JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum PAYING FOR CRITIQUES

Since I have never had a song cut, or even come close, I am not sure about the answer to this question.
I think Professional critiques, paid or not, can certainly help a new songwriter. In some instances they might help a veteran songwriter if only to get an opinion on the Commercial viability of the song.
You can get a pretty good idea of a songs value by playing it for folks and just watching their reaction and that doesn't cost you anything.

What I would ask would be why you need a paid for professional critique. Are you writing to get cuts, to play for your family get together's, do you plan on being an artist performing your own songs.
If you are looking for cuts I'd say a pro would be a good idea. IF that pro is up to speed on what the current market is and IF that pro works within the genres you are pitching to. If that pro has had a cut in the last few years.

I don't think a pro should be paid to critique a lyric only. A lyric set to RAP might be VERY different than a lyric set to Country. What works really well for one may not work for the other.

My own experience? Moker did music for my song "I Got A Phone Call Yesterday" I had that song critiqued by two Professionals. I was told by one the song was "too confusing and they didn't understand what was going on, it lacked structure, had no focus,and had no rhyme scheme".
I was told by the other Pro "This song has so many thing wrong with it I won't even offer any suggestions on it. I urge you to buy Jason Blume's book and read it." That was by a well respected organization that many folks here belong to, and pay a yearly fee to.

I played that song for a group of folks that had nothing to do with the music industry. They thought the song was good. It took a few of them a couple listens before they "Got it" but once they did they liked it.
I have since made two minor changes to the lyric to try to clear up any confusion in the song. Most folks have asked "Why did you change the song, it was fine?"
So who is to say?

I had another of my songs 'One Hell of A Good Storm" critiqued by Two professionals. I was told by the first it needed a "Little work" I rewrote the song and the person critiqued it again. The response was "Wow, this is very good, I would get it demo'd and pitch it."
The second critique was simply. "Demo this one and Pitch it". that one was also a well respected organization that many folks here pay to belong to.

So far neither song has had any interest by publishers. One Hell of a Good storm has been rejected because it "Might be a great bar song played live but won't get cut".

One last thought.
I had a song critiqued by another Pro. They said my song had a few cliche lines and REALLY jumped me on an OVERUSED rhyme.
30 minutes later that same person played one of their own songs. It opened with one of the most common cliche's I have heard and the third and forth line had the SAME OVERUSED rhyme as my song.

Bottom line.. I don't pay for critiques anymore.
I know what a good song is and when I write one I will know it.
That still won't get it cut.