Songwriter How To's

Songwriting 101 - The How To's

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IN THE BEGINNING
First, get one or two good books on the subjects of songwriting. Learn the art of songwriting and structure, listen to the radio (remember - this is who you ultimately will have to compete with). Work on your craft and practice (you should be writing 3-10 songs each week). While not every song you write will be a hit, you must keep writing. The great songwriters of Nashville generally write 5 to 10 songs every week, and claim 1 in 5 is good enough to demo, only about 1/2 of the demos are pitched, so about 1 song in 50 to 100 is a hit (that means it makes money). And remember - those are the big guys!

DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
If you do great, get better, if not start. Why? because if you can play music you will begin to understand the art. Or if you're a good lyricist, get a co-writer who's a good musician. Get great together! You can NOT complete in an area you do not understand.

GET HELP
Join a songwriting organization to meet other songwriters, network, talk with them, collaborate (write together), and then write some more. When you have a few good songs, pick out your best and start singing at open mics (all good songwriting organizations have monthly open mics). And, remember, this is a songwriter group, you do not have to be a great singer. You will soon get constructive feedback on your songs from the group and reaction from the audience.

Most good songwriting organizations hold seminars and symposiums. This is a great way to network and meet industry leaders (the people you need to get to know). Most organizations charge extra for the seminars, but they are usually quite affordable and well worth the money.

LEARN MORE
Now it is time to buy a couple of books on the business of songwriting. Pick your very best songs (2 or 3) and get them demoed - the books should help you do this properly. The cost to Demo a song can range from $50 to $1,000 and more. As a songwriter, you do not require fabulous demos. But don't be cheap either, a good songwriter working demo should NOT cost you more than $50 to $150 per song. Also, tapes must be properly labeled (always put your name & phone number on everything), include typed lyric sheets for every song, and use nice stationary (your own letterhead is a real boost). As you get better at your craft, you will begin to re-write & re-demo your best songs after you have had positive feedback. You will now spend $250 to $500 per song for these songs. But you should already be getting positive responses on these songs, and not just from the studio who is going to charge you to do them!

Play your demos (as you want feed back) to anyone who will listen. And remember - rejection means just one less no before your first yes!

What is a Publishing Company
A publishing company is really nothing more than a commissioned salesperson who sells your product! While you can pitch your own songs (you do not normally sell them) to the record labels, a publishing company has spent years cultivating contacts and knows when acts are looking for new material. When you consider that 99% of all songs cut by the major labels come through publishers, it is almost impossible to do it yourself and succeed. If you have yet to go to Nashville to pitch a song, or mail your tape directly to a record label - try it.

A publishing company is also responsible for collecting your royalties from the label. Unless you know what you are doing, this can be a very difficult chore. Remember, your talents should be concentrated on the art of songwriting. Songtek Publishing, Inc. has been a BMI publisher for 10 years, we are also an ASCAP publisher.

How do Songwriters get paid?
First, you can sell the rights to your song outright to a publisher. While this is rare, it does happen. It is normally not advisable as a song good enough to get a publisher to pay up front money (usually only $200 to $1,000) will probably get cut. It's said in town that Willie Nelson sold the rights to "Crazy" for a few hundred dollars. The song has continued to earn the publisher over $1,000,000! Think twice before you sell a song outright.

While a songwriter earns money in numerous ways, the primary sources are airplay and mechanical sales. Airplay is just that, you get paid every time your song gets played on the radio. While you earn only a few cents per play (based on market size), a hit song can easily earn a songwriter over a $1,000 per day (2500 country stations, 10 plays per day, average 4 cents per play). A number one hit can earn even more.

Mechanicals are for record sales and pay a standard 6.6 cents per song per sale, (3.3 to the songwriter and 3.3 to the publisher). If an album goes Platinum (1,000,000 copies) and you have 2 songs on the album, on just your 3.3 cents you earn $66,000. On a Garth Brooks album with 12,000,000 in sales (at just 3.3 cents) you earn $396,000 on just one song!

A publisher will get all the publishing royalties, and the writer will get all of the writer royalties which represents a 50/50 split of the total royalties. While that may seem like a lot, unless you get a song cut by a major label - you earn zero! A typical cut on an independent label (one without major distribution) will usually earn you a total of less than $100, if anything. To get a cut with a major label takes a lot of pull and connections - but it will earn you big bucks.

Songtek Publishing, Inc. (BMI)
SongTrek Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP)
4930 West 116th Ct
Westninster, CO 80031
Phone: (303) 438-9831

Click Song & Material Submission Form to submit songs or materials to our publishing company.