Songwriter vs Mastering the Art of Selling

Nowadays a freelance songwriter is offered considerable chances and openings for breaking through. No matter if you are a freelance writer who writes for artists or if you have an exclusive contract with some publisher, you will now have more opportunities to sell your songs than ever before.

It may be complicated for a songwriter to find an artist for whom he/she can write, so it is important to be realistic in your estimations. You should try your chance with those artists who accept the outside material and you should always send them the material which is appropriate for their specific style.

Way too many new songwriters just ship their material to whomever, without paying attention to those artists’ specific needs. Needless to say, it is then all in vain.

Know The Work Of The Artist You Write For

After you have selected an artist whom you would like to perform your work, you should listen to all of his or her singles and at least 3 of their albums. A songwriter should look for a common denominator that may be notable throughout their work, such as some favored intervals, flatted thirds or octave leaps.

Pay attention to what rhythm seem to prevail in their opus, are they inclining toward ballads or faster rhythms. A songwriter should also note their personality preferences, are their song themes heartbreaking or they prefer free-, unbreakable-spirited songs.

When a songwriter determine these specific preferences of an artist, they will give back a wider perspective of what the artist in question likes, what is he or she trying to express and convey through their songs and what are their musical and vocal capabilities. The music will reveal to the careful listener a lot about one person, just like bare facts would do.

Find a Publisher?

The other viable option is to find the publisher who is passionate about your music and believes in your abilities. Besides, you will have more time to create when you know that you have the publisher whom you can trust to take care of the business part.

However, not even renowned publishers do not get records without hassle. Some of them are very active in a way they approach the artists and secure recording, however, most of publishers will simply acquire catalogues and wait for the film companies or the performers come to them and request the use of the old material.

A songwriter should check what the publishers do with the current songs of other songwriters and are they keeping any well-known composer or a lyricist. Wealthier and older publisher companies are not likely to grab around for the new deals like the newer and hungrier companies would do.

A songwriter shouldn’t ally with a publisher who will be lazy to promote his work. Good ones will always know what is going on around them, and are aware of the recording plans of the superstars, but also of the newcomers. You shouldn’t only aim for the big names, as there are always new talents who can get through with their dedication and appropriate promotion.

Those publishers who are getting their assignments done are tireless in communication with their list of contacts and forging their business relationships. They attend recording dates not only for their own songs and have a developed feel for what it is that producers want.

A good publisher will do miracles for a songwriter so it is very important that you take an effort to find such one.A publisher will pick good songs for you that he or she deems can be turned into hits and recorded. It will be evident soon enough whether the publisher of your choice shows enthusiasm towards your work or not.

If a publisher is clearly interested in you, make certain that you follow his viewpoints and keep submitting your material. You should pay heed to what kind of material they prefer to promote and what kind of demos do they consider effective. A good publisher will meet you at least once a week, will go with you over your material and you will together decide which songs are to be chosen and pushed, so you could concentrate on those particular ones.

When producers and artist like the song you submitted, they will usually ask your publisher for a hold, a request that is usually granted. However, the hold should be reasonable and after a few weeks or a month, a publisher should check again and again if the song is going to be recorded or not. If there still are not any definite plans, a publisher will take back the tune so he could offer it to other artists. You will thus need a publisher who will keep your material as a high priority as long as there is any enthusiasm for it left.

Your publisher needs to take care of their contacts, constantly adding new names to the list. The best ones in business will keep an eye open for any outlet that may appear beyond the obvious ones and for that the regularly updated list of contacts is of outmost importance. Relationships in business need to be tended to and nurtured as they are the only thing that will ensure the flow of the new contracts.

Publisher’s job is to get your song on the radio as well, especially if you have the recorded material and you want it played. Publishers promote the songs with radio program directors to ensure their airing and they are often having difficult time to persuade radio stations to keep the material on air, as the competition is fierce.

It is also important that your publisher does not forget the material once it has been recorded, as one song may not become a hit with one artist, but it can happen with another one. If a publisher believes in your song, they will ship it to different artists until it hits the top. Some even record one tune for a dozen of times before it happens.

Good publishers will also take care of the sub-publishing, as they often have good deals with companies in France, England, Germany and Japan, and they will work on the song until the cuts start to show up in other languages as well. The effort will be well worth it, as it may lead to printed editions of your material.

By using their vast experience and contacts, publishers can collect money due to you, and the expertise plays a vital part in this regard, as most record companies will rather pay later than immediately. A skill of a good publisher can be seen in his speeding up of the payment process considerably. If a publisher accepts your work, they can several paying options – to give you an advance, to pay you for a demo, or both.

Again, if you happen to be a good promoter and you have an evident talent for pitching and casting, you may consider self-publishing. There are many songwriters who do this job by themselves. Advantage of self-publishing lies in the far stronger financial position, as well as in your having a right to show your materials to as many interested parties as you deem necessary.

You will also keep your publishing rights, which can double up your income and put you in the more convenient position in many negotiations.

Monthly Songwriting Tips?

For more tips and juicy articles about songwriting, subscribe to my monthly songwriting-guide.com newsletter. This unique inbox offering is packed with information and 100% free. just sign up!

Return from Songwriter vs Salesman to Music Business

Return to Songwriting Guide homepage