Don't Make the
Same Mistakes We Did
We're
a songwriting couple who, before coming to Nashville, spent
time and money recording demos of our songs, sending inquiries to
publishers, and then submitting what we thought were our "hits"
to Nashville. In return, we'd sometimes receive a polite
"thanks-but-no-thanks," but most of the time there
would be no reply at all --
and we couldn't understand why.
So, we
moved to Music City! Then, we spent a couple of years continuing
to make the same old mistakes -- we'd pay to professionally demo
and package our songs, and then make appointments and present them
to Music Row publishers, artists, and music industry A & R
reps. They'd
stop our songs before they even got to the chorus!
What Does Nashville Want in a Song?
We decided to find out
what exactly Nashville is looking for in a song. We
studied Music City. We attended songwriter's meetings,
seminars, discussion groups, and song critiquing workshops.
We read music industry magazines, newspapers, newsletters,
songwriting technique and music business books; we listened
to songs and watched videos airing on the country music TV
and radio stations. We looked, we
listened, and we learned.
Good Songs are
Written, "Great Songs" are Rewritten
Write and rewrite -- this is
one of the most important things we learned. Never stop
writing until you see your song idea through to completion.
Don't stop until your melody does justice to your lyrics,
and likewise, don't stop until your words sing well with your music --
strive for the perfect marriage of music and lyrics.
Most often, a song itself
will guide you through rewrites and "finetunings" here and
there. Bits and pieces will fall together like the pieces of
a puzzle -- and if you're diligent in your crafting, a
number one hit song may very well reveal itself -- never
sell your song short!
Is Your Song a Hit or a Near Miss?
Is your song a hit now, or does it
need a little polishing to achieve "hit-dom"? Of course,
nobody can really predict what song will be a hit, but it's
obvious by listening to new country music radio that poorly
written songs, in general, don't get recorded and played on
the radio. The hit songs are the well written ones.
Now, ask yourself:
Does your song
have good structure and correct prosody? Does it have a good
hook? Do your verses set-up your choruses? Is your story
line clear? Does your song have a bridge (or does it need a
bridge)? Are your lyrics conversational? Would a musical
modulation add the excitement and lift that your song needs?
Save Yourself Time and Money
Save yourself time and money by "finetuning"
your song before you record your demo. Getting feedback
during the writing process can help a songwriter
tremendously.
Seek out the opinions of professionals and listen to their
constructive criticisms and suggestions. Listen -- then, you
decide whether or not to make the changes in your song.
We hope you've read
something that will help you. Happy songwriting!
The Wendells
Woofer 'n Tweeter
How to Get a Woofer 'n Tweeter Song
Critique
"Finetune"
your songs with our
"Songwriter's Tips & Hints" packed full of songwriting information. Our
"Song Checklist" will help identify and correct
common mistakes. Put your song to the test before
the publishers do.
