JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Gaining Traction (a game plan)

The point here is, to get a major label cut there's a list of actions writers need to consistently take, & writers have done it recently can tell you what it takes.

What all do you really need to do?
What do you really need to be?
Many wanna be writers are doing some of what they need to do but not everything.

Success rarely comes to you you have to go to it.

1) write songs that obliterate the competition
it must be a no brainer, because the artist, label, managers, & producers & everyone involved feel more comfortable selecting a good to great song written by a proven hit writer. they have a track record, they have a BRAND.
you have to obliterate the competition because for an unknown writer to get a cut, the artist has to be in the business zone, because the artist would prefer to cut a hit song written by a friend who's a proven writer.

2) steve seskin talks about an artist's CD having as having slots for different kinds of songs
Different tempo's, themes and topics
slow, mid, up
love songs ...
Steve suggests to write songs that don't have any competition
The artist might have 2 uptempo love songs he's narrowed it down to, & he picks one. When he wrote "Don't Laugh at Me" there wasn't another song in the pile competing with it. The artist decided to include a anti bullying song.

3) I like to cowrite with artists and have had much more luck co-writing with talented up and coming artists. If the artist you've worked with finally gets their "break" they get real busy. Artist can road test songs you cowrite at their gigs and gauge the crowd response they include the ones that get the best fan response on their next project.

4) many writers are hoping for success but aren't really doing what it takes. they have deal breaker gaps in their plans and actions. Say sh!t like I don't do politics and I ain't gonna play the game. Well you just made it harder for yourself and your songs. Create friendships. Dig your well before you're thirsty.


5) you have to have a catalog of killer songs & current sounding awesome radio ready demos


6) it's all about doing things that increase the odds of your dream really happening.
Many writers have the dream, they think they have the songs but they really don't know how great the competition is. They need to compete in the major league and they aren't ready for little league. they need to compete in the olympics but really aren't ready for the special olympics.
You've got to have the goods and your GOODS need to be GREAT.
listen to a few of the actual demos the artist heard
http://www.originalsongwriterdemos.com/
http://www.facebook.com/originalsongwriterdemos

7) You've got to be willing to learn and adapt.

8) study what hit writers do day after day
read kara dioguardi's myspace blog

9) you need to make friends and be a friend.
Do many favors and ask for few.
You'll make more friends in the music biz by not talking about it. Talk about what people are interested in, find out what you really have in common.

networking is just as important as great songwriting

it is important to "write a great song" and have a great demo of that great song

you don't have to move to Nashville you just need to have a frequent presense there or where ever your kind of music happened

"if you somehow write a great song, isn't that reward enough?"
yes but checks in the mail are wonderful too


look at the credentials of authors and presenters who offer how to advice on songwriting, I prefer been there done that people

you need contacts and friends who can help you after you have some great songs. but wait till you have a few killer songs.

the path to success can be incredibly frustrating
I have a friend has been in Nashville for years,
he is cowriting with huge writers like Don Schlitz,
he is handsome charismatic and an incredible singer,
he has industry big whigs kicking his tires & trying to help him,
he's had big publishing deals, but he still hasn't gotten a major label deal or a big cut.
Get's invited to many industry events but turns down many of them.

If your all consuming mission in life is to write incredible songs that successful artists cut. songs that become singles and get played on the radio. What do you have to do to make it happen.

bitching about it,
won't work.
saying you have more talent than such and such artist
won't work.
saying you can write circles around certain hit writers
won't work.

you have to become a hit writer and
before you become a hit writer
you have to act like you already are one

it's a battle fought on many fronts.

MAB's shared a ton of wisdom at
MAB Q & A Chapter I & II
http://www.songramp.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=57759

http://www.songramp.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=63466

read how one mab student did it
An Interview With Pro Songwriter Julie Carter-Moriva
http://www.songramp.com/news.php?viewStory=924
http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/791045/page/2