Category Archives: Do Business Like A Pro

You might be ruining your demos by making this one mistake!

Are you ruining your demo without even knowing it?

Every day, amateur and pro songwriters spend thousands and thousands of dollars and hours demoing songs in the hopes of getting it recorded by a major artist.  Many times, the amateurs and pros will both use the same studios, hire the same musicians, and both end up with quality musical tracks.

But amateur songwriters often make a killer mistake that the pros don’t.

The pros usually hire a professional demo singer while the amateur (too often) sings his or her own demo vocal.  The pro knows to put away his pride- and the microphone- and do what’s best for the song.

The pro knows it’s a lot cooler to say “my song got cut” than it is to say “I sang on the demo.”

The pro also knows that a great vocal is worth the investment.  She doesn’t get hung up on the extra $100-$250 for a singer- because she knows that a bad or mediocre vocal can ruin a demo she’s already spent $500 to $700 on.

A great demo singer can be expensive – but not as expensive as a wasted demo.

Yes, some songwriters love great voices and are definitely good enough to sing their own demos.  But sometimes even a GREAT voice isn’t the RIGHT voice.

For example, you may have a beautiful, sweet Allison Krauss voice (lucky you).  But what if you’re demoing a Carrie Underwood power ballad or a Miranda Lambert Texas roadhouse rocker?  Well, your voice- as good as it is- isn’t the right one to sell those demos.  You’ll want to hire the right demo singer if you want your song to stand a fighting chance of getting cut.

I’m not telling you to NEVER sing your own demos.

(Unless you’re me.  If you’re me, never NEVER sing anything!)  What I want you to get from this post is a wakeup call to stop and honestly consider what is best for your song.

What about you?  Do you use demo singers, or do you usually sing them yourself?  How have those choices worked for you?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments!  Also… is there anyone you can recommend as a demo singer?

Maybe you’re considering hiring a demo singer, but you aren’t sure how the whole process works.  Maybe your demo singers have disappointed you in the past, and you want to know how to get the best performances from them in the future.  Maybe you want to become a demo singer yourself, but you’re unsure how to pursue it.  Well, if any of that sounds like you, I have a cool opportunity coming up for ya!

On Tuesday, February 28, I’m hosting a live, online videoconference with top Nashville demo singer, Matt Dame.  If you want to ask your questions and learn from one of the top singers in the game, this is your chance! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.  Oh, and there are only a few spots available (so we can keep things personal and “face to face,” so don’t wait- check it out now!

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.

What Kind Of Song Should You Play For A Publisher?

Ask Your SWP

If you get the chance to play a song for a publisher, what kind of song should you play?  What kind of demo?  Should you play a cowritten song?

I’m excited to host another Play For A Publisher event in December, and I’ve received several questions from writers like you. I thought I’d answer a few of them here on the blog since the answers apply to more than just the Play For A Publisher event.

Question: What kind of song should I play?  A country song?  I song I think fits the market or radio?  Or just something I think is cool?

Chris Oglesby of BMG Chrysalis dropped some great advice on us at our last Play For A Publisher event.  Here’s what he had to say on the subject:

“Play songs for publishers that YOU love.  Don’t just play what you THINK the publisher will love.  After all, you probably don’t really know the publisher personally, so you don’t really know what they’ll like.  But songs that YOU love will tell the publisher a lot about YOU, and that’s valuable.”

I agree with Chris.  And that’s because publishers are usually looking for more than just a great song.  They’re looking for a great songwriter.  And so they want to get to know YOU.  Yes, they want to work with a writer that can write radio hits and make a ton money.  But what’s the special sauce that will make YOUR songs different, and tasty?  Well, that’s the “YOU” ingredient that only YOU can provide.  And the publisher can get the best taste of YOU when you play songs that you love- because they will have the most YOU in them.

After all, over the long haul, the real you is going to shine through in your songs- for better or worse.  So the earlier a publisher can find the real you, the earlier he can figure out if the two of you are a good match, musically, personally, and professionally.

As for me (since I’m doing the screening for the Play For A Publisher event), I’m just looking for something that knocks my socks off.  Something I think is really cool.  Not everything we played at the last event was a radio hit type of song.  But each of them were really cool in their own way.

Question: Can I ONLY play demos?  I don’t have full-band recordings of my songs…

You want to make the best first impression possible.  So, if you have two songs that are both really good, but one is demoed and the other isn’t, I’m always going to play the demoed song.  It’s more professional, and it’s just easier for the publisher to hear and “get” the full expression of your song.  But a work tape or guitar/vocal of a great song beats a full demo of a good song.

Good song people know great songs- even if they aren’t fully produced.  A good guitar/vocal should be enough.  Or even a clean, well-performed work tape.  But even the best song person might miss a great song if the work tape is really bad.

(Side note: I don’t want to work with a publisher who can’t hear a great song in a decent work tape.  After all, they’ll be listening to work tapes to help me figure out which songs to demo!)

For the Play For A Publisher event, you can send a demo, a simple stripped-down recording, or a work tape.  It’s all welcome.

Question:  Can I play cowritten songs for a publisher?  Or do I have to write the songs all by myself?

It doesn’t matter if your song is a solo write or a cowrite.  A publisher just wants a great song.  Granted, it’s more impressive if you can write a killer song on your own.  This is for two reasons: 1) it’s rare that great songs are written, much less by one person and 2) the publisher doesn’t have to wonder if you were responsible for the cool stuff in the song or not- they know it’s ALL you.

So, a great solo written song is an added bonus, but having a cowriter (or cowriters) on your song won’t make a publisher like it any less.

For the Play For A Publisher event, both solo and cowrites are welcome.  I screen them without any idea if it’s a solo or cowrite- I’m just listening for really cool songs.

Question: Ready to play YOUR song for a publisher?

Time is running out for our next Play For Publisher event!  The event itself is Tuesday, December 6, 2016, but the deadline to submit a song is Saturday, November 19.  After the 19th, it’s too late- so don’t wait.  Get your spot today!

Our special guest will be Tim Hunze of Parallel Music Publishing.   Tim works with a staff of pro songwriters including Lance Carpenter (“Love Me Like You Mean It” – #1 for Kelsea Ballerina), Jon Mabe (“The Climb” – #1 for Miley Cyrus), Jenn Schott (“Two Lanes Of Freedom” – Tim McGraw) and more!  Tim is a real pro, and he has a lot of wisdom to share from his years in the music business.  And, I’ll be honest- he’s a heck of a nice guy, too!

tim-hunze

CLICK HERE TO ENTER YOUR SONG (OR SONGS) FOR THE UPCOMING “PLAY FOR A PUBLISHER” EVENT.

Last question:  Is this event worth my time?

Well, let’s hear from a couple of the last event’s participants…

“The combination of Brent’s talent as a songwriting teacher with some of the best ears among Music Row’s publishers makes this an indispensable event for any aspiring writer.” – Joe Slyzelia “Vinyl Afternoon”

“I just took part in Brent Baxter’s Play For A Publisher event with Chris Oglesby of BMG. This was a great opportunity for me to get one of my songs in front of Chris and also to meet him personally. Chris listened to my song (and everyone else’s) start to finish and gave very useful and specific feedback regarding each. Chris and Brent took a lot of time throughout the night to answer everyones’ questions. This was very educational, helped me get my face and name in front of a prominent figure in the Nashville music industry, and honestly was a lot of fun. Thanks Brent and Chris for a great experience!” – David Hill “Are You Awake”

Play For Pub

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.

SWP 4

The C.L.I.M.B. #37: The Halloween Episode… Boo!

theclimbFINAL

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 37 is live and ready for download!

Boo!  In this week’s episode, Johnny and I discuss some of the ghouls that will haunt your songwriting career if you let them.  Beware of songwriting vampires, zombies & werewolves! (And be sure and subscribe so you never miss another helpful episode!)

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

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

Climb reviews

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

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.

The C.L.I.M.B. #36: 10 Worst Demo Mistakes

theclimbFINAL

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 36 is live and ready for download!

In this week’s episode, Johnny and I dive into the 10 worst demo mistakes.  Learn what NOT to do! (And be sure and subscribe so you never miss another helpful episode!)

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

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.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been 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

Climb reviews

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

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.

You Might Not Believe This About Music Publishers, But…

SWP 4

I wanna let you in on a Music Row secret.  No, it’s not Carrie Underwood’s phone number.  It’s a secret that can help your songwriting career get started.  Ready?  Okay, here it is:

Publishers actually WANT to like your songs. (It’s just that most songs aren’t good enough.)

I know it may not seem like it.  Playing your songs for a publisher for the first time can be terrifying.  Maybe you’ve heard horror stories about how they’ve said mean things to songwriters or how they never like anything.  Like… never ever.

Or maybe you’ve had your own song-babies called ugly to your face. Or your emails have gone seemingly ignored.  It can be easy to feel like publishers take some perverse joy in crushing songwriters’ dreams.

But I don’t think that’s really the case.

I think publishers are disappointed when they don’t like your song.  Why?  Here are a few reasons:

1. Great songs and songwriters help publishers keep their jobs.

A publisher earns his or her paycheck by getting songs cut.  And that is HARD.  So the more great songs and songwriters they can find and sign, the more their odds of getting hits increase.  They want your songs to be great so they can keep their jobs.

Pub Home Keep Job

2. Publishers don’t want to hurt your feelings.

Unless the publisher is a sociopath (or you’re an arrogant jerk and have it coming),  he takes no joy in leaving a boot-print on your heart.  Publishers know a ton of songwriters, and they know how much this stuff means to them.  Why would they enjoy hurting you?

3. Bad songs create unpleasant work for the publisher.

If they don’t listen in front of you, the publisher may just not respond if it’s a bad song.  But if you’re sitting across the desk or in a room full of other people, they have to think of something to say.  In a hurry.  And we’ve already established that they don’t want to hurt your feelings.  That means they have to go through verbal acrobatics to be kind but honest without giving you false hope.  That’s stressful.  And NOT fun.

4. Average songs waste a publisher’s time.

As I’ve said, getting songs cut is hard.  And spending part of your day listening to un-cutable songs doesn’t make it any easier.  Finding a great song is 3:00 well spent.  Sitting through anything less than a great song is 3 minutes the publisher will never get back.

Pub Hope Waste Time

5. Publishers are people.  And people like to be liked.

Publishers know the fastest way to your heart is to tell you your song is awesome.  They also know the quickest way to offend you is to say that you made an ugly song-baby.  Publishers are people, too- and they’d rather be on your Christmas card list than your “I’ll-see-you-in-the-parking-lot-later” list.

Sure, some publishers believe in tough love and will be brutally honest.  Others may just be having a bad day and aren’t inclined to like anything on that day.  And most publishers probably expect that songs from unknown songwriters won’t be great, so you must overcome their expectations.  But I don’t see why a bunch of publishers would hear something great, know it’s great, but tell you it’s bad or just ignore it.  Why would a publisher do that?  How does that benefit them?  Sure, it may be great, and they’re just mistaken to think it isn’t… but why purposefully tell you it stinks when it doesn’t?

Yes, a good publisher has a very high standard for songs.  But they WANT to find great songs.

Do YOU have a song that a publisher should hear?  If so, I have an opportunity for you…

I’m hosting the next round of Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher” soon!  We have these awesome events- with legit hit music publishers- every quarter, and the deadline to submit your song is coming up quickly!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

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.

cropped-SWP-2.jpg

You’ll Probably Regret Not Bringing This To Your Next Cowrite

This is an encore edition of a recent blog post.  I’m re-releasing it for two reasons: 1) it’s a really important topic and 2) I have a great opportunity for you at the end of it.  Thanks! -Brent

cropped-SWP-2.jpg

Let me tell you a tale of two cowrites, both from my early “pro” days. First… the bad cowrite.

I was signed with Major Bob Music at the time, and “Monday Morning Church” had recently been a top 5 country hit for Alan Jackson.  But in spite of having a publishing deal and a hit under my belt, I was still pretty much a newbie trying to figure things out.  (I still feel that way to be honest.)  Anyway, Major Bob hooked me up to cowrite with a legit hit songwriter.  This guy had many cuts and hits to his credit, and I was honored to get in a room with him.

We met at his publishing company on Music Row.  After a little chit chat, he got that familiar look on his face.

“So… got any ideas?”  No.  Not really.

I mean, I had a bunch of hooks and some ideas, but nothing great.  Nothing I was busting a gut to write.  And I apparently didn’t have anything that impressed him, either.  After I threw out several “shoulder-shruggers,” he said, “Man, we need an idea like ‘Monday Morning Church.'”  Too bad.  I must have left my stack of “Monday Morning Church” ideas at home that morning.

We chatted some more, eventually moving out to the porch where he smoked a cigarette and I watched my hopes of making a good impression going up in smoke.  We called it a day.  I call it a failure of preparation on my part.  We’ve never written again.  For me, I was embarrassed and in no hurry to risk wasting his time again.

Now for the good cowrite.

cropped-SWP-2.jpg

I met Byron Hill at Chad Green’s ASCAP Country Workshop.  And, if I remember correctly, Carla Wallace at Big Yellow Dog Music also helped connect us.  We got a cowrite on the books, and I was pumped.  Byron has written a bunch of hits including, “Fool Hearted Memory” for George Strait, “Born Country” for Alabama, “Politics Religion & Her” for Sammy Kershaw and many, many more.

I did my homework.  I pulled together several ideas and lyrics that I thought he’d like.  I really wanted to make a good impression on him. When Byron asked, “So… got any ideas?” I was ready.  He loved a lyric sketch I brought in called, “Ring On The Bar,” and we were off to the races.

This first cowrite led to some success and more opportunity.  While “Ring On The Bar” hasn’t been a big hit yet, it’s been recorded by John Pierce (RCA), James Dupre’ (The Voice), and has been on hold by several artists, including Brad Paisley.

But the big thing is that Byron and I went on to write several more songs together, including the 2014 Canadian Country Music Awards Single Of The Year (and my first #1) “When Your Lips Are So Close” with Gord Bamford.

Good thing I showed up with a good idea on that first day, huh?

And that brings me to the point of these two stories.  I believe that a strong idea is the most valuable thing you can bring to a cowrite (other than Kris Kristofferson).  “Well,” you might say, “how come these big-time songwriters didn’t throw out any of THEIR ideas?”  Here’s why:

A great idea is really the only thing a newer songwriter has to offer a seasoned pro.

Let’s face it, if you get to write with an established pro songwriter, what do THEY need from YOU?

new songwriter offer pro

They have a more valuable name in the business.  They have more connections.  They most likely bring a higher level of songwriting skill.  The only thing they need is a fresh, cool idea or melody.  Unless you’re swinging around a big fat record deal, your job is to bring in the idea or the start of a song.

If the pro has a great idea, he surely has several proven, established cowriters who could write it with him.  Why risk giving 50% of HIS idea to a songwriter who might not contribute very much?

Let me tell you, it’s more fun (and profitable) when you have a strong answer for “got any ideas?” – and I want you to be prepared when that question comes your way.  And that question doesn’t need a good answer ONLY if you get a pro cowrite.  That question comes up in EVERY cowrite.  Every time you step into the writing room, you have the opportunity to blow away your cowriter with a great nugget or idea.

Feeling like I have a stack of strong ideas allows me to walk into any cowrite with confidence.  We might not always write my idea, but I came prepared… and my cowriter knows it and appreciates it.

I want YOU to have that confidence – and those results, too.  I want your cowriters to be glad they showed up to write with you.  But I DON’T want you to have to go through years of trial, error and the occasional embarrassing cowrite like I did!  That’s why I dive deeply into the topic in my upcoming web-workshop series in August called “Song Ideas: From Blank Page To Finished Lyric.”

Blank 2 Finished

This course is designed to take you from a blank page to a new song idea to a fully developed concept to a finished lyric. You’ll learn a repeatable process you can use to discover and develop strong song ideas again and again. And you’ll also learn how to frame and focus those ideas for maximum commercial impact and appeal.

This course is INTERACTIVE! You won’t sit back and just stare at me talking for an hour-and-a-half. You won’t be some number on my dashboard. No. We’ll be face-to-face. You’ll have exercises to practice outside of our sessions. I’ll ask you questions. You can ask me questions. We’re in this thing together. That’s why I keep the workshops small- I want to get to know YOU!

Tickets for this event are on sale NOW. There are only 11 spots open, and I expect them to go fast- so don’t wait too long and miss your chance to take your songwriting to the next level!

I look forward to seeing you in August- CLICK HERE or on the image below to learn more and reserve your spot now!

Blank 2 Finished

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.

SWP 4

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 21: 10 Reasons Songwriters Should Pitch Their Own Songs

theclimbFINAL

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 21 is live and ready for download!

In this week’s episode, Brent leads as we dive into 10 reasons songwriters should pitch their own songs.  If you’re in a publishing deal (or hope to be in one) and expect your song pluggers to just go out and get you cuts, you’re making a BIG mistake- one that could cost your cuts!  Give this episode a listen. (And be sure and subscribe so you never miss another helpful episode!)

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

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.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been 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

Climb reviews

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

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.

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 20: 20 Biggest Indie Artist Marketing Mistakes (part 2)

theclimbFINAL

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 20 is live and ready for download!

In this week’s episode, Johnny leads as we dive into part two of the 20 biggest indie artist marketing mistakes.  If you’re an independent artist doing your own marketing/promo, I hope you aren’t wasting your money and spinning your wheels making these mistakes.  To make sure you aren’t, give this episode a listen! (And be sure and subscribe so you never miss another helpful episode!)

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

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.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been 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

Climb reviews

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

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.

How Does A Pro Songwriter Balance Passion & Profit?

Ask Your SWP

Today, I want to tackle a question I got from a Songwriting Pro reader…

QUESTION:

“As a pro songwriter, do you write each song with the goal of profit, or (in the beginning) did you just write out of passion- and success naturally flowed from that passion?”

ANSWER:

YES and NO.

Okay, you’re probably looking for a little something more, so here goes.  I wrote – and still write- for BOTH passion and profit.  I’ve always loved creating.  It started with making up my own comic books, then moved to short stories, poetry, and now songwriting.  Creating something new has always given me a buzz.  I get off on it, pure and simple.

And that passion for songwriting led me to write for profit.  Why?  So I could spend more time writing!  If I can make a living writing songs, it means I can spend a lot more time on my passion.  I don’t have to jam songwriting into the cracks between a day job, family time, laundry and sleep.  If I can replace a day job with songwriting- I get to just focus on songwriting, family, friends and sleep (haven’t figured out a way to avoid laundry yet).

I love getting cuts.  It’s validating and encouraging.  And not many feelings are better than hearing my own song on the radio.  And the money from a hit single is fantastic, no doubt.  But I would trade cuts for just being able to sit in a room with a buddy every day and make up songs.  Unfortunately, that’s not how the world works.  I need money to keep a roof over my head.  So I aim for cuts and hits because it allows me to write more songs.  Money feeds my habit.

Cuts equal time

No, success definitely didn’t “just happen” as a byproduct of writing for passion.  A lot of my songwriting success is due to things out of my control, but it was never unintentional.  I was intentional about writing often, intentional about learning the craft, intentional about networking.  I wasn’t always very good at it, but I was purposeful.  My intention to get cuts affected what kind of songs I wrote, how I chose cowriters, even moving to Nashville was a result of this intention.

I can’t say, “I made success pick me,” but I can say, “I raised my hand as high as I could as often as I could.  I made it easy for success to find me.”  It was definitely no accident.

Does this mean that every song I’ve ever written – or will ever write – is ONLY with an eye for profit?  Does this mean I never write a song “just for fun” or just because it was something I “had to say?”  No, that’s not what it means at all!  But those times are the exception, not the rule.  Because even when I write those songs, I usually try to craft them into a commercially relevant form.  (Best of both worlds, right?)  Even with “passion” songs, it’s wise to write them in a way that leaves the door open for profit.

What about you?  How do you balance passion and profit?  Do you even bother trying to balance them?  And if YOU have a question you’d like me to address in a future blog post, email me at brent@songwritingpro.com.  (I can’t get to them all, but I’ll answer your question here on the blog if I think it’ll help the Songwriting Pro community.  Oh, and I’ll leave your name out, so you’ll keep your privacy.)

If you want to become a songwriting pro (in how you think, write songs or do business), then a great place to start is RIGHT HERE.  I want to help you on your songwriting journey.  I’ve been in the music business for years, and I’m here to help you get the cuts – and avoid the bruises.  CLICK HERE TO START 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. PRO

 

The C.L.I.M.B. Episode 19: 8 Questions To Ask Before You Demo That Song (part 2)

theclimbFINAL

The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast Episode 19 is live and ready for download!

Ever get a demo back and realize you just wasted a few hundred bucks?  I know- it hurts.  Well, we’re here to help you avoid that!  On today’s episode, Brent leads as we finish up the questions you should ask yourself before demoing a song.  This episode will help YOU spend your money and time wisely.

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

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.

Thanks to everyone who has already downloaded our first run of episodes, covering topics like “10 Ways To Get To A Music Publisher” and “6 Simple Ways To Make Your Songs More Commercial.”

It’s been 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

Climb reviews

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

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.