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The Muse's News |
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Issue 12.6 - September
2009 ISSN 1480-6975 This
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I n T h i s I s s u e :
----------------------------------------------------------------- @-- Editor's Musings @-- Music Reviews - Chip Withrow & Don Sechelski @-- New Artist Spotlight Additions @-- Songwriting Book Review - by Ed Teja @-- Musical Notes - Songwriting Contests & Market Info. @-- Muse's Clues - Songwriting Web sites that inspire - brought to you by singer/songwriter & teacher, Irene Jackson. @-- Featured Article The Five Key Steps to Songplugging (Part 2) - by Penny Dionne & Troy McConnell @-- On Site Featured Article - An article already online for your viewing pleasure. @-- Classifieds & Useful Services @-- Contact information ================================================================= ISSN 1480-6975. Copyright 1998-2008 - Jodi Krangle. For more contact information, see end of issue. ================================================================= FIND THE PERFECT GIFT FOR THE SONGWRITING IN YOUR LIFE!
All sorts of products and services especially for songwriters, negotiated so that you get the best price possible. You'll find means of promotion and distribution, songwriting aids, educational products, musical instruments and their accessories, and lots more. Find the perfect gift for the songwriter in your life - even if it's you!
http://www.musesmuse.com/songwriting-store.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION (ISC) ACCEPTING ENTRIES NOW DEADLINE APPROACHING SOON
Called "the songwriting competition to take note of" by the New York Times, the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) gives away over $150,000 in cash and prizes including a $25,000 cash Grand Prize, the largest cash Grand Prize of any songwriting competition in the world! ISC's prestigious judges include Kings of Leon; Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20); Tom Waits; Adele; Wynonna; Jeff Beck; Alejandro Sanz; Loretta Lynn; Snow Patrol; Steve Winwood; McCoy Tyner; The Shins; Michael W. Smith; Robbie Williams; Jeremy Camp; and many more. Judges also include high-profile record label executives including Seymour Stein (Chairman/CEO, Sire Records); Monte Lipman (President, Universal Republic Records); Amanda Ghost (President, Epic Records); and many more. Go to http://www.songwritingcompetition.com for more info and an entry form.
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E d i t o r ' s M u s i n g s :
----------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome again to another edition of The Muse's News. The summer is still going full throttle here in southern Ontario. We're starting to get some really steamy weather ... It TOOK long enough! :) I'm hoping for a nicely warm, lazy fall. We'll see what mother nature has in store for us though.
Before getting to the meat of the newsletter, I'd like to mention that we have a new columnist here - especially for you guitar players out there. Tom Hess is now providing guitar lessons in article format. If you don't know Tom, you *should*. You can find out more about him on his section here: http://www.musesmuse.com/col-tomhess.html . I invite you to check out his first article, which is about songwriting - of course. :) Stay tuned for lots more though!
I also thought you'd want to know that the deadline for performing singer/songwriters to enter the 2009 Mountain Stage NewSong contest is fast approaching. That's September 1st, folks! You can find out more info at http://www.newsong-music.com/contest .
Beyond that, the raffle winners this month are:
* Kelly Simpson, from McHenry, IL, has won a copy of Virtual Studio Systems' Lyricist software (http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html).
* Kim Williams from Cobourg, ON Canada, has won a free 3 month membership to SongU (http://www.SongU.com), an Internet-based learning environment providing online coaching, co-writing and pitching opportunities, in addition to over 70 multi-level courses developed by award-winning songwriters.
* Laura Welch from Kissimmee, FL has won a copy of "100 Miles To A Record Deal" by author and publisher Bronson Herrmuth. (http://www.songrepair.com/bookforweb2.htm)
* Anastasia Karalekas from Laval, Quebec Canada has won a copy of the book reviewed in this month's newsletter: The Billboard Guide to Writing and Producing Songs that Sell by Eric Beall (http://www.watsonguptill.com).
If you'd like one of these prizes, feel free to write to me with your first two choices for a raffle prize, include your contact information so I know where to *send* it, and that's it! You're in! :) The prizes are all listed at the top of http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html .
Thanks for tuning in!
Wishing you every inspiration,
--Jodi
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(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WRITE BETTER SONGS WITH MASTERWRITER 2.0 - JUST RELEASED! (Muse's News readers get a special discount!)
MasterWriter is one of the most remarkable software programs ever developed for the songwriter. Its unique features together with an amazing array of reference dictionaries provide the songwriter with everything he or she needs, in one easy to use program. Why struggle to find the right word or phrase when you can have all the possibilities in an instant. In a world where good is rarely good enough, MasterWriter will be an invaluable tool in helping the songwriter consistently create the exceptional.
If you have a high speed connection, you can download a 30-Day demo. If not, we will send you a copy for $9.95 which will be deducted from the purchase price if you decide to buy.
Receive a special *$70* discount just by ordering through The Muse's Muse! Please use discount coupon # 3004.
Endorsed by: BMI, ASCAP, NSAI, PRS and Taxi. And you can try before you buy!
http://www.musesmuse.com/masterwriter-songwriting-software.html
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M u s i c R e v i e w s : Chip Withrow & Don Sechelski
----------------------------------------------------------------- NEW MUSIC REVIEWS SINCE LAST MONTH INCLUDE:
Chip Withrow: --------------
* Jason Paul Johnston http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-dionroy-gallery.html * Dion Roy http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-dionroy-gallery.html
Don Sechelski: --------------
* Marcie Brown http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-marciebrown-butterflygirl.html * Martha Ann Brooks http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-marthaannbrooks-lately.html * Hurricane Chaser http://www.musesmuse.com/mrev-hurricanechaser-themap.html
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******
For bios on each of the reviewers, see http://www.musesmuse.com/musicreviews.html . If you're considering sending in your own CD for review, you can also view that page to find out which reviewer reviews your genre. Thanks!
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N e w A r t i s t S p o t l i g h t A d d i t i o n s :
Great music is only a click away! Here are just some of the great CDs highlighted in the Artist Spotlight section of The Muse's Muse at http://www.musesmuse.com/artistspotlights.html
----------------------------------------------------------------- Priscilla Hernández - Genre: NEW AGE
Priscilla is a singer/songwriter and illustrator from the canary Islands, Spain. From ethereal haunting gothic sounds and dark lyrics to celtic pop and new age landscapes, discover the spellbinding side of fairytales with her bitter lullabies.
http://www.yidneth.com/
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Andy Michaels - Genre: EASY LISTENING
Andy Michaels is a Australian singer/songwriter and performer with a passionate and heart felt voice who combines beautiful music and melodies with lyrics in the genre of Bob Dylan and Neil Young. He believes a song should be a whole story spelling experience.
http://www.andymichaels.com/
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S o n g w r i t i n g B o o k R e v i e w : by Ed Teja
The Billboard Guide to Writing and Producing Songs that Sell by Eric Beall http://www.watsonguptill.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Most of the books that I review for this column can be easily classified as "how to" books. Despite the title, and some songwriter exercises, this one strikes me as more of a "why to" or even a "things you should know while you do what you do" book. This is because Beall focuses on getting songwriters some critical information on how the industry works and why it works the way it does. Rather than telling you how to write hit songs, this is a field guide through that minefield, filled with thoughts on what to watch for and how to see opportunity amid the chaos.
One of the most important things that this book offers is an insightful look into "what they mean when they say...." We've all heard that A&R people say they want something different, but then turn up their noses at songs that are too different. What's with that? We know they want edgy songs, but what the heck makes a song edgy. Without offering precise definitions, Beal discusses why these things are said, what they tend to indicate (you have to do a little work). Not just these phrases, but many more ideas and perspectives, which makes for an eye opening read.
There is good information on what happens when crossing genres, and staying out of the cracks between them. Much of this was new to me, in a sense, and happily points to another way of thinking about the songs you write and the way you present them.
Being a songwriter, then an A&R person, Beall easily communicates what a lot of other books on songwriting don’t even attempt, or perhaps don't do as clearly—how to read between the lines when you speak to people in the industry, how to get into the mindset of the people on the other side of the fence, and what you to do with all that networking you have been working hard to accomplish.
Although the "how to" in this book tends to be more inspirational and ideational than specific, if you have spent significant time in the songwriting trenches, it should elicit more than a ton or two of ideas that you can put to work immediately. One specific that he does mention is the idea of remixing your own tunes. The idea resonates because there are always songs you like that haven’t caught on. And perhaps the problem lies in its production rather than the song writing. I am digging up my old sessions now.
Like a good song, the book flows well, and it keeps your interest—it is a good read and reread, and probably worth a few more choruses of that. If you are trying to place your songs in this economy, be sure to read this book or risk going to market with one hand tied behind your book. Not crippling, perhaps, but it makes it difficult to play guitar.
******
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Ed Teja writes a broad range of music. His songs and instrumentals have appeared in television shows (Court TV and Discover Channel) and in a variety of videos. He has had two CDs released by Morrhythm Records (www.outstandingmusic.com) and is currently cowriting songs with an exciting singer who is working on her second CD. As a performer, Ed has appeared at strange venues in Hong Kong, Canada, St. Martin, Bequia, Venezuela, Grenada and Trinidad, as well as the Silver City (New Mexico) Blues festival, Pickamania, and the Tucson (Arizona) Folk Festival.
You can hear some of Ed's music at: http://www.myspace.com/edteja
If you'd like *your* book reviewed (as long as it has something to do with songwriting, of course!), please do email us and let us know!
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S p o n s o r M e s s a g e :
(Many thanks to the sponsors that help support this newsletter!)
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The package includes 12 audio CDs (packed with 17 repeatable lessons, including both technique--the simple, yet powerful exercises, and style lessons for building vocal licks and trills); a workbook for illustration; and a DVD for visual reference and demonstration. It's a complete course - and it has a money-back guarantee!
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================================================================= M u s i c a l N o t e s : Songwriting Contests & Market Info.
In the interest of conserving space, I will only be including changes to this listing in this newsletter. All other contests and market information that have already been listed here, are displayed at http://www.musesmuse.com/contests.html & http://www.musesmuse.com/markets.html . Please check there regularly for updates! ----------------------------------------------------------------- 11th ANNUAL GREAT AMERICAN SONG CONTEST NOW ACCEPTING ENTRIES!
The highly recommended Great American Song Contest is open to amateur songwriters everywhere. This annual international event features prestigious awards to 45 winners in 9 categories and provides $10,000 in Prizes. Music-industry judges include prominent publishers, music producers and recording artists. Entrants receive written evaluations of their songs. Songwriters, lyricists and composers are invited. Sponsored by Songwriters Resource Network, a trusted educational resource for songwriters everywhere. Submission deadline is October 30, 2009. For details, visit: For details, visit: http://www.GreatAmericanSong.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE 6th ANNUAL IAMA (INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS) KICKS OFF
The 6th Annual IAMA (International Acoustic Music Awards) is currently accepting entries, this awards competition is judged based on songwriting, performance & artistry. Win prizes in 8 different categories: Best Male Artist, Best Female Artist, Best Group/Duo, Folk/Americana/Roots, AAA/Alternative, Instrumental, Open, Bluegrass/Country. There will also be an Overall Grand Prize winner awarded to the top winner worth US$11,000, which includes radio promotion to over 250 radio stations in US and Canada, featured on Acoustic Cafe, a syndicated radio program. You may also obtain the entry form at: http://www.inacoustic.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- SONGDOOR INTERNATIONAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION
With the goal of helping songwriters everywhere to improve their craft, SongDoor provides all entrants a free self-paced songwriting course from SongU.com and free melody-writing software. The Grand Award winner receives a private-session, full band demo, produced on Music Row in Nashville, as well as a single-song publishing deal, a one-year Platinum Membership to SongU.com and many other great songwriters' tools. There are also six Category Winners. The judges (industry producers, engineers, artists and songwriters) have worked with the likes of Keith Urban, Neil Young, *NSYNC, Tony Bennett, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Kenny Rogers and The Allman Brothers, to name just a few. The competition is open to amateurs and professionals worldwide. Competition opens: April 15. Entry deadline: November 15. Entry fee: $10.
For complete details, go to: www.songdoor.com. You must be 18 or older to enter. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ARE YOUR SONGS BEING PLAYED ON THE RADIO? FIND OUT NOW!
streamSerf.com is an independent, music-auditing technology company founded to provide the music industry with even greater power, flexibility and functionality to audit the airplay of music through traditional radio stations, satellite radio stations and Internet streams. And we're delivering over 150 million pages of free reports on current radio airplay.
We listen to the radio... lots and lots of radio. Then we take all that data we get from listening and package it up into meaningful reports... reports that you can use. Our patent-pending technology allows us to listen to thousands and thousands of radio stations at the same time... Satellite, Internet and Terrestrial Broadcast stations! As a matter of fact, we are currently listening to over 30 MILLION HOURS of radio per year in 65 countries across the planet. If there's a song being played on the radio, there's a good chance we hear it.
Check out http://www.streamserf.com now. We make music count! ----------------------------------------------------------------- TAKIN' IT TO THE STREETS: FANS SUPPORT ARTISTS DIRECTLY WITH FEED THE MUSE..ONE DOLLAR AT A TIME
Feed The Muse presents a simple model for creators and audiences to join together and keep the arts flourishing and is a simple yet effective vehicle for musicians to fund their creative projects and connect to their audience in a meaningful way. It provides a means for artists to ask their fans, families and friends to contribute financially in the artists’ evolution.
If an artist has 5,000 MySpace "friends" and each contribute even $2 that totes up to $10,000 for the next tour or recording project. This process allows fans who are passionate about their artists and want to see them continue creating, the opportunity to do so without having to make a large contribution. Feed The Muse runs on the concept of microdonations. Every dollar, every donation no matter how small is a statement of faith in the project and moves it closer to completion.
Visit www.feedthemuse.net to see how easy it can be to get the support you need. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SONGBIRD CONTEST
This is a monthly ongoing song competition with a cash prize and podcast feature. One winner is chosen with two honorable mentions. All genres accepted. Songs can be submitted directly through the site ($1) or through Sonicbids ($2). All genres accepted and Winners can enter more than once with different songs. www.songbirdcontest.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- IBANDBATTLE
This is a free online battle of the bands website sponsored by Tunecore and SongU.com Bands can submit their songs for free and each week the top artists appear on a countdown show. One artist a month will receive free distro through Tunecore and a one month subscription to SongU.com A grand prize will be given to top artists of the year. All genres accepted. www.ibandbattle.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- WORLDS BEST SONGS
An International Song Competition with prizes by Broadjam, Taxi and more. There is a monthly contest with a cash prize. The yearly contest will give one Grand Prize winner $1000 cash, $1000 CASH, Winner’s Announcement in American Songwriter Magazine, 1 Year Membership to Taxi, Broadjam and Sonicbids, 1000 digipack cds of your music from Discmakers and $1000 in gift certificates for Musician’s Friend. Entry fees vary with a discount for multiple songs. www.worldsbestsongs.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- AFFORDABLE PRESS RELEASE DISTRIBUTION
My PR Music Wire offers press release writing and direct email distribution to thousands of music journalists, radio stations, and managers. You can also post your music press release for free on our website by emailing it to freewire@myprmusicwire.com. Receive 10% off your entire order when you enter the coupon code muse10 at checkout!
http://www.myprmusicwire.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- STACK THE ODDS IN YOUR FAVOR WITH THE ULTIMATE PROMOTION AND FREE CONSULTATIONS
Do you have a dream of having your music heard, being on the radio, or writing songs for other artists? You're not alone. And now, there's a faster and better way than ever before to get there. Song Warrior Music will promote your music professionally, to only publishers, producers, and record labels who specialize in your style of music and are actively seeking new songs. From the design and production of presentation materials to follow up calls/letters/mailings, and unlimited consultation before, during, and after the promotion, everything is custom designed to fit your music and your specific goals. Song Warrior Music is committed to putting the music first and giving you the absolute best possible chance for achieving your dream, because it's not just a career, it's your music. So, if you are ready to go for that dream, to schedule your free consultation, just go to http://www.songwarriormusic.com/musesmuse or call (573) 814-2169. You can talk with the owner, Jason Cannata, directly, ask him any questions you have, and find out more about The Song Warrior Music Promotion. If you believe in yourself and your dreams, and never give up, anything is possible, so contact Song Warrior Music today and Go For It! ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE DELI: A MUSIC WEBSITE FOCUSING ON LOCAL MUSIC SCENES
The Deli is the website that every A&R person and local promoter checks out on a weekly basis. Our publication and web sites focus on local music scenes and emerging artists (from rock to folk to experimental, with a little bit of hip hop as well). We currently publish a printed magazine about the NYC music scene and have daily updated , separate web pages tackling the new emerging music in NYC, LA, SF and Nashville. Check it out here www.thedelimagazine.com.
You can submit your music via the web through our open blog pages (here's the one for Nashville: http://www.thedelimagazine.com/nashville/openblog/) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FREE MUSIC PROMOTIONS EBOOK!
The author of The Little Black Book Of Band Profit Secrets has come thru again! He's just published: "Co-Op Synergy Power, Your Fast-Track To Profit, Exposure And Free Advertising..." and musesmuse.com fans can get it for free.
Click here> http://jodimuse.ssl4000.hop.clickbank.net/
And be sure to check out The Little Black Book Of Band Profit Secrets while your there... It's worth the look. ----------------------------------------------------------------- STUDIOTRAXX.COM: BREAKING NEW GROUND - FOR YOU!
StudioTraxx.com provides an e-commerce platform that allows artists/bands to purchase and book time with musicians, engineers, producers, and other music professionals for online studio collaboration purposes. They facilitate the entire music production process from beginning to end — from finding and booking the right talent to managing all resulting collaboration activities.
StudioTraxx is actively building its talent network and is encouraging both those who offer services and those who need services to sign up and register. There are no costs to join the site. Creating an account is FREE.
http://www.studiotraxx.com/?partner=837 ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE INDIE VENUE BIBLE - A GROUNDBREAKING VENUE DIRECTORY FOR ANY ARTIST PLANNING TO TOUR IN THE US OR CANADA!
26,000 live music venues of all sizes are featured including clubs, bars, restaurants, lounges, coffee shops, theaters, halls, churches, book stores, community centers, house concerts and open mics. There are also 1,500 festivals listed as well as over 1,000 colleges for any artist that wants to plan a college tour.
Jumpstart your tour today! Visit https://nt4.magma.ca/bigmeteor/ivbmuse_order.cfm for more information! ----------------------------------------------------------------- SONGWRITING CONSULTATION SPECIAL OFFER:
Pete & Pat Luboff will pay for the phone call for Muse's Muse songwriters who use the Luboffs' songwriting consultation service. The service provides detailed, constructive song analysis, answers to all your creative and business questions and references to contacts when appropriate. Visit http://www.writesongs.com/consults.htm for more information.
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M u s e ' s C l u e s : by Irene Jackson
©1998-2009 Moonstone Productions All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission
----------------------------------------------------------------- I was surprised recently to come across a website that had songwriting tips for metal songs. I guess it never occurred to me that someone might put some songwriting tips together for particular genres, but of course, why not?
Since I have a number of songwriting tips on my website, I'm curious to see what other's perspectives are when it comes to their tips. There are some I don't agree with, as you might expect! For instance, when someone says "always start with a song title", well that's just baloney. There are many successful songwriters who don't begin with a song title. I mean, it's one way of getting started, but it's not the only way!
I am also suspect when a tip writer suggests a certain length, or that there should ALWAYS be a particular form. All you have to do is listen to a few songs on the radio (if people still do that!) and you'll see that they are all different. So my advice is, when you take a look at these websites, read them with a grain of salt. They should really only be taken as suggestions, nothing is written in stone. I love metaphors as you can plainly see :-)
So to begin with I will point you to the metal songwriting tips page I found. It is only one part of a website called metalunderground.com. The songwriting tips section is found here: http://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=46898
What makes metal songwriting different? Well, for one thing, subject matter! It's okay to be blood and guts in metal songwriting whereas country songs can't get away with that! And of course, guitar and bass riffs are very distinctive in metal songs. If you don't know a lot about metal, the popular band Metallica is a good introduction to the genre. I enjoyed reading these tips from metalunderground, they are intelligent and thoughtful, and interestingly enough, many of the suggestions can also apply to other styles of music. A good song is a good song!
Another website Suite101.com, has an article called "How To Write a Hit Pop Song" by Yogesh Bakshi. It can be found here: http://music-composition.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_write_a_ hit_pop_song. I am always suspect of anyone suggesting that they can teach you to write a hit when it's obvious that they never have! However, there are also some good suggestions here...some I have even expressed on my own tips page.
On Dummies.com, there is an article called "Writing Country Songs Plain and Simple" (http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-country-songs-plai n-and-simple.html). There are a few tips, but this article does more in terms of analyzing country music and its traditions. Still a good read.
And last but certainly not least, I found a well-written article on ultimateGuitar.com simply called "How To Write Rock" (http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/music_theory/how_to_write _rock.html) . There are a number of good tips here, and a few different perspectives on what distinguishes a rock song compared to other styles.
As I said earlier, a good song is a good song, and you'll find that there are certain repeated themes in these articles. One is that you need to really listen to songs in that genre, not just older songs but newer ones to see what works, and then compare them with your own. You'll also see that telling a good story is a repeated theme, as is doing a lot of re-writing. Even if you have been writing for some time, you may find that some of the tips in the websites I mentioned will give you a different perspective, a fresh idea (a new bridge, perhaps?) and may help you to start or to finish your own song.
******
Irene Jackson is a performing songwriter from Victoria, BC in Canada. Aside from writing, recording and performing, she also maintains a website for songwriters that includes tips, articles and a songwriter's messageboard.
Songwriting Tips: http://www.irenejackson.com/tips.html Homepage: http://www.irenejackson.com Songs: http://www.soundclick.com/irenejackson
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F e a t u r e d A r t i c l e :
By Penny Dionne & Troy McConnell
The Five Key Steps to Songplugging - (Part 2) © 2009 http://www.songpluggerbook.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------- Making the Pitch: This usually involves getting your songs to the artist or someone in the artist's camp by email, uploaded link, drop-off or face-to-face meeting.
Just as songplugging itself has five basic steps, there are also five basic steps to making the pitch: 1. Choosing the Song and Making the Comp 2. Setting Up the Meeting or Drop-off 3. Making the Drop-off or Having the Meeting 4. Following Up on the Pitch 5. Creating the Pitch Report
Choosing the right song for a pitch isn't always as straight forward as you might think. As I mentioned earlier, tip sheets sometimes include the type of songs the artist is looking for, but if they've already found that type of song, sometimes by the time you make your pitch they may be looking for something else entirely. So use your contacts to make sure your pitch is still on target. The other aspect to choosing the right song for an artist is to research what they've cut in the past. Learn their vocal range and the topics they tend to sing about. If they've just gotten married, maybe pitching a breakup song wouldn't be such a great idea.
Making the comp is pretty straight forward. Once you've made your song selection, burn a CD and make sure your contact information is printed on the label. Having a company logo isn't required, but it does make you look more professional.
Your ability to set up a meeting or drop-off has everything to do with the strength of your reputation, and your relationships. As you make your phone calls, if you represent well known writers or catalogs, then it will probably be easier to get a face-to-face meeting. If you haven't established a good reputation, and you're working with an unproven catalog, you may have to start with drop-offs, and through the quality of your songs, earn the right to meet in person. Just remember that when you make the call, speak in a confident and professional manor. And don't take it personal if you are asked to drop something off.
If you are dropping something off, it's best to do so quickly. Walk in and say, "I'm dropping this off for so-and-so." Say thank you, and then make your exit. Be sure to smile and be friendly, but don't initially strike up a conversation unless the person initiates it. Treat everyone like they are somebody, because they are, and because the person at the front desk today, could be in A&R a couple years down the road. So be courteous and professional.
If you are having a face-to-face meeting, be on time, and be prepared. Research both the person you're meeting with and the artist you're pitching for. Dress appropriately and act professionally. If it's a new contact, make the first meeting about one thing, and one thing only: getting a second meeting which means focusing on them - not you. Don't approach it like, "Are you going to cut my songs are not?" That initial meeting should always be about forming a lasting relationship - be it personal or simply professional. If it's an established relationship, be mindful of their pitching preferences. If they like a little small talk up front, take the time to chat. If they like to just get down to business, say your hellos and hand them the CD.
When you follow up on drop-offs, give them a week or so to listen to the CD. If they really like a song, they will call you. When you're following up on a "hold" and you're wanting to see if the artist has heard it yet or to make sure it's still in the running; two weeks is generally the acceptable follow-up time for holds, just make sure you do follow up.
As a plugger you will of course want to let your employer or client know how things are going. The in-house plugger will enter in the status of pitches into the company computer. The indie plugger will need to present their clients with a pitch report. This report basically shows what songs were pitched, who they were pitched to, for which artists, and the status of the pitch; whether they're on hold, have been kept, or were passed on. This keeps your client in-the-loop, and lets them know you're working hard to get their songs cut.
Getting Paid: If you are an in-house plugger, you are already on salary, but you may also receive a bonus for the songs you get cut. As an independent plugger, you will probably be working on a monthly retainer with some sort of bonus structure on the back end, or some other individualized business agreement.
How in-house pluggers get paid is pretty straight forward. They get a steady paycheck and a bonus on the songs they get cut. But there seems to be a good deal of mystery with regard to exactly how indie songpluggers earn their money. This is probably due to the fact that no two songplugger agreements are the same. There is no set standard or governing body, but the same could be said of publishing contracts and companies. On top of that, pitching agreement, or contracts, can be very simple or extremely complex, depending on what level you are at. But there are certain elements that are common to all are agreements. For brevities sake, I will only elaborate on two: the retainer and the back-end bonus.
Indie songplugger usually work on some form of retainer; which is basically a monthly allowance toward expenses. The amount of retainer depends on certain factors, like how well the plugger is established, and their track record for songs they've gotten cut. Once a song has been release on a commercial project, the indie plugger then receives a back-end bonus based on various factors, which include whether the song is released as a single, how high it goes on the charts, length of time on the charts, and the number of units sold.
There are other types of agreements by which a songplugger can earn income, such as partial publishing compensation, co-publishing agreements and some even do single song agreements by switching over to a publisher role. But the monthly retainer and back-end bonus are by far the most widely used.
A Final Word There are nuances to pitching songs that go beyond the scope of this article, and though each of the steps mentioned are conceptually simple there are subtleties to making them work in the real world that would take much longer to explain. Consider this a primer on a much more interesting and complex subject.
*****
ABOUT PENNY DIONNE: Penny Dionne is the owner of Little Vixen Music Publishing, and she is a high-profile Pro Songplugger currently representing mega hit songwriter, Chris Wallin (Don't Blink/ Kenny Chesney, Something To Be Proud Of/ Montgomery Gentry) and the successful Corlew Music Group with catalog & writers via a co-venture with Windswept/BUG whose successes include: Settling/Sugarland, Some People Change/Montgomery Gentry and many others) Dionne has been profiled in the publisher edition of Music Row magazine's "Row File," co-authored a book with Troy McConnell called "Songplugger: The Cuts and the Bruises," which garnered coverage in Country Weekly Magazine May 2009; and co-wrote & recorded The Successful Songwriter Motivation & Meditation" audio program. She is the Vice President for the Woman's Music Business Association (WMBA) here in Nashville. For more info on Penny, the book or audio, please visit website www.LittleVixenMusic.com
ABOUT TROY MCCONNELL: Troy McConnell is a 22 year Nashville veteran and has seen success as a songwriter and producer, as well as running a successful multimedia company. As a staff writer, he has written with such luminary Nashville writers as Craig Wiseman, Tommy Lee James and Chuck Cannon. Among Troy's producing credits was an artist development project that landed the young artist a major recording contract. Troy continues to write and produce, but his talents have taken him beyond the country music scene and into the world of multimedia, having written a national jingle for Bridgestone/Firestone tires and winning a video award for his work with the corporation that owns Denny's restaurants with his song; "What Color Am I." McConnell has also co-authored a book with Penny Dionne; "Songplugger: The Cuts and the Bruises," which garnered coverage in Country Weekly Magazine, and also with Penny, co-wrote and produced "The Successful Songwriter Motivation & Meditation" audio program.
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" O N S I T E " F E A T U R E D A R T I C L E :
----------------------------------------------------------------- Songwriting - Part 1 - by Tom Hess http://www.musesmuse.com/col-tomhess-songwriting1.html
Learn how and why it is important to have more than one method for writing music. If your main approach to songwriting involves improvising on the guitar, you are severely limiting your creativity. This article outlines several additional songwriting strategies that will make you a more expressive composer.
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Music Life 11 - Creating The Perfect Songwriting Studio by Brian Donovan http://www.musesmuse.com/col-briandonovan-musiclife11.html
I've developed the most professional, yet minimalistic list of gear for an amazing (and amazingly simple) songwriting/demo recording studio. And I share my thoughts on how you can implement it to make your songwriting an effortless and gratifying part of your day that doesn't interfere with the rest of your life. Here is that list, now...
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Recording is recording is recording... - by Mick Polich http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-recordingathome.html
This month, and ol' Blue Collar primer on home studio recording basics (just a short dip in the pool - more later on this). Why are good microphones important, and why you need to 'get over your self' while recording.....
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Schlock Rock And Schlitz Part Two! - by Mick Polich http://www.musesmuse.com/col-mickpolich-schlockrock2.html
Kind of a 'mop up' article here to finish a few thoughts that were presented a few installments back. We take a wrap-up look at the decades - old 'schlock rock' movement, and why you can use technology to further your musical tastes and discoveries.....
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C l a s s i f i e d s & U s e f u l S e r v i c e s :
----------------------------------------------------------------- LEARN HOW TO PLAY GUITAR - QUICKLY AND EASILY! & FOR LESS!
You Can Play Guitar author and publisher Scott Morris now offers 7 Free email guitar lessons that include easy to learn guitar tablature, a sound file and free guitar lesson videos of his easy to learn Billboard top rated guitar method that includes learning guitar scales and theory used by professional songwriters. The Free Guitar Lesson Videos - teach samples of learning the names of the notes, sharps and flats, easy to play guitar chords and more great information for beginner to professional level guitarist.
But not only that - his lessons are currently $60 off their regular price - AND he's offering free shipping within the US! There's never been a better time than now to improve your guitar playing (and there's a bass guitar course there too!).
Want to know more? Visit http://tinyurl.com/6o27j7 ----------------------------------------------------------------- VOCAL RANGE & CONTROL - YOUR UNIQUE VOICE
Expand your vocal range and improve your tone with The Deva Method®. For less than the price of one voice lesson, you can study with celebrity vocal coach Jeannie Deva through the acclaimed "Contemporary Vocalist Vol. 1" book and 4 CD set. With easy to understand and use exercises you can develop effortless breath support and control of your voice.
Impressive Results I'm a professional male rock singer with 20 years experience. I studied with two highly acclaimed vocal instructors while living in Los Angeles... I started "The Deva Method" while driving to gigs about a month ago and I'm very impressed with the results... My bandmates and I are stunned at the increase in my range and stamina. I've tried other "off the shelf" warm up CDs, but think this one is by far the best. --- Amazon.com review by K. Andrews (Roseland, FL)
Join the thousands of other singers who own Jeannie Deva's materials and become the singer you always dreamed you could be. Visit http://www.clickXchange.com/er.phtml?act=2019983.2 today. ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE 9th EDITION OF THE INDIE BIBLE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
The Indie Bible shows you where to get your music reviewed, your songs played, and your CDs sold. Now in its Seventh Edition, The Indie Bible has 330 pages of valuable contacts and music-related articles.
The 9th Edition of the Indie Bible contains: 4200 publications around the world that will REVIEW your CD! 3400 radio stations around the world that will PLAY your songs! 500 vendors and services that will help you to SELL your music! 200 sites where you can UPLOAD your band's MP3 files! 500 helpful resources and sites where you can PROMOTE your band! 52 articles that will help your career to MOVE forward rapidly!
Listings include web, e-mail and physical address, as well as phone and fax numbers.
For details and to order online visit: http://www.bigmeteor.com/muse ----------------------------------------------------------------- THE SUCCESSFUL SONGWRITER MOTIVATION & MEDITATION AUDIO
Inspired by the songwriter's journey, and through understanding the principles talked about in "THE SECRET", this audio program is specifically created for the songwriter based on those findings. Through Power of Thought and Understanding the Law of Attraction, you will have the tools, knowledge & ability to create the thoughts, experiences, and circumstances to be a phenomenally Successful Songwriter. Included is a guided meditation that is as passionate as it is empowering!
Muse's Muse Visitors - Enter Promo Code: 42567 for Discount. http://www.songwritermeditation.com/
Limited Introductory Offer of $12.95 for Digital Download Discounts for CD, and CD/Digital Download Combo shown on ordering page. ----------------------------------------------------------------- LYRICIST VERSION 3: THE SONGWRITER'S BEST FRIEND
Lyricist is the first-of-its-kind word processor designed specifically for musicians, songwriters, and poets. The software includes a Rhyming Dictionary, Thesaurus, Album Categorization, Chord Charting, Chord Generator, Song Arrangement, and On-Line Copyright Link.
The new version 3 release adds support for "Piano Style" chord symbols, Nashville Number System, and Transposition features - all in one easy-to-use package - and all for only $44.95! (That's $5.00 off to all Muse's News readers who purchase from the review link at www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html!)
This tool will revolutionize the way you write and organize your writing. Be the best songwriter you can be and purchase Lyricist today! http://www.musesmuse.com/vss-review.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- INDIE-MUSIC.COM - WHERE SERIOUS MUSICIANS SURF
One of the most respected and imitated indie music sites on the web, Indie-Music.com has been serving the Independent Music Community since 1996 with streaming audio, monthly CD Reviews, huge industry search directory, success-building resources, classifieds, and much-needed recognition. The site offers a wealth of information to artists trying to survive & thrive in today's competitive music industry.
http://www.indie-music.com/ ================================================================= ADVERTISING RATES: For Classifieds: US$50 Max. 8 lines, where a line = 65 characters including spaces and punctuation. All contracts must be prepaid. Write to: editor@musesmuse.com For Newsletter Sponsorship rates and other advertising opportunities, please see http://www.musesmuse.com/media.html .
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C o n t a c t I n f o & C r e d i t s :
----------------------------------------------------------------- Jodi Krangle ............................................. EDITOR Kathryn Obenshain ...........................GRACIOUS PROOFREADER ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Muse's News is a free monthly newsletter for and about songwriters. Subscribers are welcome to recirculate or reprint The Muse's News for nonprofit use as long as the appropriate credit is given and the ENTIRE text of the newsletter is included (including credits and information at the end of each issue). Others should contact me at editor@musesmuse.com. All articles copyrighted by their authors.
Back issues and other information (how to subscribe and unsubscribe, etc.) will be available at: http://www.musesmuse.com/musenews.html
The Muse's News is part of The Muse's Muse, a web resource for songwriters: http://www.musesmuse.com/
For further information, send your e-mail to: ----------------------------------------------------------------- adinfo@musesmuse.com - How to place a classified ad, pass on market information or sponsor The Muse's News. editor@musesmuse.com - To submit articles,reviews,ideas,etc.
SNAILMAIL: Please contact me first at editor@musesmuse.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back issues of the newsletter can be read at the National Library of Canada ecollection: http://collection.nlc-bnc.ca/100/201/300/muses_news/index.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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