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Song Submissions

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Neil C

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« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2013, 01:29:26 PM »
Mot sure I agree with your STC, its a bit like you tend to forget the wet summers of your childhood.  There always a large amount of music for the moment ( good, bad and indifferent ) and then you get occasional timeless tunes, which become classics over time and we'll all have different opinions depending upon tastes and eras, which is great.
Like beauty its in the eye of the beholders - and playlisters I guess....
 :)
Neil
songwriter of no repute..

S.T.C

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« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2013, 05:24:39 PM »
Mot sure I agree with your STC, its a bit like you tend to forget the wet summers of your childhood.  There always a large amount of music for the moment ( good, bad and indifferent ) and then you get occasional timeless tunes, which become classics over time and we'll all have different opinions depending upon tastes and eras, which is great.
Like beauty its in the eye of the beholders - and playlisters I guess....
 :)
Neil
Well in a way your right i`m sure some of `this` generation think there`s some right old classics being made..and will reminisce over them in time..

But rather like the old actors and the great films they made...it`s sort of gone....it`s a digitised,produced, formula ,money, based mentality in the entertainments world....

I just don`t hear the tunes that will hang around..... :)

Alan Starkie

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« Reply #17 on: August 08, 2013, 07:09:59 PM »
The music business has always been about money and nothing else. Business being the key word.

The greatest musician/songwriter/actor in the world will get dropped if they stop making money for 'the company'.

You don't like it. I don't like it. but it has always and will always be the case.

After all, if it wasn't based on money, you'd have never even heard The Beatles or U2 or Frank Sinatra etc...

Onelabel

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« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2013, 11:12:59 AM »
IMO getting songs placed with major artists (which is after all what every publisher and writer is trying to do) is almost a closed shop. There's a lot less cash in the industry now with the songwriting side one of the few ways for most to make some money.

Which is why so many hit singles have numerous 'writers' on them, whether the producer (who is no longer getting the cut he used to from the mechs) or the artist (who does f all but wants the public to think he/she does) etc. etc. You hear so much average music in the charts because the people who 'influence' the leading artists are extremely reluctant to lose these valuable revenue stream.

IMO Ed Sheeran's  'A Team' is a brilliant song. A critical and commercial success. But it was played to publishers for two years and no one was interested. I can imagine the feedback he got "yeah it's a nice song but I'm just not hearing a hit"

Publishers aren't really interested in brilliant songs - they'd rather have an average song that's marketed brilliantly

Jess

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« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2013, 02:09:01 PM »
Publishers aren't really interested in brilliant songs - they'd rather have an average song that's marketed brilliantly
Dreams.Shattered. :(
"When writing a song, if your afraid to suck, you'll never write a note" -Jeff Boyle

flossie

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« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2013, 08:28:16 PM »
Yes but you have to start somewhere and there are plenty of opportunities out there, the world is a big place and when thinking about marketing songs you now need to think globally.

Also, social media and youtube is a terrific way to get noticed, don't be disheartened Jess, in some ways it's easier to make it now than it was before!

(Still difficult though! ;D ;D ;D)

Tenacity is the key! And erm talent helps too!

Jess

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« Reply #21 on: August 20, 2013, 08:32:55 PM »
Yes but you have to start somewhere and there are plenty of opportunities out there, the world is a big place and when thinking about marketing songs you now need to think globally.

Also, social media and youtube is a terrific way to get noticed, don't be disheartened Jess, in some ways it's easier to make it now than it was before!

(Still difficult though! ;D ;D ;D)

Tenacity is the key! And erm talent helps too!
:D mwah :-*
"When writing a song, if your afraid to suck, you'll never write a note" -Jeff Boyle

flossie

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« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2013, 08:36:40 PM »
Hee hee!  :P

I have children and its holidays and I have done very little musically and I've missed loads here.  Won't be back here much til September.  Can't resist a sneaky peak on this amazing forum though!  ;D

Jess

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« Reply #23 on: August 20, 2013, 09:26:23 PM »
Won't be back here much til September. 
You may want to have a little look on the finished songs section...one of your songs may have made a little comeback...  ;)
"When writing a song, if your afraid to suck, you'll never write a note" -Jeff Boyle

Onelabel

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« Reply #24 on: August 21, 2013, 11:03:46 AM »
Publishers aren't really interested in brilliant songs - they'd rather have an average song that's marketed brilliantly
Dreams.Shattered. :(

Sorry Jess didnt mean to do that!
Like Flossie said there are opportunities out there however the challenge is not just to write great songs, but to also create networks, relationships, a strong following and ergo industry attention - such that you find someone prepared to take a punt on you.

Its probably a bit harder now since there's less cash/investment around but there are opportunities..... slightly OT but......

From a artist/songwriter perspective I thought Gabrielle Aplin's progress has been interesting. Signed by a Major on the back of some good songs and a HUGE Youtube following (based mostly on covers). The label invests a decent amount of cash and releases a couple of okay EP's  - although the singles underperformed and major radio play was limited (chicken/egg).

At this point the major must have been pulling their hair out. THEN an opportunity comes from John Lewis to cover an xmas track. Bid won, JL uses song in intensive TV campaign and effectively gives track the kind of marketing push that would cost £m

Single goes #1, BBC/Cap 'A' Playlist, Album #1, Re-releases all 'A' playlisted and chart.

So its interesting that thats the way the music business seems to be going. Presumably JL and Parlaphone did some kind of revenue share = win-win.

philaturner

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« Reply #25 on: August 29, 2013, 09:58:37 AM »
Hi Alan
I have been sending stuff out for a few years now. I've got about 10 songs published with publishers in Nashville and here in England. I've just heard from a publisher in Nashville that a female singer is cutting 2 of my songs and I'll be getting a cheque for $400 - split 50/50  with the publisher of course! - and then if the CD sells any copies I might get a few extra dollars. That was one of those out of the blue emails. I'd forgotten all about those 2 songs as the publisher had them for a couple of years now.

I also get some good contacts from Bandit which comes out monthly and the subscription is £9/month and Songlink is good but a lot more expensive, around £25/30 a month. Reverbnation and Songsalive have good contacts too. I listened to your stuff and I particularly like the first song, it has great chorus and a real Oasis feel. As some else said, your songs have an uplifting vibe about them. One question, where do you record your stuff? I have the vocals recorded in Nashville and I record the rest of the instruments in my studio at home.

Phil

Saeed AlSuri

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« Reply #26 on: August 29, 2013, 10:41:12 AM »
Very interesting read ..  :D :D :D

There is one comment by flossie to Jess caught my eyes .. it's easier now then before .. quite right ..

I remember I had to save money to make my demo songs when I was at collage .. rent a studio time .. play the musicians .. and after all that  .. no one was interested to hear my songs .. no one to send it to .. I still have those old recordings .. and no one heard them yet .. but now what ever I write .. post it on the internet .. at least .. I have the distinguished members of this forum to hear my songs .. that is a great plus believe you me ..

Alan Starkie

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« Reply #27 on: August 29, 2013, 11:11:22 AM »
Hi Phil,

Give me a link to your songs. I'd like a listen :-)

I record everything at my studio at work where I teach.

Do you use asongparadise or awritersparadise in Nashville at all?

I had some licenses through them. They do long distance demo work too as do a lot of Nashville studios!

I've got a US record company releasing one of my songs this month and another at Christmas but, as The Stones once said on their 25th anniversary - '20 years hanging around doing nothing and 5 years work'

It really is a waiting game. Keep plodding on....

Alan.
« Last Edit: August 29, 2013, 11:16:08 AM by Alan Starkie »

philaturner

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« Reply #28 on: August 29, 2013, 06:53:57 PM »
Hi Alan
I use a guy called Scott in Nashville, an amazing guitarist and top bloke, and he gets me vocalists. He records acoustic guitar and vocals, then I put everything else down in my small studio. A few times I have used a whole band in Nashville, when they do something called a "slam" when musicians play all day in a studio and songwriters can book a time for them to record your song. The musicianship is brilliant but the arrangement always need tweaking, like adding a tambourine, strings or more guitars. It is really cheap but they don't do it often.
I can't sing a note and write all my melodies on the keyboard with my right hand and basic chords in the left. I then add a VERY rough vocal over it and send it off with the arrangement.
Another good resource is Jango.com. I don't know if you've heard of it but it's an internet radio and for $10 a month you can get 300 plays. You then get "fans" when they hear your music and subscribe to your website on Jango.
I've a variety of songs on 2 websites, www.reverbnation.com/philaturner and soundcloud/phil-turner
One of the songs I'm getting released is not on there but there's a cross-section of stuff.
Phil

Alan Starkie

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« Reply #29 on: September 23, 2013, 09:39:55 PM »
Just pitched to another 15 publishers.

TV/Movie/Artist... Bring it on!!!

Got 3 new finished demos but can't record the master versions. My new place is WAY TOO NOISY so going to have to relocate my studio equipment.