As songwriters, we’re constantly confronted with the frustration of how to reach the right music industry decision-maker for our songs. A lot of the answer resides in the slow and steady development of our network of friends and acquaintances but, from time to time, we have to be brave and put… Read more...
I often tell my songwriting students that I teach tools—not rules. There are no rules in songwriting. Similarly, there is no road map that points the way to guaranteed success. But there are three things I consistently see in those who achieve their songwriting goals. Let’s look at the “3 P’s”… Read more...
BMI is proud to support Song Arts Academy’s first songwriting workshop of the new year starting January 17th. This four-week songwriting intensive begins SAA’s eighth year training hitmakers and future GRAMMY-winners. The strategies you will acquire as taught by SAA’s Founder, Billy Seidman, author of the acclaimed Elements of… Read more...
Songwriting can be a fairly solitary endeavor, but for the past almost two years, it’s been more isolated than ever. As much as we struggled to network when in-person get togethers weren’t fraught with pandemic worries, it’s become even more challenging these days. But not to worry. There’s a certain grim… Read more...
The end of a year—and the beginning of a new one—is a perfect time to reassess our goals and recommit to them. I hope that revisiting the excerpts that follow will help you all attain a successful 2022. Excerpt from “Bring Me Something New—What Song Publishers Really Mean” … Read more...
At a recent songwriters’ workshop, prior to critiquing a song from each participant, I asked the writers to let me know their intention or their hope for their song. For example, are they a recording artist and are planning to record and release the song themselves? Are they intending to pitch… Read more...
When I find an exceptional song at one of the workshops that I teach online, I forward it to up to ten publishers, depending on the song’s genre. I emphasize to prospective students that to maintain my credibility, I must be extremely selective about the songs that I forward. Perfectly crafted,… Read more...
Good lyric writing is, most often, a deceptively simple endeavor. When a lyric is at its best, it seems to effortlessly tell the story of your song using memorable imagery, great details and an unforgettable message. The reality, however, is that there are lots of factors at work “behind the scenes”… Read more...
While a film or TV show’s casting director is tasked with finding the right actors for a given role, those of us who create and represent songs have the job of identifying the ideal artists for our songs. Whether you are a songwriter pitching your own material or a music publisher… Read more...
BMI is proud to support Song Arts Academy’s new Fall four-week Songwriting Workshop. Taught by Berklee NYC Faculty Songwriting Professor Billy Seidman, this is an established workshop with proven results to write your best songs and network with new co-writers, while learning the “Advanced Craft” tools used by today’s chart-topping songwriters.… Read more...
