I had read Rex Butters’ interview with my friend, writer/producer Wendy Waldman in in the March/April 07 edition of FolkWorks magazine and I came across a quote I thought was helpful. “FW: How much are you writing these days? WW: Lot, I’ve never stopped writing. I always write. FW: You Must have a trunk full. [...]
Archive by Author
How Do You Know When A Song Is Ready?
When it meets your standards. Usually, it’s good to have a checklist to go through to make sure every aspect of the song is as good as it can get. Generally pros have higher standards for themselves than amateurs, but it also depends on what you see as the destination of the song. If you [...]
How to Present Your Demo: 10 Biggest Mistakes Artists Make and How to Avoid Them
Your demo will introduce you to the eyes and ears of many music industry professionals. Take this introduction very seriously — it’s your job interview. Here is a short checklist that summarizes the biggest mistakes I see new artists make all the time. Avoiding these will maximize your chances of getting heard and respect the [...]
Interview with Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman has been referred to as “Hollywood’s hottest film composer.” Working primarily with director Tim Burton, Elfman has scored the soundtrack to Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Corpse Bride, among others. He is [...]
Interview with Alan Silvestri
Alan Silvestri is an Academy Award nominated film score composer. He is best known for his numerous collaborations with director Robert Zemeckis, having scored Forrest Gump, the Back to the Future trilogy, Contact, Cast Away, Romancing the Stone, and The Polar Express. Aside from his collaborations with Zemeckis, Silvestri is known for his work in [...]
Interview with Thom Bell
Thom Bell is the beloved record producer behind much of the “Philadelphia soul” subgenre of music in the 1970s. While working for Atlantic Records, he produced artists such as Dionne Warwick, James Ingram, Johnny Mathis, Billy Paul and Elton John, and even teamed up, briefly, with the Stylistics.