Pitching To The Pros. - A Word Of Warning Lesson!

[jbek]

Pitching To The Pros.

 

I’m wondering if this phenomenon is unique to me, or, are there others out there who have been offered the same opportunity by a Nashville Recording Company, I’d love to hear from anyone who has had the same experience, been offered the chance to submit their work to specific professionals I mean. The pros. who are searching for materials for their up and coming season, because if this IS unique, I'd like to know please.  Below is part of an old email I somehow saved from my inbox at the time. I’ve blanked out names and addresses for obvious reasons.

 

Have a nice day Jon Bek               THIS IS NOT A HOAX

 

Paisly Submission (2)

Me Snippet unavailable

28 Sep 2012

music

To Me

5 Oct 2012

Jon,
We wanted to let you know that we believe your submissions for Brad Paisley are very good, but not quite what he is looking for at this time. However it might work for other artists, and for placement on iTunes and Amazon.com through our record label partner, StarTune Records if you had it developed. Your work certainly measures up very well compared to most material we receive from emerging songwriters. However we have to measure everything against Nashville's top studio professionals. That makes it very difficult for anyone outside a major music center to compete without a demo.

Since we never send anything less than highly-competitive productions to music business professionals, we must pass on working with the material you have sent for now. We do wish you the best of luck in getting something accomplished on your own. Don't hesitate to contact us if we can be of help, including production, in the future. Please include your full name and complete mailing address when you respond.



  
Best regards,
--
The A&R Team at XXXXXXXXX.com
For the latest info on Nashville and Songwriting, visit:
www.XXXXXXXXXXX.com

[jbek]

I've just posted in an old thread

 

it seem there's quite a few people who don't have a good word for Paramount Song, hey! I'm one of those people, I wouldn't dream of giving them a dime for anything, but every cloud has a silver lining, and I also believe every company even the crap ones have legitimate departments, I think what I'm trying to say hear is I've been offered a chance to pitch to professional country artists, albeit from Paramount Song, and the way see it there's no way on earth I'll ever give them money for anything in conection with the offer, I can't see where they could even broach the question of asking for money when in essence they're asking for your help by sending in full songs, words and music, we all know how hard it is to get a break in this industry, so right here with this offer I see a break, an oppertunity, one I can't pass up, if it doesn't work out, all I've lost is a little time, I was hoping to find one or two composers who were like minded, I'm just a lyricist, I need someone with composing skills to team up with me to at least give this a go, if like me you've all tried different angles to get a break, well this is just another of those, what if it's the one you've been waiting for and you pass it up, how many more will you get, me personally I'll give anything a shot, if it doesnt work out, I just move on to the next, but at least I won't look back and wonder somewhere down the line, maybe I shaould have tried!

 

have a nice day. jon bek

 

I've since done some more searching on the net etc, and decided maybe this isn't qute what I first thought it to be. Thanks for all the input guys.

[john]

Jon, I answered the salient points in that older topic.

Run a mile. Don't walk.

If you are serious about getting heard by professionals, you can do it yourself with a bit of homework. What angles have you tried to get a break?

[justsoulin]

I've replied in the old thread.

[MikeRobinson]

Living "both in and very-near-to" Nashville, I think I'm at least quasi-qualified to say this:  "It's a business, folks!  So, take your blinders off, and deal with it!"

 

---

<<first_name>>,
We wanted to let you know that we believe your submissions for <<major_star>> are very good, but not quite what <<ms_gender>> is looking for at this time.  However, if you will just <<slow_pitch_for_money>> ...

---

 

In today's Internet-besotted world, I would hope that most people by-now would be able to see their way clear of this sort of scam, but you never know.  The folks who right now are pitching to "mainstream country radio" find themselves caught in a formula:  "every country song in 2013 is the same."  But ... "The Internetâ„¢" ... fortunately(!) ... "is a damn big place."