Category Archives: Craft

These posts focus on the craft of songwriting.

Cut Study: Ray Stevens “Caribou Barbie”

December 11, 2013 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

Disclaimer: The song, “Caribou Barbie,” is a political song with a definite point of view. This post, however, is NOT political. The point here is to share the process by which the song got cut. It appears on Ray’s album, “We The People.”

I was blessed to have written “Caribou Barbie” for Ray Stevens. Ray is a comedy legend with songs like “The Streak” “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” and “Everything Is Beautiful.” Today, I’d like to briefly discuss how we got the song cut and what you might learn from it.

I captured the title in my hook book.

I heard Sarah Palin referred to as “Caribou Barbie” during the 2008 Presidential campaign. My brother-in-law, Matt Cline, was contemplating a political comedy album, and we thought it would be a good title- even though we didn’t know how to write it. When McCain / Palin lost, I tucked the title in my hook book, figuring it would never be relevant again.

I had access to the artist’s camp.

Matt was published by Ray Stevens at the time, and we were hoping Ray would do a political album. When he finally decided to, we started pulling ideas together for it. If I hadn’t had access to the camp via Matt, I wouldn’t have even heard about the project until it was already finished.

I squeaked my wheel.

I was over at Ray’s office one day, and he was in a meeting. When Suzi, Ray’s daughter, poked her head out, I offhandedly said, “Hey, I have a song idea for Ray. It’s about Sarah Palin, and it’s called “Caribou Barbie.” She laughed and went back into the meeting. Later that afternoon, I was over in Ray’s parking lot picking up my car when Ray happened to walk outside. He said, “Hey, I wanna hear ‘Caribou Barbie’.” I said, “I’ll write it!”

I picked my cowriters strategically.

Since the artist had already said he wanted to hear my idea, I knew it would be easy to find a cowriter. So, the question was, “who’s best?” It was an easy call- Matt Cline and Max T. Barnes. Both these guys wrote for Ray’s publishing company, so he’d have extra incentive to cut it. They were also dialed in to the project, having songs in the mix already. Plus, they’re a great hang and really good writers. I called them up, and we met at Ray’s the next morning.

We wrote the song with the artist in mind.

Obviously, we kept Ray top-of-mind as we wrote the song. What does Ray want to say? What’s his musical style? Is X-Y-Z his brand of humor? We wrote it and laid down a worktape that day.

We pitched the song directly to the artist.

The next day, Matt and Max played “Caribou Barbie” for Ray. We were open to his suggestions, but other than a few tweaks Ray made in the studio (including the word ‘jackass’- that wasn’t me), it was pretty much the same.

There you go. Preparation (hook book) + access (cowriter) + action = a cut. Every cut has its own particular details, but I hope my story helps you on your journey.

God Bless,

Brent

YOU VS…

You can check out “Caribou Barbie” on iTunes by clicking here. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment! (Unless you just want to go on a political rant- that isn’t the point of this blog or post.)

SHOUT OUT…

Big shout out to Gord Bamford, who has the #1 country song in Ireland this week (Dec. 2013) with a song we wrote called, “When Your Lips Are So Close.” It hit #1 in Canada a couple weeks ago, and it’s good to see it making its way across the globe!

www.gordbamford.com

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

Biz, Craft, Songplugging

10 Reasons Songwriters Should Pitch Their Own Songs

December 4, 2013 Brent Baxter 10 Comments

When I signed my first publishing deal with Major Bob Music, I thought, “This is great! I can just sit in my writer’s room, write every day, and let our three songpluggers pitch my songs and get ‘em cut.” This was a mistake. Not that Scot, Mike, and Jesse weren’t smart, hardworking guys who wanted me to succeed. No, those guys worked hard for all of their writers. It was a mistake because I spent the first couple years of that deal missing out on the benefits of pitching my own songs. Here are ten benefits.

1. My odds improve.

It’s HARD to get cuts, so I want all hands on deck. Simply put, the more songs of mine that are getting pitched, the better the chance of the right song hitting the right ears at the right time.

2. My back catalog stays active.

When you leave a publishing deal, it’s natural for your pluggers to back-burner your old songs and focus on their current writers and their newest songs. Pitching my own songs helps keep my best old songs in circulation.

3. I hear my songs more honestly.

Sitting across the desk from a producer or A&R rep makes me hear my songs differently. Little flaws which I might’ve ignored before become more obvious, especially if they pass on the song. Over time, this kind of listening makes my “flaw-detector” more sensitive when I’m writing.

4. I demo songs more wisely.

On a related note, the experience and feedback I get from pitching helps me demo only my best-chance songs. My flaw-detector is more sensitive, and I ask myself important questions like, “Do I ever pitch this type of song? Does this type of song ever get kept or cut? Is this song going to replace one of the songs I’m currently pitching? Am I excited about playing this song for so-and-so?”

5. Nobody knows my catalog better than I do.

Sometimes, a song may sit around for years before the right pitch comes along. A plugger probably won’t remember it if it’s not in the regular pitching rotation. But I might. For example, when I heard that comedy legend, Ray Stevens, was doing a political album, I dusted off an old, never-before-pitched song called “Fly Over Country,” which had reverted back to me from my Major Bob deal. Ray cut it.

6. It builds my personal brand.

An A&R rep may hear five of my songs in a day from five different sources. That’s great, but they might never know those are my songs. They might associate the songs with my cowriters or the publishers who brought them. If it’s ME in the room, though, the rep hears several of my songs in a row and get to put my face to the name on the CD. And I get to do the same, which is handy if I see them out at an industry function. Oh,and I hopefully get them to like me as a person, which never hurts.

7. It can lead to cowrites.

When an A&R or producer associates your amazing songs with you- an amazing person – and you happen to be in the room with them… they might just decide to hook you up for a cowrite with another writer they dig or (even better) one of their artists. It’s a beautiful thing.

8. I get the inside scoop.

The A&R/producer can tell me what they need, and I can ask followup questions. That may bring to mind another song from my catalog (from any publisher I’ve had) which I can play right then or send later. And this info won’t have the chance of getting mis-relayed or not relayed at all to me by my plugger.

9. My songs are the focus of the pitch meeting.

My plugger goes into meetings representing several writers, all of whom are really good. So while I might land a couple of songs in the meeting, there are others that won’t be mine. But in my meetings, I’m on all the songs. More pitches, more chances to win.

10. I develop my own contacts.

What happens if your songplugger gets hit by a bus? Or if you lose your publishing deal? If you’re only relying on your plugger’s contacts and don’t have any of your own, your songs aren’t gonna get heard as often. I’ve been between deals, and it felt good knowing (and not just hoping) that my songs were still getting pitched.

So, there you go. My top ten reasons songwriters should pitch their own songs. Now, please forget everything you just read- I don’t need the extra competition.

God Bless,

Brent

YOU VS…

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

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Biz, Craft

Getting A Foot “Indie” Door

November 27, 2013 Brent Baxter 3 Comments

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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Biz, Craft

Walk-on Songwriters

November 25, 2013 Brent Baxter 4 Comments

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!

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Biz, Craft

8 Questions To Ask Before You Demo That Song

November 20, 2013 Brent Baxter 6 Comments

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!

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Biz, Craft

6 Ways Songwriters Can Keep Motivated

November 13, 2013 Brent Baxter 14 Comments

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

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

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Biz, Craft

10 Ways To Get To A Publisher

November 6, 2013 Brent Baxter 11 Comments

It’s hard to get to get a music publisher’s time and attention. There are many reasons for this, some of which I discussed <HERE.> Today, I want to share some pathways to a publisher.

1. The unsolicited request.

This is the only easy path on the list- and it’s the one I don’t really recommend. This is where you just put in a cold call or email to a publisher and ask for a meeting. It has a very low success rate (you’re lucky to get a response at all), and there are better strategies available.

2. The professional recommendation.

Publishers listen to those in their peer group. If you can get recommended by another publisher, an A&R rep, a professional songwriter, etc., it will go a long way toward getting you in the room. Your best bet for a recommendation from an industry pro is making a fan of someone at NSAI, Global Songwriters Connection (GSC), or another songwriting organization.

3. The personal relationship.

Do you have a relative or friend anywhere in the music biz? Leverage your personal contacts. It isn’t cheating- nobody gets here alone.

4. The business relationship.

When I first got to Nashville, I got a part-time job at a publishing company. As I got to know our administrative clients- patiently, over time- I was able to approach them about listening to my songs.

5. The PRO recommendation.

A PRO is a Performing Rights Organization. In the US, we have ASCAP, SESAC, and BMI. Each PRO has writers reps who spend part of their time meeting with writers. If, over the course of several meetings, you can make a rep a believer in your music, they might book you up with some publishers. They can’t do that for everyone, so don’t expect it. Every time they recommend a writer, they risk some of their professional credibility.

6. The Pitch-To-Publisher event.

Organizations like NSAI and GSC have events where their members can play one (I repeat- one) song for a Music Row publisher. If you or your song knock their socks off, it might open a door. You don’t always have to be in Nashville to participate in these events, so check their websites for details.

www.nashvillesongwriters.com www.globalsongwriters.com

7. The staffwriter cowrite.

It’s not easy to get a cowrite with a pro writer, obviously (read about why HERE). However, if you write a killer song with a staffwriter, their publisher is likely to ask who you are. If they love what you write with their writer, they will probably be open to hearing more of your stuff.

8. The industry function.

If you meet a publisher out at a writers night, workshop, etc., be patient. Don’t get all excited and shove a CD in his face or beg her for a meeting. Try to connect in a real way on a personal level. Make a connection, not just a contact. There are a lot of crazies out there, and a publisher will usually need to sniff you out a few times before they’re up for a meeting.

9. The major cut.

I wasn’t getting much publisher love till I got (and owned the publishing on) my Alan Jackson cut. Suddenly, I had a skeleton key to just about every publisher’s door on Music Row.

10. The artist buzz.

The value of the writer/artist has skyrocketed over the past few years. If you’re getting buzz around town as a potential artist, that goes a long way toward getting a publisher’s attention. Even if you aren’t a great writer, they know they can always hook you up with great writers.

I know at this point, you might be more frustrated than you were five minutes ago. Hey, nobody said this was easy. I just don’t know of any path to a publisher that is quick and easy (outside of dumb luck). And luck is not a strategy. However, like they say, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

What about you? Are there ways you’ve used to get to a publisher that I didn’t mention here? Are there some ways you DON’T recommend? We’d love to hear from you!

God Bless,

Brent

THE PRO KNOWS

To BE a pro, you need to THINK like a pro. In this complimentary report, learn the mindsets that help the pro songwriter get cuts, earn respect in the industry, and maintain long-term success in the music business. Just click on the picture below to download this complimentary report today!

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Biz, Craft

4 Ways Debt Kills Songwriters’ Dreams

October 29, 2013 Brent Baxter 3 Comments

Debt is a dream-killer. If you want to make “the jump” to seriously pursuing songwriting as a career or if you are already a pro, I highly encourage you to avoid debt like the plague. If you’re already saddled with debt, pay it off as fast as you can. Here are four ways debt kills songwriters’ dreams.

1. Debt makes “the jump” more difficult.

The higher your “bare minimum” income is, the less likely it is that you can take that $18,000 to $25,000 per year staffwriting deal… or that your spouse will let you! I know some people who are able to chase songwriting full-time because their family can live off the other spouse’s income. The more debt your family has, the less likely it is that you can be that lucky spouse.

2. Debt limits how much you can invest in your dream.

$700 in car payments, $150 in student loans, and $600 per month in credit cards could keep you from getting that demo recorded or making that trip to Nashville. How fast can you save up money for moving to Nashville if you have those kind of bills?

3. Debt brings stress.

Financial stress steals your energy and focus. It steals your creativity. How much can you focus on achieving your goals if you’re not sure how to juggle your bills? Financial stress is the #1 cause given for divorce, and debt is a major cause of financial stress. Beyond songwriting, do what’s best for your family.

4. Debt makes it harder to survive the valleys.

This goes back to your “bare minimum income.” If you’re blessed to get a staffwriting deal, the odds are fairly good that you’ll get dropped at some point (no offense). The more bills you have every month, the less time you have to get another publishing deal before you have to get a “real job.”

A big part of going pro (and staying pro) is giving yourself all the time you can in which to achieve success. It’s also about putting yourself in a position to ride out the peaks and valleys. Debt limits you in those areas. Do yourself, your family, and your dream a favor… kill the dream-killer.

YOU VS…

If you want to get out of debt or want to stay motivated to keep out of debt and build wealth, I highly recommend Dave Ramsey’s book, “Financial Peace.” Here’s a link:

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Biz, Craft, Cut Study

Cut Study: Joe Nichols “Crickets”

October 23, 2013 Brent Baxter 12 Comments

I’m blessed to have the title track to Joe Nichols’ new album, “Crickets,” on Red Bow Records. Last week, I discussed some of the creative and business choices which went into writing the song. You can read that post by clicking HERE. The journey of this particular song, I think, provides some valuable lessons. Here are a few of them:

Value brings opportunity.

Bill Whyte and Lisa Shaffer had the idea for “Crickets.” I’d never written with Bill, but I’d written several songs with Lisa. She thought my sense of humor, storytelling and lyrical sensibilities would be a good fit for the song, so they invited me in. (Thank you!) Simply put, I was invited in by two good writers because they believed I would add value.

Nobody gets it right all the time.

After we finished the song, we liked it and wanted to demo it. My publishing deal at the time was ending, but I turned it in hoping they’d love it and cover the demo costs (after all, my advance was going away, and I was about to be broke). Well, they didn’t know exactly what to do with the song, so they didn’t want to demo it. But it was still stuck there. So, my publisher was wrong because the song eventually got cut anyway. I was wrong because for the price of 1/3 of a guitar/vocal, I could own the publishing on a Joe Nichols cut. Ouch.

Write with go-getters.

Lisa and Bill, while disappointed that my publisher didn’t believe in the song, were not gonna quit on it. They fronted the money and did a guitar/vocal anyway (they are both self-published). Again, thank you, Lisa and Bill!

Don’t give up on a quality song.

“Crickets” was written in August of 2010, and it got cut in the summer of 2013- almost three years later. It was put on hold by Luke Bryan and Easton Corbin, but overall, it wasn’t getting a lot of love.

New camps bring new opportunities.

I’d pitched “Crickets” for Joe Nichols several times when he was with Universal South, but I never could get anyone on his team excited about it. Eventually, Joe left there and signed with Red Bow. He also changed producers. I pulled the song back out and pitched it to his new team. This time, it got through.

Pitch your own songs.

The head of Joe’s label is a big decision-maker on every song his artists record. I’d never met him, but I got his email address from a friend and sent him the song. He called me later to put the song on hold for Joe.

The right outside song can still get cut.

The writers weren’t in the artist’s, label’s, or producer’s inner circles. My publisher didn’t leverage influence to get it cut. None of us are big-name writers. But we wrote the right song and got it to the right people at the right time.

Thanks for reading! Good luck, and happy hunting.

God Bless,

Brent

YOU VS…

What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment! In the meantime, you can check out “Crickets” on Amazon here…

http://amzn.to/1bmCNd6

SHOUT OUT…

Shout out to Gord Bamford, who has taken “When Your Lips Are So Close” into the Canadian Country Top 10! Thanks to my cowriters, Gord and Byron Hill- you two did a great job both writing AND producing the song! You can check out Gord at…

www.gordbamford.com

You can also read the “Cut Study” for “When Your Lips Are So Close” by CLICKING HERE.

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Biz, Craft, Songwriting Decisions

Songwriting Decisions: Joe Nichols “Crickets”

October 14, 2013 Brent Baxter 8 Comments

As songwriters, we make decisions. And it’s those creative decisions which make our songs more or less likely to get cut. Here’s a look at some of the choices we made when writing Joe Nichols’ “Crickets.”

Bill Whyte and Lisa Shaffer invited me in on the idea of writing a funny song about awkward silences called “Crickets.” This led me to my first decision…

Do I want to write this idea?

I figured there were several versions of that idea being written and pitched around Music Row, and that was a negative for me. However, I hadn’t ACTUALLY heard it written before, so I decided the idea was still up for grabs if we wrote “the” version of it. I decided to jump in . If nothing else, I figured it’d be a lot of fun.

What kind of song is it?

Well, it’s called “Crickets,” and it’s about awkward silences. Given that subject matter, we felt it had to be pretty country and pretty funny. Neither of those things was (or is) the favored flavor at radio, but we figured it was best to serve the song and hope it found a place. We didn’t want to try and make it something it wasn’t.

Is this a novelty song?

We could’ve written a novelty song, an over-the-top whacky Ray Stevens comedy song (Bill and I both have cuts by Ray). But we knew the idea, if written right, had a bigger potential market in mainstream country. So we decided to keep it more grounded and relatable.

Do we tell one story or several?

We could have written each verse as a stand-alone funny story which led to a general chorus. But that’s also the obvious way to write it. And we didn’t want to do the obvious. We decided to tackle the challenge of giving the song the “power of the present” – of diving into one story that has two or three “crickets” moments in a very compressed time frame. Why? For one thing, “3-act play” story songs aren’t getting cut very much. The time frame of most songs right now is… right now. Also, it would allow us to really immerse the listener into one story verses the more-expected “here are three separate unrelated stories we have to set up and tell in each of two verses and a bridge about a guy that sticks his foot in his mouth.” Plus, we figured that although it’d be harder and we’d have to be more creative, it’d be awesome if we could pull it off.

How do we maximize the song’s commercial potential?

We made the song about one night- one story- to engage the listener more and not have to spend so much time on setting up each joke. We also put it in the contest of a love story- the biggest commercial subject. We also made sure the awkward moments weren’t caused by the singer saying something that would be a radio-killer: something too offensive for mainstream appeal. We wanted the singer to be likable and someone the artist wouldn’t mind being for 3 minutes (on an album forever). We also put the singer on BOTH sides of the crickets moment, which we thought was unexpected and fresh.

So, that’s an overview of some of the writing decisions for “Crickets.” Even though we knew we were bucking trends by writing something more country and more funny, we made decisions within that framework to give the song maximum commercial appeal. I hope our songwriting decisions will help YOU make better songwriting decisions.

You can check out “Crickets” on Amazon by clicking this link:

http://amzn.to/1bmCNd6

God Bless,

Brent

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Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter

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

I captured the title in my hook book.

I had access to the artist’s camp.

I squeaked my wheel.

I picked my cowriters strategically.

We wrote the song with the artist in mind.

We pitched the song directly to the artist.

SHOUT OUT…

1. My odds improve.

2. My back catalog stays active.

3. I hear my songs more honestly.

4. I demo songs more wisely.

5. Nobody knows my catalog better than I do.

6. It builds my personal brand.

7. It can lead to cowrites.

8. I get the inside scoop.

9. My songs are the focus of the pitch meeting.

10. I develop my own contacts.

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YOU VS…

1. Is the song finished?

2. Is it a wide pitch?

3. Is it commercially relevant?

4. Who could sing this?

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

6. Will I pitch it… really?

7. Does this song NEED a full demo?

8. Is it great?

YOU VS…

1. Connect with your “why.”

2. Celebrate the small victories.

3. Connect with a supportive community.

4. Display visual reminders.

5. Pace yourself.

6. Protect a positive attitude.

SHOUT OUT…

1. The unsolicited request.

2. The professional recommendation.

3. The personal relationship.

4. The business relationship.

5. The PRO recommendation.

6. The Pitch-To-Publisher event.

7. The staffwriter cowrite.

8. The industry function.

9. The major cut.

10. The artist buzz.

THE PRO KNOWS

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1. Debt makes “the jump” more difficult.

2. Debt limits how much you can invest in your dream.

3. Debt brings stress.

4. Debt makes it harder to survive the valleys.

YOU VS…

Value brings opportunity.

Nobody gets it right all the time.

Write with go-getters.

Don’t give up on a quality song.

New camps bring new opportunities.

Pitch your own songs.

The right outside song can still get cut.

YOU VS…

Do I want to write this idea?

What kind of song is it?

Is this a novelty song?

Do we tell one story or several?

How do we maximize the song’s commercial potential?

Helping songwriters turn pro.