"If anyone
can teach you to write songs, it's Robin Frederick. The best songwriting
teacher, hands down." - Kenneth Kim (Upcoming classes...)
"Robin
really knows her stuff! From the artistic end to the real-life business of
songwriting, Robin has experience and knowledge, and the ability to
communicate it all." - Tom Drischler (Upcoming classes...)
"The most
comprehensive and rewarding 10-hour course that I have ever attended on
any subject." - Ed Hillhouse (Upcoming classes...)
"This class
nails it for songwriters giving all you need to know to start."
--Jim Deutsch (Upcoming classes...)
Songwriting
Workshops - Robin's next round of workshops and courses
begins in January, 2005. For more information, visit our Workshops
page. "The
perfect blend of songwriting craft and songwriting business, all in
one class. I loved it!" -- Craig Rogers (Song Course, Spring,
2004)
Songwriter
Resources
by Robin Frederick (c) 2003 All
rights reserved.
Robin
Frederick is a music producer, recording artist, and songwriter who has
written and produced over 500 songs for record albums, television series,
musical theater, and licensed character products. She is past-president of
Los Angeles Women In Music, co-founder of the Indie Nation Music
Conference, and a former Director of A&R for Rhino
Records.
Every songwriter needs access to the music industry,
up-to-date information, and constructive feedback. Here are a few
suggestions on where to get it all. On this page, I've put together a list
of resources for songwriters. It's not a complete list by any means, just
a nudge in the right direction. For more suggestions plus a guide to the
craft of songwriting, read my article on this site: Notes On
Songwriting.
Books Books
on the craft and business of songwriting are a small investment that can
pay off big time. You'll find excerpts from these books, often several
pages long, posted online at the links provided.
I
recently re-read this book, now in its second edition, and was more
impressed with it than ever. The first part of the book is devoted to the
craft of songwriting and covers everything you need to know in a way
that's clear and understandable. You'll be using the information in this
book on your very next song. There's no wasted space here. The examples
are from current hits and are well-chosen. The music business section is
especially useful. John Braheny has been in the music business as long as
anyone. He and Len Chandler founded the Los Angeles Songwriter's Showcase
which, in turn, hosted the very popular Songwriter Expo, a yearly
pitch-and-panel event. Over the years John has accumulated a vast store of
knowledge about publishing, record deals, demos, markets and he is more
than happy to share it. Visit John Braheny's website for a
complete table of contents, articles about songwriting, and excerpts from
the book. Buy
this book at Amazon.com.
This is an excellent book on
the craft of songwriting. Everything here is broken down into clearly
defined steps and there are plenty of exercises to walk you through the
process. Whether you're just starting out or a pro picking up a few tips,
it's definitely worth the price. Jason Blume knows what he's talking about
- he has written songs in the country, pop, and R&B fields, including
hits for Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys - but more importantly,
he's able to communicate what he knows. There's only one area which is not
covered in this book: chord progressions. Find
out more about this book at Amazon.com.
I took private
lessons from Jai Josefs a while back, long after I had started earning my
living as a songwriter, and it was a big help. Chord progressions are an
essential part of a hit song whether it's a country, rock, or rap song,
but too often harmony is overlooked in songwriting books. I guess it's
easier to write about lyrics and melody than chord progressions. Or maybe
songwriters are just expected to learn from listening to Beatles' songs.
Well, finally there's an entire book on the subject, one that's easy to
read and learn from. Jai is a great teacher and writer. If you are writing
both music and lyrics, then this is an essential companion to Jason
Blume's "6 Steps To Songwriting Success." One reader at Amazon.com writes:
"I'm a self-taught pianist and this book has opened up a whole new world
of ideas to me. I'm on my third reading now and in every reading I seem to
pick up something that I didn't before." For more information, read
through the Table Of Contents at Amazon.com. Here are some sample
headings: Basic Note Reading - Chords: The Featured Fourteen - Pop
Harmony: The Building Blocks - Chord Inversions - Using Pedal Points - the
Three Most Common Seventh Chords - Two Ways To Modulate - Rhythm and the
Groove. Find
out more about this book at Amazon.com.
Here you'll find
up-to-date contact information for publishers, record labels and
producers. The 2005 Songwriter's Market tells you who to contact, where
they are, what they're looking for, and what to expect. It includes
easy-to-reference symbols and indexes, information on contests, awards,
workshops, conferences, and resources, and articles from music industry
insiders. If you are a songwriter seeking a publishing deal or artists to
cover your songs, this book can be a useful tool BUT be aware of that many
producers and A&R personnel will not accept unsolicted material. To
get around this problem, you may need to use an A&R service such as
TAXI. See the TAXI link below under "Sell Your Songs." Find
out more about this book at Amazon.com.
The
Indie Bible Editor: David Wimble
This book really IS the
bible of the indie music business. Here's what you'll find packed into its
310 pages: 2900 Radio Stations/Shows that will play your music. 3500 Music
Review Publications that will review your music. 350 CD Vendors/promoters.
400 MP3 sites. 500 Miscellaneous Resources. Plus 39 Articles by Industry
Experts. All of this is tremendously useful if you are a singer/songwriter
or band releasing your own CD. However, be aware that this book is not
aimed primarily at the songwriting market. If you are making demos of your
songs, looking for artists to cover them, then you will probably find the
2005
Songwriter's Market more useful. Visit the Indie Bible web site for more
info and to sign up for their music newsletter. Find
out more about this book at Amazon.com.
Software I'm not going to
list the many excellent midi and digital audio sequencers that are
available on the market because it would take too long. If you are looking
for an inexpensive entry-level sequencer, visit the following web sites
where you can learn what they do and download free demos: For Windows PC,
try Cakewalk
Express at just $29. If you have a MAC with OS X, try the new GarageBand
software. It's inexpensive and very good. The software includes
digital audio and midi sequencing, mixing effects, free loops, and more.
Cost for the software is only $50. If you are just starting to put a home
studio together, Apple has related gear, like keyboards and interfaces, at
very reasonable prices.
Band-In-A-Box There are times
when the idea of fetching a song out of thin air just seems a bit
overwhelming, the blank page too intimidating. Or you're a lyricist who
agrees with me that writing a lyric without a melody is like eating fries
without ketchup. Never fear! Band In A Box is a good solution to all of
the above.
What it does: Band-In-A-Box generates original chord
progressions, rhythm tracks, bass lines, titles and melodies in various
genres from rock to country to pop. (It claims to do 'hip hop' but there
are better tools for that - see FL Studio software below.) The generated
song is available for you to use without copyright restriction because it
is based on general patterns derived from pre-existing songs, not
the songs themselves. The drawback is that the generated songs sound too
predictable and familiar... for obvious reasons. BUT the software has
built in flexibility, allowing you to substitute chords, create new
melodies, write in bass parts, re-program drums. Or you can use the random
melody generator to create new melodies until you find something you want
to work with. Using the software as a simple song generator is very easy.
Substituting new chords is also quite easy but there's a bit of a learning
curve if you want to start writing in new bass lines or changing drum
patterns, however it's well worth the trouble.
Band-In-A-Box is
available for both MAC and Windows and is very reasonably priced (under
$100). You can download a free demo at their web site PG Music. Even a seasoned song
composer will find this software interesting. I used it as the basis for a
song on my BLUE FLAME album - This Is The
Story - and, believe me, you'd never guess it!
A Zillion
Kajillion Rhymes I read about this software in Jimmy Webb's
book, TUNESMITH. I figured if it's good enough for that great songwriter
then I ought to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. For years, I've used
the standard rhyming dictionary by Clement Wood and, to tell you the
truth, I don't think I ever got a useful rhyme out of it; everything
always sounded forced. I mean, sometimes I would be reminded of a word I
might've overlooked but it certainly didn't aid my creativity. I'm happy
to say that ZK Rhymes has already made outstanding contributions to a
couple of my songs. For example, I wanted a rhyme for the word
"indifference." I only needed to rhyme the last syllable but I wanted a
three syllable word to match the rhythm. ZK Rhymes gave me just what I
needed; I chose the word "innocence" from a list that almost instantly
appeared on my computer screen. Of course I could've found the same rhyme
in the Clement Wood book, but it was mixed in with words of one, two,
four, and even five syllables. It wouldn't have leaped out at me.
A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes costs about $40. You can download a
free demo at the Eccentric Software
web site. The demo is pretty limited but you'll get the idea. The
$60 version comes with over 10,000 cliches and catch phrases! I ended up
buying this version because I thought I might use the cliches to suggest
related phrases and title ideas. I did and they do!
FL Studio Fruity Loops
Express Edition is a cheap ($49) Windows-based software program for
playing and mixing loops and WAV samples. if you're writing rap and
hip-hop songs, this is a great place to start. Too complicated and
feature-packed to explain here, I suggest you check out their web site.
The free demo consists of the complete program without the SAVE feature.
You can mess around with it to your heart's content and see if it's right
for you. If you decide to buy the program you get one gig of free samples.
Selling Your Songs - Tip Sheets and
Submission Services Many publishers, music producers, and
record labels refuse to accept unsolicited material. They do this for a
variety of reasons: to protect themselves from copyright infringement
lawsuits, to avoid having to listen to material that is not appropriate
for their genre or artist, to keep a path open to their desk between the
cartons of CDs that litter their office floor. They get a lot of
submissions. However, there are ways around this problem. Here are a
few...
TAXI In
their own words: "TAXI is the leading independent A&R company helping
unsigned bands, artists and songwriters get record deals, publishing deals
and placement in films and TV shows." Here's the cool part: you can see
their current listings online at TAXI listings. Just
click on a music genre in the right-hand sidebar to see the latest
listings. Of course you can't submit your songs unless you're a member.
Check out the listings, read the info posted on their web site and decide
for yourself if it's right for you. The TAXI Road
Rally, held in Los Angeles each November, is a great event and
free to members. The Road Rally alone is worth the price of a membership:
three days of panels, lectures, one-on-one mentoring, and networking. I
know several people involved with TAXI and I can tell you they are honest
and do what they say they do. Annual fee. Use my referral number -
ST1446 - to get a $25 rebate. Do not ask TAXI about the rebate.
They will contact me to confirm your membership and I will send you a $25
rebate check. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.
SongScope In the own words:
"SongScope provides songwriters a tool for pitching material.... Over 400
producers, publishing companies and record labels utilize SongScope to
find material for recording projects. When industry users seek material,
an email with a description of the request will be sent to you. You then
choose to submit your material (from your SongScope catalog) to these
requests. If appropriate, your song and contact information will be made
available to the industry user. Further, industry users can perform
searches of the SongScope catalog using key words such as: tempo, style,
"sounds like", etc, to which your songs will automatically be available."
I haven't had any experience with this company. (Per song fee, renewed
annually.)
SongConnect In their own
words: "Here's how SongConnect works for you: After you open your account
you will get your Password and be directed to your Administration Page
where you can Immediately log-on to view the huge list of producers, music
publishers and record labels currently seeking new song material! Unlike
other lists, this is not a list of random companies. The producers and
publishers on this tip sheet have contacted LaCostaMusic.com and informed
us they are seeking new song material." I have not had any experience with
this company. (Sign up fee plus monthly fee.)
Song Source In their
own words: "Song Source is provided as a monthly subscription service to
professional members of the Christian music industry including songwriters
and music publishers. Song Source lists recording information for both
major label and independent recording artists in the genres of Bluegrass
Gospel, Christian Country, Southern Gospel, Praise & Worship,
Christian Contemporary, Black Gospel, Christian Rock & Urban Gospel!
Song Source subscriptions begin at just $45 per year by fax and $40 by
Email." I have not had any experience with this company.
SongCatalog In their own
words: "Over the last 4 years, SongCatalog has grown to become the
industry leader in marketing professional music catalogs to buyers in
film, television, advertising, and A&R. Companies such as Sony ATV,
Anthem Entertainment, Curb Music, Lieber & Stoller, MGM, and Windswept
Pacific are just a few of the industry leading firms who utilize
SongCatalog to market their music. [We are] now offering an unparalleled
opportunity for qualified amateur songwriters and artists.... Not everyone
is ready for the Developing Songwriters and Artists Program. But if you
are, your music will be presented to buyers along with that of our
established professional clients. There is no other resource available
that puts your music directly in front of buyers actively seeking music.
Ultimately it is all about the right music for the right project. Maybe
you've seen a film, commercial, or television show and thought that your
music would have been perfect for this project. Well our buyers agree and
requested that we provide them continual access to up and coming talent."
This company has been recommended to me by someone I trust but I haven't
used their service. (Set up fee plus annual fee.)
Music Publishers' Association The
Music Publishers Association of the U.S. provides an online list of
publishers that includes address, phone number, and contact name. It does
not say whether they accept unsolicited material or what type of material
they are interested in. You could visit the individual publishers' web
sites, get an email address and write to find out their policy regarding
unsolicited songs.
Music Instruction Songwriters
need to know about chords, that's all. You don't need to read or write
music notes because you can always sing your melody. But you need to be
able to play the chords that go with it. Learning to play chords on piano
or guitar is easy and fun. Here are a couple of good, easy-to-follow
instruction guides for beginners or musicians who want to fill in their
knowledge of chords.
Play
Piano In A Flash! Winner of the 2002 Pinnacle Award in the
category of "how-to" book. From their website: "Have you ever wished you
could play the piano? Well, now you can! Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston
teaches you to play the way the pros play, in a style enormously simpler
than traditional classical piano and with an absolute minimum of
note-reading. By focusing on playing the melody with the right hand (one
note at a time) and simple chords with the left hand, Houston gives you
the tools you need for a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Best of all, your
tour guide to this adventure forces you to have fun along the way!" If
you've seen Scott Houston's PBS special, you know how enormously
entertaining he is, but more important, how simple and fun it can be to
learn the chords and melody basics of piano playing. This is an
inexpensive way to get started. Scott's course is also available on DVD
and VHS.
It's fun and entertainin!
Popular
Chord Style Piano (Book & CD or Book & Cassette) In
their own words: "This is the basic introductory program for piano,
keyboard, or organ. It shows all the basics so you'll be able to play any
song in any key. You'll learn all the chords you need to know and how to
use them. Dozens of playing tips with just enough theory. Complete chord
charts - all in keyboard diagrams in addition to music notation - plus a
Chord Substitution Chart and seven songs. All examples are recorded on CD
or cassette tape (included). This is the basic course upon which all our
other courses are based. Basic and essential." Web site includes free
online mini-lessons. Definitely worth a visit!
The
First Stage Guitar Book: Learn How to Play Guitar Easily &
Quickly From the publisher: "READING MUSIC AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE
PLAYING THE GUITAR NOT REQUIRED...Want to learn how to play the guitar
EASILY and QUICKLY? This great book by Chris Lopez will jump start your
musical development in the right direction. You will find what the
beginning guitar player has for so long been looking for, for starters, a
guitar book filled with complete and easy to understand illustrations on
how to play the most commonly played chords."
Contests The John Lennon Song Contest The
John Lennon Songwriting Contest is an international songwriting contest
that began in 1997. The contest is open to amateur and professional
songwriters. Entries are judged based on originality, melody, composition,
and lyrics (if applicable). Instrumental compositions are accepted.
Neither performance nor production are considered during the judging
process; this is ALL about the song. Winners receive cash prizes,
publishing contracts, or recording equipment. See the John Lennon Song contest web site
for more information. This contest has a good reputation.
MakeaStar.com In their own
words: "[This is] perhaps the only contest on the Internet where music
Fans and the music Industry have equal voting power in finding the best
Indie music and discovering the stars of the future. Every week
MakeaStar.com receives submissions from aspiring Indie artists from all
over the world. Each submission is reviewed and scored by a member of
MakeaStar.com's Industry Review Board. Each week only 16 songs with the
highest review scores enter our contest where music fans and accredited
industry professionals can listen to the songs, read and learn about the
people behind the music, and vote for their favorites. After qualifying
for the contest, it takes a song four weeks to get to the Final Stage and
become a Champion. Meanwhile, each week 16 new artists are added to the
contest, as the winners from the previous week move on to the next round.
Yes, and that means each week we have a new winner!"
I entered the
MakeaStar contest twice and thought it was well worth the $35 submission
fee. My songs reached the semi-finals, gaining me some new fans along the
way and increasing my mailing list. I even met a collaborator during the
run of the contest. The reviews were very helpful and provided a couple of
quotes for my promotional materials. They do consider performance and
production values in the review process, so this is for songwriters with
good demos. It's a great way to get quick, affordable feedback. It's
definitely worth a visit to the MakeaStar web site.
The Great American Song
Contest In their own words: "This international songwriting
contest began in 1999. Amateur and professional songwriters everywhere are
welcome to participate. There are nine categories, including an
Instrumental category and a Lyric Writing category for lyricists. Songs
are judged on songwriting excellence, not on performance or production.
Winners receive a mix of prizes, awards and cash prizes. The Great
American Song Contest is sponsored by Songwriters Resource Network."
I know several of the judges (who are listed at the SRN web site)
and they are truly among the best in the music business. Harriet Schock,
Steve Seskin, Pat Pattison, John Braheny, and many more; they are all
highly qualified to judge song excellence. The entry fee is $20 per song.
You can expect a song evaluation from one of the judges whether you win or
lose. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!
Forums & Message
Boards Looking for information, constructive criticism, or
just someone to grouse with about how hard it is to get a little respect
in this business? Here are a few places you can go to find like-minded
souls. Usually you can read as many posts as you like but if you want to
post something yourself, you'll need to sign up. As with all message
boards, take what you read with a grain of salt; people are trying to help
each other out but not everyone knows what they're talking about.
The Muse's
Muse The Muse's Muse is songwriter web site with an online
newsletter and VERY active message boards. When You get to the site, click
on "Message Board" near the top of the page, then scroll down to
"Songwriter." There are boards for lyric critique only, lyrics and music,
creativity and inspiration, and they ar all very active with plenty of
replies, feedback, and ideas.
The JLSC Forum This
forum is part of the John Lennon Song Contest site. It's very active with
lots of useful info. The site says: "Use the Forum if you've got
questions, answers, tips, or complaints about the music business, or the
songwriting process. For example, if you've got a great melody but no
lyrics, try asking for help. Perhaps the next Lennon/McCartney team will
find each other here. This is the place to ask other songwriters about
their experiences." Sounds good to me.
Songwriting Resource Web
Sites ASCAP -
performance royalties (airplay) BMI - performance royalties
(airplay) Harry Fox Agency
(HFA) - Mechanical royalties (album sales) Songwriters Guild Of America
(SGA) - Publishing contracts and contract review, workshops,
seminars, publisher audits, newsletter Songwriters Resource
Network - articles, contest, bulletin board, links Craft Of Songwriting
- chatroom, articles, resources, links American Songwriter
Magazine - sample articles, lyric contest, bulletin board Songwriters
Directory - listings, links to songwriter web pages Song Lyricist - advice for
marketing lyrics, articles, networking list, links SongStuff.com - Songstuff has
articles, reference material, artist music pages, music news, music
forums, a music glossary, and a large collection of categorised music
related links.
Best of luck to you!!!
_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/
Robin Frederick has
written and produced over 500 songs for records albums and television
series. She is past-president of Los Angeles Women In Music, co-founder of
the Indie Nation Music Conference, and a former Director of A&R for
Rhino Records. Her music has charted at No. 1 on the Adult Alternative
chart at MP3.com and No. 28 on the Pop Chart at Garageband.com. Her albums
are available at CD
Baby and Amazon.com.
She currently teaches songwriting classes in the Los Angeles area. For
more information, visit the Workshops
page on this site.
(c) 2004 Robin Frederick. Reprinted
by permission of the author.
