Smart Songwriting: Write Great Songs That Attract Listeners

The chorus is the most important part of the song. We will cover what makes a great chorus. Setting up the chorus coming out of the lyrics and connecting the bridge. The pre-chorus as well as the B part of a chorus to keep it fresh and exciting.

Performing your song in studio and delivering a strong performance isn't about shouting, but style, attitude, pitch, finding your voice and breath control. This lecture is going to help pull the best studio performance out of you so people hear it come through on the song.

You started the verse or chorus good but then lost energy or focus near the end.
Sometimes it's the opposite you start off slow and then start to pick up energy near the end.

Turn your phone off, focus, stop thinking about anything else, unless it helps you with pulling out a better take.

Have some water, tea for your voice if it get's scratchy especially if your screaming.

Don't get Lazy. Try to get the best take you can. If you have to come back to do it.

I used to say memorize your lyrics but not anymore because you could get to the studio and have your

If you write a song that get's placed and does really well, there's a good chance that news will spread and people will call you.

Potentially a publishing deal

It's normally publishers who setup a lot of co-writing sessions with other writers

Charging a flat fee or just a piece of the publishing can sometimes be worth more or both.

Look up writing workshops in your city or events that you can go to and network: Nashville, L.A are the big ones

Working with other artists:

Paying for someone to be featured on a track (tap into their audience)

Learning new ways to write songs different then you do

Brings new perspective

Building relationships (call in a favor to post about the song when it's released)

If it's 2 people split the publishing 50/50

if it's 3 people it's 33.3 around the board

sometimes if you bring someone in near the end then I've seen 40/40/20

Hopefully you've already begun building a fan base prior to finishing everything up. The marketing of your song should start when you begin writing it. let your fans in on behind the scenes stuff.

Investing in your songs is a great place to put your money but don't overdue it either. There is a balance and make sure your not taken advantage of either.

Sales

Publishing

TV/Film/Video Games

Mechanical Royalties

SoundExchange Royalties

Performance Royalties

CCLI

AVLA (Canada)

MROC (Canada)

Those performance royalties are paid by radio stations, venues, and TV networks to Performing Rights Organizations like ASCAP, BMI, SESAC, and SOCAN (in Canada) who then distribute the money to their affiliated songwriters and publishers.

A Performing Rights Organization (or P.R.O.) ensures songwriters or publishers get paid if for their music by collecting publishing revenue like: performance royalties.

An example of performance royalties would be your music playing live at a venue, film or TV and radio performance royalties.

For digital performance royalties from Satellite radio like Pandora and other internet broadcasting stations you would need to sign up with www.soundexchange.com and register your music there.

They don't collect mechanicals to do that you would need to have signed either an admin deal with a publisher or record label. My preference is to use TuneCore's Publishing or sign up for CDBaby Pro.

Paying for an artist to feature on your track is totally worth it and can open a lot of doors! Whether that's iTunes, Radio, Touring or just more exposure.