justsoulin

Hi Prom, Sorry I've only today been able to reply, got the notice then everything went offline. Thanks for the input

Thanks Tom, and thanks for keeping it real.

Hi, I'm putting this here because radio is a part of the biz. So is there anyone on the forums who is or has been involved in an online radio station? Did you setup a station? Did you have a job with a station? Did the station run ads? How did they choose the music? Did it earn money? Were they open to indie artists? Basically, if you've had any experience at all starting a radio station, working for a radio station, getting music played on a radio station, setting up the IT part (softwares etc) - absolutely any dealings with, on any basis or level, please post your detailed experiences below. I'm not asking do you listen to online radio. I'm asking have you had any involvement in setting up, working with (in the ad sales, IT, DJ'ing (whatever) departments or getting your music promoted and/or played on an online radio station, please relay your experiences, what your involvement was, was it good/bad etc etc. I'm also asking for any tips and tricks you know of - eg for making a station earn, how to attract more listeners, IT fixes, shoutcast vs icecast, how to attract advertisers, how to promote the station and where, - anything. But please, if you have had no involvement in an online radio station but you have ideas and suggestions, I'd prefer you not to post/answer. I'd prefer to keep this post as a factual and life experience related post. If someone kindly offers info and you have a question or two, debate/ask away

As in the past and not what inspires you now?

Where are your songs? No point referring you to say "a good friend and music contact" without knowing something of your work. As it is I can't find anything of yours posted here (which is a little suspicious) as you've bloated posts 'almost' demanding to know how to setup a company and/or how to sell your songs. This is a helpful "community" - community being the operative word where one joins in with giving and not just asking to take. So critique some songs, upload some of yours here and then perhaps a kind soul will listen to your questions.

With you there 100%

In some cases I agree Gradual, you have to build your style, your ability etc. But when it comes to collaborating say, perhaps the composer has written a C&W piece for you to write the lyrics. Then you need to understand the genre to get a feel for it. Of course you could always write a song called we will rock you to the C&W music but it wouldn't follows Queens rock song. I feel once you've got to a level where you are comfortable, you need to get out of your comfort zone and begin over by testing yourself to write something you wouldn't, whether in style or genre. I've found doing this the last few years has helped me a lot. As well as actually learning more about music.

Sea of Love - Tom Waits (OST Version)

Good one Tom, wondered what you'd follow on with. Land of 1000 Dances - Wilson Pickett

A B C - Jackson 5

Running Back and Forth - Edwin Starr

I'm glad the proverbial nail has been hot on the head Yes, this is the right place for this. For those that are more experienced, it's hard to recall the first steps they took along this road. But suffice to say, the same problem continues to exist except we get used to pulling lines out of thin air so to speak and testing them. I'm just trying to write words to a composed piece of music and the more I listen to the music and break it down, I must have done 20 or so rewrites. It's given me some amazing lines that I've discarded. I've taken 2 days off the words and whoa, I think I've got a final version. I needed that time off because all the great lines I wrote were spinning around my head. But back to beginnings. Each of us has to find initially a way of beginning that works for us. There is no hard and fast rule. The books state that a hit song will come from getting an outstanding title, then an outstanding hook etc and blah de blah. What "you" do comes from experimenting what fits you. Get that under your belt first. Some folks think a good way to begin is by taking an accomplished song and writing your own words. Sometimes this can be a good exercise since you get a feel of how the music and words must come together - neither follows the other. So read through others lyrics, listen to others music (here on SongStuff) and let what flows flow into words from you. Initially you can go one of two ways. Write down all that comes out and make sense of it or study hard the rules and try and apply them. Personally I like the 1st to find your own "style" and then apply the 2nd to get your style formatted. There's so many things though to take into account such as genre so if you're focused on a genre you need to focus on its style, If your genre free then you meet other problems/difficulties. Just take your time to go through the boards and soak up the information.

Run Baby Run - The Newbeats

As I watch You Slowly Walk Away - Jean DuShon

It can be the vocalist along with the beat/harmony. For the generalisation of a genre, certain characteristics tend to stick out. C&W is easy to hear for example. But when it comes to writing lyrics with no specific genre, it's interesting how people hear through reading a certain genre.

I can't advise on this Sean, sorry (don't play anything) but I've made it a staff pick because it's a great topic for discussion and I hope by doing so, you'll get some feedback. I hope to learn something to

Thanks

Hang on a minute please, this game uses song titles and artists, not links. So forgive me Pretense for asking others to verify for me what your "link" is as I cannot open the link. Mirror In The Bathroom - The Beat

Is Pretense's post spam? (I can't go to YT) Jon, Tom was asking for a Clown song earlier than Smokey Robinsons (in time) - that was the thing Ferry 'cross The Mersey - Gerry & The Pacemakers

Pre 1967 Jon ??

Well I had 2 the other day and you got one. Now the other oldie has disappeared. So any of these? "Make 'Em Laugh," considered an original song, but a near-plagiarism of Cole Porter's "Be a Clown" from Singin' in the Rain 1952. "Be a Clown" is a song written by Cole Porter for the 1948 film The Pirate. The song was first performed by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly Remembered now the other one I'd thought of, Behind A Painted Smile - Isley Brothers (seeing as how you're with Smokey and Tamla) but this was the same year !!!! Cathy's Clown - The Everly Brothers from 1960 I'd like to put Send In The Clowns but surprisingly, that was mid 70's. So any other guesses?

Sounds good and fun. I don't write music or play an instrument but lyric-wise I could help if that's of any help. Don't forget the train gangs and hobo's (think there's a hobo song on the board somewhere). Oh, someone wrote a good song on here that used trains and missing one etc as it's theme.

Can't really argue there Tom I Am A Clown - David Cassidy (sad clown type)