Question -- If you're just starting out...

[mjr]

I was reading a few articles (I believe a couple of them were on MusesMuse) about sending songs to music publishers. One of the articles advised sending the following:

1. CD with all contact info
2. Short bio
3. Lyric sheets

It also states:

"List any significant professional credits that apply to the purpose of your submission. If you want your song published, list other published or recorded songs, contests won, etc."

It seems a bit like a Catch-22 if you're just starting out. How can you "get experience", or get an "in" if you can't get your foot in the door? It also seems that someone with more experience would be preferred over a budding songwriter.

I know in my line of work, I can just do projects and add them to my resume. The same thing cannot be said for songwriting.

 

[DavidK]

It seems a bit like a Catch-22 if you're just starting out. How can you "get experience", or get an "in" if you can't get your foot in the door?

It all depends on what "starting out" means. There are many different levels of "starting out". In classical, one may have gone to the best music conservatory, won awards, soloed with an orchestra, attended festivals, etc. In my book that is starting out, even though they have achieved a very high level of success already.

In this case, you put down whatever you have. If its nothing, you got nothin. If its a performance at a coffee shop, thats something. Some people tend to "embellish" their resumes. I dont particulary approve but it is done. Just remember that the person reading it is no fool, they know BS when they see it.

Its not a Catch-22. Everybody starts at the bottom and climbs the ladder with a few exceptions. Not much you can do to alter that, you pay your dues and go up. Maybe some guy will sing one of your songs at a bar as a favor. That right there is a resume. Thats how it works, you keep adding lil stuff until you have big stuff.

As I was building my career, it was always fun getting to the point of knocking crap of of my bio. At first it was "first chair in high school" , then "first chair in college" or some church gig, etc. NOw I have so much stuff that I leave good stuff off because of space.

 

[mjr]

It all depends on what "starting out" means. There are many different levels of "starting out". In classical, one may have gone to the best music conservatory, won awards, soloed with an orchestra, attended festivals, etc. In my book that is starting out, even though they have achieved a very high level of success already.

In this case, you put down whatever you have. If its nothing, you got nothin. If its a performance at a coffee shop, thats something. Some people tend to "embellish" their resumes. I dont particulary approve but it is done. Just remember that the person reading it is no fool, they know BS when they see it.

Its not a Catch-22. Everybody starts at the bottom and climbs the ladder with a few exceptions. Not much you can do to alter that, you pay your dues and go up. Maybe some guy will sing one of your songs at a bar as a favor. That right there is a resume. Thats how it works, you keep adding lil stuff until you have big stuff.

As I was building my career, it was always fun getting to the point of knocking crap of of my bio. At first it was "first chair in high school" , then "first chair in college" or some church gig, etc. NOw I have so much stuff that I leave good stuff off because of space.

And if nothing else, I can hope for some type of feedback from the publishers. This way I can build on that.

Here's what I mean by "just starting out". I have a notebook that I keep lyrics in. I have about 30 songs and partial songs written in there. What I'd like to do is put a few of them to music, and send a few of them out to music publishers. It would be my very first time (I'm considering buying "Songwriter's Market"), hence "just starting out".

 

[mikeh]

mjr - Songwriters Market can be a good tool, if you have the chops and motivation to use it.

I'm gonna make some comments that may seem harsh - and they are not designed as an attack on you mjr (you have posted several good posts and you seem to be trying to learn how to succeed as a songwriter) - but you may simply not be ready to get published yet.

When you indicate that you have a notebook of lyrics - but nothing recorded to music - you are miles away from being ready to get published

As David indicates - everyone has to start somewhere, and as you can see from his post, he has paid some dues. However, I've noticed one thing with many people on this site - and I must admit that I find it both amusing and frustrating. As a musician who has worked long and hard (a few thousand gigs, hundreds of studio hours, a couple of hundred songs written, etc) - I do believe I have a qualified opinion.

People want to get thier songs published, yet they have paid no dues (no gigs, no tours, no jingles, no nothing). Others want to open a "for pay" studio with little or no experiance, no marketing research, etc. etc.

In any industry - one needs to pay some dues. Musicians/writers need to develope their skills by jamming, gigging, recording, writing, etc. etc. With that comes skill, experiance, the ability to network with people in the industry and yes, even things to add to a resume.

Do some people get shit lucky on thier 1st try? Maybe some rare exceptions -but most published writers have years of writing and performance experiance under thier belts.

So, my advice - if you want some bragging rights to add to a resume......go earn them

 

[mjr]

mjr - Songwriters Market can be a good tool, if you have the chops and motivation to use it.

I'm gonna make some comments that may seem harsh - and they are not designed as an attack on you mjr (you have posted several good posts and you seem to be trying to learn how to succeed as a songwriter) - but you may simply not be ready to get published yet.

When you indicate that you have a notebook of lyrics - but nothing recorded to music - you are miles away from being ready to get published

As David indicates - everyone has to start somewhere, and as you can see from his post, he has paid some dues. However, I've noticed one thing with many people on this site - and I must admit that I find it both amusing and frustrating. As a musician who has worked long and hard (a few thousand gigs, hundreds of studio hours, a couple of hundred songs written, etc) - I do believe I have a qualified opinion.

People want to get thier songs published, yet they have paid no dues (no gigs, no tours, no jingles, no nothing). Others want to open a "for pay" studio with little or no experiance, no marketing research, etc. etc.

In any industry - one needs to pay some dues. Musicians/writers need to develope their skills by jamming, gigging, recording, writing, etc. etc. With that comes skill, experiance, the ability to network with people in the industry and yes, even things to add to a resume.

Do some people get shit lucky on thier 1st try? Maybe some rare exceptions -but most published writers have years of writing and performance experiance under thier belts.

So, my advice - if you want some bragging rights to add to a resume......go earn them

I totally get what you're saying. Not harsh at all. Not taking it that way. Just preparing for the future. I'm just excited, maybe a little over-zealous. It's all good.