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Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
It’s football season, so I’ve been going through the highs and lows of my Arkansas Razorbacks and Arkansas State Red Wolves. I have football on the brain. I love football (and I have the surgical scars on my knee to prove it). Anyway, it hit me the other day that we’re all walk-on players. (Walk-on players are on the team, but NOT on scholarship.) If walk-on proves his worth on the practice field, he will be given an opportunity to see playing time during a game. If he does well, he may receive a coveted scholarship the next season.
Likewise, we come to Music City as walk-ons. We’re not on scholarship- nobody is paying us to play. We hit the practice field- we write and play out. If we prove our worth , we see some action “in the game” – our song gets pitched to an artist, we write with a pro writer, we get some indie cuts, etc. If we prove our worth in the game, we might receive a scholarship- a publishing deal, a major cut, etc.
Good luck. Play hard. And, most of all, enjoy the game!
God Bless,
Brent
What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment!
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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
So, you’ve written a stack of songs, and you’ve mowed a bunch of yards to get demo money. The big question right now is not when to demo, where to demo, or how to demo. The big question to ask is SHOULD you demo this song? If you thoughtfully and honestly answer the following questions, you will spend your money more efficiently and effectively.
I love the emotional high of having just finished a song and feeling like it’s a big ‘ol hit. But it’s important to step back and make sure it’s really finished. 90% right and 100% right might mean the difference between a pass and a keep or a hold and a cut. Have you played it for an industry pro and gotten their feedback? Have you played it for other writers and asked them for their honest opinion?
A wide pitch is a song that fits a large number of artists. A narrow pitch is one that only a very limited number of artists could record. For example, if you say, “If George Strait doesn’t cut this, I don’t know who will,” that’s a narrow pitch. As a general rule, I’m gonna demo the wide pitch, because there are more pitch possibilities- there are more paths to victory.
Is this a song that a large audience will want to hear? Will it make the listener laugh, cry, dance, or think? It’s not about you- it’s about the audience.
As I discussed in my post, “The Band Is A Brand” (read it here), a wise artist is really only looking for songs that fit their brand and speak to their audience. Does this song fit the general branding of the format?
You HAVE to bring something different, especially if you are a new, unknown writer. YOUR vanilla has no chance. An artist has no reason to invest in your vanilla when they can get vanilla from friends, established hit songwriters, or just write it themselves.
If you have already demoed ten songs just like this one (and they’re not getting cut), and this one isn’t any better… what’s the point? Will you really pitch it? Maybe you should spend your time writing a song that you will pitch instead of demoing a song you won’t.
You should do what’s best for your song. Some need a full demo- rocking uptempo anthems, for example. Certain ballads and midtempos might be best presented with two guitars, a drum loop, and a great singer.
I’ve never had a so-so song get pitched to and cut by a major artist. I just haven’t. My cuts are each different- fast, slow, funny, sad – but, to me, each one has something really strong about it.
Good luck! Thanks again for checking out MvR.
God Bless,
Brent
What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? Leave a comment!
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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
Here’s a little more discussion on mechanical royalties. To watch the first video, CLICK HERE.
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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
I got word yesterday that the song I wrote with Byron Hill and Gord Bamford and recorded by Gord just went #1 on the Canadian country chart, to be published later this week. It’s both a great and a strange feeling. “Great” because it’s a #1 song- my first! “Strange” because “When Your Lips Are So Close” is a hit in another country, so I haven’t even heard it on the radio yet. There’s an odd kind of unrealness to it- almost like Byron and Gord could just be pulling my leg. But it IS real, and I’m thankful for it.
I’m sharing this because I want to publicly thank Byron who brought me in on the cowrite (and coproduced the album), Gord who already had a great thing going and didn’t have to write with me but did, and the Lord, who is the ultimate source of this blessing. Thank you.
I’m also sharing this to remind myself and you that the musical world is bigger than just Nashville and Music Row. There are opportunities around the world for songwriters with great songs. It’s easy to only look at Nashville, but Nashville isn’t all there is. Now, don’t get me wrong- I’m not turning away from Nashville by any means. But I think it’s wise to be open to “Nashville-Plus.” Nashville plus the rest of the world. Good luck, ya’ll!
God Bless,
Brent
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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.
“My wallet’s thinner than _______.”
I’ll give you one example to get you started:
“My wallet’s thinner than a penny on the railroad tracks.”
I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!
Thanks to Andrew Clayton, KK, Matt Martoccio, Wally Henderson, Samary, and Willa Thompson for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #16 (read it here)! Great job!
Hey, ya’ll. If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post. Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below. And I love it when you share this blog through facebook, Twitter, and wherever! Thanks!
-Brent
Whether you are a amateur songwriter hoping to “go pro” or you are a young pro trying to break through to the next level, a key element of success is simply to keep going. And it isn’t easy to keep going. For every person pulling a U-Haul into Nashville, there’s someone moving back home because they just don’t have the heart anymore. So, how do you give yourself the best chance to keep going? Here are a few ways.
If you don’t have a clear understanding of why you write, it’s really hard to answer the dark-valley question, “Why should I keep trying?” To dive into this a little further, click here to read, “5 REASONS SONGWRITERS NEED TO KNOW WHY THEY WRITE.”
Don’t ignore or downplay the small victories- especially early in your journey. Be grateful. Let the little victories give you confidence and fuel for the journey.
We all need people who encourage, support, and believe in us. They can be online or face-to-face, family or friends, cowriters or non-songwriting creatives. It doesn’t matter who they are, just that they will support you. And be sure and support them, too!
Remind yourself that you’re a songwriter. Remind yourself of your dreams and goals. Remind yourself of your victories. Create a vision board. Keep your guitar where it’s handy, not hidden in a closet.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. Be persistent, but be patient. You have to find a family/money/music balance that is sustainable over the course of years, not months. It might mean you can’t quit your day job just yet. Maybe you can only write one night a week for now. Sure, we all want instant gratification, but patience pays off.
To stay in it for the long haul, you have to believe success is possible, and a lot of belief simply comes from your mindset. Always seeing the glass as half-empty will cause your dreams to die of thirst. Watch what comes out of your mouth. Not only does what you say reflect what’s in your heart, it reinforces it. Practice speaking positively- strengthen that part of yourself.
God Bless,
Brent
YOU VS…
What did I miss? Anything you’d like to add or ask? What qualities are important to YOU in a mentor? Leave a comment!
I’m blessed to have the #2 country song in Canada this week (Nov. 13, 2013)! Gord Bamford released “When Your Lips Are So Close” as the lead-off single to his new album, “Country Junkie.” It’s Gord’s highest-charting song so far, and mine, too. (“Monday Morning Church” recorded by Alan Jackson got as high as #4 here in the US.) Thank you Gord and Byron Hill for inviting me in to write with ya’ll!
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If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
The publishers and A&R reps on Music Row don’t want you to tell them what your song is about. They want YOUR SONG to tell them what your song is about. Your song needs to be self-contained and self-explanatory. Don’t allow your “I wrote this song about / because…” intro to be a crutch to prop up your songwriting. Make sure your song stands on its own.
God Bless,
Brent
FOLLOW AND SHARE THIS BLOG
If you like this blog, don’t miss a single post! Subscribe by putting your email in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” section on this page. It’s either in the upper righthand corner or down below. Also, please share this blog with anyone you think would benefit from it. I appreciate it when you share it on Twitter, Facebook, and anywhere else. Thanks!
Brent’s Twitter: @Razorbaxter
Brent Baxter Music: http://www.brentbaxtermusic.com
Here’s a writing prompt for you. It’s a simple fill-in-the-blank. You can use one word or several. Feel free to get as crazy, genre-appropriate, or as imaginative as you want. The point is to get the creative juices flowing. And it’s a good thing to dig deeper, so don’t stop at the first idea that hits you. Try coming up with at least five things.
“I need ______ like ________ needs _______.”
I’ll give you one example to get you started:
“I need a new job like a brat needs a spanking.”
I’d love to hear what you come up with, so please share in the comments. Oh, and please keep your posts below an R-rating. It’s a family show, after all!
Thanks to Andrew Clayton, Derek Nyberg, Tommy, Samary, James Fate, nymatt, Paul Alvin Harris, ajarnderek, Wally Henderson, Andrew Cavanagh, Johnny Guest, and Willa Thompson for their great additions to Wordplay Thursday #15 (read it here)! Great job!
Hey, ya’ll. If you like this blog, then make sure you don’t miss a single post. Subscribe by entering your email address in the “Follow Man vs. Row via E-mail” box either in the top righthand corner or down below. And I love it when you share this blog through facebook, Twitter, and wherever! Thanks!
-Brent
