S
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New member
These things are put on by the Academy to get new members to sign up. The more members they get in a certain area, the more events like this they will host. Anyway...
There were 3 Nashville songwriters/artists and 1 publishing guy there. One of them wrote "Bed of Roses" for Martina McBride (?), one of them wrote that last Brooks & Dunn song, "there ain't nuthin' 'bout you, that don't do somethin for me...", the other writer was Anita Cochran, a young, newer artist. All of them have written many other 'hits' for multiple people and talked a lot about co-writing, writing 3-4 scheduled days of the week (if not more), creativity vs. artistic expression, etc.
It really was as discouraging as it was encouraging. They're all working Nashville musicians and everything focused around "the Song" which makes sense, just not very exciting thinking of always trying to come up with the "next big hook". I think many of us are trying to express ourselves as well as make it acceptable to the general public. This means equal focus on being an artist as much as a songwriter.
I can think of worse jobs than sitting around writing songs all day, but I guess the reality of it is that publishing companies need good songs to pitch, and if you happen to write good stuff, you can make good money churning out 12 songs a month.
I'd love it if someone wanted to record a song of mine, but I want to write for me. The reality of the business is not always parallel with how we want things to be. Unless you have a great voice or are a great guitarist or have an angle, it's hard to be a successful artist.
Lately, my band hasn't been as active, so I'm getting out and doing solo shows at coffee shops etc. With the band, we're always trying to get to the next level, or record deal, or manager, etc. When I'm performing alone, I feel like I'm doing it for me and the competition is gone. Almost more fulfilling. I can do anything I want - Obscure covers, intrumentals, half-written songs, anything.
I've just had a bad taste in my mouth all day after attending this seminar. Good information, just a realistic dose of competition. I didn't hear anything I didn't already know, it just didn't inspire me to go home and write... and isn't that the point? Maybe I'll write a song about it.
There were 3 Nashville songwriters/artists and 1 publishing guy there. One of them wrote "Bed of Roses" for Martina McBride (?), one of them wrote that last Brooks & Dunn song, "there ain't nuthin' 'bout you, that don't do somethin for me...", the other writer was Anita Cochran, a young, newer artist. All of them have written many other 'hits' for multiple people and talked a lot about co-writing, writing 3-4 scheduled days of the week (if not more), creativity vs. artistic expression, etc.
It really was as discouraging as it was encouraging. They're all working Nashville musicians and everything focused around "the Song" which makes sense, just not very exciting thinking of always trying to come up with the "next big hook". I think many of us are trying to express ourselves as well as make it acceptable to the general public. This means equal focus on being an artist as much as a songwriter.
I can think of worse jobs than sitting around writing songs all day, but I guess the reality of it is that publishing companies need good songs to pitch, and if you happen to write good stuff, you can make good money churning out 12 songs a month.
I'd love it if someone wanted to record a song of mine, but I want to write for me. The reality of the business is not always parallel with how we want things to be. Unless you have a great voice or are a great guitarist or have an angle, it's hard to be a successful artist.
Lately, my band hasn't been as active, so I'm getting out and doing solo shows at coffee shops etc. With the band, we're always trying to get to the next level, or record deal, or manager, etc. When I'm performing alone, I feel like I'm doing it for me and the competition is gone. Almost more fulfilling. I can do anything I want - Obscure covers, intrumentals, half-written songs, anything.
I've just had a bad taste in my mouth all day after attending this seminar. Good information, just a realistic dose of competition. I didn't hear anything I didn't already know, it just didn't inspire me to go home and write... and isn't that the point? Maybe I'll write a song about it.