Category Archives: Do Business Like A Pro

Do Business Like A Pro, Frettie, Know The Row

Should you copyright all your songs? Well…

7 Comments

Should I copyright all my songs?

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

Read on.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

What do the pros do?

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

What if somebody steals your song?

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

Do you protect your songs at all?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Frettie, Know The Row

Music biz professionals must think these 3 things about you.

Leave a comment

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

The more people who think these things about you, the more doors are going to open for you, the more inside information 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.

Read on if you want more songwriting opportunities. ________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

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 doors 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.

If you’re looking for an opportunity to connect with some music industry pros, I have a great opportunity for you.  In August, I’m hosting a “Know The Row” event with a legit music business pro!

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

This is YOUR chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal music publisher.

You and I both want to learn what Scot has to share.

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

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT MUSIC PUBLISHER, SCOT SHERROD.

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Frettie, Know The Row, Think Like A Pro

Six songwriting tiebreakers that can make or break your cut

4 Comments

Let’s say you’ve written a very, very good song and it’s on hold for an artist named Luke Paisley.  There’s room for one more track on the album, and the choice is between your song and one other.  Which one are they gonna cut?

The artist likes both songs, so it’s basically a tie going in.  That’s when the tiebreakers might kick in.  These tiebreakers may include…

Personal relationships.

Is one of the songs written or published by a friend of the artist?  It’s more fun to call your buddy and say you just cut his song than it is to explain that you didn’t.  Same goes for the producer’s relationships.

Business interests.

Would a publisher, manager, or someone else owe the artist or feel thankful if the artist cut one song over the other?  Is there some hidden long-term advantage to be gained?  Or would the artist, label or producer be returning a favor by cutting a particular song?

Read on if you want to learn more of these tiebreakers.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

Financial interests.

If the artist or producer is a writer or publisher on one of the songs, he makes more money by recording that one.  Same goes if the label has publishing interest on one song or the other.

Safer bets.

If one song is written by a proven hit songwriter and the other isn’t, the artist (and his team) may lean towards the hit writer’s song.  Since it’s always a bit of a guessing game as to which songs are hits, a song written by a hit writer feels like a safer bet.

Branding.

Does one song fit the artist and his brand a little better?  Will it speak to his audience in a way that’s a little more “on point?”  That can make the difference.  Or is one song too much like what he’s already recorded, and it doesn’t take him anywhere new?

Singability.

Is one song more easy and/or fun to sing?  Does one song have some weird, jumbled, hard-to-nail phrasing or some this-will-kill-my-voice notes?  That might just knock that song out of the running.  Of course, some artists make their living on those big money notes, so it really depends on the artist.

Now, you obviously can’t control which songs are your competition.  And you can’t control the interests of the people on the artist’s team.  (As a music biz veteran once told me, “they’re not anti-Brent.  They’re just pro-something-else.”)  

All you can control are the songs you write, so do what you can to give them the best chance to win.

Write the very best song you can.  Always.  But also spend time thinking about the tiebreakers and how you can turn them in your favor.  It’s not easy, and it won’t happen overnight.  But if you are mindful of this stuff as you build your career, it’ll pay off big time down the road.

What about you? What are some other tiebreakers I might’ve missed?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Also, if you’re looking for an opportunity to connect with some music business, I have a great opportunity for you.  In August, I’m hosting a “Know The Row” event with a music business pro!

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

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

You and I both want to learn what Scot has to share!

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

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT MUSIC PUBLISHER, SCOT SHERROD .

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

What Really Happens In A Music Publisher Meeting

4 Comments

So what REALLY happens in a meeting with a music publisher?  How many songs do they want to hear?  Do they try to make you rich and famous?  Or do they try to make you quit songwriting?

Well…the answer is a little complicated.  Read on.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

It can be a real mystery, what happens in a meeting with a music publisher.

I remember living back in Arkansas, just starting to learn about publishing, and wondering if I’d ever get a meeting with a publisher.  And if I did… what would it be like?

Would I need to wear a suit and ride an elevator up to some corner office?

Would I hand him (or her) a bunch of songs, and he’d just skip from one song to the next after 10 seconds each?

Would he expect me to play a song live, or would it be okay to bring a CD?

Well, I’ve had the pleasure (and sometimes pain) of many publisher meetings in my 15+ years of living in Nashville.  And while they vary quite a bit, here are some things I’ve found.

Forget the business suits.

This is the music business, after all.  You want to be presentable, but (at least in Nashville) it’s a casual-dressing business.  The publisher might be dressed in anything from shorts and flip flops to business-casual.  As for you, you’re not there interviewing to be the VP of Accounting.  You’re there as a creative.  Be yourself.  But take a shower first.

Some publishers are more chatty than others.

On a first meeting, some publishers will want to dive right into your music.  I’m guessing this helps them figure out quickly if they want to get to know you more.  If your music isn’t any good, it doesn’t matter much how charming you are.

Other publishers like to chat quite a bit.  They want to know your story- where you’re from, who you’re writing with, how you got to Nashville, etc.  They may be trying to see if they like you as a person before they listen to your songs.  If you’re a jerk, they probably don’t want to work with you, regardless of how good your songs are.

Just relax and focus on the conversation.  If you’re too anxious to play your music, it could be annoying or off-putting to the publisher.  Be patient.  Be a good hang.

Maybe one song, maybe several.

Each meeting will most likely get to the music at some point.  So the publisher will ask if you brought any songs.  Even if you plan on playing your songs live, it’s best to bring a CD of material just in case.

Most publishers will NOT listen through the whole song.  They’ll get the gist of it- figure out what they think.  Some will hold their thoughts until they’ve listened to all the songs they want to hear.  Others will discuss each song with you one at a time, giving you their thoughts and possibly offering some songwriting advice.  Others will simply say something brief and noncommittal like “cool” or “nice” as they flip from one song to the next.

Rarely will they stare you down as they listen to your babies.  They might turn to the side, staring out a window or off into space.  Or they’ll reference the lyric sheet you wisely brought.

Don’t read too much into them staring off like this.  Don’t let it get in your head.  It’s just what they do.

What about the dream-crushing?

I have yet to meet a publisher who’s interested in crushing our songwriting dreams.  So even if they have zero interest in your songwriting, they’ll usually be kind.  Some are more blunt than others, but just because your feelings get hurt, it doesn’t mean they’re telling you to catch the next Uber to the airport.  It’s nothing personal.

Some will try to find something good to say about your songwriting.  To be kind.  Or to be encouraging.  If you really knock their socks off, though, you’ll probably know it.  They’ll get excited.  They’ll want to listen more and talk more.

The closed or open door.

At the end of the meeting, the publisher may simply thank you for stopping by and wish you well as they usher you out.  In this case, it probably means your music isn’t ready to solve any of their current problems.  Don’t let this response get you too low.  You’re not a failure.  But you still a have a lot more work in front of you.

However, the publisher MAY ask you to send them more stuff, stay in touch, or come back by in a few weeks.  If they say this, you should do it.  Don’t just assume they’re being nice but disingenuous.  They’re a pro, and they made the offer.  Take them up on it.  Don’t drop the ball by disappearing after one meeting.  And don’t let this response get you too high.  You haven’t arrived.  You still have a lot more work in front of you.

So, as you can see, not every publisher or publisher meeting is exactly alike.  But they all WANT to hear wonderful songs.  They all WANT you to be the answer to their prayers.  But no matter what happens in the meeting, keep working.  Keep writing.

So what about YOU? Have you had a publisher meeting?  What was it like? I’d love to hear your comments!

Also, if you’re ready to meet with a publisher, our next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up- but the deadline to enter a song is THIS WEDNESDAY THE 28TH!  (It’s an online event, so you can join us from anywhere in the world.)

Our next guest is Courtney Allen of BMG Nashville.  Courtney works closely with hit songwriters Travis Meadows, Wynn Varble, Lucie Silvas, and more.  If YOU have the country or pop song, SHE knows what to do with it!

And if you aren’t quite ready to step into this meeting, you can still win big.  Everyone who purchases a song-submission spot will get to watch the video replay of the event.  That means you’ll be a fly on the wall in a real publisher meeting.  You’ll get to see how a real publisher actually acts in a meeting.  It’ll make YOUR first publisher meeting a lot less scary!

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS AND SEND IN YOUR SONG BY THE DEADLINE THIS WEEK!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada, and a top 10 in Texas.  His songs appear on 5 industry-certified gold & platinum albums & singles… so far.  He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.SWP 4

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Smart Songwriters Are Nice To The Nobodies

3 Comments

Smart songwriters- the ones who are both good at life and good at the long game of the music business, are nice to the “nobodies” they meet.

Because nobody is a nobody.  And someday that nobody just might be somebody you wish you knew.  Let me give you some examples.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

A lot of songwriters are really focused on “writing up” – cowriting with a big name (or at least bigger name than them) songwriter.  They also focus on getting in contact with a current popular artist.

And there’s nothing wrong with that… as long you don’t ignore the “nobodies” around you in the process.  These might be the interns at the publishing company, record label, PRO or NSAI.  It might be the tape copy guy at the publishing company where you’re starting to get meetings.  It might be a songwriter who has some good chops but doesn’t have anything going yet.

Some of these “nobodies” will climb the music biz ladder and come into positions of power and influence.  But by then you might’ve missed your chance to forge a connection with them.  Or worse, they might remember you as the songwriter who treated them like dirt because you had no use for them.  Don’t be that songwriter, because…

Nobody is a nobody.

Did you know that country music star, Faith Hill, was once a secretary for a music publisher?  I bet there were some songwriters around town kicking themselves in the 1990’s for not being a little more chatty with that blonde nobody behind the desk.

There are a lot of hit songwriters and major publishers who started off in the tape copy room of a publishing company.  How many songwriters who are now looking for a deal wish they’d been nicer to the nobody in the tape copy room?

The people you meet on the way up are the same people you’ll meet on the way down.  So be nice.

Back when I was writing for Major Bob Music (2005-2007), there was a young sungplugger there named Jesse Frasure.  You know what Jesse’s doing now?  He’s producing and writing hits for Florida Georgia Line, Rascal Flatts, Jon Pardi, Meghan Trainor, TobyMac, Billy Currington, Lauren Alaina and more.  Thankfully, I wasn’t a jerk to Jesse.

Be nice to that young sungplugger.

A few years ago, I was doing some work for NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International), and I met an awesome young lady named Tali Giles (now Tali Canterbury).  I was already a pro songwriter, so I didn’t really “need” Tali for much in her role as Membership Director at NSAI.  Guess where she is now.  She’s currently at Big Machine Label Group as the Director of A&R Project Management.

Tali’s gonna run this town, and I’m glad I was nice to her.

Here’s another one.  I first met Courtney Allen at NSAI.  Heck, I can’t even remember what her job was there.  Again, I was just hanging out before I’d teach a workshop or special event.  She was super-nice, and we’d usually chat for a few minutes.

Courtney is now a creative director at BMG Music, one of the top music publishers in Nashville.

The lesson here is just to be nice.  Don’t be so busy looking up the ladder that you forget the CLIMBers next to or below you.  This is a people business as much as it is a music business. Did I know those people would ascend to these positions?  Is that why I was nice to them?  No.  I’m not that strategic.  I can’t see the future and know who’s going to be in a position of influence 5 or 6 years down the line.

You probably can’t either.  So it’s good to get in the habit of just being kind and friendly to everyone.  Not only is does it make good sense for your future in the music business, it makes good sense for your life in general.  Remember: nobody is a nobody.

So what about YOU? Do you need to be more aware of the “nobodies” around you?  What if you don’t even know any “nobodies” yet?  Did someone treat YOU like a nobody, only to come knocking on your door after you had some success?

Let me help you meet a somebody who’s already a somebody!

Songwriting Pro’s next Play For A Publisher event is coming up, and our next guest is none other than my former “nobody” contact, Courtney Allen of BMG Nashville.  Courtney works closely with hit songwriters Travis Meadows, Wynn Varble, Lucie Silvas, and more.  If YOU have the country or pop song, SHE knows what to do with it!

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 Single Of The Year in Canada, and a top 10 in Texas.  His songs appear on 5 industry-certified gold & platinum albums & singles… so far.  He also hosts a top-rated songwriting and music business podcast called, “The C.L.I.M.B.” which can be found on iTunes or your favorite podcast app.
SWP 4

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Working IN Your Songwriting Business Is NOT Enough

1 Comment

Sometimes, I get so busy working IN my songwriting business that I forget to work ON my songwriting business.  And it hurts my songwriting career.

Let me give you an example.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

When I signed my publishing deal with Major Bob Music in early 2005 (my first publishing deal), I was an unknown songwriter who had an Alan Jackson single climbing the charts. “Monday Morning Church” would eventually land in the Top 5, I would be nominated for the Music Row Breakthrough Writer of the Year, the song would be one of only 12 voted that year by NSAI’s pro writer members as a “Song I Wish I’d Written,” and it would also win an ASCAP Award. 2005 was an incredible year.

How did I respond to this blessing? I wrote my backside off!

I dove headlong into writing full-time. That year, I finished 102 songs. I wrote like crazy. That’s pretty much all I did. Write, write, write, rewrite, and occasionally demo.

And it was a mistake.

I spent too much time working IN my business and not enough time working ON my business. Working IN my business included scheduling cowrites, songwriting, rewriting, and demoing. And I did plenty of all of that. And those aren’t bad things. After all, nobody else can write my songs for me. And without songs, I have no business.  Still, though…

I wish I had worked ON my business more.

I work ON my business when I’m doing the higher-level strategic thinking and planning that make sure that my activities are the right activities.  Working ON my business is doing those activities which will give my songs a better chance to succeed. And I had every chance to succeed.

Like I said, 2005 was an awesome year, and it opened a lot of doors for me. Additionally, the guys at Major Bob asked who I’d like to write with, and they helped book some cowrites for me. They also pitched my songs and set up some demo sessions. All good things. But if I had it to do over, I would’ve spent more time:

1. …having Major Bob introduce me to A&R reps and producers around the Row so I could start building relationships with them, and pitching my own songs.

2. …investing in my craft and business knowledge. Sure, I learned by writing a lot and writing with a lot of better writers, but I should have sought out some great, high-level mentors to accelerate my learning curve on both the craft and biz sides of songwriting. I should have asked a lot more questions over a lot more lunches.

3. …seeking out strategic cowriting relationships. I mostly jumped at every cowrite that came my way without much consideration. That kept me so busy that I didn’t spend as much time SEEKING OUT my best cowriters.

4. …building the “Baxter Brand.” While the Major Bob crew flew my flag around the Row, I should’ve done a lot more flag waving myself.

Working ON my business more would’ve helped me write songs that were more well-written, more marketable, and heard by more decision-makers, sooner.

Yes, my songs got better because I wrote a ton (and, yes, they needed to get better, so writing a lot was a good thing). My network slowly expanded organically. And I eventually started pitching my songs. And these are things that have brought my best results.

Working ON my business would’ve gotten me there faster.

So what about YOU? Do you need to spend more time working ON your music business? What activities are the ones which will accelerate your success? And what are the activities that are fun, but are working IN your business? I’d love to hear your comments!

Also, if YOU are ready to work ON your business by playing your best songs for a legit music publisher, our next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up!

Our next guest is Courtney Allen of BMG Nashville.  Courtney works closely with hit songwriters Travis Meadows, Wynn Varble, Lucie Silvas, and more.  If YOU have the country or pop song, SHE knows what to do with it!

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far. SWP 4

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

Do You Have The Cowriting Advantage?

Leave a comment

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:

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

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 meet more publishers, artists, other cowriters, etc.

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.

3. More ideas.

When you write alone, you have to come up with every single melodic and lyrical 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. 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.”

6. 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.

7. 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.

If you’re ready to speed up YOUR learning curve and grow as a writer, here’s your chance.  Ask a hit songwriter YOUR questions- and get answers.

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro.  And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional songwriter. Since moving to Nashville and signing his first publishing deal in 1978, Byron’s songs have generated more than 700 recordings, and have been released on ninety-one industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles!  Wow.

You and I BOTH want to know what Byron has to share.

Here’s the deal.  You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time.  And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com!  (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.  But the deadline to purchase a ticket is WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31!)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

7 Ways To Ruin A Pro Cowrite

2 Comments

Okay, let’s say you finally scored that cowrite with a pro writer.  Congrats!

Now don’t blow it. 

However, if you insist on messing up this opportunity to begin a cowriting relationship with a pro, here are 7 surefire ways you can do it.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

1. Be late.

Nothing says, “I’m not thankful for this opportunity” quite like being late or getting the time or date wrong. The pro is already NOT writing with one of his regular, trusted cowriters because he or his publisher scheduled you instead. Now the pro is not writing at all because he’s waiting on you to show up. Not a good start.

2. Be unprepared.

When you finally show up, make sure you have to borrow a pick.  And a pen.  And paper.  Oh, and whatever you do, make sure you don’t have any ideas or melodies or grooves ready when the pro says, “got any ideas?”  Of course you don’t have any ideas!  You like to…

3. Take without giving.

Be sure and expect the pro to carry you.  Don’t put yourself out there and really try to write something great.  Basically try to sit quietly in the room while the pro writes the song and gives you half.  And be sure and try to get the pro to hook you up with HIS contacts without offering any of YOURS.

4. Be arrogant.

You can also ruin this cowrite by going to the other extreme.  Try to impress the pro by ALWAYS being right and making sure you write YOUR idea and use all YOUR lines.  Run the show.  After all, the pro has only had more success than you- what could he possibly add to YOUR hit-in-progress?  Let him just sit back and watch you work.

5. Talk trash.

This is especially awesome of you haven’t had any cuts of your own yet.  Bad mouth what’s on the radio and the writers who wrote those songs.  If you’re lucky, they might be the pro’s friends, cowriters, or people he respects.  Or artists who have recorded his songs, too.  But you wouldn’t know that because you…

6. Don’t know who you’re writing with.

If you’re lucky, you can insult one of the pro’s songs without knowing it.  Or maybe you can ask the pro, “hey, what have you written” which is WAY more professional than a 2 minute Google search and being able to say something like, “congrats on that cut” or “man, I really love your song…”  Remember, if you want to blow a pro cowrite, it’s better to bruise an ego than stroke it.

7. Complain about the business.

Because you’re the only one who has had disappointments.  And because complaining is super productive.  And because a negative attitude is SO attractive that the pro can’t wait to spend more time with you.  Odds are, the pro has been around longer and has a bigger stack of “almosts” and “could’ve beens” and won’t be impressed by your problems.

So there you go. 7 ways to ruin a pro cowrite.  Now, I can’t guarantee that pulling out just one or two of these tricks will doom your potential cowriting relationship.  But I’d say the odds are pretty good of you being “one & done” if you hit ’em with the right combo.

But don’t just take my word for it.  Ask one of my fellow pros yourself.  Here’s your chance.

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro.  And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional songwriter. Since moving to Nashville and signing his first publishing deal in 1978, Byron’s songs have generated more than 700 recordings, and have been released on ninety-one industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles!  Wow.

You and I BOTH want to know what Byron has to share.

Here’s the deal.  You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time.  And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com!  (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

6 People Who Can Introduce You To Songwriting Pros

3 Comments

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, at lunch in midtown, and out at songwriter nights.  But how do you connect?

Maybe someone can introduce you.

________________________________

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

Click Here For The Book

_________________________________

I know.  Easier said than done, right?  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 a membership representative.  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 the 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.

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 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 bringing both sides value and being in the room, too.  And “great idea” + “pro songwriter” increases his chances 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 songwriter.  Don’t abuse your friendships, but do be on the lookout for opportunities to meet those pros.  Maybe it’s at a kid’s birthday party.  Maybe it’s at a Christmas party.  You never know.  Just be aware of the situation, and act appropriately.  And be patient.  Nobody wants a CD slammed in their hand at the neighborhood swimming pool.

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 making yourself happy, 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!  Now… on to #6!

6. Frettie & Songwriting Pro

That’s right, part of the mission of Frettie.com and Songwriting Pro is to connect YOU to the pros.  I don’t want to just give you ADVICE, I want to give you ACCESS.

 

Every quarter, I host Frettie’s “Know The Row,” with an industry pro.  And our next event is coming up in February with hit songwriter, Byron Hill!

This is your chance to sit down face-to-face (online) with a real-deal professional songwriter. Since moving to Nashville and signing his first publishing deal in 1978, Byron’s songs have generated more than 700 recordings, and have been released on ninety-one industry certified Gold and Platinum albums and singles!  Wow.

You and I BOTH want to learn what Byron has to share.

Here’s the deal.  You can join us online from anywhere in the world on Thursday, February 8, 2018 from 7pm-8pm Central time.  And this special event is FREE to members of Frettie.com!  (But don’t worry- you can still purchase a ticket even if you don’t want to take advantage of all of Frettie’s membership benefits.)

CLICK HERE TO GET ALL THE DETAILS & MEET HIT SONGWRITER BYRON HILL.

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US, a #1 in Canada & a top 10 in Texas… so far.

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row, The C.L.I.M.B.

The C.L.I.M.B. #99: The Value Of Writer/Producer Relationships

Leave a comment

The music business, like every other business, is largely about relationships.  In this episode, Brent shares the value of building good relationships with writer/producers- and how they can help YOU on your C.L.I.M.B.!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CLICK HERE TO LEAVE AN iTUNES REVIEW

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

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

TheCLIMBshow.com

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

Stitcher

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

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

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Lady Antebellum, Joe Nichols, Gord Bamford, Ruthie Collins, Ray Stevens, and more. He’s written a top 5 hit in the US and a #1 in Canada… so far.