Category: MUSIC BUSINESS

Whether you want to get your songs covered by other artists, sing them yourself, or get placements in film & TV, make sure your songs fit the needs of today’s music industry.

Alternate Versions of Your Songs

I’m often asked if it’s a good idea to record and mix multiple or alternate versions of a song. The short answer is YES! Because…

  1. There are versions of your song that you’ll need to have.
  2. There are optional versions that can be useful to have.
  3. There are versions that you make just because you’re dying to hear what they sound like.

For the long answer, let’s take a look at a variety of alternate versions and how they can help you in a whole lot of important ways.

MUST-HAVE VERSIONS

THE MAIN VERSION

If you’re an artist, the main version of your song is the one you’ll release as your single. It’s the definitive version, the one you’ll promote first, and the one you want people to hear.

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Writing Songs for Film & TV

Movie Slate

Thousands of songs are used in TV shows, films, and commercials each year. For every song that’s placed, many are auditioned—often hundreds—but only one is chosen. And you want that song to be yours.

The song that will get the job is the one that enhances the emotion and memorability of the scene for the viewers. Is a character discovering real love for the first time? The song needs to evoke that feeling of innocence, yearning, and wonder for the audience. Is the film set in a small town in the 1950s? The song needs to make us feel that we’ve traveled back to another time and place.  And the right song can bring the whole thing to life!

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Write Your Song in a Genre

Most of the time when you start writing a song, you’re thinking about what you’re feeling and what you want to say. Good! That’s the best way to approach your songwriting. But it’s also a good idea to keep a little corner of your brain focused on the song genre you want to aim for. Knowing your song’s genre right from the start, will make it much easier to find an audience for it down the road, and possibly a music publisher or record label.

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A Shaky Start to a Successful Career

Stumble and Fall

I recently discovered an inspiring, fun, informative website called OpeningLines.org. This blog by Seth Fiegerman takes a look at the very first steps in the careers of the famous and successful.

There are names we all know—actors, musicians, scientists, educators, community leaders, and writers we admire. We don’t think of them losing their first talent contest or being told they have no aptitude for the field in which they later dazzle us all. But that—or some form of it—is what happens to many. So here are a few stories that might help you along when you start to doubt your songwriting career.

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Using Loops or Beats in Your Music Tracks

Q & A

I got this question from a very good songwriter in one of my songwriting courses. He was wondering about using loops or beats that are longer than one or two bars. These might consist of an acoustic rhythm guitar playing a 4-bar chord progression or a keyboard, or even a whole band that can be looped to form a song section.

You’ll find these kinds of loops in “construction kits” from Big Fish Audio or websites like Splice. They can be a great way to launch yourself into a song or even a new genre.

My student was asking if it’s okay to pitch song demos using these loops. Will there be a problem with music publishers and Film & TV music libraries? Is it legal? Will he need to tell them what he’s doing?  I’m not a lawyer and I can’t give legal advice (disclaimer, disclaimer) but I do have some thoughts for you if you’re doing this or considering it.

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