There Are Songs in That Guitar: A Christmas Holiday Reflection
This Christmas season, I find myself looking back and remembering people that have been an important part of my life. I think the winter holidays are a wonderful time for cultivating gratitude. There have been people who have been there for me since day one, and there have been those who were only in my life for brief moments, but...
Finding Inspiration In That Song That’s Stuck In Your Head
Pro songwriter Clay Mills shares how to turn that old classic song you can't stop humming for the last 2 days, into inspiration for your own classic! Want to study with pro writer Clay Mills in SongTown's 6-week Melody Masterclass? Get hands-on instruction and feedback in the best online melody class of the year. Find out the details here! Clay Mills...
The Real Truth About Pitch To Publisher Events And Your Songwriting Career.
Every week I see determined hardworking songwriters flocking to pitch to publisher events to play their songs for publishers. I see whole businesses existing on this model of setting up pitch to publisher events. I've seen it for 25 years! While there might be some networking potential to find co-writers, etc, I have not heard of songs being picked up at...
Does Your Song Need A Bridge?
So you’ve reached that point in the song; you’ve written two verses and a chorus, and that little voice in your head says “I need to write a bridge.” But do you really??? When do you know if a song truly needs a bridge? I’ve heard publishers say things to their writers like, “You must write bridges because the last three...
Songwriters: Do You really need that fully produced and expensive song demo?
This is one of the most common questions Marty and I get in the SongTown Mailbox. It seems a common myth exists that says in order to have a record company or artist pick up your songs, you have to produce something that sounds like a finished record. Fortunately for our wallets, this is NOT always the case. Here's what's absolutely essential...
The Creative River Series: What’s Stopping You?
I remember sitting in a Mexican restaurant a couple years ago with the late songwriter Tim Johnson. We were preparing to play a benefit that evening for a local high school. “What’s stopping you?” Tim asked. You see, I’d just told him that I’d always dreamed of playing the stage at the legendary Ryman Auditorium. So many of my musical heroes...