Tag Archives: demos

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Did You Know… You already have a music publisher?

2 Comments

“How do I get a publisher?”

“Do I need a music publisher?”

“How do I connect with a publisher?”

Those are common questions that songwriters ask me on a regular basis.  And I’ve worked to answer those questions.

Maybe you’re asking the same questions right now. And we’ll get to that. But first, I want to remind you of one very important fact… You ALREADY have a music publisher.  Congrats!

________________________________

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

_________________________________

“Uh…” you might be thinking… “I don’t remember signing a publishing deal. And I know for sure that the check for my advance hasn’t shown up in my mailbox.” True enough. But it doesn’t change the truth.

Your current music publisher is… YOU.

Here in the United States (I can’t speak for other countries), the copyright law is clear. You own the copyright of your song as soon as you put it in a fixed form. In other words, as soon as you write it down, sing it into your phone, or YouTube yourself singing it, you (and your cowriters) own the copyright.

Owning the copyright makes you the publisher.

You’re the publisher, even if you don’t have a company name registered with your PRO. Even if you haven’t registered your copyright with the Copyright Office. Even if you’ve never gotten a cut. Even if you’re not pitching your songs.

You are your own publisher. Even if you don’t act like it.

Now, am I saying that you need to run out, hire a songplugger and sign some writers? Of course not. I realize you’re probably not in that position. We’re each at different points along the journey. Maybe your journey includes landing a publishing deal. Maybe not. But I do know that if you want to be a pro songwriter, you need to treat it like what it is – a business. You need to own that fact.

The sooner you “own” your success, the sooner you will earn your success.

If you own your success – if you take responsibility for it – you might not need an outside publisher to “make it happen” for you. On the other hand, if you never own your success, there’s probably not a publisher out there who CAN “make it happen” for you.

So, what’s the next step for YOU in your success? Is it registering your personal publishing company with a PRO? Is it writing that next song (even though you’re crazy busy)? Or is it connecting with another music publisher and let them handle all the publishing stuff?

If you ARE ready to connect with a publisher, then… I’m happy to offer a path for YOU and YOUR song to get to a real, successful music publisher.

Songwriting Pro’s next Play For A Publisher event is coming right up, and our guest will be Matt Lindsey of Matt Lindsey Music.  Matt has worked closely with several #1 hit songwriters, and he’s been getting songs recorded by major artists for years.  If YOU have the songs, HE knows what to do with them!

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.  He  also  co-hosts  the  popular  podcast  “The  C.L.I.M.B.”  available  on iTunes,  Stitcher,  and  HERE.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Congratulations! You already have a music publisher!

1 Comment

“How do I get a publisher?”

“Do I need a publisher?”

“How do I connect with a publisher?”

Those are common questions that songwriters ask me on a regular basis.  And I’ve worked to answer those questions.

Maybe you’re asking the same questions right now. And we’ll get to that. But first, I want to remind you of one very important fact… You ALREADY have a music publisher.. .

________________________________

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

_________________________________

“Uh…” you might be thinking… “I don’t remember signing a publishing deal. And I know for sure that the check for my advance hasn’t shown up in my mailbox.” True enough. But it doesn’t change the truth.

Your current music publisher is… YOU.

Here in the United States (I can’t speak for other countries), the copyright law is clear. You own the copyright of your song as soon as you put it in a fixed form. In other words, as soon as you write it down, sing it into your phone, or YouTube yourself singing it, you (and your cowriters) own the copyright.

Owning the copyright makes you the publisher.

You’re the publisher, even if you don’t have a company name registered with your PRO. Even if you haven’t registered your copyright with the Copyright Office. Even if you’ve never gotten a cut. Even if you’re not pitching your songs.

You are your own publisher. Even if you don’t act like it.

Now, am I saying that you need to run out, hire a songplugger and sign some writers? Of course not. I realize you’re probably not in that position. We’re each at different points along the journey. Maybe your journey includes landing a publishing deal. Maybe not. But I do know that if you want to be a pro songwriter, you need to treat it like what it is – a business. You need to own that fact.

The sooner you “own” your success, the sooner you will earn your success.

If you own your success – if you take responsibility for it – you might not need an outside publisher to “make it happen” for you. On the other hand, if you never own your success, there’s probably not a publisher out there who CAN “make it happen” for you.

So, what’s the next step for YOU in your success? Is it registering your personal publishing company with a PRO? Is it writing that next song (even though you’re crazy busy)? Or is it connecting with a publisher?

If you ARE ready to connect with a publisher, then… I’m happy to offer a potential path for YOU and YOUR song to get to a real, successful music publisher.

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

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

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Here’s are 10 ways you can get a music publisher’s attention!

Leave a comment

There are a lot of things standing in between you and a legit music publisher.  Gatekeepers and distance are just a few.

But I have good news!  Here are 10 ways to connect to a music publisher.

________________________________

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. The unsolicited request.

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

2. The professional recommendation.

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

3. The personal relationship.

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

4. The business relationship.

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

5. The PRO recommendation.

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

6. The Play-For-Publisher event.

Organizations like NSAI and GSC have events where their members can play one (I repeat- one) song for a Music Row publisher. If you or your song knock their socks off, it might open a door. You don’t always have to be in Nashville to participate in these events, so check their websites for details.  Oh, yeah.  We have a Play-For-A-Publisher event every quarter here at Songwriting Pro, too.  We have one coming up soon, and you can find out more with a CLICK HERE.

www.nashvillesongwriters.com      www.globalsongwriters.com

7. The staffwriter cowrite.

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

8. The industry function.

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

9. The major cut.

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

10. The artist buzz.

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

I know at this point, you might be more frustrated than you were five minutes ago.  It’s just not easy to get to a music publisher.  However, I am happy to offer a potential path for YOU and YOUR song to get to a real, successful music publisher.

I host Songwriting Pro’s “Play For A Publisher.”  We have these awesome events- with legit hit music publishers- every quarter, and I probably have one coming soon!  CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY.

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

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.

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

There’s one thing better for songwriters than being “discovered!”

5 Comments

I’ve felt it.  Maybe you have, too.  It’s that rush of nerves and adrenaline as you sit across from a publisher, producer, or A&R rep as they listen to your song.

You’re on the edge of your seat with each line of your song, trying to read every little expression on their face for some clue of what might be coming next.  “The bridge!” you think, “If you just listen through the bridge, you’re gonna love 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

_________________________________

Then the song ends… or they hit “stop.”  Moment of truth.  Do they love it?  Do they hate it?  Are you about to be discovered as a songwriter?  Is your life about to change?

It’s awesome if you get discovered.  What what if you don’t?

It’s frustrating.  I know it is.  (There’s a long list of publishers who didn’t “discover” me before “Monday Morning Church” went top 5.)  It’s easy to think of those meetings as missed opportunities.  But they aren’t.  There’s a hidden opportunity every time you play a song for a pro- even if they pass on it.

Don’t miss the opportunities that come with disappointments.

You have the opportunity to close your ears and your mind to anything the pro says.

You’re free to assume that just because they don’t love your song, they obviously don’t know what they’re talking about.  You also have the opportunity to become bitter, blaming your lack of success on “politics” or “tone deaf music executives.”  Obviously, I don’t recommend you take either of these opportunities.

You have the opportunity to learn where the songwriting bar is set.

You thought your song was there, but now you know you have to elevate your craft.  Just knowing you have to get better is a HUGE gift.  Don’t miss it.

You have the opportunity to display professionalism.

Don’t turn “I don’t love your song” into “I’m never meeting with you again.”  Don’t get angry or defensive or try to talk the pro into liking your song.  They’ll just end up disliking your song AND you.  Instead, be courteous, respectful, and thankful.  Accept any feedback with grace and humility.  That will go a long way towards making you likable.  And if the pro likes you, you have a better chance of getting another meeting.

You have the opportunity to learn and get better.

Too many songwriters are so focused on getting discovered that they miss the chance to get better.  It’s a mistake to tune out once you realize the pro doesn’t love your song.  Sometimes, they’ll give you little reasons why they’re passing on your song.  Or they’ll tell you something they like about it.  Or maybe, they’ll go in depth with their feedback.

But how do you connect with a legitimate music publisher and take advantage of these opportunities?  Well, you’re in luck!

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

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

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

5 Reasons You Might Not Need A Music Publisher

Leave a comment

With the number of available publishing deals shrinking (along with royalty income), with more and more artists writing their own songs in “camps,” and with home recording getting better and cheaper… do songwriters still need publishers?

Well… the short answer is… it depends.

____________________

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

_________________________________

Here’s why you DON’T need a publisher.

1. You aren’t trying to get other artists to record your songs.

You write for yourself, family and friends.  You aren’t actively pursuing commercial success.  If it somehow happens… whatever.  But you aren’t chasing it.  Or you’re the artist and record your own songs.

2. You have your own pitch relationships.

You can get meetings with artists, A&R reps, and/or music producers.  Even if you can’t get meetings, you can at least email them songs- and you KNOW they’ll listen.  Or you are your own (signed) artist and write for yourself.  The point is, you can get your songs to someone who can say “yes.”

3. You’re self-funded.

You can cover your own demo expenses.  And you are in a financial situation that allows you the flexibility to write a lot.  In other words, you don’t need an advance (or draw) from a publisher.

4. You can do your own publishing administration.

You either outsource your publishing admin, or you’re able to do the business side yourself.  You know how to copyright, register, and license your songs that do get cut.

5. You have your own cowriter relationships.

Publishers often help hook their writers up with high-level cowriters- or even artists.  If your networking and people skills are strong enough, you can do this yourself.

So there you go.  Five reasons you might not need a publisher.  Sound like you?  Awesome!  But if not…

You might need a publisher… when your songs are good enough.

But how do you connect with a legitimate music publisher?  Well, you’re in luck- I have a great opportunity coming up for you.

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Do Business Like A Pro, P4P

Do Music Publishers ONLY Want To Hear Fully-Produced Demos?

7 Comments

When trying to get a music publisher’s attention for cowrites or a publishing deal, how produced should my songs be?

Can I play a worktape (imperfections and all), a clean guitar/vocal or piano/vocal, or does it need to have a full band?

____________________

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

_________________________________

Well, like most things in the music biz, there’s no one right answer.  Think about your goal for the meeting.  If it’s just to get feedback to make your song better, a work tape is preferable.  The publisher will feel more free to make suggestions.  If you have a full demo, it’s more uncomfortable to suggest changes that might mean dropping another $800 on a new demo.

But if your goal is to be seen as a pro and treated as a pro, you want everything about you to be professional.  And that includes your song’s production.  So you want to play the most pro-sounding recordings you have, whether that’s a guitar/vocal, or just your best “one-take” iPhone worktape.

Even though I’m already seen as a pro in the biz, I only play demos or high-quality guitar/vocals for publishers when I’m first getting to know them.  Over time, I may feel more comfortable playing work tapes- but not at first.  At first I always want to put my best foot forward.

That being said, it’s important to start playing work tapes for a publisher as your relationship deepens and you’re talking about signing a deal.  I don’t want to write for a publisher who has to hear a full demo before he knows if the song is any good or not.  I want to be able to run into his office and play that day’s work tape and have him do backflips and yell, “we gotta demo that!”

Now, I’m not saying that you should stop trying to make publisher relationships until you’ve dropped a few grand on demos.  I’m not saying that.  Get feedback through other sources first (Songwriter Pro Coaching, NSAI, etc.).  That way you can figure out if your song is worth demoing.

Playing the demo of a bad song just tells the publisher that you don’t have the judgement to know NOT to demo a bad song – so you probably don’t know it’s even a bad song.  So save your money (and your reputation) till it’s ready.

So to break down playing a full demo for a publisher:

**If the song is amazing, the publisher can run right out the door and pitch it immediately.

**If the song is good, you look like that much more of a professional.

**If the song needs work, the publisher is less likely to suggest many changes.

**If the song is bad, you look like that much more of an amateur.

If your song- work tape or demo- is ready for a publisher… if you’re ready to get some honest, helpful feedback… or if you’re ready to knock a publisher’s socks off, I have a great opportunity coming up for you.

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

If you don’t communicate well in these areas, you’re wasting your songwriting money!

Leave a comment

As songwriters, we know the value of communication.  We write our songs to communicate some specific truth or emotion.  If our songs don’t communicate, our songs don’t resonate.

But did you know that songwriters have to communicate well in some other areas if we hope to get cuts and make it in the music biz?____________________

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 must communicate well with your cowriters.

If you sit down to cowrite with another songwriter, communication is key.  If you bring in an idea, you want to share your vision of the song with your cowriter in a way that is clear and compelling.  Otherwise, you may end up kinda writing two songs at once – you’re trying to write the song in your head, and your cowriter is trying to write the song he thinks is in your head.  That’s frustrating and unproductive.  You’ll either have to “reset” to get on the same page and start over (wasted time), or your song will be a muddy mess (wasted idea).

You must communicate well with your musicians.

If you want to go into the studio with any hope of coming out with a killer demo or record, you have to be able to communicate well with the musicians.  What’s the vibe of the song?  Are there changes from the work tape you want them to make?  What if you hear a cool guitar rhythm thing in your head in the middle of the session – can you explain it to the guitar player?  At the very least, can you sit down with the band leader and explain things to him so he can “translate” it for his guys?

I’ll be honest.  I’m not good at speaking musician.  So I make sure my cowriter can, and I make sure he or she is in the studio with me.  So that’s one way to get around this hurdle- finding a cowriter who can communicate with musicians.

You must communicate well with your demo singer.

If you or your cowriter don’t sing your demo (and it might be a big mistake to sing your own demo- read more about that HERE), you’ll need a demo singer.  Demo singers won’t turn bad songs into great songs, but they can sure help great songs sound great.

But if the vocal doesn’t turn out well, it can make a great song sound “blah.”  Do you micromanage your singer from the very first pass so he or she locks up and never just “feels it?”  Or do you give them zero feedback because you don’t really know what you want- or you’re scared of sounding stupid? (I feel your pain, brother.)

Not knowing how to communicate with your demo singer is costly – in a few ways.  First of all, it’ll take longer to get the vocal the way you want it.  That means you’ll pay more for studio time.  But sometimes the vocal never quite gets right, and it’ll hurt the quality of your demo.  A “blah” demo can waste $700 to $900.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t have that kind of money to flush down the toilet.

So, what’s the solution?

Knowledge, really.  If you know how to communicate with your demo singer, you and the singer can both be more comfortable, confident, and productive in the studio.  And your demo will sound a lot better.  I want you to have that knowledge, so I’m hooking you up with one of the top demo singers on Music Row for an exclusive private online event.

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

Do Labels And Producers ONLY Want To Hear Fully-Produced Demos?

Leave a comment

So, you finally did it!  You have an opportunity to pitch a song to a label or producer for one of their artists.  Awesome!

You’re excited, pumping your fists in the air and wondering how many bottles of champagne you can fit on a yacht, when all of a sudden, it hits you…

“Should I play a full demo, a guitar/vocal, or a work tape?”

____________________

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

_________________________________

Like so many questions in the music biz, there’s no one right answer.  Personally, I’ve gotten cuts in a few different ways.  “Monday Morning Church” (Alan Jackson) and “Every Head Bowed” (Randy Travis) were pitched with full demos.  “Last Night Last” was written with Lady Antebellum, and they demoed it themselves before they cut it.  “Crickets” was pitched as a guitar/vocal for Joe Nichols.  And “When Your Lips Are So Close” was a cowrite with the artist, Gord Bamford, and cut from the work tape.

So, apparently, your songs don’t HAVE to be demoed to get cut.  But, honestly…

A great demo gives your song a better chance to get cut.

“Well, any producer or A&R rep worth anything should be able to hear a great song even if it’s not demoed!”  I agree.  But it isn’t that simple.

First of all, your song may not even get to the A&R or producer.

What if an intern or low-level A&R person listens to the “other” songs (the ones that don’t come in from already-established writers or publishers), and your song ends up on their desk?  Can THAT person hear your hit song through a work tape or simple guitar/vocal?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Don’t forget to consider the competition.

You’re not the only songwriter trying to land on an album, ya know.  The producer or A&R rep will be listening to hundreds if not thousands of other songs by a bunch of other songwriters – and many of those demos will sound amazing.  That’s your competition.

Pros don’t pitch from hissy cassette tapes these days.

If your song doesn’t sound, at the very least, clean and easy to listen to, the producer / A&R will probably immediately assume you’re a newbie.  Then your song has to be even better to get out of the hole that your recording put it in.

A poor recording puts your pitch at a disadvantage.

At the end of the day, you want your songs to sound professional and competitive.  That may mean full production with a killer demo singer.  Or it may mean guitar, some loops, and a good cowriter vocal.

Maybe you want to start demoing a few songs, or maybe you want to take your demos to the next level.  If so, I have a cool event coming up.

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

The guitar/vocal that changed the sound of Music Row

6 Comments

The song wasn’t that good. I mean, it was alright. I’ve heard worse. Heck, I’ve written worse. But this guitar/vocal set in motion a chain of events that literally changed the sound of Music Row for over a decade now.

It was probably 2002 or 2003, and I was sitting in a small upstairs writing room at Famous Music, then on 16th Avenue in the heart of Nashville’s Music Row. Across from me? Hit songwriter, Bob Regan. Were we writing a song? Heck, no! I hadn’t earned that privilege yet. No, Bob was giving me some of his time as a favor to our mutual friend, Laura McLeod (thanks, Laura Lou). Bob was listening to a few of my songs and giving me some feedback.

____________________

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

_________________________________

About three songs in, I played the guitar/vocal of a song I’d written back in Arkansas with a buddy of mine.  Like I mentioned before, the song wasn’t that great.  I was still a fairly green writer, and it was one of the first songs my friend had ever written.  And the production was simple- just my cowriter playing and singing into a mic.  (Recorded at my friend, Darian Stibling’s Blue Chair Recording Studio in Austin, Arkansas.)

Bob looked up about halfway through the song and asked me, “who’s singing this?”  I told him, and his response was, “does he look like an artist?”

My friend, the singer?  Matt Dame.

Matt was still living in Little Rock, Arkansas at the time, but Bob started bringing Matt to Nashville to sing demos for him.  That was all the foot-in-the-door that Matt needed.  His name popped up more and more as people would hear one of Bob’s demos and would want to know the singer’s name.  Word got around, and Matt got more and more work.  Soon, his talent, work ethic and personality opened enough doors that he was able to make the move to Nashville.

Since then, Matt has become one of the top male “go-to” demo singers in Nashville.  He has literally changed the sound of Music Row, as his voice comes out of speakers all over the place every day.

So, what’s the lesson here?

Matt has undeniable talent when it comes to singing. But he’s also worked hard to hone his craft.  He’s not a “lazy” singer.  Also, he took that boring 350-mile drive from Little Rock to Nashville time after time to sing demos.  That was time away from family and time he could’ve spent doing other things (like watching the Razorbacks play).

He put in the hours, and he put in the miles.

And he used his people skills.  He’s a great, great singer, but there’s not an ounce of ego on him.  He’s a great hang.  He’s professional, but also fun to work with.

Talent.  Hard work.  People skills.

Do you bring those qualities to each show, studio session and songwriting appointment?  If you do, you never know what might happen.  You might be the next one to change the sound of Music Row.

What about you?  Do you use demo singers, or do you usually sing them yourself?  How have those choices worked for you?  Have you used Matt? If so, what’d you think?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

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

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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

Do Business Like A Pro, Know The Row

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

5 Comments

Are you ruining your demo without even knowing it?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless and Enjoy the Journey,

Brent

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