“No cue sheets, no pay.” That’s the mantra you need to remember when you’re dealing with film/TV music. Sometimes it’s easier said than done. When my friend, topical songwriter Smokey Miles (aka Count Smokula) started to tell me the story of his “Balloon Boy” song and it’s use on TV surrounding that hoax, I though [...]
Archive | Music Marketing
It’s a do-it-yourself world out there and you need to be able to use all the marketing tools available.
10 Good Reasons To Join A Songwriters Organization
Many of you are active members of several different songwriters groups but there are a lot of loners out there who may not be aware of the opportunities organizations provide. From needing a local support group to involvement in national legislation, their services are rarely one-size-fits-all and there is a great diversity of services available. [...]
Taxi Road Rally Virgin?
The Annual Taxi Road Rally is a major event that no songwriter should miss. It’s free for Taxi members + one guest, so if you’re not a member, attach yourself to one and get here to L.A. , usually on the first weekend in November. Details at www.taxi.com. These are my answers to some questions [...]
Q&A Pitching to Music Publishers
I have found some of the writers of (hit Country group) tunes. Their publishers are listed with ASCAP. Would it be common practice to contact the publisher of that writer in hopes that they could publish and pitch another tune to the band? Answer: Good work. You’re on the right track. However, sending the songs [...]
SongBizness: Song Contests
Contests provide songwriters, singers and bands with an opportunity for validation/acknowledgment of their talent as well as an opportunity to win prizes. Contests are created for many different reasons and it’s important to be able to assess whether or not you’re wasting your money to submit material at all. Most contests are created to make [...]
10 Ways to Get Your Songs Recorded
Now that you’ve got that great song written and demoed, it deserves to be recorded so you can start earning the compensation you so richly deserve. In the broad scheme of things, there are two ways to get your songs recorded. You either become your own publisher or sign a contract with a publisher in [...]
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 [...]