re not sucking in favors like a black hole, be sure and spew negativity.  Complain about the biz.  Complain about what’s on the radio.  Complain about the “good ‘ol boy” system.  Complain about how hit songwriters have sold out.  Yeah.  That’ll really make the pro want to spend quality time with you.

3. You’re awesome, and the world should know it.

If confidence is good, overconfidence is even better, right?  Be sure and tell the pro that you’re really, really good.  Better than the trash on the radio.  Sure, you don’t have any major cuts yet, but you ‘da man.  Tell the pro you’ve written a ton of hits.  Well, soon-to-be-hits, anyway.  Fake it till you make it, bro.  The pro, who has been knocked down by the biz time after time, will surely recognize you as an honest-to-goodness brother-in-arms.

Know The Row pic 2

4. Drink up and fall down!

Nothing makes a positive memory in the mind of a pro like hanging with someone on a night they won’t remember.  It does you SO MUCH good to hang with a pro… while drinking so much you can’t recall what you talked about.  What’s even better is if your behavior leads to you actually wanting to avoid them out of embarrassment.  Yeah.  Good times.

5. Be a total fanboy (or girl).

Yes, it’s cool to compliment the pro about a song or their success, but remember- we’re here to ruin your first impression.  So it’s important that you overdo it.  Freak out about meeting them.  Make sure the pro doesn’t mistake you for a songwriting peer (or potential peer).  Make it absolutely clear that you’re just a fan.

6. Never leave their side.  Like… ever.

Once a pro makes the mistake of locking eyes with you or shaking your hand, it’s your job to bury yourself into them like a tick in a dog’s ear.  The shadow God gave them is not enough.  They need you to be their other one.  Maybe follow them to the bathroom.  I’m sure the pro left the house this morning for the express purpose of talking to you- and only you- all night.

If you follow these steps, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll never see that pro again.  Not if they see you first, anyway.  Good luck.

1-to-1 Coaching

Want some personalized help and guidance for your songwriting journey?  I’ve just opened up some spots for 1-to-1 coaching.  I’m happy to be your “personal pro”- to give feedback on your songs, answer any questions I can, help you develop your song ideas, and discuss goals and “next steps.”  I also have some coach-writing spots open.  This is when you and I actually write a song together!  If you’re interested, CLICK HERE.

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Biz, Cowriting

How You Can Connect With A Pro Songwriter

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Man vs Row

It’s hard to get a cowrite with a pro songwriter if none of them know you exist.

Last time, I wrote about a few people who can connect you to a pro songwriter (to read that post, CLICK HERE).  The last item on that list was simply titled “You.”  Today, I want to dive into some ways that you can reach out to a pro songwriter directly – how to get on a pro’s radar.

1. Industry Events

ASCAP, BMI, NSAI and other organizations host events which are open to the public or to their members.  These events are good places to bump into pro songwriters.  It may be a #1 party, a workshop, or a Christmas party.  Show up, smile, and be friendly.

2. Songwriter Workshops

NSAI, Global Songwriters Connection and other groups often host workshops featuring pro songwriters as teachers, song evaluators, guests, etc.  This is one of the few places where your song can be your first impression.  That’s a great opportunity- if you have a great song!  (To read more about how a great song is the best first impression you can make… READ HERE.)

1st Impression

3. Songwriter Rounds / Shows

Nobody likes to play to an empty room.  Putting your smiling face in the crowd and giving the songwriter an honest compliment after the show will put you in the plus column.

4. Coaching

Okay, I wasn’t going to add this one, because it felt self-serving.  But Andrew Cavanagh called it out in the comments last week, and it does work.  Coaching/mentoring with a pro songwriter, whether paid or not, is a good way to get their attention.  After all, the pro is focused on you (or your small group) for the length of the session.  However, it does NOT guarantee anything more than the hour or whatever of feedback/help the pro and you both signed up for.  Anything extra is a bonus.  A coaching session rarely leads to anything else, so don’t expect it.

5. Online

Does the pro have a blog?  Is he or she active on social media?  Retweeting, liking, sharing, and leaving relevant (non-spammy) comments on their stuff helps you get your name and face in front of them in a positive way.  Again… don’t spam.  Don’t lead with “listen to my song” or “check out my website” or “download my song.”

6. Social Circles

If you live near a major music center (like Nashville, New York or LA), you may have a pro songwriter in the stands at your kid’s ballgame, volunteering at the same charities, or sitting in the pew in front of you at church (but PLEASE don’t choose your place of worship based on which industry people go there).  These places allow you to connect as people first.  And that’s a great way to start.  Let the songwriting stuff come up later.

Okay, so now you’re breathing the same air as pro songwriters.  Congratulations!  Now you have the chance to go from them not knowing you exist to them possibly hating your guts and wishing they’d never laid eyes on you.

That’s right- you’re now in the perfect position to make a bad impression.  Next time, we’ll discuss how to avoid that.

What about you?  Have you had any success connecting with a pro at these events?  Are there other places where you’ve connected?  I’d love to hear your comments!

By the way…

1-to-1 Coaching

Want some personalized help and guidance for your songwriting journey? I’ve just opened up some spots for 1-to-1 coaching. I’m happy to be your “personal pro”- to give feedback on your songs, answer any questions I can, help you develop your song ideas, and discuss goals and “next steps.” I also have some coach-writing spots open. This is when you and I actually write a song together! If you’re interested, CLICK HERE.

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Biz, Cowriting

6 People Who Can Introduce You To Pro Songwriters

11 Comments

Man vs Row

Trying to connect with pro songwriters in towns like Nashville can feel like standing knee-deep in a river and dying of thirst.

Pros are all around you- you see them at the coffee shop, walking up and down the sidewalks of Music Row, out at lunch in midtown, and out at songwriter nights.  But how do you connect?

Maybe someone can introduce you.

I know.  Easier said than done.  But here are some people who have the possibility of connecting you to a pro.  By “connecting,” I don’t necessarily mean booking a cowrite.  I mean anything from “Bill Hitmaker, this is Manny Row,” to “Bill, you and Manny should write sometime!” to “Manny, let me book you with Bill.”

1. Your PRO Rep

If you’re a member of ASCAP, SESAC, or BMI, try to get a meeting with your rep.  If you can make a fan out of him (or her), he might connect you with some other up and coming songwriters.  Absolutely blow your rep’s mind, and he might connect you to a pro.

2. A Music Publisher

If a publisher really digs what you do, he/she might book you with some pro cowrites.  Of course, connecting with a publisher isn’t easy.  But I’ve written about that before.  CLICK HERE to learn how to get on a music publisher’s radar.

3. Industry Contacts

Pro songwriters know people at organizations like NSAI.  They hang out there sometimes.  As these folks at these places get to know you (and become a fan of your writing and of you as a person), they may just grab you one day and say, “I want you to meet Bill Hitmaker.  Bill, this is Manny Row…”  Those kind of personal introductions are great.

relationship biz

4. Other Songwriters

Who do your current cowriters and songwriting friends know?  Who are their cowriters?  Maybe you can arrange a lunch or (better yet) a cowrite between the three of you.  But don’t just expect your cowriters to just do you a favor.  Make it easy on them by presenting an amazing idea or melody that you want to write with a pro.  It could be pretty attractive for your cowriter to hook up your amazing idea/melody with an established pro who has connections.  Your cowriter wins by bring both sides value and being in the room, too.  And “great idea” + “pro songwriter” increases his chance of a cut, so he should be happy to get all three of you together.

5. Personal Relationships

If you live in Nashville, odds are you know somebody who knows a pro.  Don’t abuse your friendships, but do be on the lookout for opportunities to meet those pros.  Maybe it’s their kid’s birthday party.  Maybe it’s at a Christmas party.  You never know.

6. You

That’s right, YOU can introduce yourself to pro songwriters.  There are several ways to do this.  As a matter of fact, it’s worth it’s own post.  And that’s exactly what we’ll discuss next Monday.

Please remember that all of these people don’t just exist to solve your problems and make you happy (you don’t even exist for the sole purpose of solving your problems, but that’s for more of a theological post…).  You have to be patient.  Don’t just walk in these folks’ doors and expect them to pick up the phone and call a pro on your behalf.  It’s a big compliment for someone to make a professional introduction.  Treat it- AND THEM- with respect.  Build a relationship.

Hopefully, these folks will become a fan of both you and your songs.  If it’s not happening, keep working to write better songs.  Also, take a look at how you present yourself.  Are you coming off as too aggressive, too negative, too desperate, too unprofessional, etc.?  Every time a person makes a contact/recommendation on your behalf, it’s a reflection on them.  Do your best to make them look good by introducing people to you!

What about you?  Did I miss anyone?  Have you used any of these avenues to meet & connect with a pro?  Have you used different avenues?  I’d love to hear your comments!

By the way…

1-to-1 Coaching

Want some personalized help and guidance for your songwriting journey? I’ve just opened up some spots for 1-to-1 coaching. I’m happy to be your “personal pro”- to give feedback on your songs, answer any questions I can, help you develop your song ideas, and discuss goals and “next steps.” I also have some coach-writing spots open. This is when you and I actually write a song together! If you’re interested, CLICK HERE.

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Cowriting

The Dangers of Cowriting

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Man vs Row

 

Recently, I wrote about the advantages of cowriting <READ IT HERE>. I’m a big fan of cowriting. As a lyricist, I need a great melody writer to have a prayer of getting my songs cut. However, there are a few potential downsides to cowriting. I want to point these out so you can be aware of them- and avoid them!

1. Getting lazy.

The great thing about cowriting is that you can lean on your cowriter to bring in great ideas and hooks, help you overcome creative roadblocks, and catch mistakes in your songs. The downside is that you might use your cowriter as an excuse to get lazy. “I don’t need to prep- Joe always has good ideas…” “I’ve worked on this 2nd verse for a whole 5 minutes… I’ll just take it in to Kelly…” You always want to strive to become a better songwriter.

Don’t use your cowriter’s strength as an excuse to become a weaker songwriter.

2. Getting too social.

One of the great things about cowriting is that you get to spend a few hours with people you enjoy.  A danger of cowriting is that you get to spend a few hours with people you enjoy.  It’s easy to let the “how ya been” turn into “where’d the last 3 hours go” as you chit-chat your whole writing session away.  It’s good to open up and share your life with a close cowriter (it can lead to great, honest songs), but you shouldn’t use to avoid getting down to work.  It’s easy to change the subject away from your song when you hit a creative roadblock.  And it’s fine to step away for a minute or two.  But you have to get back to work.

Don’t use too much visiting as a way to hide from the work.

3. Mis-writing ideas.

Sadly, it’s inevitable that you’ll lose a good idea or two (or more) to a bad or mismatched cowrite. It happens to all of us. Maybe you took your country-rap idea to a hillbilly cowriter, and it just didn’t turn out like you hoped. But you don’t want to risk insulting your cowriter over it, so you just put it away and hope they don’t want to spend money on a demo. Or maybe it’s a “first date” or “blind date” cowrite, and you throw out your best idea to someone who is both underskilled and overconfident. Next thing you know, your idea is hijacked and totally messed up. It’s not the end of the world, though it can sometimes feel that way.  You’ll survive- you’ll have more ideas and more songs.  But it is frustrating.

Sometimes the price of cowriting is wasting a great idea.

4. Writing vanilla by committee.

Cowriting can be great for polishing a song till it shines. And sometimes a cowriter can encourage you to take risks that you normally wouldn’t. But sometimes a cowrite can end up knocking off all the rough edges that made your idea cool in the first place. Sometimes “songwriting by committee” can leave you with a very middle-of-the-road, safe, vanilla, blah song. You might end up with a song that’s well-crafted, but heartless.

Two-heads-instead-of-one can sometimes leave your song without a heart.

In spite of these dangers, I believe cowriting can be hugely beneficial. (Read “The Advantages Of Cowriting” here.) I know cowriting’s been a big blessing for me. But knowing these dangers can help you avoid or deal with them. And knowing is half the battle. (Extra points if you can name that reference.)

What about you? Any other cowriting dangers that we should add to this list?  Or cowriting horror stories?  Leave them in the comments!

Pro songwriters know they have to face and overcome disappointments like frustrating cowrites now and then.  And if YOU want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro, too. In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Cowriting, Craft, Songplugging

The Advantages of Cowriting

13 Comments

Man vs Row

Nashville is a cowriting town.

It seems that everyone that moves or spends time here gets sucked into it eventually.  But maybe you’re unsure if it’s something you want to try.  Maybe you’ve always written alone and you’re worried about the unknown.  Maybe you think another writer might pull your song in the wrong direction.  Maybe you don’t see the value in it.

If that’s the case, consider these advantages of cowriting:

1. More relationships.

The writing room can be a very lonely place.  Some of your cowriters will become close friends, and that’s awesome.  For me, one of my favorite parts of songwriting is getting to hang out for hours with people I admire and enjoy.  Each of your cowriters also has his or her own network.  That means they can help you mean more publishers, artists, other cowriters, etc.

0 A Story Of Relationships

2. More pitch / promotional power.

If you write a song alone, it’s up to you- and only you– to get it into the right hands (a publisher, a producer, an artist, etc.).  However, if you add a cowriter or two, now you have more people to play the song out live at songwriter nights or pitch it to publishers or artists.  It multiplies the chance that your song will be heard by the right people.

Rise

3. More ideas.

When you write alone, you have to come up with every single melodic and lyric idea yourself.  If YOU don’t think of it, it doesn’t end up in your song.  However, when you cowrite, you and your cowriter help each other overcome those creative roadblocks. “Two heads are better than one.”

4. Less creative ruts.

When you only write alone, it’s harder to stay out of creative ruts and it’s harder to pull yourself out of them.  Maybe you find yourself going back to the same tempos, moods, chord progressions or stories time after time after time.  However, it’s hard to stay in a rut if you’re writing with a bluegrass female on Monday and a pop-country guy on Wednesday.

5. Less excuses, more productivity.

It’s pretty easy to break writing appointments with yourself.  Nobody’s going to call wondering where you are, and you’ll probably get bonus points with your spouse if you did the laundry or mowed the yard instead.  But if you know someone expects you to be online or in the writing room at a certain time to write, you’re a lot less likely to bail. Likewise, it’s pretty easy to walk away from your guitar or notebook when you hit a creative roadblock in a song.  But it’s a lot harder to just walk into the other room and turn on the TV when you have a cowriter sitting across from you.  That would be just plain awkward.

6. Faster learning curve.

Cowriting allows you to learn from your fellow songwriters.  You get a front row seat to observe how they think, how they overcome obstacles, etc.  You may pick up a cool alternate tuning or a way of constructing a lyric that you would’ve only discovered on your own years later.  Plus, a good cowriter will challenge you to dig deeper and write better songs.  I know that’s definitely been true for me.

This is not to say that cowriting is always the best thing in every circumstance.  But it sure has helped a lot of writers (like me) get more successful more quickly.  What about you?  What other advantages of cowriting would you add to this list?  Leave a comment below- I’d love to hear from you!

Oh, and here’s one more advantage…

7. Complimentary strengths.

Few songwriters are equally strong at both lyrics and melody.  Even fewer are equally strong AND GREAT at both.  So, if you’re like most of us, your songs can benefit from finding a cowriter who is strong where you aren’t.  And this doesn’t mean just “strong at lyric” or “strong at melody” or “strong at producing.”  It could even be more specific things like “great at idea development,” “brings in killer hooks” or “writes awesome images.”

Team Sport

You want to find cowriters who have valuable strengths.  And YOU become a more valuable, in-demand songwriter as you develop strengths in different areas.  One area which has helped me attract and grow some valuable cowriting relationships has been my ability to write with strong imagery.

Writing with great imagery has helped my songwriting career and helped get my songs cut.

Imagery in songs like “Monday Morning Church” (a top-5 hit for Alan Jackson), “Last Night Last” (recorded by Lady Antebellum), “Crickets” (the title-track to Joe Nichols’ current album), and “When Your Lips Are So Close” (Canadian #1 hit and Single Of The Year for Gord Bamford) helped them get recorded and released.  I’m living proof that it’s a valuable skill.

And since strong imagery is such an important part of professional-level songwriting, I’ve put together a course on imagery. It’s called, “Use Imagery To Supercharge Your Songwriting (Like The Pros Do)” and it’s available now. 

 

By the end of the course, you’ll have the basic skills to:

  1. Effectively use both literal and figurative imagery.
  2. Make your story come to life using imagery.
  3. Prove your character’s personality using imagery.
  4. Make your listener connect to your character’s emotions using imagery.
  5. Hook your listener in the song’s first few lines using imagery.
  6. And to begin more songs (more easily) using imagery exercises as the start of your songwriting process.

If you want to join a LIVE workshop or learn more about how to “Use Imagery To Supercharge Your Songwriting (Like The Pros Do)” CLICK HERE or on the image below.

God Bless,

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.

imagery_square_copy

 cropped-man-vs-row.jpg

Cowriting, Craft

Are You A Songwriting Carpenter or Designer?

7 Comments

Man vs Row

A commercially successful song, in general, requires the songwriting skills of both a carpenter and a designer… musically speaking. Are you bringing both skill sets to your songs? If not, your songs are probably not as good as they could be.  

The Songwriting Carpenter

Strengths:

This songwriter has the craft down. The Carpenter can structure a song well. The rhyme schemes are tight. The chorus lifts. The message of the song is clearly communicated, and the song is solidly constructed.

Weaknesses:

The Carpenter’s songs can sometimes end up without enough heart or imagination. The Carpenter’s “house” is sturdy, but it looks just like every other house in the neighborhood. There’s no “wow” factor that impacts the listener emotionally.

The Songwriting Designer

Strengths:

The Designer has vision. The Designer knows what he wants to accomplish with the song- what the listener will feel- what the emotional impact will be. The Designer has great, compelling, song ideas.

Weaknesses:

Without enough craft, the Designer can’t pull off his vision. The wonderful story isn’t told clearly. There are problems with structure, rhyme, or other “nuts & bolts” areas. For the house metaphor, you could say the house is beautiful on the outside, but it won’t pass inspection.

As you can see, both the Carpenter and Designer have really great, important skills. They also have weaknesses. They need each other. And, truth is, you have at least a little of each of them inside you. You’re both.

So the question is: are you bringing ENOUGH of each of them to your songwriting process? Are your songs too much Carpenter and not enough Designer? I’d say most writers aren’t professional-level at both- especially when you’ve only been writing for a few years. And that’s okay.

That’s why God made cowriters.

Learn your strengths. If you build solid cookie-cutter houses, you need to find a Designer. If you have great ideas that don’t seem to reach their potential, you may need a Carpenter.

How I Feel Cowriters

How do you know if you’re a Carpenter or a Designer?

Play your songs for a songwriting coach, your PRO rep (ASCAP, BMI or SESAC), a music publisher, or other songwriters. If you often hear comments like, “Great idea, but it just doesn’t kill me,” you might be a Designer. If you hear, “Yeah, it all makes sense… nothing wrong with it… but it doesn’t knock me out,” you might be a Carpenter. Or you might be somewhere in the middle- where your Designer and Carpenter skills are pretty balanced, but just not professional-level yet.

Get to know yourself- your strengths and weaknesses. Then find coaches who can help you get better and cowriters who can bring out your best, while bringing the strengths you’re missing.

What about you?  Are you more of a carpenter or designer?  Leave a comment- I’d love to hear from you.

Pro songwriters know and are honest about their strengths and weaknesses.  And if YOU want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro, too.  In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Biz, Cowriting, Money, Songplugging

A Pro Songwriter’s Team

4 Comments

Man vs Row

Songwriting is a team sport. I’ve said that a thousand times if I’ve said it once. But, until now, I don’t guess I’ve written about who makes up a pro songwriter’s team. Well, here ya go. Not all of these members are necessary for every songwriter at every career stage. Some are only needed when money is being generated from your songs. So don’t get overwhelmed- you don’t have to find all these folks today.  

Also, this list is for pro songwriters or those who want to make money. If you just want to write good songs, pick and choose accordingly.

1. The Cowriters.

There are very, very few songwriters who turn pro (and stay that way) who are exclusively solo writers. Your cowriters help keep you fresh and break you out of creative ruts and stale habits. They also provide song ideas so you don’t have to come up with all your own ideas. Cowriters provide creative strengths to compliment your weaknesses (lyrics for your melodies, etc.) They share valuable information (who’s cutting, what they want, who’s about to get a record deal, etc.). They (and their publishers) help pitch your songs. They provide political advantages- writing with the artist, the producer, or with someone in a powerful publishing company.

Rise

2. The Songpluggers.

If you want cuts, somebody has to be out there actively pitching your songs and getting them heard by folks who can say “yes.” Oftentimes, this is done by a music publisher, who has at least one songplugger on staff. Many pros also pitch their songs themselves. I’m an “all hands on deck” kinda guy, so I like to have both when I can. People who might plug your songs: you, your publisher, a (legit) independent songplugger, your cowriters, your cowriters’ songpluggers. If nobody is plugging your songs, nobody will hear them. If nobody hears your songs, nobody will cut them.

3. The PROs.

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) are basically companies who collect and distribute airplay royalties for publishers and songwriters. There are three PROs in the United States- ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Every other country / territory has only one. If you’re blessed to get some airplay, you and your song won’t get a dime of airplay money if you (and your song) aren’t registered with a PRO. That’s the big service they offer. Other benefits include networking and educational opportunities. EVERY money-making pro must have a PRO.

4. The Recorders.

All the songplugging in the world isn’t gonna do you much good if all your demos / recordings sound terrible. There’s just too much competition and too many quality demos out there for an A&R person to do the work to hear through a bad recording. They just don’t have to. Unless you’re an established hit songwriter with a good track record, they’ll just trash it and move on to a recording that sounds like it was done by a pro. It’s great if you have the musician and production chops to get good sound on your own. But most songwriters don’t have that, so it needs to be outsourced. Maybe your cowriters can perform this function, or maybe you hire a track guy or some studio musicians. I hesitated to list them as part of your team since they’re hired guns… but getting quality recordings is so important, I couldn’t keep them off the list.

Team Sport

5. The Administrators.

Somebody better be watching the money. Your administrators are the folks that make sure your songs are registered with a PRO, licensed properly by the record labels, the copyright forms are sent in and that your royalties make it (properly and promptly) from the record labels to the songwriters. This function is usually done by the publisher, but you can also hire an admin firm for a percentage of what they collect on your behalf. For example, my Major Bob Music catalog is partly administered in-house and partly by The Harry Fox Agency. My personal publishing company, Cowboy Chords Music, outsources my admin to Bluewater Music. They handle my licensing and royalty collections for a percentage of the money they collect.

6. The Sharpeners.

These are the folks who help you sharpen your skills, both on the artistic and business sides of songwriting. This may include cowriters who inspire and challenge you to do your best, it may include NSAI, Global Songwriters Connection, Man vs. Row, Frettie, song evaluators, and coaches. It may be your publisher or songplugger. It may be a writer’s rep at a PRO or a publisher who will listen to your songs and give feedback. The Sharpeners are hugely important for amateurs turning pro and for seasoned pros trying to keep current and to adapt as the commercial market changes. These are the folks who will tell us the truth and challenge us, even when it’s unpleasant.

7. The Believers.

Who’s going to pick you up when the biz knocks you down? When you’re lost in doubt? You’ll find The Believers in several of the other categories- The Cowriters, The Pluggers, and sometimes The PROS and The Sharpeners. The Believers may also include folks outside of music- your family and friends. This isn’t just for the aspiring songwriter. We ALL need The Believers. But the most important believer will always be one person. Yourself.

There ya go. A pro songwriter’s team. Like I said earlier, you may not need all these folks right now, depending on where you are in your career. But as you climb that mountain, you’ll add more and more of them.

What about you?  Would you add anyone else to “a pro songwriter’s team?” How’s your team-building coming along?  Leave a comment- I’d love to hear from you.

Pro songwriters know they need a team.  And if YOU want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro, too.  In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Man vs Row

Biz, Cowriting, Money, Songplugging

A Pro Songwriter’s Team

2 Comments

Man vs Row

Songwriting is a team sport. I’ve said that a thousand times if I’ve said it once. But, until now, I don’t guess I’ve written about who makes up a pro songwriter’s team. Well, here ya go.

Not all of these members are necessary for every songwriter at every career stage. Some are only needed when money is being generated from your songs. So don’t get overwhelmed- you don’t have to find all these folks today. Also, this list is for pro songwriters or those who want to make money. If you just want to write good songs, pick and choose accordingly.

1. The Cowriters.

There are very, very few songwriters who turn pro (and stay that way) who are exclusively solo writers. Your cowriters help keep you fresh and break you out of creative ruts and stale habits. They also provide song ideas so you don’t have to come up with all your own ideas. Cowriters provide creative strengths to compliment your weaknesses (lyrics for your melodies, etc.) They share valuable information (who’s cutting, what they want, who’s about to get a record deal, etc.). They (and their publishers) help pitch your songs. They provide political advantages- writing with the artist, the producer, or with someone in a powerful publishing company.

Team Sport

2. The Songpluggers.

If you want cuts, somebody has to be out there actively pitching your songs and getting them heard by folks who can say “yes.” Oftentimes, this is done by a music publisher, who has at least one songplugger on staff. Many pros also pitch their songs themselves. I’m an “all hands on deck” kinda guy, so I like to have both when I can. People who might plug your songs: you, your publisher, a (legit) independent songplugger, your cowriters, your cowriters’ songpluggers. If nobody is plugging your songs, nobody will hear them. If nobody hears your songs, nobody will cut them.

3. The PROs.

Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) are basically companies who collect and distribute airplay royalties for publishers and songwriters. There are three PROs in the United States- ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Every other country / territory has one. If you’re blessed to get some airplay, you and your song won’t get a dime of airplay money if you (and it) aren’t a member of a PRO. That’s the big service they offer. Other benefits include networking and educational opportunities. EVERY money-making pro must have a PRO.

4. The Recorders.

All the songplugging in the world isn’t gonna do you much good if all your demos / recordings sound terrible. There’s just too much competition and too many quality demos out there for an A&R person to do the work to hear through a bad recording. They just don’t have to. Unless you’re an established hit songwriter with a good track record, they’ll just trash it and move on to a recording that sounds like it was done by a pro. It’s great if you have the musician and production chops to get good sound on your own. But most songwriters don’t have that, so it needs to be outsourced. Maybe your cowriters can perform this function, or maybe you hire a track guy or some studio musicians. I hesitated to list them as part of your team since they’re hired guns… but getting quality recordings is so important, I couldn’t keep them off the list.

5. The Administrators.

Somebody better be watching the money. Your administrator’s are the folks that make sure your songs are licensed properly by the record labels, the copyright forms are sent in and that your royalties make it (properly and promptly) from the record labels to the songwriters. This function is usually done by the publisher, but you can also hire an admin firm for a percentage of what they collect on your behalf. For example, my Major Bob Music catalog is partly administered in-house and partly by The Harry Fox Agency. My personal publishing company, Cowboy Chords Music, outsources my admin to Bluewater Music. They handle my licensing and royalty collections for a percentage of the money they collect.

6. The Sharpeners.

These are the folks who help you sharpen your skills, both on the artistic and business sides of songwriting. This may include cowriters who inspire and challenge you to do your best, it may include NSAI, Global Songwriters Connection, Man vs. Row, song evaluators, and coaches. It may be your publisher or songplugger. It may be a writer’s rep at a PRO or a publisher who will listen to your songs and give feedback. The Sharpeners are hugely important for amateurs and turning pro and for seasoned pros trying to keep current and to adapt as the commercial market changes. These are the folks who will tell us the truth and challenge us, even when it’s unpleasant.

7. The Believers.

Who’s going to pick you up when the biz knocks you down? When you’re lost in doubt? You’ll find The Believers in several of the other categories- The Cowriters, The Pluggers, and sometimes The PROS and The Sharpeners. The Believers may also include folks outside of music- your family and friends. This isn’t just for the aspiring songwriter. We ALL need The Believers. But the most important believer will always be one person. Yourself.

Rise

There ya go. A pro songwriter’s team. Like I said earlier, you may not need all these folks right now, depending on where you are in your career. But as you climb that mountain, you’ll add more and more of them.

Knowing you need a team (and who is on it) is an important part of being a pro.  If you want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro.  In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Biz, Cowriting

Songwriting Opportunities Come When People Think These Three Things About You

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Man vs Row

Songwriting opportunities will come to you more and more as people in the music biz (publishers, artists, producers, other songwriters) think three particular things about you.

The more folks that think these things about you, the more doors are going to open for you, the more inside info you’re going to get, and the more successful you’re likely to become. So what are these three magic beans that can grow your songwriting career? Buckle up, ‘cuz I’m about to drop some serious, deep philosophy on ya. You want people to think…

“I know you.”

“I like you.”

“I trust you.”

There ya go. Are you surprised that these are the keys to the door of opportunity? If so, on behalf of the people of Earth, I welcome you to our planet. I hope you enjoy your visit. While you’re here, I suggest you check out The Grand Canyon and pancakes. If you only have time for one, go for the pancakes.

It’s just simple human nature that people want to work with and help folks they know, like, and trust. Let’s look at each one.

“I know you”

You have to get out there and shake hands- whether in person or digitally. Complete strangers rarely bring good opportunities. (Although there is a promising email in my inbox right now from a prince in Nigeria…) I can’t tell you that a new artist on Sony is looking for your type of song if I don’t know you or what type of music you do. Without someone knowing you, you’ll never get to the next step…

“I like you”

The music biz is rarely like a serious medical condition (I know what you’re thinking- don’t say it) where there’s only one or two doctors in the world who can help. In that case, the doc can be a complete jerk, but you don’t care because he’s the only one who can sew your face back on or whatever. It doesn’t matter if you like him. But that isn’t the case in the music biz where we’re surrounded by talented people. If we’re going to extend a good opportunity, it’s going to be someone we like and can think…

“I trust you”

Let me tell you about my brother-in-law, Matt. I’ve known Matt for over a decade. He’s a great guy. But if I were to get on an airplane and hear his voice come over the intercom saying, “This is your pilot speaking…” I’m getting off the plane! Why? Because I don’t trust him to fly an airplane. He has a lot of skills, but that isn’t one of them. He’s not a good fit for that job. Folks in the biz are less likely to attach their name to you if they don’t trust you for that particular opportunity.

For example, let’s say you’ve had a couple meetings with a publisher. He’s gotten to know you, and he likes you. Awesome. But he doesn’t think your songs are very good. Is he going to set you up on a cowrite with his best hot-streak writer? Probably not. Because he doesn’t trust that you’ll bring the goods. And he doesn’t want Mr. Hot Streak knocking on his door asking why his day got wasted.

See, it takes all three components for the opportunities to really start rolling in. They may start as small opportunities as people get to know you. But if you knock those small opportunities out of the park, people will begin to trust you more often and with bigger opportunities.

More know-like-trust leads to bigger opportunities.

But it all starts with folks getting to know you. So reach out in person at industry events, writers nights, workshops, online groups, etc. Be likable. Then knock their socks off with your songs and professionalism. And enjoy those pancakes.

Knowing the importance of know-like-trust is one way that pro songwriters think.  And if you want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro.  In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

Biz, Cowriting

Don’t Neglect Your Songwriting Peer Group

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Man vs Row

Starting off, pretty much every songwriter wanting cuts feels like the fastest way to get there is to “write up.”

To “write up” is to write with a songwriter who is at a higher level in his or her career. It might mean writing with a hit songwriter, a published songwriter, or even just someone who’s been at it for more years.  Hey, writing up is great if you can make it happen, but it’s not going to suddenly unlock every door on Music Row.  And focusing on writing up might actually lead to some big mistakes.

The big danger of focusing on writing up is that you’ll neglect your peer group. Don’t neglect your peer group! Who is your peer group? It’s those songwriters in the same boat as you. It may be that guy in your hometown that has the same dreams and work ethic as you. It might be that unpublished writer you keep running into at songwriter rounds. It might be someone in the same online community who posts songs that are similar to yours.

peer group

Sure, maybe none of these folks are pro writers… (yet), but who’s to say where they’ll be in five or ten years? If the raw talent and work ethic are there, maybe all they’re missing is time and the right song or connections. What if you’re supposed to write your first hit TOGETHER?

That’s what happened with “Monday Morning Church.” Neither Erin Enderlin nor I had ever had a major cut before that song. When I wrote that song with her, I WAS writing with a hit songwriter – she just hadn’t written the hit YET.  We were supposed to write that hit together!

I’m glad I didn’t neglect our cowriting relationship while I was busy trying to write up. Here are some ways of neglecting your peer group:

1. Holding back your best ideas

What if I had held off on writing “Monday Morning Church” until I could finally get in the room with a “real” hit songwriter?  What if I thought my idea was too good for one of the best cowriters I had back then?  Well, the song might never have gone top 5, and you might not be reading this blog right now.

Write your best ideas with your best cowriters, whoever they are, even if they aren’t a “pro” yet.

Even if the song doesn’t live up to your hopes, it’ll still probably be better than the average idea you’re tempted to settle for instead. And better songs will lead to better opportunities in the future.

2. Not writing with a good writer just because he/she isn’t a “pro”

Like I said, neither Erin nor I had ever had a cut when we wrote our future top 5 single together. I was so much better off writing with her – an unsigned but talented and serious writer, than I would’ve been just waiting to write with a hit songwriter.

I’m not saying your should write with just anyone with a pulse. I’m saying don’t overlook a serious, talented, hardworking songwriter just because they don’t have a hit or a publishing deal yet.

Knowing that you shouldn’t neglect your peer group is one way that pro songwriters think.  And if you want to become a pro, you need to think like a pro.  In my FREE e-book, “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” I not only reveal several of the mindsets which separate the pro songwriter from the amateur, but also…

  1. How to get on a music publisher’s radar
  2. How the pros know who is looking for songs
  3. Six simple ways to make your songs more commercial
  4. And more!

To get your FREE, INSTANT download of “THINK LIKE A PRO SONGWRITER,” just click on the image below, or CLICK HERE!

think like a pro songwriter 3D

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 and a #1 in Canada… so far.

peer group