Cowriting in the age of Coronavirus

CO-WRITING IN THE AGE OF CORONAVIRUS

We’ve all had our lives affected in some way by the covid-19 crisis that has swept our country.  For me, as a musician and songwriter, it has virtually upended many of my activities.  Live music performance with my band, or as a single, is simply not an option right now.  Going live on FB and doing YouTube videos only go so far.  

I have continued writing songs every day, and I continue to co-write with other songwriters in Nashville.  Here are some suggestions and ideas for you to consider if you currently write, or plan to write, with others in separate locations.

First, there are several tools you can use to connect with co-writers.  I’ve used Skype, Facebook Messenger, and Zoom for remote “face to face” writing sessions.  Google is rolling out a tool similar to Zoom as well. The visual aspect seems to help in making communication better.  I’ve also simply used the old-fashioned way of simply talking on the phone.  It’s a little more difficult if there are three or more people.  I much prefer the more personal feel of seeing the people I’m working with. 

Google docs is another effective tool, part of the Google suite of apps.  It allows each writer to see the draft lyric at the same time and to make additions or edits on the fly.  It’s very much the same in use as MS Word, with a few minor differences.  There are other programs to do this, but this one is pretty much universally available and very easy to use.  I have two windows open during a session, one with whatever video feed I’m using and the other with the draft document.

The music side of the process is a bit different.  I find that all the writers will generally have an idea of how the melody, tempo, and groove of the song could be constructed.  I’ve found the best way to work through this remotely is to record the ideas in MP3 format and share with each writer.  This gives everyone time to get a feel for each other’s ideas, and often generates other useful ideas.  When that’s done, we get together in video conference to discuss likes and dislikes.  This generally surfaces one approach that stands out.  Sometimes it means combining parts of two or more ideas, but it is a way to unify ideas.  It’s much easier to pull together the working draft from there.

Here’s a few tips to help get through the process with less confusion and time:

•  Do your homework.  Be prepared to offer ideas to move the project along
•  Be considerate.  Not everyone communicates the same way.  Try not to dominate discussion or let another participant do so.  If it’s a large group, consider designating someone as a facilitator to keep things moving and ensure everyone is heard.  It’s a good idea to establish some ground rules at the outset.
•  Set realistic timelines and stick to them.  It’s easy for ideas to fall through the cracks without follow up in a reasonable time.  Plus, many songwriters (and other creative types) I have known are not always the most organized, so a little nudge can help.
•   Make sure of consensus before moving on.  Don’t leave friendly differences of opinion to simmer and become big problems later.  Either take care of them immediately or get agreement to resolve later.

  You get the idea.  It may take several get togethers to come up with a final song everyone is happy with.  But the results can be pretty amazing!
 

Hope this helps you along in your writing journey!

·       

·       

·

Songwriting As A Livelihood

Songwriting As A Livelihood

Many people I’ve talked with have a somewhat romanticized notion of writing songs, hearing them on radio or in a movie, and watching the money roll in.  If you are one of those folks, or even if you have less lofty ideas for making money as a songwriter, please let me offer a few observations which might be useful for you.

First and foremost be aware that the business of songwriting has changed dramatically in the last decade, and it continues to change and evolve constantly.  And yes, I said business, because the money side of songwriting is business.  The advent of digital music and streaming services have radically changed the potential cash flow for a songwriter, slashing the revenue return even for hit writers.  I won’t detail it here, but please do your homework, and learn what the true potentials are.

As in any business, it takes a while to become established, learn the ropes, and begin to see some return.  My advice is be sure you have, or can create, a reliable source of revenue to support yourself before relying on income from songwriting.  I’ve seen many, many disillusioned songwriters come and go in Nashville because they were unable to support themselves by writing.

To be successful as a business you must spend money. The days of walking into a publishing house and having them welcome you with open arms and pay all your demo costs have long since passed, with very rare exceptions.  Ditto landing a paid staff job with a publisher.  So, this means you must be prepared to invest your own resources in producing demos, buying equipment, paying for materials, networking and many other things.  The cost of quality full production demos in Nashville runs about $700 to over $1000, and sometimes considerably more for extras.  Radio ready masters are even more.

Know that getting a song contract signed with a publisher doesn’t guarantee that your song will ever be recorded, or that you will receive income from it.  And if you do, remember publishers don’t work for nothing.  A typical publisher will have hundreds, or thousands of songs in their catalogs at any given time.  They make money on their share of royalties from songs they get recorded, so you are facing a lot of internal competition to even have your song presented to an artist representative.  Make sure you understand any contract you sign, and preferably get an experienced entertainment attorney to review it prior to signing it (another expense from your pocket).

One last thing:  Beware of sharks in the waters of the music business.  It is, and always has been, a pretty tough environment.  Move carefully, get good advice, check references, and use common sense to avoid common, and not so common pitfalls.

It’s not all gloom and doom out there.  It is possible to make it, and some do.  But the numbers are far smaller than in the past.  Also, there are many other kinds of revenue sources you can explore, such as film, tv, and advertising licensing.  Again, the competition for these opportunities is fierce.  If you are a singer/songwriter you have the possibility of making money performing and selling merchandise at your shows. 

I have just scratched the surface on this subject, but I sincerely hope this information can help you on your songwriting journey.

Best wishes for success!