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.

1. Is the song finished?

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?

2. Is it a wide pitch?

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.

3. Is it commercially relevant?

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.

4. Who could sing this?

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?

5. Does the song have a fresh melody and lyric?

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.

6. Will I pitch it… really?

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.

7. Does this song NEED a full demo?

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.

8. Is it great?

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

YOU VS…

It’s hard to get to get a music publisher’s time and attention.  There are many reasons for this, some of which I discussed <HERE.>  Today, I want to share some pathways to a publisher.

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 those 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 book 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 Pitch-To-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.

www.nashvillesongwriters.com  www.globalsongwriters.com

7. The staffwriter cowrite.

It’s not easy to get a cowrite with a pro writer, obviously (read about why HERE).  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.  Hey, nobody said this was easy.  I just don’t know of any path to a publisher that is quick and easy (outside of dumb luck).  And luck is not a strategy.  However, like they say, “The harder I work, the luckier I get.”

What about you?  Are there ways you’ve used to get to a publisher that I didn’t mention here?  Are there some ways you DON’T recommend?  We’d love to hear from you!

God Bless,

Brent

THE PRO KNOWS

Nobody can provide you with an exact roadmap on how to get from being an amateur songwriter to being a professional songwriter.  But here are five things you must know – and act upon – if you want to go pro.

1. Nobody turns pro alone.

You have to build a network.  Songs move from hand to hand (or inbox to inbox) and into the right hands based on relationships.  These relationships can range anywhere from business acquaintances to best friends.  You MUST get to know people, and they must get to know your music.

2. “Professional” means your songs earn money.

In order to earn money, your songs have to have value in the market- somebody wants to record them, and a bunch of somebodies want to buy them.  To live off your royalties or to get and keep a pub deal, you songs have to earn significant income.  Your job is NOT to write songs.  Your job is to write songs that make money.

3. Songwriting is NOT your hobby – it’s your business.

If you treat it like a hobby, that’s all songwriting will ever be for you.  And that’s fine.  But if you want it to be a business, you have to act like a professional.  The serious writers make the serious money (sometimes).

4. Good enough isn’t good enough.

To break into the biz, your songs can’t be “just as good as” the worst stuff on records and radio.  If an artist wants to cut mediocre, they’ll cut THEIR OWN mediocre song, or their buddy’s or their producer’s.  Your song has to compete against everybody else’s BEST songs.

5. You WILL have to sacrifice.

The professional songwriters are the ones who have been willing to sacrifice.  They came home from their day jobs and picked up the guitar instead of the tv remote.  They spent their Spring Break in Nashville instead of at the beach.  They left family to move to Nashville.  They waited tables – even though they had a masters degree – just to be there.

Thanks for hanging in there with me- I know this post is more about perspiration than inspiration.  Work hard, good luck, and God bless!

-Brent

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