Why Do You Write Songs?
Almost all of the people I write with are trying to get their songs recorded and make a living by doing so. It is easy to get so caught up in the pursuit of something commercial that I lose sight of the reasons I started writing songs in the first place. Those reasons, if lost…
Read More6 Errors That Kill A Song Lyric
Verb tenses changing, or going back and forth in a weird way. This is one of the mistakes I see most often when critiquing song lyrics. Switching between past, present and future can really mess your lyric up if you are not super clear about what is going on. Let someone else read your lyric…
Read MoreVideo Songwriting Lesson: Finding the Heart of Your Song
Finding The Heart & Soul Of your Music Takes Courage… And A Few Tricks! Multi #1 songwriter Clay Mills will show you how to find the “true heart of your song” and create music that matters. This video is part of a weekly lesson series for members at SongTown.
Read MoreLetting Go: 5 Music Business Life Lessons
Today’s music business life lessons are about letting go. Last week when we were trying to go to Spain, my wife and I got to the airport at 9:45 AM. Our flight was supposed to leave at 12:20. We got a little snack and waited at our gate. As luck would have it, the trouble…
Read MoreLittle Steps Along The Way
A couple of weeks ago in New York City, I found myself doing some things I never dreamed of doing. In fact, I never set out to do them. They just needed to be done and I was the only one in the room who had the skill set to pull them off. The play…
Read MoreMy Song Is On “Hold”… Help!!!!
Now that a number of SongTownians are getting songs pitched and some of them are being put on ‘hold’, I wanted to talk about what a hold means and how to act when you get one. First of all – what is a hold? A hold is when an artist or an artist’s representative asks…
Read MoreIf I Can Become A Pro Songwriter, YOU Can Too!
In many ways, I am the least likely person to become a hit songwriter. I grew up with serious self-esteem issues. I’ve always been short and was self-conscious about it most of my life. I was never popular in school. I am painfully shy and introverted. I grew up believing that you should ALWAYS…
Read MorePro Songwriting Terms Defined
In the ever changing world of the music business, many terms get thrown around in ways that are confusing. If you are interested in playing in the “big leagues” as a “pro” writer, it’s important to know what people in the music business are talking about when they use these words: Pro The dictionary defines…
Read MoreEtiquette For Songwriting (and life)
Our pitch to publisher webinar on Thursday reminded me of several points that I think bear bringing up every now and then. Almost everyone involved in the song submitting process behaved professionally. One or two did not. One of those people e-mailed us after the event claiming that we must not have listened to their…
Read MoreGood News For Songwriters: Hard Work Beats Talent
Some of you have heard me tell this story before. Early in my writing career, I had enjoyed all the family activities I could stand and I needed a little break. So, I went to our publishing office to work on some ideas and plan my strategy for the upcoming year. The music business in…
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