midnighthowler

I hadn't even got to the part about the $350 , or whether it sounded like a scam yet ... which it does .. but I'm still back at the first line about a liscensing company .... i dont know what that is ...? I've never heard of a songwriter paying someone to use one of their songs ... i would thimk that usually an artist or record label would be paying the 9.1 cent rate to the songwriter or publishing company to use the song , or negotiating a reduced rate ....... this whole thing sounds backwards to me .... but then again. I'm in Nashville Tenn , and this website is world wide .. I'm sure there's lots of things I've never heard of ....I would call harry fox a mechanical licensing and royalty collection agency ........ the more I think about this the more lost i am ... gonna drink a six pack and go back to the song I'm working on

I'm a little confused from the beginning on this one .... I've never heard of a licensing co. Except maybe something like harry fox for mechanicals etc ... and they take a small percentage when a song is released .... some smaller publishing company's issued there own mechanicals too .... I know realize that this forum is worldwide , which I had a hard time grasping st first ...so maybe there's some other ones in UK etc .... I'm in the USA ... be interesting to hear about em

Amen

Please disreguard my earlier post ... I've got bumps all over my head frotm not listening to advice and hearing what I want to hear all my life too ... welcome to the club ..good luck

I think perhaps it might be a good thing for anyone that wants to post a lyric anywhere , or play a song, to look inside themselves as to WHY they are asking for a critique or playing that song ..and find out if its really a critique they are asking for .... it seems many times at songwriter and music gatherings and i expect song critique sessions too .....that many people there can't wait to show off their masterpieces and get approval and glorification ..... and if , and as soon as , that does not happen their ears turn off to anything said from that point on .... guess its just human nature ...but personally I can usually see some degree of validity in a critique .... even if the person is not a songwriter .....they may just say I dont like this part,or word .,or line and not know why ....... once a couple people mention anything about that section ..to ME there's something wrong and I need to address it ...anyways just another thought

Ms Shaye, ...... I'd like to echo Mr tunesmiths response and add a couple things.... as I believe the second option he presented to be the more logical and realistic one .... if you can, as you say, sing and hear song melodys and arraingments in your head, then as you say , you already have an instrument ...your voice ... and you are already bringing one of the important parts of a song to the table .... I would suggest concentrating your efforts on finding a/some comparable co writers ...... along eith the melody and arraingment , you will need the song idea,lyrics, and harmony part (Chords), as a start to get headed towards your goal ...... the biggest problem I see will be navigating thru the snakes and serpents you will encounter in that path as an inexperienced songwriter ... before you even start the search for a compatable co writer , do some research on song sharks, and "put your lyrics to music " businesses and websites .... be sure you completely understand how,who, and what they are, and how they operate , and the your the greatest singer ,and you need a professolnal demo businesses ....... there are many many legit songwriters looking for co writers .... but I can NOT almost, I can guarantee you that the snakes will climb out of the rock pile when they see a new writer .......this is not meant to be negative, songwriting is my passion , and I encourage you to pursue your dream ... just take the advice of people that have walked that path before you .... best of luck. Midnight Howler

I think you are always right to follow your heart ....... and you sound like a sensible man .......... on a side note, I also think THAT is the major reason that very very very few songs on the country radio are any good at all ...... they are written more with commercial appeal and mass produced by staff writers sitting in a room for 4 hrs trying to write hits from a financial perspective , and not from the heart ...... I guess I should for full discloser , admit that I am a nobody to save some people the trouble of responding about how great the songs on the radio are, and I'm just jelouse ...... the thing is , THIS is my opinion and I believe that everyone is entitled to that ..... getting back to your post , I'm probably as old as most of the older geezers on here , and I have been in the same position you are ..... so I understand how hard it is to jump of the songwriting bridge and leave everything behind and chase a dream .... I think that when its time to make the jump you will know it, and have no other choice .... I will reveal a very personal story that maybe I shouldn't, but your post brought back my own struggles with the same issue .... I wrote songs most of my life and wanted to move to Nashville ...but I couldn't .,I was buying a boat I lived on , I had a mom and dad still alive , I had found the love of my life .....had a job I hated for 15 yrs ... .... I wanted to move to Nashville but didn't have the guts to quit my job, leave my familiar surroundings and family .... the boat , and above all place the love of my life in jeapordy financially etc ...... one day I woke up and in the last 3 yes , I had been killed in a car wreck and brought back to life ...... the love of my life died of cancer and I found out that god won't let you trade places no matter how much you pray and cry .. my mom died first...... then a year later my dad finally drank himself to death .... the company I worked for was in bankruptcy and the us government stole my pension because I was 41 days short of 30 yrs by then .(almost 400 thousand)..... I had to sell the boat and house for money owed ......... that was what it took to get ME to move to Nashville and chase my dream ....... I woke up one day and said ALL my excuses for not moving were gone ....... I figured I could starve to death in Nashville as easy as where I was ........ I didn't really want to post all this here for the world to see , BUT I don't know a better way to make someone understand that I know how hard the decision to chase a dream can be ... how long it can take .... and sometimes what you have to give up or loose to finally get the balls to do it ..... so when and IF your ever ready, I think you will know it ..... I'd say if your debating it your prob not ready ... but you can keep writing and studying and becoming better at songwriting just in case ......... if I could change one thing , I would have came here to starve to death as a songwriter at 18 yes old ............. I do apologize for posting this personal stuff ....didn't want to make this post about ME ...... but I thinking that there must be thousands of songwriters out there in the same position , wanting to chase their dream and in doubt ...... this is one mans path ........ maybe it will help somebody in some way. ..... Midnight Howler

Dereck .... it takes balls to stop and reflect on your life and music , decide what's really important , and make changes ..... most people are too afraid of change ...... I haven't even heard your songs or know where you live, but I think you might have that certain passion that some songwriters have .... in Nashville Tennessee there's hundreds or thousands of songwriters that have given up everything ... jobs, homes, friends and family to move HERE to chase our dreams .... perhaps you have taken that first step and don't even realize it yet .... I'm proud to be one of the ones that gave up everything to come here ,and im pround to be a member of that club of loosers, its the best decision I've ever made .... sounds like you are standing on the bridge throwing over all the bags , and trying to decide to take a deep breath and jump ....... you have made it farther than most people make it already ... congratulations my friend .... best of luck

For my 2 cents .... I think what you are really asking AND searching for is YOUR own Voice as a songwriter ....I would encourage you to pick 5 or ten of songs YOU think are the best ... your very favorite songs ...... take each song apart right down to the notes ... example, 1) does the memory rise in the chorus,go down , stay even .....is it long notes, short notes ?? Major chords minor chords ,both ?? .is it a first person perspective?? Outside looking in ?? ..... is it a love,hate,traveling,dying, song?? ...... I mean go right down to the number of notes in the verse, chorus, bridge .... what you are looking for is what has drawn YOU into THOSE particular songs and why YOU think they are the best songs. ... when your done the one or two COMMON. traits in every song is what I think will help you fond your own voice, and what you need to concentrate on as you write YOUR SONGS ..... I really think doing that this is will save you years of trying to copy songs, song forms and ideas ..... Larry

Thank you Sir ....

My post was not meant to infer any info posted was incorrect about country music origins..... I have to keep reminding myself that this medium is worldwide posting and communication medium .... and not everyone here is from the USA ..... I notice that its hard to get everyone on the same page for that reason, just like this post...... as a general statement here, in the us .....everyone that I know who grew up listening to the people I listed Conway/etc ... EVERYONE here, says that country music is NOT country music anymore .... its more like 60s pop of rock was .... I've head that statement a million times here ...... people in other country's prob would have no way of knowing this very prevalent view of country music here in thd states ...... to be honest r, right here in Nashville Tenn, any night of the week you go downtown on Broadway to the country bars .... prob 20 country bars there, you MIGHT hear one Johnny cash or Loretta Lynn song ...... you will prob never hear a Dotty West song ..... you will hear blues, rock , rap , and modern "country" played everywhere ...... So my post was directed more about people saying no country is played anymore , rather than the origins of country music ..... I totally missundersfood the topic ..... sorry

I live in Nashville Tenn .... and I'm supposed to be a country music writer ........ I guess I've just accepted the fact that there's no country music anymore .... I love the Dottie West, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn , George Jones music , and I miss it .. to ME that was country music ..... but I think the people who would buy it. And That grew up in that era are mostly gone now , and if they are not gone, there 80/90 yrs old , and there's very few of them compared to the young people that are buying whatever they tell them country is nowadays .... in my opinion IF they did release a new "country" album by Conway Twitty, I doubt the young people would buy it because that's NOT what they were taught country music is ..... so here we are, stuck with s bunch of mostly rap / 60s rock/ s h I t ,they call vountry , on country radio .... but you know what ..... dinners ready, and I'm stopping here before I say too much ...lol

My attitude has always been that I'm thankful for anything the muse sends me ....... sometimes it might be a hook or a title ....sometimes a short melody riff ..... sometimes the first line of a verse , or chorus ... sometimes a beat or groove , a strum pattern , a chord or chord progression ....... I believe a good writer starts out with what he has .... then decides what he doesn't have and what he needs ...... for example an awesome female artist just gave a cd .....her vocals ability was a 10, her songwriting a 3/4 ability ...... there was one song on the CD I thought had potential .....it was the melody of the verse ,not so much as the lyrics ........ I asked if she would be willing to rewrite the song with me as a different song keeping the verse melody ....... she agreed and we have a killer song on the works , with a very good chorus and lift that was never there before ..... so my point is to start with what you have ......then figure out what the song needs....... on a side note, out of a hundred CDs I have been given , I have only offered to rewrite 3 or 4 songs with the songwriter's ... 3 said no, because they felt their songs were all great.... 1 said yes, ...... I'm not out to "steal" anyone's songs, but now and then you just know what is missing in a song , or what it needs ......basically here in Nashville one person or the other has a hook, riff or line that you start with anyways .... so to me this is no different ..... sorry I got off topic, but I felt that someone might be interested in the concept of rewriting something already considered finished .....I know it can be a touchy thing to bring up to most people .... but in Nashville most writer s want to get the biggest,best, and strongest song possible, so its done here sometimes

I hope someone makes some comments , as I've been doing some reasearch on mondo too , and so far drawn the same conclusion as you. ... maybe someone will help us out

I listened to most of this song one time.....and i really loved the vocal on this one , all the subtle voicings etc ...really love it ( the voice)...... I'm usually a stickler for listening to how a song is crafted and what's good/what's bad ....... I never even got to that point on this song because I was listening to the voice , couldn't tell you anything the thing the song was about .... I do think that a piano that would allow the notes to ring out and gradually fade , or even just voice alone would sound alot better than the short choppy guitar that draws you away from the great voice would be a better way to go .... so I guess what I'm saying is that IF, the song lyrics and melody would have pulled me in and MADE me listen like the voice did , you would have one incredible monster of a song ..... I have never had this happen before.... where I didn't even listen to a song because the voice grabbed me first and it wouldn't let go ..... thank you for that experience .......... I'm on a cell phone and can't see your profile or where your from, but I'd bet you could get some demo work here in Nashville .... if your not already

Hello all .... I don't usually post unless I'm really passionate about a subject ... and this is one i feel strongly about ......... this is strictly one mans opinion ..me ......lol ....... I think there is a big difference in ONCE and awhile explaining how song came about it its something really unique and short or cool .... but I live in Nashville and I can tell you 999 out of 1000 Times it is not something unique and short or cool ....... almost ALWAYS, the writer using an introduction to song to say things that SHOULD have been IN the verses or bridge a well written song ..... sometimes even the chorus ..... if a song is well crafted ,in MOST situatipns,a writer should be able to play the song with NO introduction and it should make sense and be clear to everyone ... the song should stand alone ....... I believe with all of my heart if you need an introduction , its really a rewrite that you need

In the times I have checked in I have only ever see anyone in the chat room one time ........ the site owner has given e everyone hear a great way to meet other writers , ask questions in real time, and discuss songs etc ...... its possible I am missing something here, as I am almost always on a cell phone when I check in here ...... but I can promise you the chat room here could be one of the best resources on here if people word show up here, instead of watching TV in the evenings ....... I will give you a real life example ...... I joined a very very big and popular songwriting organization many hears ago as a general member, and started going into the chat room there .......one of the requirement to become one of the leaders of the workshops presented in most countries and every state here in the USA, was you first be a member for one year. ........ thru the chatroom and talking about songs I met other leaders line .... I was only a member 3 .months ,didn't know that requirement and was turned down as a workshop leader.....BUT due to them getting together and emailing the president I was offered the state leadership anyways ........ now at least 20 years later I've been living in Nashville 10 yes ..... and out of the 20 regulars in that chat room back then , 15 of them are also living in Nashville and working at, or on songwriting ....... some of them are now publishers or song pluggers or other titles .... and I still see them around or write if play with em sometimes ..... great friends and all people that met in that one chatroom 20/25 years ago ...... k think sometimes an example like this makes a better point than just saying " go to the. Chat room" ........ if anyone sees this and thinks its listed in the wrong place please fix it ...... the chatroom is a great thing that needs to be utilized

Hi ... Carrie , its sounds like your here in ten also like me .... what I write would be in the category they call country today .... although I just try to write as good of a song as I can and let the cards fall where they may .... we may have met of even know each other if you live in Nashville or ever play at the commadore in Debbie champions writers rounds ..... anyways I'm Larry

I'm trying to find a way to answer this tactfully .... I can only speak from the songwriters side. ...... hmmmm. ... To boil it down .... Its kind of like there's two sides to the music buisness community in Nashville ...... the REAL and legit people you WANT to meet on the legit music side are not out seeking songs or songwriters , you can't generally walk in an meet them , and you will probably never be around them (that you know about) ....... and you will meet them in an unforced and natural way,and thru other people that you get to know over time .... NOT because you seek them out of stock them ................ that is how Nashville works , but those are the people you want to know and deal with ....... I can't give a percentage , but I'd guess if you added up the legit people and the crooks and shysters and wanna bees ...... the people you want t to deal with might be around 10% ......... there are hundreds or more people, songwriters and artists looking to make it ,comming to Nashville every year just waiting for someone to praise them..... and in way to many cases, all someone has to do is tell them them, or their songs are good , and they will do anything and spend all their money to hear it again ....... be vary vary wary of anyone that thinks your songs are killer ........ the one that won't even listen to them , or listens to 15 seconds and shuts it off , then tells you he can't use them is much more likely to be just the one you want to meet and be around .............. take it for what its worth

Had a one nice stand with my best friends baby sister ................... (if that don't catch your attention and make you listen I don't know what will)

The real important thing is that the verse and chourus stand out from each other ... and there'lots of says to do that , and combine things to make them stand out from the other , and keep it moving so it doesn't get boring and make ears shut off ..... just my 2 cents