Tips from Industry Professionals on a Career in Songwriting

Every once in a while, it feels great for me to remember that at this point in my career I’ve managed to surround myself with some of the most intelligent, thoughtful and accomplished industry friends a person could possibly hope for. Not only that, but they’re generous, too. I reached out and asked some of
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Three Situations Where Songwriters Should Think Twice

The blessing – and curse – of pursuing success as a songwriter is that songwriting success often represents the equivalent of a dream come true. While it’s wonderful that as songwriter’s we’re pursuing our dreams, the danger is that we’re often susceptible to less-than-well-intentioned people hoping to take advantage of our somewhat blind enthusiasm and
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A Discussion About Co-Writing Percentages

In 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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Some Things Songwriters Shouldn’t Be Scared Of

I’d like to introduce you to Julliard trained composer, conductor, string arranger and music publisher, Dan Coleman. Dan is the co-founder of Modern Works Music Publishing which he started in 1999. Dan has also spoken on music publishing and copyright matters for BMI, Harvard and MIT among others. His commentary below is well worth your
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Pitching Or Catching? : The Way Synchs Work in the Real World

This is a guest post by attorney and music publisher, Bob Donnelly. Bob is a 40-year music industry veteran. He is a partner in Modern Works Music Publishing. He is also a partner in the law firm of Lommen Abdo. _______ Allow me to dispel a common misconception…music publishers do not “pitch” music for synchs
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Three Situations When Songwriters Should Consult An Attorney

A practicing entertainment attorney for thirty years, Trip Aldredge may not have seen it all but he’s certainly seen more than most of us. Take a look below at his piece on situations where songwriters should consider consulting a music attorney. For more of Trip’s articles, take a peek at his blog as well. Introduction I seem
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All Good Things…

Whelp… After over 150 posts on songwriting, studio work and the music business, I’ve decided to step away from my blog to purse new avenues for my songwriting and teaching. That being said, I’ve worked very hard to make sure that most, if not all, of these posts have what they call “evergreen” information. This
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