Wordscapes® Music Links
Recording & Legalities	Publishing Leads	Products
Feature under development - Please return soon
SONGWRITING
By now, you've lost count of the number of musicians boldly announcing they have deciphered that most elusive of all musical secrets, the art of writing a good traditional blues song. Sure, success is elusive in the music industry, but who can blame songwriters for trying? The structure of a standard blues song seems so simple, with its three-chord progression, four-line verse (often repeated three times), and call-and-response chorus. Unfortunately, writing a popular song within a genre is much more difficult than writing a stylistically solid one. True, success sometimes strikes. Everyone's read the rags-to-riches stories of "overnight sensations" who achieved fame and fortune by selling one song to a recording star. Take that unknown upstart Junior Miles, for example. Junior actually lived the dream when Celine Dion recorded two of his songs on albums that, to date, have sold in excess of 40 million copies. Not bad for a newcomer. BMI asserts its critical position in the music industry with its site. It offers a wide range of resources for songwriters, musicians, and music fans. In reality, however, Junior is no back-alley artist playing smoky clubs to earn his meals. He is Edgar Bronfman, Jr., president and CEO of the Seagram Company. That's not saying that Junior got special breaks because of his position, but it's worth noting that Junior kept his day job while writing. For every corporate bigwig toiling away in songwriting anonymity, there are dozens of blues artists - working singers and musicians - who will never see a royalty payment. Songwriting is a tough field, even for the very experienced and very knowledgeable. Unfortunately, many would-be songwriters make the mistake of thinking that success lies not in knowing the trade, but in simply mimicking music that's popular at the moment. The truth is there really are no shortcuts to songwriting and the only way you're likely to achieve success as a songwriter is if you make a concerted effort to learn the craft. The Web is an aspiring songwriter's dream. Some of the best advice comes from other songwriters. Marc Kuchner's Songwriter's Guide offers a wealth of information, including the basics and the history of musical forms. Sara Hickman's Advice is short and very sweet, while David Kennedy's Songwriting Hints offers valuable advice on adding hooks and "pay-off" lines to your songs. Jeff Mallett's Songwriter Site has a section entitled Sharing Wisdom: Songwriters on Songwriting that is a diverse collection of submissions for songwriters on how to write a song, how to overcome writer's block, where and when to write songs, and more. The newsgroup rec.music.makers.songwriting is a great place to check if you are looking for open discussions on aspects of songwriting. The Songwriting Discussion Chat Room is another great source for timely tips. The group usually meets online Monday evenings at 9:00 p.m. (ET). After you've written a song, you still have to pitch it to potential buyers. Don't use Dad's old reel-to-reel tape recorder to preserve and reproduce your masterpiece. Songs are the products in the music industry and, as in most product-driven industries, it is almost as difficult to market the product as to design it in the first place. To be taken seriously by any potential music player or publisher, you must record a demo, an unvarnished and professional-sounding recording of your song. For tips on what and what not to do, visit Midi Magic Studio. Topics covered include how to pitch a song (don't even bother to send an unsolicited tape to major record companies), how best to record your tune, and how to go about becoming a "staff writer," (a songwriter paid to write hits for stars). Bear in mind that the folks behind this site are in the business of recording demos and have an interest in getting your business. If you want to attempt a homemade, but professional-sounding demo, swing by The Recording website and the Harmony Central Recording FAQ. Advice on these sites include how to use your computer to make a recording, how to make a home recording that doesn't sound like a home recording, an equipment buyer's guide, and an overview of four-track recording. For a peek at the legal aspects of performance, licensing, and royalty, turn to the rights organization, BMI and The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP). These sites provide information on performance rights, music publishing, copyrighting, the business of songwriting, and most other aspects of the business of music. Although you can't join either of these organizations until you have a song published, both sites offer information to help you down that road, including how to register Songs, how to pick a publisher, handbooks for writers, and details on available workshops. Finally, before you sign your contract, check North American Band Name Registry to see if your proposed band name is in use by someone else. GETSIGNED There are hundreds of companies on and offline - through which "professionals" offer to critique unpublished music for a fee. Not all of them are legitimate or even useful. GetSigned, however, is a wonderful free service that offers specific, applicable "insider" advice for songwriters who want to get published. Under the D.I.Y. Route, find articles such as The Hard Truth about Major Labels, Is My Music Safe over the Internet?, and Using E-Mail to Promote Your Band. Become an industry insider by reading exclusive interviews with experts, terrific Q&As, and chats with executives and A&R reps from both major and indie labels. Finally, check out the database of song samples from unsigned artists. INDEPENDENT SONGWRITER WEB MAGAZINE This e-zine went online in November of 1997 with a mandate of supporting independent music. It continues to meet this goal with music reviews, classified ads, a popular message board, and a weekly chat night. Other highlights include monthly columns on a variety of topics as well as a free monthly newsletter. The tone is encouraging and supportive, exemplifying the e-zine's philosophy that "all music has value." Learn more about the independent music industry, or read up on one of your favorite artists at Independent Songwriter Web Magazine. THE MUSE'S MUSE Even muses need inspiration, just as every songwriter needs a home. Many songwriters consider this site to be their musical home away from home. You'll find an extensive collection of articles on songwriting, interviews with songwriters, chat rooms, links to competitions, and some song samples. The classified section is one of the best online, and the monthly e-mail, The Muse's News, is filled with site reviews, articles and contests. The home page is busy, which can make it tedious to find information, but the pull-down page menu, search functions, and Site Index can save you time by pointing you directly to the section you need. SONGWRITERS, COMPOSERS, AND LYRICISTS ASSOCIATION (SCALA) SCALA is based in Australia, but its comprehensive site is proof that the needs of songwriters are global. Much of the information is culled from the association's print publication, SCALA News. It includes excellent articles on lyric writing and tips on overcoming dry spells. Articles are professional and insightful. For example, in the piece on preparing a demo tape, SCALA notes that better songs tend also to be recorded better and wonders if this correlation is part of the process of refining songs. SCALA is a volunteer organization and its membership is open to all. Putting its multitrack where its mouth is, SCALA supports its members by selling their CDs. Catch a rising star at the organization's site. SONGWRITERS ONLINE There was a time when songwriting was considered a solitary craft, a lonely three chord world where validation could only be achieved through professional contact. Although songwriting is still not often a group activity newcomers can find both information and community at Songwriters Online. Submit RealPlayer versions of your songs to draw suggestions and comments from other songwriters, or visit the message board to discuss your songs, others' songs, and songwriter issues. Traps & Cons is a must-read for all songwriting hopefuls. The wonderful collection of tips on songwriting - including a few interesting takes on creativity - is also notable.