Songwriter Or Songwriter/ Player / Singer?

[macmanmatty]

 My main talent is writing songs. I write the americana genre (Alt country / classic country/ bluegrass / folk/ blues/ a little southern rock). I do not have any recordings demos posted online yet (did but took them down) as I am the process of building a professional quality recording studio.  I can  play VERY well (studio musician well) the following instruments  Guitar (fingerpicked /fingerstyle), Banjo (scruggs style), Dobro (both square neck and round neck  also fingerpicked)  and steel guitar, and can also play mandolin and bass (not as good as the others though). I can somewhat sing with a voice somewhere between Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam  and have writing style  somewhere between Dwight Yoakam and John Prine. as Dwight put it "Here's a sad song I wrote.. Oh wait their all sad here's another sad song I wrote". That's me. 

 

 I would really like to make it as songwriter but my question is with my instrumental abilities and that fact that I can sing (not the best voice or range but have lots of emotion and can sing in key) with the current state of the music industry should I try to pitch my songs to other artists / singers or just  sing myself? Which would be more profitable? I know of the future demise of the industry will there even be any demand for writers anymore or will they all be forced to lean to sing and play and become the artist themselves? Would forming a duo or trio be  a better state than going solo? I have gigged numerous times  and know now that is where the bulk of the money that the recording artist makes comes from.  I was thinking that maybe a trio or duo would better for this as the fans could hear the same instruments played the same way / style as on the album. I don't want to have a full band because just like any other business I don't  want employees aka "Band Members" that  are costing more than their making me, which seems to be the case with most 4-6 member band these days. They that fail to realize that if they cut the one instrument  and that useless drummer the remaining 3-4 members would have more money in their pockets and possibly be able to play smaller venues that pay just as well.

 

But this all boils down to one question is their more money in someone else singing your song and is their anyone who would want to  because they are not writing their own or are already using their own writing friends / house writers from the label? Or if you  have playing and singing talent just record them yourself and get out and play them every night???

Edited May 26, 2014 by macmanmatty

[Maggie Pope]

Wish I could help you with some good information, but I just play for fun right now and unfortunately don't know much about how to make a profit in this business!  But I wanted to post because I LOVE americana/folk/bluegrass and was wondering if you have a link to any of your work?  I'd love to hear it.   I just joined here a few days ago and would like to connect with people who share a similar taste in music and who create the same type of work that I'm interested in creating!

 

Again, I wish I could be of more help in answering your question.  Hope you don't mind my posting anyway!

[macmanmatty]

I do not have any of my songs as I am building a recording studio and will have very good versions recorded in a couple of months. I have some old recordings of me playing and singing what i wrote but that was before I figured that I needed to vastly improve my singing, mainly enunciation of certain words (the ones that started with the letters A-Z) and the vocal instructor at the bars on friday at 7pm was infinitely cheaper than the 150 an hour for the vocal lessons I got quoted. Now thanks to the karaoke host at the bar err... I mean vocal instructor I have improved my singing ten fold. Sing like me not Dwight Yoakam!! That story was NOT a joke and  a VERY cheap way to learn to sing (all karaoke host can sing and most can and are willing to teach you how!!). You have good fingerpicking skills are you classically trained? I noticed you use your pinky and very few people use all four fingers and thumb that often. Your playing is really good and so are the two originals you posted. It's nice to hear happy songs! I fingerpick with mainly my thumb and index and middle finger and sometimes use my ring finger mainly on  round neck dobro. I have written 1000's of songs  100's of which I'd give at a b grade or higher to.  But one of the c grades or lower could be the next "unchained melody", but I'd never know as I never liked "unchained melody"!  Where are you located from the live oak and red bay trees in your movies your probably near me in In NorthWest Florida 45 min east of Panama City.

Edited May 26, 2014 by macmanmatty

[Maggie Pope]

Oh, well I can't wait to hear them when you get them recorded!  I'm glad you were able to find an instructor that you liked - I'm sure those few words that have the letters A-Z are sounding wonderful now;)

 

I'm in Pennsylvania - I think most of those trees you saw were actually Norway Maples and maybe a few Ash trees.  I'm not the best at identifying trees, but I know we've got a lot of Norway Maples - invasive trees that are taking over everything!!!  I wish they were oaks

 

Thanks for your kind words and for checking out my stuff!  I'm self-taught on the guitar - I actually learned a lot by watching and listening to musicians on youtube!  The Avett Brothers, Townes Van Zandt, and Elizabeth Mitchell were my teachers, lol.  I did play the violin for several years growing up though so do have a little bit of musical experience, although I don't remember much!

Good luck with your recordings!!  Can't wait to hear them...

[MikeRobinson]

Be sure to mind your copyright "P's and Q's" since, if there is any money to be made in the song business, it is the songwriter who will be doing it.

 

The trouble throughout the music industry today is that there's really no barrier to entry anymore.  Recording studios used to represent a technological barrier, which record-companies exploited rather ruthlessly.  But now, you can "put the shine on" a recording entirely by yourself, if you are so inclined.  Some folks say that this is what's bringing music back to its roots – as something which people write and play for one another.