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What Songwriters Should – and Shouldn’t – Do When Meeting With Music PublishersFor most songwriters, the idea of being a staff songwriter for a music publisher is a lifelong dream. However, in order for this dream to become a reality, you’ll need to be more than just a gifted songwriter. You’ll need to show a publisher – and yourself – that you’re ready to think and act |
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Navigating Your Meeting With a Music PublisherGetting a chance to sit down with a music publisher and play them some of your songs is a genuine opportunity and one not to be taken lightly. While having great songs is certainly an important part of the equation, it is by no means the only thing that counts. To that end, I’ve listed |
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A Songwriter’s Troubleshooting Guide to Fixing Broken SongsThere are times our songs come to us easily. They feel good as we’re writing them, people respond when we perform them and the demos practically jump out of the speakers. There are other times, however, when things just don’t seem to quite come together. To help you troubleshoot, I’ve put together a checklist to |
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A Primer On Groove for SongwritersOne of the unsung elements that helps bring a song to life – and make it memorable – is the groove. By way of definition, groove is a mystical combination of tempo and feel that adds depth and texture to your song. That being said, it’s not uncommon for songwriters to relegate groove to an |
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Why Failure Is Your Friend in SongwritingI’ve heard baseball described as a “game of failure,” which means that even the greatest batters in the game miss close to seven out of every ten tries. Well, using that same math, songwriting, too, is a game of failure where the greatest songwriters who have ever lived have had success with only a tiny, |
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Six Things I Had To Do Before I Played the Grand Ole OpryA few years back, I had a career moment when I was invited to perform a song I’d co-written on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. While, of course, I want to believe the song, “The Snow and Three Thousand Miles,” that I co-wrote with the evening’s performer, Mindy Smith, was well-written, it occurred |
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Five Things I’ve Learned About Songwriting from the MastersOne of the more daunting things I’ve come to realize in my years of writing songs is that when it comes to getting cuts, you’re not only competing against all the songs being written currently but also against every song that’s ever been written. Fortunately, to balance that out, we also have the opportunity to |
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A Primer on Tension and Release in Your SongwritingTension and release in songwriting uses the same mechanics as good joke telling. The way you let your story – in your song or joke – unfold is what sets the table for a satisfying hook/punchline. The difference is that songs not only have words to do this but also a melody. When lyric and |
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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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Some Notes On Being A SongwriterI’m pleased to introduce you to Jeff Cohen. Jeff is a songwriter, producer, music publisher and industry executive with an incredibly deep knowledge of not only the craft of songwriting but also the music business. Do yourself a favor and take the time to read Jeff’s thoughts about what it means to be a songwriter |