Category Archives: Muse

These posts are meant to inspire.

Muse, Think Like A Pro

Is Your Spouse Jealous Of Your Songwriting?

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I love my wife.  I’ve loved her since shortly after I met her.  But I also love songwriting- and I’ve loved songwriting LONGER.  I don’t know if I’ve ever loved songwriting more than I love her… but I know for sure that she’s sometimes FELT like I love it more.

I hope you won’t make this same mistake.

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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

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My wife, Emily, knew she was marrying a songwriter.  “Monday Morning Church” had just been a hit single for Alan Jackson when we met through her brother, my roommate and a fellow songwriter.  She knew I was a songwriter, but there was no way she knew what all came with that.  Honestly, neither did I.

I’m not ready to confess all the painful details, but let me just say I’ve wounded my wife a lot over the years, and songwriting has usually been the blade.

I’ve let songwriting carry me away from her too much.  From days in the writing room to nights in the home office or at showcases to just being gone in my mind when I should’ve been fully present with her and/or our children.

Why was I gone so much?

Fear, partly.  Songwriting is a a very, very competitive business, and there is ALWAYS more you can be doing.  Couple that fear with a lack of faith – faith that God is in charge of my success, not me – and you have the perfect recipe for workaholism.  Add in the fact that I love love love songwriting, and it’s even easier to get sucked in.

And when this priority imbalance leads to hurt feelings and conflict, where have I usually turned?  To more work and songwriting.  Music is my alcohol.   Songwriting is my drug.

Songwriting has been my affair.  And my wife has rightfully felt cheated.

I’m not sharing this post to air my dirty laundry.  It’s embarrassing, honestly.  I’m not the husband I promised I’d be.  Thankfully, God has enough grace to cover me, and He’s doing the (painful) work of making me more like Christ.  He has a long way to go, just for the record.

I’m writing this blog post because I want to spare you and your spouse from making these same mistakes and causing or feeling the same hurts.

Songwriting is NOT more important than your marriage.

You didn’t stand in front of God, family and friends and vow to be faithful to songwriting “till death do us part.”  You made the promise to your husband or wife, not to music.

Take some time today to really be honest with yourself.  Have you been unfaithful?  Have you been cheating on your spouse with music?  Go ask your husband or wife if they feel cheated.  You might not like the answer.  But don’t go into defensive mode.  Just shut up, listen and honestly consider what they have to say.  It might be time for an apology.  It might be time to take a break from writing bridges.  It might be time to start rebuilding them instead.

Love is more valuable than love songs.

 

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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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

_________________________________
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

Muse

Thanksgiving For Songwriters!

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SWP 4

Thanksgiving For Songwriters!

This week, I’d love for each of us to take a look at some things that we have to be thankful for as songwriters.  Let’s get to the good stuff!

Be thankful that we (live in a country where we’re free to chase this crazy dream!

Be thankful that it’s a great time to learn the art, craft and business of songwriting.  Between podcasts, YouTube, blogs and other resources, there is a wealth of information out there for us.

Be thankful that we can cowrite remotely.  Skype, Google Hangouts and other platforms mean we don’t have to live in New York, LA, or Nashville to write with other songwriters.

Be thankful for online communities where you can meet cowriters, support others, and be supported by other songwriters.  (By the way, Songwriting Pro and The C.L.I.M.B. both have Facebook groups you can join…)

On a personal level…

I’m thankful for each of my current cowriters who believe in my talent and abilities.  And I love that they let me hang out with them and enjoy their talents.

I’m thankful for the Songwriting Pro community- for each of you who comment on blog posts or share them.  I’m also thankful for the cool songwriters I’ve met through workshops and coaching.  Ya’ll are awesome!

I’m thankful for the listeners of The CLIMB.  I love reading the iTunes reviews and emails Johnny and I get from all of you awesome Climbers out there!

I’m thankful for Ruthie Collins (Curb), Joe Nichols (Red Bow), Benton Blount (America’s Got Talent) and James Dupre’ (The Voice) and others who have recorded one or more of my songs for their current albums.  Ya’ll make my words sound SO good!

I’m thankful for each and every person who has cranked up, downloaded, purchased, streamed or sang along with one of my songs this year!  THANK YOU!

What about you?  What are YOU thankful for?  I’d love to read your comments!

Here’s a “THANK YOU” for you!

Because you’re awesome.  Because I appreciate your support, engagement, and helping Songwriting Pro grow and help more and more songwriters this year, I want to give you a little something-something.

Now through the end of Saturday, you can get 15% off of any product in the Songwriting Pro Online Store.  The discount code you’ll use at checkout is:

Turkey

CLICK HERE to gobble up some deals! (See what I did there?)

Thanks and God bless,

Brent

Muse

Does having a day job make you a failure as a songwriter?

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Man vs Row

You’re a songwriter.  You’re passionate about writing songs.  Maybe you’re pretty good.  Maybe you’re even excellent.  And maybe you feel called to do music- called by God or by “the universe.”  But you have a day job.  You haven’t been able to transition to doing music full-time.

Are you a failure?

We’ll get back to that in a second.  First, let me tell you about a guy named Paul.

Maybe you’ve heard of the Apostle Paul.  Paul was passionate.  He was also very, very successful- widely considered the greatest Christian missionary in history.  He was literally called by God to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.  If there’s one guy who should’ve been able (and deserved) to follow his passion full-time, it’s Paul.

But Paul was also a tent-maker.

He made tents to help make ends meet.  At times, he’d work his day job during the week and chase his dream around it.  Sound familiar?

Tentmaker

Was Paul a failure because he didn’t pursue his passion full-time?

Of course not!  He was relentless in following his calling.  He went about it with passion and intelligence.  He never quit.  Even as he lived out his last days in a prison, he was writing letters to churches- letters which would become much of the New Testament.  And you can bet his jailers were getting an earful of the gospel!

paul prison

He was faithful to his calling, and that made him successful.  The results, he understood, weren’t in his control.  God didn’t “deliver” Paul from his day job (I sometimes wonder if that was the “thorn in the flesh” Paul talked about.  But that’s probably just my personal issues showing.).

God used Paul’s day job to fund some of his missions work.  There was a reason it was best for Paul to step back at times and make tents. (Read my blog post: “Day Job: A Songwriter’s Prison or Patron?“) What was God doing in his heart and mind during those hours that made him even more effective when he was preaching?

So if Paul, the greatest missionary in history, was not a failure in spite of his day job, you probably shouldn’t see yourself as a failed songwriter based on your day job status.  Maybe being a full-time songwriter isn’t the plan for you.  Or maybe this season is to prepare you for full-time writing later.  It’s sure not for me to say.

The question isn’t, “Am I able to write full-time?”  The question should be, “Am I being faithful to my calling?”

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.  Please leave a comment!

1-to-1 Coaching

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Muse

A few notes… (from a songwriter)

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Man vs Row

I’ve been hearing some buzz around Music Row, so I thought I’d share.  Here are also some general lessons I’ve learned from my time as a pro songwriter.

Songwriters are now getting publishing deals based on desire alone!

That’s right.  It doesn’t matter how hard you work or how good your songs are.  All that matters is how much you use the word “hustle” on social media.

Radio wants ballads, ballads, ballads!

They’ve decided that it’s not important to keep listeners around between the car dealership commercials.  They’ve decided to play the longest, slowest, most confusing ballads they can find for the 12 people that want to hear them.

It’s easy to get a hit!

It’s not ultra competitive.  There’s aren’t thousands of songs competing for each spot on a record, much less the few spots on radio.  You aren’t up against people who have spent years honing their craft- or whose house payment depends on it.  You can probably just wing it and be just fine.

You can’t do it!

Yep.  The music business is full.  No more room.  Everyone who will EVER be successful is already “in ‘da club.”  Nobody else will EVER go from unknown, unpublished songwriter to hit songwriter.  Never again.  Not ever.  So give up.

What about you?  What news do YOU have to share?  I’d love to read your comments!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Brent Baxter is a hit songwriter with cuts by polka luminaries such as Harry Larry and the Flying Hungarians, Seymour Butts and Under The Bleachers, and more. He’s written a top 40 hit in the Netherlands and a #1 in Zimbabwe… so far.

April Fools

Man vs Row

Muse

Fail. Fail. Fail… Win.

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Man vs Row

Let me share some failures with you. Don’t worry. There’s a happy ending.

Elvis Presley was booed off stage in Batesville, Arkansas (my hometown). Garth Brooks got passed on by every record label in Nashville. “Bless The Broken Road” was a non-hit single for an artist named Melodie Crittenden in 1998. A songwriter named Brett James gave up on the music biz and moved back to Oklahoma. A young songwriter named Kenny Chesney was told by a cowriter they should hire a demo singer for their song because Kenny “can’t sing.” “Monday Morning Church,” written by two unknown writers, failed to make NSAI’s Pitch-To-Publisher Luncheon.

What a bunch of losers, right? What a bunch of nobodies who never made it and songs that failed miserably.

Of course, we all know that’s not how these stories end.

Garth, Elvis, and Kenny became hugely successful artists, selling millions of records. Brett James started getting cuts, moved back to Nashville, and has written a ton of hits. “Bless The Broken Road” became a multi-week #1 and career song for Rascal Flatts. “Monday Morning Church” went top 5 for Alan Jackson and got me into the music business.

That’s how life often works. Fail. Fail. Fail… Win.

Obviously, not every song and songwriter that gets rejected will eventually find major success. Honestly, most won’t. Some songwriters have countless “fails” before a win. Some don’t have very many at all.

So, if you have some failures on your ledger… so what? Dust yourself off and try again. Learn from your failures. Fail again. Fail better.

The truth is, we rarely know when we’re close to a success or a breakthrough. We just keep working hard, plugging away. Fail, fail, fail…

I know. It’s easy for me to say. I’ve been blessed with some wins to go along with my losses. And I can’t promise you that your next (or first) win is just around the corner. But I can promise you that failing is just part of the process. It’s a part of every success story.

Don't Fear Failure

Maybe you’ve had so many “fails” in a row that you’re considering quitting your pursuit of professional songwriting or getting cuts. If that’s where you are, there’s a book by Seth Godin that may serve you. It’s called, “The Dip,” and it’s about when to stick it out and when to just get out. I’m a fan of Seth’s work, and while I haven’t read this book just yet, it’s on my to-read list. Here’s a link if you want to check it out.

I’d love to hear from you! Have you read “The Dip?” What did you think? Have you heard (or lived) any good Fail-Fail-Fail-Win stories? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Craft, Muse

Your Songs Have To Be Better. Period.

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Man vs Row

Ever turn on the radio, get mad and think, “Well, my stuff is just as good as THAT!  Why aren’t mine getting cut???”

Raise your hand if you’ve been there.  Yep.  Me, too.  And you might actually be writing songs that are, in fact, just as good as some of the ones on the radio.

But “just as good” isn’t good enough.

0 Just As Good

Unless you’re already one of the cool kids on Music Row with a bunch of hits and a strong network, being “just as good” equals “just as good as invisible.”  It’s not enough to get you noticed or to get your song on the radio.

If your songs are just as good as a pro’s, expect the pro writer to get the cut.

After all, the pro has paid his (or her) dues, written a lot of really good songs, has industry contacts and might be writing with the artist or producer.  If anyone’s going to get their mediocre song recorded, it’s them, not you.  It might not seem fair, but a songwriter in that position has earned it.

Your songs have to be better. Period.

Not only do your songs have to cut through all the clutter of “bad” songs, they have to leapfrog all the “good” songs and be so good they land in the stack of “great” songs.

Sure, vanilla songs will get cut, but yours probably won’t.  As an outside songwriter (one without strong industry connections), you’re up against songwriters who DO have those connections.  Basically, your song has to be so good or so right for the artist that they pick yours INSTEAD of their buddy’s (or even their own song).

Write songs so good they can’t be ignored.

0 Songs So Good

So… how do you actually do that?

There are a few ways to make your songs stand out: great melody, great production, great idea…  I’m a lyricist, so I’ve always found my advantage in finding and developing ideas.  Being known for consistently brining in strong ideas – and knowing what to do with them – has helped me attract great cowriters and land some great cuts.

I want to teach you how to find and develop great song ideas, too.

A great idea is one of the best ways to get other songwriters to not only notice you, but to tell their friends about you. If you can make another songwriter say, “I wish I’d thought of that!” they’ll remember you.

And I want you to be memorable.

I’m hosting two live, online workshops in March, and I’d love for you to join me. On March 22, I’m hosting “Finding Great Song Ideas.”  Together, we’ll explore strategies and exercises I use to come up with my best song ideas.  This isn’t about just waiting for lighting to strike.  This is about how to stand in the rain with a big lightning rod. CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT TO FIND GREAT SONG IDEAS.

Finding Ideas Workshop

On March 29, I’m hosting “Focusing Your Great Song Ideas,” which dives into how to get the most out of your great ideas.  This isn’t about going with the first angle that hits you.  We’ll discuss exercises and tactics to make sure you’re writing your best ideas in the best ways possible. CLICK HERE IF YOU WANT TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SONG IDEAS.

Focusing Ideas Workshop

Both workshops are online, so you can join us from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.  The two workshops build on each other, but they also stand alone. You don’t have to attend both to get a lot of value out of either one. However, there’s a discount if you do join both. Check them out at the links above or go to… www.gumroad.com/manvsrow.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Muse

There Are Two Wolves Fighting Inside Your Heart

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Man vs Row

I recently heard an old story that goes something like…

An old medicine man and a young warrior were out walking…

“There are two wolves fighting inside your heart. One evil. One good,” the old man said to the young warrior.

“Which one will win?” the warrior asked.

“The one you feed.”

I think there’s a lot of truth to that. And I’d like to point out some other wolves that fight in my heart. Maybe they fight in yours, too.

    The wolf of despair vs the wolf of hope.

    The wolf of laziness vs the wolf of discipline.

    The wolf of sleeping in vs the wolf of productivity.

    The wolf of fear vs the wolf of faith.

    The wolf of jealousy vs the wolf of celebration.

    The wolf of self-criticism vs the wolf of self-acceptance.

    The wolf of apathy vs the wolf of love.

    The wolf of settling vs the wolf of striving.

I’m trying to feed the right wolves. I hope you are, too.

What about you? What wolves are fighting in your songwriting heart? Which one have you been feeding, and how have you been feeding it? I’d love to hear from you!

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

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

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

think like a pro songwriter 3D

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Muse

A Songwriter’s Diet

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Man vs Row

Eating a greasy cheeseburger once a month doesn’t make you fat. Eating a salad once a month doesn’t make you skinny. And sitting down to write once a month doesn’t make you a pro songwriter.

It’s not what you do every once in a while that defines what you are (serial killers excluded). It’s what you do REPEATEDLY that defines what you are. Olympic athletes don’t just train every now and then. Their training is a habit, a discipline. It’s part of their lifestyle.

Now, I’m not saying you should be writing as much as a lot of pros do. Realistically, most of us can’t write from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday. Or even 3 or 4 nights a week. We have jobs, we have families, and we need to keep them. I get that. Heck, I live that!

But is your lifestyle saying the same thing as your mouth? If your mouth says you want to be a pro songwriter, but your lifestyle says you want to watch TV 28 out of 30 nights a month, there’s a problem. There’s a disconnect that’s going to keep you from connecting to your dreams.

If you say you want to lose 20 pounds, but your diet (how you eat on a regular basis) is full of pizza, soft drinks, potato chips with only the occasional salad… you’re never going to lose that weight.

Likewise, if you say you want to be a pro (or great) songwriter, but your “diet” consists of not-writing and lazy-writing with only occasional serious-writing, you’re not going to turn pro.

Again, I have grace for you if you’re in a season of life that just doesn’t allow consistent writing time. Give yourself some grace, too. Lord willing, this season will pass and you’ll have more time later.

But if you DO have time to write, but you’re NOT writing… consider this your well-deserved kick in the britches.

What about you?  What is the “junk food” that you struggle with?  Is it TV time?  Partying?  Sports?  Leave a comment- I’d love to hear from you!

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

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

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

think like a pro songwriter 3D

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Muse, MvR Community

A Songwriter’s Thanksgiving

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Man vs Row

Happy Thanksgiving! I thought it would be cool if we as songwriters could take a moment to be thankful for what songwriting has brought to our lives. It could be our own songwriting or songwriting by other people. Maybe it was a song somebody wrote for you. I’ll start.

I’m thankful that songwriting brought me to Nashville, where I met my wife. I was roommates with her brother (a cowriter), and she came to visit. Thank you, songwriting!!!

I’m thankful for all the hours I spent back home with my best friend, Tim Meitzen, camping and writing songs around a campfire. Those nights of creating and dreaming are some of my favorite memories.

I’m thankful for all the hours I’ve been blessed to spend in the writing room with good people and great talents. I’m thankful for all the laughter in those rooms. I’m thankful for some of the tears in those rooms. I’m thankful for the honesty in those rooms. And for the private concerts when I get to write with great singers!

I’m thankful for the songs that act like time capsules. I’m thankful that I can listen to worktapes and demos and remember the fun I had writing those songs or the people and situations that inspired them.

I’m thankful that my kids and grandkids (Lord willing) will be able to listen to my songs and remember me and know me through them.

I’m thankful that the other day I got to hear my wife and kids upstairs having “praise time.” They were banging away on instruments and singing along to a gospel song I helped write. That was a blessing.

I’m thankful that I live in a country where I can pack up, cross state lines, and chase a crazy dream. In a lot of countries throughout a lot of world history, people have been TOLD what their jobs will be. I’m thankful for this freedom.

I’m thankful for everyone who has ever told me they like one of my songs, or that it moved them.

I’m thankful for every person who has believed in me- everyone from my parents to friends back home to publishers who’ve signed me to deals.

I’m thankful for every artist, indie or major, who has ever sung my words.

And I’m thankful for the Man vs. Row community. You’re awesome.  What are YOU thankful for today?  I’d love to read your comments!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Man vs Row

Muse

Beware of Songwriting Vampires, Zombies & Werewolves!

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Man vs Row

In the spirit of Halloween, I figure now is a good time to warn you about a few of the ghouls who prey upon unsuspecting songwriters. Beware of…

VAMPIRES

There are people out there who will suck the life out of your dreams. Dwelling in (and on) the darkness, these predators never see the bright side or the silver living. Little by little, their biting comments slowly bleed you of your hope and optimism (“What makes you so special?” “Oh, the music biz is rigged- you’ll never make it.”). They might look like your friends, but they are dead inside. Avoid these vampires- once their negative, pessimistic attitude sinks its teeth into you, you start to become one of them.

ZOMBIES

They are among us, and their number is legion. They shuffle off to their soul-sucking day jobs like a mindless herd. They never dream. They just respond to whatever happens to be in front of them. They stagger back home and sit mindlessly in front of a TV or computer screen for hours feasting upon whatever catches their eye (“lightsss… sooo… preeetttyy…) It’s easy to turn into a zombie because being a zombie means doing the easy, numb, thoughtless thing. Spend too much of your time with the zombies and you’ll wake up one day to realize you’ve been sleepwalking through life- just like one of them.

WEREWOLVES

If you want songwriting success, you must avoid running with a pack of werewolves. These are folks who only “turn into” songwriters about once a month. The majority of the time, you’d never suspect they have that hidden side. They think they can just go about “normal life” for a few weeks, then suddenly unleash their inner songwriter for a night or two and somehow make a killing in the music business. No, the music biz is not so easily tamed. You can’t just go into beast mode on rare occasions and create a career. You need to run with a pack that is ALWAYS hungry and ALWAYS hunting. Don’t be a werewolf. Be a REAL wolf.

What about you?  What are some songwriting ghouls that you have encountered?  I’d love to hear from you!

Happy HOWLoween!

Brent

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