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Four Reasons Why Writing Songs Gets More Fun The Longer You Do itDon’t get me wrong, compared to most work in the world, writing songs is pretty great even from the first song you write. That being said, once you’ve made the decision to take your songwriting seriously, there’s so much more to think about than just whatever inspiration happens to provide on a given day. I’m |
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Should Songwriters Put Their Songs Out There?One of the questions I get most from beginning songwriters is whether there’s any risk or problem with getting their songs out there on social media, streaming services, websites or any other ways that songs can be heard by (hopefully) large numbers of people. It’s an interesting concern to me because, in my experience, the |
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A Discussion About Co-Writing PercentagesIn songwriting, as in any creative endeavor, there’s a delicate balance between art and commerce. While writing songs is, at its core, an act of artistic expression, it also marks the creation of what attorneys refer to as “intellectual property.” So, given that there is property ownership involved, the questions on the table are how |
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What You Can-and Can’t-Do with Your Finished Song DemoRunning a recording studio for the past two decades, I’ve recorded songwriting demos for GRAMMY-winning songwriters, major music publishers all the way down to first-time songwriters. One of the things I’ve noticed is that for newer songwriters there’s often confusion about what a demo can be used for. Strictly speaking, your professional song demo is |
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Four Ways Courage Can Make A Songwriter SuccessfulWhile the life of a successful songwriter can appear glamorous, building that career step by grueling step is not for the faint of heart. Creating art is equal parts passion, inspiration and discipline and figuring out how to monetize that art requires a special kind of courage. Bravery as a songwriter takes many forms, I’ve |
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Four Things You Might Not Know About Lyric WritingAs a longtime songwriter and – often specifically a lyricist – I’ve had a chance to observe why and how lyrics work. While it’s obvious that the words can tell a story or create a mood, what’s less obvious is what happens when you take a step back and look at the role of the |
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Five Ways Cheap Becomes Expensive with Song DemosI’m not going to sugarcoat it. Professional demos aren’t cheap. Part of the business of songwriting has been – and always will be – presenting your songs in the best possible light for the music industry decision makers. These folks are used to hearing – and expect to hear – high quality recordings of the |
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Some Tips on Editing and Re-writing A LyricI’d like to introduce you to Tom Kimmel. Along with releasing several major label albums as an artist himself, Tom has written songs covered by Johnny Cash, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt and Randy Travis among others. Tom’s insights into the lyric-writing process are well worth a good read. Enjoy! _____ For some of us, a |
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Seven Things Songwriters Can Do With Their Finished Song DemosWriting a great song, while a success in and of itself, is only the beginning when it comes to getting your music out in the world. A subsequent, and essential, step is making a professionally performed and recorded demo of your song. However, where a lot of songwriters find themselves at a loss is knowing |
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Seven Tips For Getting Your Songs CutWhen you’re starting out as a songwriter, a common scenario is that something in your life moves you to the point where you’re inspired to write about it and, thus, your song is born. This may still be the case – and on some level I hope so – but if your hopes extend to |