Selling songs

[brendandwyer]

What would you say is the first step (after writing and recording a demo version) towards selling songs to music publishers.

Where does one look for publishers. Should we pre-decide what types of publishers to submit to, or should we submit to many publishers of differing styles (if publishers even have styles or genres).

Is it the typical demo, cover letter deal or is there a submission guideline some of them follow.

I'm new to this side of it. I've got the write songs for ten years and record them, put em on a shelf to die thing down though

[mjr]

Originally Posted by brendandwyer

What would you say is the first step (after writing and recording a demo version) towards selling songs to music publishers.

Where does one look for publishers. Should we pre-decide what types of publishers to submit to, or should we submit to many publishers of differing styles (if publishers even have styles or genres).

Is it the typical demo, cover letter deal or is there a submission guideline some of them follow.

I'm new to this side of it. I've got the write songs for ten years and record them, put em on a shelf to die thing down though

Check out a book called The Songwriter's Market. It's available through Amazon.com

A lot of places won't even accept unsolicited submissions.

[brendandwyer]

Originally Posted by mjr

Check out a book called The Songwriter's Market. It's available through Amazon.com

A lot of places won't even accept unsolicited submissions.

thanks! i'll check it out

[mjr]

Originally Posted by brendandwyer

thanks! i'll check it out

What you should do first is register your copyright through the copyright office.

Then, I suppose it would be best to determine which genre you want to "target". It won't do you any good to target a publisher who deals with X music, when you perform/write Y music.

That book I suggested should have a lot of the info you want. A friend of mine told me that one of his friends sold two songs (using that book) for $25,000 US or something like that (it may have been even more).

One other idea I have heard thrown around is to reach licensing agreements. This way, you retain all the rights to the song.

[JoeBannon]

brendandwyer, what does that blue avatar symbol mean? I've seen it around, but never knew what it was for.

Originally Posted by JoeBannon

brendandwyer, what does that blue avatar symbol mean? I've seen it around, but never knew what it was for.

An equal sign?

[brendandwyer]

Originally Posted by JoeBannon

brendandwyer, what does that blue avatar symbol mean? I've seen it around, but never knew what it was for.

It actually is the symbol for the Human Rights Campaign

http://www.hrc.org/

It basically stands for equality.

[DavidK]

Originally Posted by brendandwyer

What would you say is the first step (after writing and recording a demo version) towards selling songs to music publishers.

I'm not sure what you mean by "sell". Publishers dont ( generally) "buy" songs, they publish them and you get a cut. If they can't get artists to record/perform them, you end up with nothing.

Personally, I think sending unsolicited demos will probably get you nowhere. I suggest writing emails FIRST: Explain your stuff, who you are, what you can offer them, and ask PERMISSION to send a demo. That we they wont throw it away, as most are thrown away.

Keep in mind that these people dont really like to work At least the smaller ones, they expect YOU to do a lot of the work. If you have any game plan for that, let them know. Unless you are the greatest songwriter of all time, they want to know if you have anything else besides the song i.e. connections, a resume, opportunities to perform or have your stuff performed, etc.

As far as finding them, try google.

[brendandwyer]

Originally Posted by DavidK

I'm not sure what you mean by "sell". Publishers dont ( generally) "buy" songs, they publish them and you get a cut. If they can't get artists to record/perform them, you end up with nothing.

Personally, I think sending unsolicited demos will probably get you nowhere. I suggest writing emails FIRST: Explain your stuff, who you are, what you can offer them, and ask PERMISSION to send a demo. That we they wont throw it away, as most are thrown away.

Keep in mind that these people dont really like to work At least the smaller ones, they expect YOU to do a lot of the work. If you have any game plan for that, let them know. Unless you are the greatest songwriter of all time, they want to know if you have anything else besides the song i.e. connections, a resume, opportunities to perform or have your stuff performed, etc.

As far as finding them, try google.

thanks David. After reading that and some information on the net i've decided that i've already got two jobs and i don't need a third!

I'll keep them to myself and ask that my maggot ridden corpse be buried along side the transcriptions of my songs, so that in 3000 years when my petrified bone fragments are found, the stone tablets upon which my songs are carved can be hoisted high and sung from the hilltops.

I do appreciate the advice though

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by DavidK

I'm not sure what you mean by "sell". Publishers dont ( generally) "buy" songs, they publish them and you get a cut. If they can't get artists to record/perform them, you end up with nothing.

Personally, I think sending unsolicited demos will probably get you nowhere. I suggest writing emails FIRST: Explain your stuff, who you are, what you can offer them, and ask PERMISSION to send a demo. That we they wont throw it away, as most are thrown away.

Keep in mind that these people dont really like to work At least the smaller ones, they expect YOU to do a lot of the work. If you have any game plan for that, let them know. Unless you are the greatest songwriter of all time, they want to know if you have anything else besides the song i.e. connections, a resume, opportunities to perform or have your stuff performed, etc.

As far as finding them, try google.

Emails don't work lol. I delete a ton of email every week from people who have demos to send to me. What you want is first off, get a list of potential clients in the respected genre your representing, and then get a lawyer and professionally contact the representative to setup a meeting or to let him/her view your works. 99% of demos that come in to Mindset Entertainment are thrown away. The only times we start keeping & listening to demos is when we feel like we want another artist. Even then, we only accept those ones that seem to know what they are doing and what they want (the artist). Just my 2c

[DavidK]

Originally Posted by Mindset

Emails don't work lol.

Yes they do, you just have to know how to write them They definitely worked for me, I got personal responses, phone calls and ultimately a recording/publishing contract. I am a pro, so I have credentials to throw around in an email. Even still, a well-written and thought out email will not hurt.

thanks David. After reading that and some information on the net i've decided that i've already got two jobs and i don't need a third!

If you are a computer person you can do a lot quickly. Just setting up websites will help. Even something as absurd as a myspace wont hurt, if you have thousands signed up SOME people will be impressed.

[Mindset]

Originally Posted by DavidK

Yes they do, you just have to know how to write them They definitely worked for me, I got personal responses, phone calls and ultimately a recording/publishing contract. I am a pro, so I have credentials to throw around in an email. Even still, a well-written and thought out email will not hurt.


If you are a computer person you can do a lot quickly. Just setting up websites will help. Even something as absurd as a myspace wont hurt, if you have thousands signed up SOME people will be impressed.

Well ok, SOMETIMES (like once in a life time lol) they do work. If your a great musician like DavidK, you'll hit it big. But if your a "nobody" I wouldn't suggest emails... I used to try and Email Dr Dre in like 2000 for example, and never got emails back lol. If you do have credentials, than that's different imo, your more likely able to do more.

Anyways, I was just stating from my point of view from the label side you know?

[DavidK]

Originally Posted by Mindset

Anyways, I was just stating from my point of view from the label side you know?

Actually, we are fairly close in agreement, on the same track We both agree that you cant just send a disc and that's that. You have to do something PRIOR to sending that disc. It might be knowing someone, knowing someone who knows someone, an email, or generally getting SOME communication happening BEFORE you go further.

... I used to try and Email Dr Dre in like 2000 for example, and never got emails back lol.

1. Even if you didnt get an email back, he still may have read it IF you got the right address.

2. It has been done. I dont know with Dr. Dre, but some people get through to THE guy, its simply a matter of doing right and getting it to the right place.

[brendandwyer]

Originally Posted by DavidK

Yes they do, you just have to know how to write them They definitely worked for me, I got personal responses, phone calls and ultimately a recording/publishing contract. I am a pro, so I have credentials to throw around in an email. Even still, a well-written and thought out email will not hurt.


If you are a computer person you can do a lot quickly. Just setting up websites will help. Even something as absurd as a myspace wont hurt, if you have thousands signed up SOME people will be impressed.

i know i know. i was attempting to be funny, but it might have come off wrong.

the main issue is that i can't even begin to identify a genre that my songs might be marketed in. So it's all good.....truly, thanks for the help

[songwritten]

The songwriting book mentioned in the early post is GREAT. Call the places. Don't email. I personally sent out 30 emails to different labels. I got one response. I called them and was atleast able to get information from 20 of them. Best way to get your foot in the door is sign up at sonicbids.com and try out some different songwriting contests. My band almost had one of our tracks used as the music in the advertisement for the movie School of Rock. We ended up getting second place, but we got free iPods and it made getting shows and connections MUCH easier. Gain whatever exposure you can so you build an impressive kit to label reps. Also, many midly popular songwriters are on the lookout for songwriting partners...it may not hurt to collaborate for a few songs to get your foot in the door. Just some ideas.