Tag Archives: ASCAP

Biz, Do Business Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

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

July 11, 2016 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

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

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.

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?

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.”

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!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Biz, Do Business Like A Pro, Write Like A Pro

The Most Valuable Thing You Can Bring To A Cowrite

May 9, 2016 Brent Baxter 9 Comments

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

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.

Now for the good cowrite.

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

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?

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?

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’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you had similar success or failures? Please leave a comment!

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

Biz, Cowriting

How You Can Connect With A Pro Songwriter

March 21, 2016 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

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

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

1. Industry Events

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

2. Songwriter Workshops

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

3. Songwriter Rounds / Shows

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

4. Coaching

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

5. Online

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

6. Social Circles

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

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

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

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

By the way…

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

Biz, Cowriting

6 People Who Can Introduce You To Pro Songwriters

March 14, 2016 Brent Baxter 11 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, out at lunch in midtown, and out at songwriter nights. But how do you connect?

Maybe someone can introduce you.

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

1. Your PRO Rep

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

2. A Music Publisher

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

3. Industry Contacts

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

4. Other Songwriters

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

5. Personal Relationships

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

6. You

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

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

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

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

By the way…

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Craft, Cut Study

6 Words That Changed My Life

January 11, 2016 Brent Baxter 7 Comments

In 2002, I was an unknown lyricist who had just moved to Nashville from Little Rock, Arkansas. Almost zero contacts in the music business. No cowrites with pro songwriters.

Fast forward 3 1/2 years. In 2005, I’m standing on stage at the NSAI Awards receiving one of only 12 “Songs I Wish I’d Written” awards given that year. The next night was the ASCAP Awards, where I’d be receiving an airplay award for a top 5 single. I now had a publishing deal at Major Bob Music and wrote regularly with other pro songwriters.

So what got me from point A to point B? What got me from waiting tables at Cracker Barrel with a name tag that said, “Hello, my name is Brent” to having people introduce me as “This is Brent, he wrote ‘Monday Morning Church’ for Alan Jackson?” Well… God took me from A to B, really. God gets all the credit, because it certainly wasn’t because of my songwriting skills at the time.

Looking back now, it’s almost embarrassing how green I was.

And it wasn’t about my networking skills. I still knew almost no one in the music business. I was at an industry party talking to some guy. This was in 2004 after the song got cut but before it was a single. We were chatting about the song, and he said, “Man, I love that song.” I said, “Oh, you know it?” He said, “Yeah. I cut it on Alan.” It was Keith Stegall, Alan’s producer. A legend in the biz and I didn’t recognize him because I’d never actually seen him in person before. I was so embarrassed. So, no…

I was not a networking genius.

And my success wasn’t about my cowriter’s political pull in the biz. It was her first cut, too. She was still in college at MTSU! She did have a well-established publisher pitching the song, though. But our names had nothing to do with the cut.

What God used more than anything else to take me from unknown lyricist to hit songwriter… was 6 little words I ran across in a poem my mother wrote:

“Empty as a Monday morning church.”

An image. A really great image became the core of my first cut and changed my life.

If you’re like me and want to write songs that get on records and radio and compete for the big money, you’re stepping into a very, very competitive business. There are only a few spots available on the album of a major artist. And there are even less slots available on radio.

In a business this competitive, you need every advantage you can get. Small advantages can bring big results. Adding great images to your songs can give you that advantage. It can make you more attractive and valued as a cowriter. It can get you that second publisher meeting. It can make a record label go from “what else do you have” to “let me keep a copy of that.” Likewise, better imagery can take your song from “let me keep a copy of that” to “put that on hold- I want to play it for my artist.” Or maybe great imagery will even take your song from “I want to put that on hold” to “we want to record your song.”

Great imagery can even make the difference between getting a $300 album cut or a $300,000 hit single.

In a business this competitive, the opposite is also true. Your song that’s being held for an artist might not get cut because they decide to record a song that’s just a little better. Or even if they do cut your song, they might single a different song instead. And the difference between an album cut and a hit single is huge. It’s not just a huge money difference, getting a hit single will boost your status and prestige much more than an album cut ever will.

Don’t settle for images that work. Strive for the BEST images you can get into your songs. It’ll make a big difference in your songwriting. And that big difference might just give you that small edge that turns you pro.

Think you can’t write great images? Think you either have to be born with the “imagery-gene” or you’re just out of luck? Put those thoughts away. You CAN learn to get a lot better with imagery-writing. My first songs didn’t have nearly the level of imagery I can write now. What made the difference?

Time, education and practice. Now, I can’t do much about “time,” but I can help you with education. Here’s a video clip that you might find helpful.

What about you? What are some of your favorite images from song lyrics? Please share in the comments!

Since strong imagery is such an important part of professional-level songwriting, I’ve put together a course on imagery. It’s called, “Use Imagery To Supercharge Your Songwriting (Like The Pros Do)” and it’s available now. By the end of the course, you’ll have the basic skills to:

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

Click here if you’re ready to “Use Imagery To Supercharge Your Songwriting (Like The Pros Do)” or click on the image below.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz, C4X, Craft, Live Event

Songwriting Coaches Don’t Make You Do Push-Ups

December 21, 2015 Brent Baxter 8 Comments

First of all, what is a coach?

A coach is an experienced and trusted advisor. A songwriting coach could be a more seasoned, experienced cowriter. It could also be a publisher or PRO representative (ASCAP, SESAC, BMI, SOCAN, etc.) who takes time to meet with you. It could also be a pro-songwriter coach from NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) or GSC (Global Songwriters Connection), or Songwriting And Music Business. There are several good independent coaches out there, too.

A quality coach can help you get where you want to go more effectively and efficiently- if you’re willing to learn. Here are five specific ways songwriters can benefit from a coaching relationship.

1. Your coach knows things you don’t.

He may or may not have some #1s to his credit. He may or may not have a song on the charts this week. But the important thing is that he has been down the road ahead of you and can point the way. He’s seen more, learned more, and accomplished more than you have (yet). He can help accelerate your learning curve and avoid some of the pitfalls.

2. Your coach is not your mom.

A coach doesn’t have to see you at Thanksgiving or worry about the quality of the nursing home you’ll choose for her. Therefore, while a quality coach will not be mean, she has the freedom to be honest about your writing- as she sees it. She also doesn’t know your backstory. This means your writing has to stand on it’s own- singing about Jenny you dated in high school means ONLY what the song says. Your coach can’t fill in the gaps from your shared experience- your coach won’t know that Jenny was Prom Queen unless your song tells her.

3. It’s good practice.

If you want to get songs recorded on a professional level, you’re going to have to get comfortable throwing your babies into the real world. It can be scary and frustrating, but it’s something you need to get used to. A quality coach is a safe place to get that professional feedback. It’s a step into the music business where you’ll be challenged and have to toughen up. But it’s also safe because being “just okay” or even “bad” doesn’t close the door to them in the future. Your coach doesn’t expect you to be professional-level, and it’s not about, “Well, did you bring me a hit today?”

4. A coach is a potential entry point into the music business.

If you want to be a professional writer, you won’t get there alone. You need a network of relationships in the business, and a coach is a great start. A coach might recommend potential cowriters or publishers. He or she can be your champion- especially at places like NSAI or GSC. A coach might even write with you. Eventually. (But you should never be the one to mention it first.) None of this is guaranteed, and when you sign up with a coach, do not expect it. But if you EARN it, it MIGHT happen.

5. A songwriting coach won’t make you do push-ups.

I hate push-ups, and thankfully… no matter how bad my songs were… I’ve never had one of my songwriting coaches say, “drop and give me 20.” So, there’s that.

Coaching has had a profound impact on my songwriting. There were coaches I only met with now and then (and sometimes only once). These included guys like Chad Green and Ralph Murphy at ASCAP. It also includes publisher Clay Myers, who gave such blunt, honest and challenging feedback that I wanted to throat-punch him 10 minutes into our first meeting… and wanted to write for him 30 minutes later.

It includes my songpluggers- Mike Doyle, Jesse Frasure and Scot Sherrod at Major Bob Music, Sam Ramage at RPM Music, and Paul Compton at Writers Infinity. These guys wouldn’t just pitch my songs. They encouraged me when I was down, they celebrated our victories, and they challenged me to write better.

Are there songwriting (or other) coaches who have made an impact in your life or on your writing? Give them some love in the comments!

Coaching can make a big positive difference in your songwriting. But let’s face it, even the best, most knowledgable songwriting coach in the world won’t do you any good if you’re not willing to do the work it takes to implement their suggestions and rise to their challenges. Seeking out a coach and then ignoring their advice only annoys the coach and wastes your time. Don’t do that, okay?

But, if you ARE ready to get some coaching, and you ARE ready to do the work, I have a cool opportunity for you. It’s called The C4 Experience, or C4X. It’s a series of workshops in January and February in 2016. What does “C4” stand for?

Creative
Commercial
Coaching
Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

Click on the image below or CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz

The Power Of Community

December 14, 2015 Brent Baxter 1 Comment

Even LeBron has a coach and a team.

Even Springsteen has The E Street Band. Even Han Solo (yep, a guy with the last name “Solo”) has Chewy. Scooby Doo has Shaggy and the gang. Heck, Kool has The Gang. And I have too many examples.

Here’s the deal. There’s a romantic notion about being a creative island- of being an artistic hermit who produces great art and sets the world on fire while never leaving their cabin in the mountains.

That might be fine if you just want to create for yourself or for the sake of creating. That’s great. But if you want your art, your songs, to connect with a larger audience… if you want your songs to get on the radio… you can’t be a lone wolf.

You need a community. Just like I do.

Over the years, my community (friends, cowriters, and music biz peeps) have introduced me to great cowriters that have become close friends. They’ve opened doors for me to get jobs and publishing deals. They’ve gotten record deals and have recorded my songs.

And, perhaps most importantly, my community has challenged me to become a better songwriter, and they’ve encouraged me when I felt like a lousy one.

There’s Mike Doyle, my first ASCAP writer’s rep, who told me that I had talent but also said I needed to keep working on the craft. There’s Neal Coty, who has continued to write with me and tell me, “I’m gonna get us a cut,” even when I’m frustrated. There’s Lisa Shaffer, who told Paul Compton he should consider me for a publishing deal when I was without one. And there’s Paul himself, who sent me back to the writer’s room on many occasions to dig deeper- to rewrite even when I didn’t want to. There’s Tim Meitzen, my first cowriter, who gave me the thrill of hearing my song played for an audience for the first time. There’s Sheree Spoltore at NSAI who introduced me to Ruthie Collins, who ended up becoming a friend, cowriter, and an artist on Curb Records. There’s Matt Cline, who has never failed to tell me I’m good enough- even when I’ve doubted it.

And there’s more. There are many friends and cowriters who have prayed for me and opened their hearts, guitar cases and hook books for me. They’ve made me a better songwriter, and they’ve made me a better person.

Do you have a community? If so, give them a shout-out in the comments or share this post with them and say “thanks.”

It can be hard to find a community sometimes- a group that understands the struggles of an aspiring songwriter. Folks who don’t just nod and say, “sorry, bro…” when you share a wall you’ve hit- folks that can really relate because they have bruises from those same walls. It can be difficult to find those people- especially when you live outside of a major music city like New York, LA or Nashville. I know- I lived in Arkansas in the days before social media.

I want to help you form a community. I’m putting together a small group to meet through a series of live, online, interactive video workshops called, “The C4 Experience.” We’ll meet (from anywhere in the world) online for a total of 8 hours over two months. I’ll lead our discussions, but everyone will be encouraged to participate- to share your struggles and victories, and to ask your questions. We’ll spotlight each of the 8 group members of the course of the C4 Experience, and we’ll work together to help each other grow as songwriters. It’s my hope that once the C4 Experience is over, you’ll stay in touch with each other, either as cowriters or as fellow travelers on the songwriting journey.

In short, we’ll start building a community. And you know how I feel about those.

Here are the details of the “C4X.”

“C4” stands for:

Creative
Commercial
Coaching
Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

Let’s look at each part of this:

Creative:
I want to celebrate you because I’m a fan of you! I love dreamers and doers. And while I take the craft of songwriting very seriously, I believe it should be fun. If you’ve ever been to one of my workshops or live events, you know I like to have fun while I’m teaching- so you can have fun while you’re learning. And I also believe you can be creative while being commercial, which brings me to the next “C.”

Commercial:
This workshop series is for songwriters that want to write commercially successful songs- either for yourself or for others to sing. By the end of this workshop, my goal is for your songwriting to be a lot more commercial.

Coaching:
Each two-hour session will begin with 30 minutes of teaching and a lesson review. Each lesson will be based on one of the four sections of “Cut/able.” You’ll do the reading and exercises before each workshop, and we’ll meet online to discuss the lesson and answer any questions. Each student will also receive 45 minutes of “spotlight coaching.” This is a time for us to focus on YOU- your situation, your challenges, and your songs. I’ll lead, but the other students can also give their advice.

Community:
The C4 Experience is limited to just 8 students, so there will be time to get to know everyone else in the group over our 8 hours together over 4 nights. You’ll encourage each other and probably find out that your challenges aren’t that different from anyone else’s. Successful commercial songwriting is a team sport, and this just may help you build that team.

HOW DOES C4 WORK?

The C4 Experience is an online event, so you can join in from anywhere there’s an internet connection. You do NOT have to be in Nashville. You can join us from anywhere in the world. We’ll meet via Fuze, an online videoconferencing platform. Basically, I’ll send you a link before each session, and you just click to join in. If you have questions, you can find out more about Fuze, here:
System requirements
Join Fuze meeting through an internet browser

We’ll meet 4 times:

Tuesday, January 12, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, January 25, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, February 9, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)
Tuesday, February 23, 7:30pm to 9:30pm (Central time)

Each night will begin with a 30-minute lesson from “Cut/able.” We’ll work through the workbook in order:

*Session 1- W.I.L.L.power: Proving Personality & Emotions Through Your Lyrics (Connect on a deeper level with the artist and listener through effective use of imagery.)

*Session 2- PUL’D To Success: The Value of Positive, Uptempo, Love/Depth Songs (Give the artists what they need, give radio what it wants, and give the fans what they like by learning the importance of writing positive, uptempo, love/depth songs.) Read more here.

*Session 3- Neighborhoods: Where Will You Build A Home For Your Songs? (Develop skills to identify an artist’s “brand” so you can write songs that fit that brand and speak to the artist’s core audience.) Read more here.

*Session 4- Fill The G.A.P.S.: Growth, Achievement, Preaching/Positioning, Songwriting (Pinpoint areas of opportunity within an artist’s catalog- slots you can fill with your songs, songs that fit the artist’s brand without being just like what they’ve already done.) Read more here.

After the lesson/Q&A, we’ll do two 45-minute spotlight coaching sessions. We’ll focus on one of the group members each session (two per night). Each of the eight community members will get his or her own spotlight over the course of the event.

The cost of the entire C4 Experience is $250, which is a great deal. It works out to $31.25 an hour (for 8 hours). I usually charge $150 for just one hour of coaching. But with C4, you get 4 30-minute lessons with Q&A and a personalized 45-minute spotlight coaching session. PLUS, you get to participate in the spotlight sessions of the 7 other songwriters. Believe me, there will be plenty you can learn from their sessions, too!

An average demo in Nashville currently costs anywhere from $500 to $1000. That’s just for ONE SONG. That’s a fine investment if your song is commercially strong. If it isn’t… you just wasted a lot of your money. Wouldn’t it be better to spend $250 to keep from wasting $1000 or more (again and again)? For less than the price of demoing one song, you can learn how to write song after song after song that’s worth demoing! And the friends you stand to make- the allies and traveling companions? What are they worth? You can’t even put a price on that.

BONUS!

Since we’ll be learning from my workbook, “Cut/able,” it only makes sense to give you a copy when you join C4. It sells for $25, but I’ll throw it in for free. (If you already own “Cut/able,” there’s a discount code in the back of the workbook. Use it at checkout, and it’ll knock $25 off the price, so it’s like you get it for free!) Click here to find out more about “Cut/able.”

Tickets for this event are on sale NOW. There are only 8 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 January- CLICK HERE or on the image below to reserve your spot now!

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Cowriting, Craft

Are You A Songwriting Carpenter or Designer?

November 16, 2015 Brent Baxter 7 Comments

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

The Songwriting Carpenter

Strengths:

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

Weaknesses:

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

The Songwriting Designer

Strengths:

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

Weaknesses:

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

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

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

That’s why God made cowriters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz, Cowriting, Money, Songplugging

A Pro Songwriter’s Team

November 9, 2015 Brent Baxter 4 Comments

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

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

1. The Cowriters.

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

2. The Songpluggers.

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

3. The PROs.

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

4. The Recorders.

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

5. The Administrators.

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

6. The Sharpeners.

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

7. The Believers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

Biz, Cowriting, Money, Songplugging

A Pro Songwriter’s Team

September 28, 2015 Brent Baxter 2 Comments

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

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

1. The Cowriters.

2. The Songpluggers.

3. The PROs.

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

4. The Recorders.

5. The Administrators.

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

6. The Sharpeners.

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

7. The Believers.

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

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

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

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

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

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

“So… got any ideas?” No. Not really.

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

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

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

1. Industry Events

2. Songwriter Workshops

3. Songwriter Rounds / Shows

4. Coaching

5. Online

6. Social Circles

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

Maybe someone can introduce you.

1. Your PRO Rep

2. A Music Publisher

3. Industry Contacts

4. Other Songwriters

5. Personal Relationships

6. You

Looking back now, it’s almost embarrassing how green I was.

I was not a networking genius.

An image. A really great image became the core of my first cut and changed my life.

First of all, what is a coach?

1. Your coach knows things you don’t.

2. Your coach is not your mom.

3. It’s good practice.

4. A coach is a potential entry point into the music business.

5. A songwriting coach won’t make you do push-ups.

Are there songwriting (or other) coaches who have made an impact in your life or on your writing? Give them some love in the comments!

Creative Commercial Coaching Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

Even LeBron has a coach and a team.

You need a community. Just like I do.

And, perhaps most importantly, my community has challenged me to become a better songwriter, and they’ve encouraged me when I felt like a lousy one.

Do you have a community? If so, give them a shout-out in the comments or share this post with them and say “thanks.”

“C4” stands for:

Creative Commercial Coaching Community

The C4 Experience is about celebrating your creative spirit and sharpening your commercial songwriting, guided by expert coaching and encouraged by a supportive community.

HOW DOES C4 WORK?

BONUS!

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

The Songwriting Carpenter

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

The Songwriting Designer

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

That’s why God made cowriters.

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

1. The Cowriters.

2. The Songpluggers.

3. The PROs.

4. The Recorders.

5. The Administrators.

6. The Sharpeners.

7. The Believers.

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

1. The Cowriters.

2. The Songpluggers.

3. The PROs.

4. The Recorders.

5. The Administrators.

6. The Sharpeners.

7. The Believers.

Helping songwriters turn pro.

Creative
Commercial
Coaching
Community

Creative
Commercial
Coaching
Community