Songwriter Advisor Blog

One of the most overlooked and, easily, the most effective method to get a publishing deal, is through the services of a talented, well-respected representative; usually a personal manager or entertainment attorney. 

In most every business, networking is not only the best way to have a chance to impress people with your talent; it’s usually the only way.  Think about it; it really is who you know, 99% of the time.  If you can’t get your foot in the door of the music business industry, don’t expect a record executive to come knocking on your door.

But first, if you’re serious about “making it” you have to put yourself in a position where the “it’s who you know” becomes a part of your daily goals; network, network, network!  You must take initiative if you want to be successful in the music industry whether you’re chasing a music publishing deal, record deal, or any other type of position in this competitive industry. 

Here’s a foolproof plan to get a publishing deal for talented songwriters:

1. If you are talented, you will be successful.  I spent a good part of a year hearing the same old thing from family and friends; the industry is too competitive, you’ll never make it.  To this day, I resent what a few friends and family members said, and yeah, I still love them, but I secretly hold it against them.  I made it because I made my own breaks while networking, but most importantly, because I could back up my words with my talent. 
2. Don’t ever let anyone convince you you’ll never make it; there’s no way to control their beliefs – I can only think of a few worse things in this world than family and friends who don’t lend moral support to musicians.  So keep pushing and start your journey with a positive mindset!
3. Look for the major players who are accessible in your local music scene, and find a way to introduce yourself.  These can be anyone from club owners to A&R Reps to entertainment attorneys.
4. Be consistent in getting your music heard so you stay fresh in the peoples’ minds and to keep your momentum going.  If you make a great first impression after inviting one of your contacts to watch you perform or (if you don’t perform) to have your songs performed, you can create a domino effect.  One industry person will tell another and so on and so on…
5. Don’t forget about the media; one great interview showing up in a weekly local entertainment newspaper can help you gain much exposure.  Tell them humbly how you wrote the latest song for that great local band getting attention!
6. Actively search for a personal manager or entertainment attorney.  Network, and be relentless in searching for the best one.  Be prepared to clearly explain your goals and have something to show a prospective manager in the form of a press kit, demos, or simply invite them to watch you perform live; talk yourself up in a big way and get him or her excited!  If you’re turned down initially, be persistent but not irritating, and if you have sufficient talent, you will eventually connect with someone.   
7. If you’ve networked enough you can find yourself writing songs for a local artist or band getting ready to break out in a big way.

Also, don’t overlook smaller music publishing companies; keep an open mind, and remember, many smaller publishing companies have grown into major successes.  

The easiest way to get a music publishing deal is to be relentless in networking and finding someone with power to represent your best interests, and this is why; your talents are more appealing to companies when you have someone representing you who’s trusted and believes in your talent enough to put their name and reputation on the line!   

This is an article originally released in the September, 2008 ”Tune Sleuth” newsletter, inspired by one of our reader’s questions that I found to be very helpful for other readers to enjoy!

Before using a songwriter demo service to record your original songs,be absolutely certain they are ready to be recorded by making sure you polish them with a rewrite. Also, test your songs out by singing them either a capella or with an accompanying instrument by yourself and in front of friends, family members, etc.  Taking your gut feeling and your listener’s reactions into account, it’ll be easier to decide if and which of your songs are ready to be recorded.

A songwriter demo is exactly that – a demo!  This is why they are and SHOULD BE far less expensive than a recording for a CD release.  Therefore, what you want to look for instead of a company promising you a “radio-ready” recording with all the bells and whistles, is a company that’ll be able to provide a clean, pro-sounding recording to give your song the best possible chance.
 
To find a great songwriter demo service you’ll need to start right in your own hometown!  Take the time to contact and visit studios performing these services in your area, ask to hear examples of their work, and try to establish some type of rapport or relationship with them so they can take you more seriously and not see you as JUST ANOTHER CUSTOMER.  

There are many studios offering excellent songwriter demo services but you have to do much initial legwork to find one that works for your songwriting goals.  This involves comparing several companies before making a decision. If you don’t have any companies offering demo services in your vicinity, then as a last resort you may have to consider an online demo service, but you should proceed with caution.

Songwriter demo services are very competitively priced these days and many offer flat rates with optional costs such as background singers, extra instruments, etc.  Starting rates vary from as low as approximately $100.00 to $800.00 per song, and you generally get what you pay for!  Recording is not cheap, and if you’re not a music producer or an arranger, remember, these companies try to provide all of these services as inexpensively as possible in one package! 

Beware, there are companies out there that give legitimate ones a bad name by drawing you in and charging you extra with each visit to cover what they say are their increasing recording costs.  Songwriters and other musicians have found themselves in a bad situation where they’ve literally spent hundreds with no decent product to show for it.  Negotiate a flat fee with a demo service, get it in writing, and stick to it!

Also, when you do find a songwriter demo service you want to try, it’s wise to commit to only ONE RECORDING AT A TIME.  Remember, this is a business, and demo companies need your business, so some will try to make you commit to more than one recording because it benefits them! 

Keep total control by recording only one song at a time until its completion-this way, if for any reason you are dissatisfied with your first recording, you can pick up and go elsewhere and you will not have needlessly wasted money on other songs.

Of course, the best possible scenario when recording your songs would be to do it yourself in your own home studio.  Recording setups have become increasingly more inexpensive and if you’re planning on chasing a professional songwriting career, it would be wise to try your hand at production even if it means being able to record only a piano or guitar/vocal of your songs.  By choosing this route you can actually save yourself the $1500 or so you would have spent on a three song demo, and instead use that to build your own songwriting studio in your own home!

Many amateur and pro songwriters have their own little home studio setup with some of the equipment or similar items shown on this page:
http://www.songwriteradvisor.com/build-your-studio.html

The only drawback to having your own studio is it takes few months to really learn your equipment and make effective recordings.  But in the end, it can be the best investment you’ll ever make in your songwriting career-you’ll never have to pay for a songwriter demo service ever again!