How Songwriters Get Paid: The 5 Minute Overview Of Songwriting Income Streams
Several people have asked about the different ways songwriters get paid. So, here’s the 5 minute overview: Publishing Draws for Songwriters. This is a monthly amount a publisher pays to a writer that is on a staff publishing deal. These are really advances on royalties that have to be repaid out of incoming royalties. Once your catalog…
Read MoreSplit Sheets Vs Sh*t Sheets
What do you do when songwriter split sheets turn into sh*t sheets?! Hit Songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson give practical advice on how to handle co-writer splits as well as what an actual split sheet is used for. Write better songs faster! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series will help you level-up your songs…
Read More#SongwritingHack 1.15 – How I Wrote “One Day You Will” With Lady A
Clay here, coming to you with a video this week because there’s something that’s been on my heart. A couple of days ago, Songtown member Andrew Cavanaugh sent me a link to a video, a Lady A video. It was a song that I had wrote for their first album that I wrote with the…
Read MoreThe #1 Rule Of Songwriting – The Song Is King
If you’ve been hanging around SongTown for a while, you’ve heard Clay and I talk about the idea that “The Song Is King”. When we say that, we mean that, when we write, we are there to serve the song, NOT to serve our own interests. I believe that music and songs have a “life”…
Read More10-Time Grammy Winning Producer/Engineer- Gary Paczosa
Gary Paczosa is known for some of the best “ears” in music production. In this episode of “On Songwriting”, Gary talks everything from his production style & approach, to his mic-ing techniques while working in Americana, Country, Jazz, and Bluegrass genres. Gary has worked with legendary artists Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, Sarah Jarosz, Harry Connick Jr., John Prine, and Dolly…
Read More“Stay The Course” With Curb Recording Artist Hannah Ellis
Curb Records recording artist and country music singer/songwriter Hannah Ellis joins Hit Songwriter Marty Dodson on the SongTown on Songwriting Podcast. Hannah talks about her journey in the music business, from networking and internships to publishing deals and eventually signing a deal as an artist. She shares useful tips to help you get an idea…
Read MoreThe Magic Behind One-Chord Songs
I’m obsessed with looking under the hood of great songs to figure out what makes them hum. If we listen closely, some feature cool rhythm patterns in the melody, others defy the norms of form, while other songs showcase unique chord progressions. But, what kind of voodoo pulses through the veins of one-chord songs? Let…
Read More4 Ways To Keep Your Songs Fresh
The longer I write songs, the more I realize the importance of keeping your songs fresh and mixing things up from time to time. Here are some ways that I do that: 1. Booking 2-way co-writes with my regular co-writers. I always look for new 3rds to add to the mix. That way, I don’t…
Read MoreSharks In The Water
There are sharks in the music waters and Hit Songwriters Clay Mills and Marty Dodson want to help protect you from them! Listen in as Clay and Marty talk real about the music business and share advice on how to avoid bad deals and scammers. Write better songs faster! Clay & Marty’s 10-day video series…
Read MoreHow Is SongTown Different From Other Songwriting Communities?
There are a lot of songwriting sites out there. We appreciate you stopping by our “town”. If you are new to us, we want to let you know a little bit about who we are and the SongTown difference. The SongTown Difference begins with walking the walk… SongTown was founded by and is curated by…
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