[Yahweh]

Does anyone know anything about Nashville Songwriting Service? Namely, any experiences with them.

I entered a lyric into their monthly songwriting competition. While it didn't win, I had an email offering a contract to represent the song to the music industry. I'm apparently going to get a demo produced. However, I've got to pay for the time (session musicians etc.) which does seem fair enough.

I've been trying to find information on them but can't, apart from the following. A complaint was made about them in America, claiming it was a bad demo and the complainant couldn't get a resolve. I read the report online and the company claimed they tried to work with the complainant, but failed to get responses. Both sides eventually reached an agreement, so it was sorted out. The second thing I read was someone saying they wrote the worst lyric they could and called it "Humpsy Dumpsy" and was offered a contract for representation.

It's not a lot to base an opinion or a decision on, so would like to know if anyone else has experiences of the company.

[Boydie]

This is a very common "scam" where a company will tell you your songs/lyrics are great and you then pay them to record a demo and pitch your songs to the "industry"

This is exactly the same approach as the "model agencies" that approach young girls in the street and tell them they could be models and they are "exactly the look they are looking for"...but they need to pay to have a portfolio of photographs done

This company makes its money from producing demos - I would not put ANY value in the fact that they will "represent you" or "expose you to the music industry"

Their rate and quality of the demo may be OK but I would personally recommend that you walk away from any company that operates in this way

There are plenty of services out there that will produce demos if you pay them

I offer this service but I am very "up front" that I am offering this service with no strings attached and no promises that I will expose you to the music industry

I would obviously advise and help but if you want a song produced of any quality (even "Humpsy Dumpsy") I would do it for you and help you make it the best it can be

If you only have a lyric then you are also looking for someone to write the melody and music, which leads to discussions about sharing the writing credits and % splits etc.

I wouldn't get too hung up about this part though as the chances of a song from an unknown writer making a serious amount of money is probably less than getting hit by a bus!

If you want your lyric turned in to a song I would shop around and look for "demo services" - or drop me a Private Message via the forum and we can talk 

[tone]

Boydie is absolutely right. It's not quite a 'scam' - it's just an underhand marketing technique that targets inexperienced and naive writers by giving them false hope.

However, that doesn't mean you shouldn't turn your songs into demos or even full-on commercially produced records if you want to. And for the record, Boydie is a very competent writer, arranger, producer and I'm sure he'd make your tracks sound excellent. If you want to hear what I mean, check out this demo of mine he turned into a finished recording https://soundcloud.com/anthony-lane/straitjacket

One last thing. Far be it from me to tell anyone not to be ambitious, but I would think carefully about the idea of commercial success. To elaborate on what Boydie has said, it's not just that the chances are extremely slim (they always have been) but also that the business of hit making is run by a very closed group of people. Hell, there's one Swedish guy who writes about half the hit songs in any given year (slight exaggeration) and has done for the last 15 or so years. Max something or other. Finding your way into this 'inner circle' is extremely difficult, even for people who've been in the business for years.

So make music. Make the best music you can. Make the best records you can. Just don't allow a lack of commercial success bring you down or make you think your songs are no good.

One last thing: have fun!