How do I get started as a songwriter?
Write…write…write! Unless you’re hopped up on illegal or foreign substances, you should be able to find ideas everywhere! One in every couple hundred songs “may” be a hit (if you become a great writer), and the only way to become a great writer is to start out where you are… as a good writer. But if you don’t know if you’re even a good writer or not…try submitting your best song to NASHVILLEEAR.COM. The key is starting somewhere! Practice doesn’t make perfect…practice makes permanent…so hone your skills with as much knowledge (resources) as you can find! Reading Janet Fisher’s SONGWRITING CHECKLIST (click on our Resources tab to the left) is a GREAT idea. Start networking with successful writers - if they’re not hopped up on illegal or foreign substances due to the amount of time it took them to get where they are. But remember, anything you write that’s less than good…don’t send it to NashvilleEar.com. We get paid to work, not sleep. Write…write…write!
What do I do with my song after I’ve written the words?
Lesson #1, they are LYRICS! People who refer to lyrics as “words” are either weekend singers or typesetters at your local rural newspaper office. Actually, the best advice to be given at this point (you’ve just written what you feel is a great song)…LET IT SIT! No kidding! Lyrics should not rely on music to draw emotion. So, if you can read the lyrics and feel the emotion…let the song sit a few days before you pick it up again, and when you do…it should still draw the same emotion. More times than not, you’ll find what felt good one day doesn’t click as well the next…and may involve some new ideas and changes to your song. Doing that daily is what makes a good songwriter a great songwriter! And once you feel absolutely comfortable with a song…try it out on an audience (if you can sing), and I’m not talking about performing for family members who worship the ground you walk on! Try it out for new faces at the company picnic or other informal event. Their reactions will tell you (for the most part) whether or not the idea is marketable. But, if you can’t sing…don’t. Get someone else to sing it and see how it performs. Once the consensus is favorable to furthering the song…copyright your song and get an audio demonstration (demo) recorded.
Where do I go to get an audio demo made and how much does it cost?
Well, there’s the old fashioned way if you’re a musically inclined songwriter…which involves a singer, a cassette recorder and sometimes an instrument…but don’t expect the song to get much recognition after you stick it in the mail. The basic principle in all of this is that you are going to get out of this experience what you put into it. It will either be an expensive hobby or a successful challenge, but mostly a mixture of both. The price range for audio demo services is between free (depending on how good you are or what friends you have) and as much as you want to spend. Determine your budget and research the possibilities. There are demo recording companies such as KMA Records that will set your lyrics to music very reasonably priced, or you can choose to save up the dough to pay for studio time, musicians and all the bells and whistles. If you are an independent writer doing it all on your own, it can be very taxing on your time even more than your money. If you really want to get your songs noticed, you should try networking with some publishers who can help take your music to the “next level” and will also free up your time to do more songwriting. A good publisher is worth their weight in gold!
How do I copyright a song and what does that mean?
Check out: http://www.loc.gov/copyright
NOTE; While you are waiting for an official copyright through the Copyright Office, which can be a lengthy wait, you can take the time to copyright your lyrics yourself, by sending yourself the lyrics via telegram:
Visit American Telegram!
24Hr Time Date Stamped Telegrams Copyright Songs Immediately!
1-800-Telemessage.com
Where do I send my songs after I have a recording that is ready to send to an artist?
This is where the business part of songwriting can consume most of your free time as in independent “pusher.” It’s important that you make the time to make the necessary contacts toward getting your music into the right hands. It’s rare that you will be able to give your songs to an artist directly that will listen, and becoming increasingly harder to even get in into their management office unless you have already made the contacts. This will involve persistence and the ability to handle rejection regularly. In the meantime, it’s important that you continue to get your song involved in “writer’s nights” locally and channel yourself into developing various business relationships that could help you in the long run…because it is going to be a very long run! As stated above, if you can eventually develop working relationships with publishing companies that will manage your song catalog (who will also see to it that you become an increasingly better writer), you will have a better chance of getting your songs through the door. For additional publishing information, check out the
How can NASHVILLEEAR.COM help me become a better writer or get my songs noticed?
First of all, our services will not make you a better writer…so quit looking for handouts. YOU will have to do the work. Two people can say the same thing, but the different ways in which those two people express their ideas could give new light and meaning to your song. This is not a run-of-the-mill spam scam site looking for a quick buck. When you begin achieving quality in your personal writing style, you will find your spot in our “BEST OF THE BEST.”
How can NASHVILLEEAR.COM help me get a website for my musical career?
We work closely with Web Page Creations Inc. Your website can be created for you in a few weeks with very little input from you. We need several pictures of you and a written biography. The rest is basically some music clips and any color schemes you may be like. We have created several websites you may want to check out and see if the quality of our work is what you have in mind. Below are a few musical sites we have created for some performers who have contacted us in the past.