HOME


NEWS & UPDATES


LISTENING ROOM
MP3: previews, full tracks. Lyrics.


WORKSHOPS & COURSES
Robin's upcoming classes.


GUESTBOOK


NOTES ON SONGWRITING
Learn how to write a song.


ABOUT US
Staff & House Elves

Night Blooming Thing Artist: Robin Frederick

mp3 Lo-Fi Play mp3 Hi-Fi Play

CD: BLUE FLAME $9.99 at CD Baby

Songwriter Resources

by Robin Frederick
(c) 2005 All rights reserved.

Robin Frederick is a music producer, recording artist, and songwriter who has written and produced over 500 songs for record albums, television series, musical theater, and licensed character products. She is past-president of Los Angeles Women In Music, co-founder of the Indie Nation Music Conference, and a former Director of A&R for Rhino Records.

[ BOOKS ]   [ SOFTWARE & DEMOS ]  

[ TIP SHEETS & SONG SUBMISSIONS ]  

[ MUSIC INSTRUCTION ] [ CONTESTS ]   [ FORUMS ]   [ WEB SITES ]

Every songwriter needs access to the music industry, up-to-date information, and constructive feedback. Here are a few suggestions on where to get it all. On this page, I've put together a list of resources for songwriters. It's not a complete list by any means, just a nudge in the right direction. For more suggestions plus a guide to the craft of songwriting, read my article on this site: Notes On Songwriting.

To Top of Page

Songwriting & Demo Software
There are many excellent midi and digital audio sequencers available on the market. I couldn't possibly list them all and describe all their bells and whistles because it would take too long. But here are a couple of inexpensive programs that do a very good job. If you've never used a sequencer before, be aware that these programs come with a learning curve attached!


Cakewalk USB Music Pack
If you have a PC and you are looking for an inexpensive entry-level sequencer that will record both audio and midi, take a look at Cakewalk's USB Music Pack. For around $50 at Amazon.com, you get a midi adapter to hook up a midi keyboard to your computer. You can record vocals and guitar or any other live sound source directly into the software. (Microphone is not included so you'll need to make sure you have a USB mic or built-in.) Mix your digital audio tracks and midi along with loops (provided in the loop library) using the virtual mixing console which includes EQ and effects like chorus, delay and reverb. For the price, it's unbeatable. (See product link in Sidebar.)


Garageband for MAC
Try the new GarageBand software for Mac. It's inexpensive and lots of fun plus it'll make you sound good even if you're just starting out! The software includes digital audio and midi sequencing, mixing effects, better yet, it has lots of rhythm and instrument loops you can mix and match. Have fun creating a complete instrumental track within your computer (no midi keyboard needed), then add a vocal using either Mac's built-in laptop mic or a USB mic (not included but they're cheap). This software is part of the Apple iLife '08 software suite available through Amazon.com. (See sidebar for link.)


Band-In-A-Box
I love this software and I use it! It's inexpensive (under $100) and a great creative tool. When the idea of fetching a song out of thin air seems a bit overwhelming, Band-In-A-Box can give you a plenty of chords, melodies - even a title - to get things rolling. Or maybe you're a lyricist who agrees with me that writing a lyric without a melody is like eating fries without ketchup. Band-In-A-Box can create a solid scratch melody for you. I like to think of this software as a really good-natured collaborator: It never runs out of ideas and it's ready to work whenever you are.

What it does: Band-In-A-Box generates original chord progressions, rhythm tracks, bass lines, titles and melodies in various genres from rock to country to pop. (It claims to do 'hip hop' but it really doesn't - see FL Studio software below.) The generated song is available for you to use without copyright restriction because it is based on general patterns derived from pre-existing songs, not the songs themselves. The drawback is that the generated songs sound predictable and familiar... for obvious reasons. BUT the software has a lot of built-in flexibility, allowing you to substitute chords, create new melodies, write in bass parts, re-program drums. Or you can use the random melody-generator to create new melodies until you find something you want to work with. Using the software as a simple song generator is very easy. There's a bit of a learning curve when you start writing in complete chord progressions of your own, however it's well worth the trouble. Beware: many of the pre-programmed songs that play when you first open the software sound dorky and awkward. I hate 'em! What you want to do is find a "style" (drum and bass pattern) that you like. The light rock styles and country styles are very good. Choose one of those styles and start experimenting. You don't even need a midi keyboard - you can use your computer keys to type in chord names and Band-In-A-Box will play the sounds that are already in your computer.

Band-In-A-Box is available for both MAC and Windows and costs less than $90. The Windows version can even record your vocals. You can download a free demo at their web site PG Music. Even a seasoned song composer will find this software interesting. I used it as the basis for a song on my BLUE FLAME album - This Is The Story - and, believe me, you'd never guess it!


Acid Music Studio 7
This low cost, feature-packed software ($60) makes it easy to create your own loop-based tracks and songs on your PC. Play and mix loops and WAV samples -the software comes with over 3000 loops and 1000 midi samples - edit and mix with plenty of bells and whistles for the money. Multitrack recording allows you to mix loops with your midi tracks and recorded vocals and guitar tracks. Does not come with a mic so be sure you have a USB microphone or built-in. That's all y ou need!

Demo Tracks

You can make a rough demo of your song with any of the software mentioned above. I have made "broadcast quality" demos using Band In A Box to create drums, bass and piano parts. I then exported the work as a standard midi file (.mid), opened it in my digital audio sequencer program (I use Digital Performer.) and recorded live acoustic rhythm guitar and vocals. Band In A Box does a good job with country, light rock, and pop/rock styles. Garageband (for Mac) and Fruityloops or Acid Studio (for PC) can create "broadcast quality" loop-based tracks for contemporary Urban and Hot AC styles. BUT what if you want a truly live, slammin' drum sound? Good drums are the most expensive instrument to record live, requiring a good studio/engineer and mic selection. And what if you don't have access to studio quality musicians? Here are a couple of options...

Drums On Demand
This series consists of excellent drum loops played by live drummers. The feel is great. The sonic quality is crisp and punchy. The styles are interesting, fresh, and useable. Each track contains verse, chorus, and fills plus variations of each. You can buy the tracks in a variety of formats including audio, REX, and ACID. I wouldn't recommend going too far away from the original tempo. I started with the first volume and have been adding others according to my needs. You can preview samples of all the tracks on the website. Check out Bass On Demand while you're there. Cost: about $50 per CD. Each CD includes around 40 styles. I recommend it!

Studio-Aid
I haven't tried this yet but I have checked out the web site and audio samples and I am very impressed with the quality of the work and the price. Dave Berry is a musician who will record drums, bass and guitar for your song and send you the separate tracks (with or without effects). You can add vocals, keyboards, and mix to complete your demo. He will need a copy of your rough demo either uploaded or mailed on tape or CD. His drums tracks sound tight and the feel is solid. The bass tracks are working well. The guitar ideas are good though you may want to record guitar when you do vocals and mix so you can have more input. Cost: $34 per track for drums, bass, or guitar!

Phil Robertson / e-studio drummer.com
Want a great track by a studio session drummer for $125? Phil Robertson is your man! His drum tracks are excellent. The playing and sound quality are first rate. He will record a drum track for your song and send it to you either completely mixed or as separate tracks (kick drum, snare, hats, etc.). He takes you through the process step-by-step on his web site.

Check out both of these online drum web sites (Studio Aid and E-drummer), use your ears and your wallet to decide which one is right for you.

Lyric Software

A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes
I read about this software in Jimmy Webb's book, TUNESMITH. I figured if it's good enough for that great songwriter then I ought to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed. For years, I've used the standard rhyming dictionary by Clement Wood and, to tell you the truth, I don't think I ever got a useful rhyme out of it; everything always sounded forced. I mean, sometimes I would be reminded of a word I might've overlooked but it certainly didn't aid my creativity. I'm happy to say that ZK Rhymes has already made outstanding contributions to a couple of my songs. For example, I wanted a rhyme for the word "indifference." I only needed to rhyme the last syllable but I wanted a three syllable word to match the rhythm. ZK Rhymes gave me just what I needed; I chose the word "innocence" from a list that almost instantly appeared on my computer screen. Of course I could've found the same rhyme in the Clement Wood book, but it was mixed in with words of one, two, four, and even five syllables. It wouldn't have leaped out at me.

A Zillion Kajillion Rhymes costs about $40. You can download a free demo at the Eccentric Software web site. The demo is pretty limited but you'll get the idea. The $60 version comes with over 10,000 cliches and catch phrases! I ended up buying this version because I thought I might use the cliches to suggest related phrases and title ideas. I did and they do!

MasterWriter
This software is primarily for lyric writers although it does include midi drums loops and some digital recording capability for keeping track of melody ideas. It includes several dictionaries including a rhyming dictionary, a dictionary of phrases, idioms, sayings and word combinations, a thesaurus, and more! A unique feature is "Songuard," an online date-of-creation Song Registration Service. (To my knowledge this has not been tested legally but should provide some song protection.) There's a database that allows you to keep track of lyrics, melodies and information related to the songs you've written. The software is available for both Mac and PC. You can download a free demo at their web site. Based on the demonstrations I've seen, it looks like it would work best for the country genre. The price is currently $289.

To Top of Page

Selling Your Songs - Tip Sheets and Submission Services
Many publishers, music producers, and record labels refuse to accept unsolicited material. They do this for a variety of reasons: to protect themselves from copyright infringement lawsuits, to avoid having to listen to material that is not appropriate for their genre or artist, to keep a path open to their desk between the cartons of CDs that litter their office floor. They get a lot of submissions. However, there are ways around this problem. Here are a few...


TAXI
In their own words: "TAXI is the leading independent A&R company helping unsigned bands, artists and songwriters get record deals, publishing deals and placement in films and TV shows." Here's the cool part: you can see their current listings online at TAXI listings. Just click on a music genre in the right-hand sidebar to see the latest listings. Of course you can't submit your songs unless you are a TAXI member and they will be screened. If your song is forwarded to the listing, you will be contacted directly if there is interest. Whether your song is forwarded or not, you will receive a critique if requested. Critiques offer valuable suggestions from industry pro's on how you can make your song more attractive to record labels and publishers. Check out the listings, read the info posted on their web site and decide for yourself if it's right for you.

The TAXI Road Rally, held in Los Angeles each November, is a great event and free to members. The Road Rally alone is worth the price of a membership: three days of panels, lectures, one-on-one mentoring, and networking. I know many people involved with TAXI and I can tell you they are honest and do what they say they do. Membership fee is $300 for the first year. (Tip: If you sign up for their email, you will be notified of occasional membership fee discounts.)


The Pitch List
From their web site: "Each month, The Pitch List will supply the names of approximately twenty-five major recording artists currently looking for material; along with the industry contacts, addresses, and some professional tips on how to get the best results."

You can download a sample page at the web site. Cost is $50 for a three-month membership. I checked out the sample listings and they look good. Of course, this will not be as current as the more expensive tip sheets but it's a great way to get contact names and addresses, a feel for what artists are looking for in various genres, and start pitching your songs - all for a reasonable price.



musicSUBMIT.com
In the own words: "Music SUBMIT helps independent musicians gain exposure by submitting you to genre-specific Internet radio stations, online music magazines, online music directories, blogs, podcasts and other electronic music media. There are thousands of Internet resources out there eager for new music, and wečll not only save you hundreds of hours online tracking them down, wečll research the best match for your style and deliver your music right to their inbox!"

This is a very affordable service. The first 25 submissions are free. After that there is a monthly charge (less than $20) for up to 50 submsisions per month. There are also bulk rates for 100 to 800 submissions. This is excellent value for the money. I have talked to people who have used this service and they tell me it is worth the money. they do what they say they do. The one drawback - you have to do the follow up. Emails and phone calls can eat up a lot of time but if you are serious about being heard this is definitely worth the money!


Music Publishers' Association
The Music Publishers Association of the U.S. provides an online list of publishers that includes address, phone number, and contact name. It does not say whether they accept unsolicited material or what type of material they are interested in. You could visit the individual publishers' web sites, get an email address and write to find out their policy regarding unsolicited songs.

To Top of Page

Music Instruction
Songwriters need to know about chords, that's all. You don't need to read or write music notes because you can always sing your melody. But you need to be able to play the chords that go with it. Learning to play chords on piano or guitar is easy and fun. Here are a couple of good, easy-to-follow instruction guides for beginners or musicians who want to fill in their knowledge of chords.


Play Piano In A Flash! Winner of the 2002 Pinnacle Award in the category of "how-to" book. From their website: "Have you ever wished you could play the piano? Well, now you can! Scott "The Piano Guy" Houston teaches you to play the way the pros play, in a style enormously simpler than traditional classical piano and with an absolute minimum of note-reading. By focusing on playing the melody with the right hand (one note at a time) and simple chords with the left hand, Houston gives you the tools you need for a lifetime of musical enjoyment. Best of all, your tour guide to this adventure forces you to have fun along the way!" If you've seen Scott Houston's PBS special, you know how enormously entertaining he is, but more important, how simple and fun it can be to learn the chords and melody basics of piano playing. This is an inexpensive way to get started. Scott's course is also available on DVD and VHS. It's fun and entertaining!

"How To Play The Guitar in 30 Days!" - From their web site: "Learn to play the guitar in 30 days online. Over 70 jam packed guitar lessons with image, text, songs, sounds, tabs, and more. It is completely online so you can access it anywhere at any time." I checked this out pretty thoroughly and I'm impressed. I do recommend it. They've done a good job of teaching guitar in a fun, easy to understand way with plenty of photos and demonstrations. There are lots of tips and techniques for avoiding common problems. The emphasis is on getting yourself up and playing as quickly as possible. There's a 90-day money back guarantee. Click here to check it out. COST: One-time fee of $49.95.


Popular Chord Style Piano (Book & CD or Book & Cassette)
In their own words: "This is the basic introductory program for piano, keyboard, or organ. It shows all the basics so you'll be able to play any song in any key. You'll learn all the chords you need to know and how to use them. Dozens of playing tips with just enough theory. Complete chord charts - all in keyboard diagrams in addition to music notation - plus a Chord Substitution Chart and seven songs. All examples are recorded on CD or cassette tape (included). This is the basic course upon which all our other courses are based. Basic and essential." Web site includes free online mini-lessons. Definitely worth a visit!


The First Stage Guitar Book: Learn How to Play Guitar Easily & Quickly
From the publisher: "READING MUSIC AND PRIOR EXPERIENCE PLAYING THE GUITAR NOT REQUIRED...Want to learn how to play the guitar EASILY and QUICKLY? This great book by Chris Lopez will jump start your musical development in the right direction. You will find what the beginning guitar player has for so long been looking for, for starters, a guitar book filled with complete and easy to understand illustrations on how to play the most commonly played chords."

To Top of Page

Contests
The John Lennon Song Contest
The John Lennon Songwriting Contest is an international songwriting contest that began in 1997. The contest is open to amateur and professional songwriters. Entries are judged based on originality, melody, composition, and lyrics (if applicable). Instrumental compositions are accepted. Neither performance nor production are considered during the judging process; this is ALL about the song. Winners receive cash prizes, publishing contracts, or recording equipment. See the John Lennon Song contest web site for more information. This contest has a good reputation.


Songwriter Universe: "Best Song of the Month"
From the web site: The "Best Song of the Month" contest honors and publicizes the top songs submitted to Songwriter Universe each month. This contest not only spotlights the winning song and songwriter but also showcases the Top Five new songs that we hear each month. The winning songs will remain online indefinitely. We will be referring top music publishers, label A&R execs, producers, music supervisors and managers to read the "Best Song of the Month" articles and listen to the winning songs. Our objective is not only to honor the winning songwriters, but to help expose and promote their songs to top people in the music industry."

The "Best Song of the Month" contest is run by Dale Kawashima, one of the music industry's most respected publishers. If you have ever wondered how to get past the "no un-solicited submissions" hurdle to be heard by a top publisher, well, here's your chance. There is a very low fee to submit to the contest (currently $12 per song). I can recommend this competition. You can also get a valuable critique/song evaluation from Dale. In their own words: "Each song submitted shall receive a comprehensive evaluation, with the lyric, music, performance, production, and market potential all fully reviewed. Whether the submission is professional and near-perfect, or in a much rougher form, we will make the suggestions necessary to maximize the potential of your song. Rough demos are truly welcome. We can supply important feedback to you before a large sum is spent making your definitive recording." The fee is $30 per song evaluation and that includes a contest entry, if you wish to compete.


The Great American Song Contest
In their own words: "This international songwriting contest began in 1999. Amateur and professional songwriters everywhere are welcome to participate. There are nine categories, including an Instrumental category and a Lyric Writing category for lyricists. Songs are judged on songwriting excellence, not on performance or production. Winners receive a mix of prizes, awards and cash prizes. The Great American Song Contest is sponsored by Songwriters Resource Network."

I know several of the judges (who are listed at the SRN web site) and they are truly among the best in the music business. Harriet Schock, Steve Seskin, Pat Pattison, John Braheny, and many more; they are all highly qualified to judge song excellence. The entry fee is $20 per song. You can expect a song evaluation from one of the judges whether you win or lose. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

To Top of Page

Forums & Message Boards
Looking for information, constructive criticism, or just someone to grouse with about how hard it is to get a little respect in this business? Here are a few places you can go to find like-minded souls. Usually you can read as many posts as you like but if you want to post something yourself, you'll need to sign up. As with all message boards, take what you read with a grain of salt; people are trying to help each other out but not everyone knows what they're talking about.


The Muse's Muse
The Muse's Muse is songwriter web site with an online newsletter and VERY active message boards. When You get to the site, click on "Message Board" near the top of the page, then scroll down to "Songwriter." There are boards for lyric critique only, lyrics and music, creativity and inspiration, and they ar all very active with plenty of replies, feedback, and ideas.


The JLSC Forum
This forum is part of the John Lennon Song Contest site. It's very active with lots of useful info. The site says: "Use the Forum if you've got questions, answers, tips, or complaints about the music business, or the songwriting process. For example, if you've got a great melody but no lyrics, try asking for help. Perhaps the next Lennon/McCartney team will find each other here. This is the place to ask other songwriters about their experiences." Sounds good to me.

To Top of Page

Songwriting Resource Web Sites

ASCAP - performance royalties (airplay)

BMI - performance royalties (airplay)

Harry Fox Agency (HFA) - Mechanical royalties (album sales)

Songwriters Guild Of America (SGA) - Publishing contracts and contract review, workshops, seminars, publisher audits, newsletter

Songwriters Resource Network - articles, contest, bulletin board, links

Share My Lyrics - A good forum for lyric writers looking for feedback and collaborators. Plus spell checker,rhyming dictionary, online collaboration tools, drafts engine, lyrics writing competitions and more.

Addicted-to-Songwriting - info on songwriting including articles, in-depth interviews, tips, links & more.

Craft Of Songwriting - chatroom, articles, resources, links

American Songwriter Magazine - sample articles, lyric contest, bulletin board

Songwriters Directory - listings, links to songwriter web pages

Song Lyricist - advice for marketing lyrics, articles, networking list, links

SongStuff.com - Songstuff has articles, reference material, artist music pages, music news, music forums, a music glossary, and a large collection of categorized music related links.

Best of luck to you!!!

_/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/ _/

Robin Frederick has written and produced over 500 songs for records albums and television series. She is past-president of Los Angeles Women In Music, co-founder of the Indie Nation Music Conference, and a former Director of A&R for Rhino Records. Her music has charted at No. 1 on the Adult Alternative chart at MP3.com and No. 28 on the Pop Chart at Garageband.com. Her albums are available at CD Baby and Amazon.com. She currently teaches songwriting classes in the Los Angeles area. For more information, visit the Workshops page on this site.


(c) 2004 Robin Frederick. Reprinted by permission of the author.