Flipside - BLOG

THE DOS AND DON’TS OF PITCHING YOUR SONGS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS

8/20/2019

Pitching your songs. It means playing songs for publishers, artists or record label people in hopes of getting them to record or help you get a song recorded and it is one of the most important steps of being in the music industry as a writer – otherwise your songs without being pitched basically means nothing – yet, pitching is one of the areas where songwriters make the most mistakes. And, those mistakes can be costly. Sometimes the cost can be losing all your credibility as a writer while maybe your songs are actually pretty good, but you’ve already ruined your reputation by making these simple mistakes. You don’t get too many chances to make a good impression before you are put on the “burned bridge” list. Here are some of the important dos and don’ts to remember when you pitch songs.

August 16th, 2019

8/16/2019

Songwriters tend to have this “win or lose” mentality. When I play my songs for someone, I either “win” and they take a copy, or I “lose” and they reject my song (and by default, me). I would suggest that we look at those opportunities as “win or learn” opportunities. Again, if they love my song and take a copy, I have won! But, if they don’t, I have a chance to turn my “loss” into a “learn”. Here’s how I do it.

REASONS PEOPLE SHOULD PAY FOR MUSIC

8/13/2019

As the music economy continues to move toward a streaming based model, people are drifting rapidly toward the idea that music should be free. I think it’s vital to remind ourselves (And our friends) from time to time WHY it is important to pay for music:

For my song to get out to the public, I have to demo it. A conservative estimate of the cost of that demo is $800. I make approximately 9 cents per sale of the song. So, I need 8,888 people to buy the song before I even cover the cost of my demo.

WRITING SONGS WITH ARTISTS

8/9/2019

Writing songs with artists is a completely different game. Writing songs with artists is a completely different game than writing songs FOR artists (which we already talked about) or simply writing with another writer to try and craft the best song possible. When you write with an artist in the room, the goal is to help that artist find their voice. In order to do that, you have to ask a lot of questions.
When I’m writing with an artist, I am doing everything in my power to find out what they want to say. In an easy artist co-write, the artist KNOWS what they want to say, and you just help them write it. In an artist write I had with Sam Veil (Singaporean artist), he walked in and said “I need a big stadium song. I have this chorus started and here’s the title.” Most of them aren’t that easy. Many times, an artist just walks in and says “I need a hit”. That’s not much to go on.

WRITING SONGS FOR ARTISTS

8/6/2019

Writing songs for artists is a guessing game. When I’m shooting for a particular artist as I write, I’m trying to guess what that artist wants to say. Not only that, I’m trying to guess what they haven’t already said so that I can help them say something new. I look at it this way. If I just started dating someone, and valentine’s day rolls around, it’s hard to know what they might like. But, if I’ve been married 10 years to the same person, I’ve got a pretty good idea what kinds of gifts they would appreciate. The key is history and knowledge of the other person. How do I get that kind of knowledge about artists? It’s not as hard as you think!

PEOPLE SONGWRITERS NEED TO THANK

8/2/2019

Most songwriters I know have a lot of people who have helped them get to whatever level of success they are enjoying – even if it is simply being able to write regularly. Here’s my list. I’m guessing many of you have similar lists.

HOW TO BEHAVE IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS: DON’T BE A SQUIRREL!

7/30/2019

This is one of the questions I get all the time. People will say, “I called COMPASS and they never called me back. Why are they so rude?” Or, “I went to five publishers and none of them would listen to my music”. Or I even get Facebook messages from people I don’t know saying “Here are links to three of my songs – listen to them and let me know what you think.” All of those questions or statements reveal a lack of knowledge of the way the music business works. And that is precisely why the people involved aren’t giving their time to the people making requests.

THE CRAFT OF SONGWRITING

7/26/2019

When I’m teaching or mentoring someone, I often get asked what I mean when I talk about the “craft” of songwriting. I think of songwriting as a trade that has been passed down through the years much like a silversmith, a painter, or a sculptor would do. Most songwriters I know were mentored by a more experienced writer whether it was in a formal setting or informally through simply co-writing together.
So, when I speak of the “craft” of songwriting, I am talking about those things that have been passed down through the generations from songwriter to songwriter. I thought I would share with you the essential elements of the craft that my mentors have shared with me. These elements hold true whether you are trying to write commercially, or you just want your songs to be enjoyed and understood by your friends and family.

SONGWRITERS: ARE YOU READY TO “WRITE”?

7/23/2019

“How do I know when I’m ready to write with a pro songwriter?” – I get this question very often. Here’s what I would call my “Ready To Write Checklist.” If you can check these off, you are probably as ready as you’ll ever be:

I am armed with lots of ideas. You don’t want to go into a “writing session” and hope to wing it. The better prepared you are, the more confident you will be. Go in with as much ammo as you can prepare in advance.

YOU’VE GOT THIS!

7/19/2019

One of the most common questions people ask me is “Do you think I have what it takes to do this?” They are usually referring to their music. In reality, the current quality of their music is not the primary factor in answering that question.

When I got my first writing deal, I didn’t have any songs that my publisher wanted to pitch. And, none of the songs I brought in ever got cut. Zero. I got signed on potential. My publisher told me that he signed me because:

KEY HABITS OF EXCEPTIONALLY CREATIVE PEOPLE

7/16/2019

Over the last decade of working with some of music’s top producers, recording artists, and songwriters, I started noticing similar personality traits and habits of highly creative people. These professionals possessed a certain mindset that allowed them to perform at a high level and do it effortlessly. Their personal habits funneled their energy into a kind of creative vortex. I’ve listed 7 of these habits here. There are certainly more, but these are the 7 that almost all of these pros had mastered.

Artist Interview - Roger Penkethman

7/12/2019

It was about a year and half ago, I had the chance to get in touch to one of the most interesting songwriters I know via internet. His name is Roger Penkethman, a very strong songwriter, specifically a lyricist from England who literally uses his pen as a weapon. His songs have very interesting stories behind. Long story short, we spoke for a while and we came to the conclusion that we want to have a long-term collaboration, resulting him to join our Flipside family.

Recently when we started our artist interviews again, he was the first person I invited for an interview and he gave me the honor to accept it. I hope you enjoy his interview, sharing his experiences.

BRIDGES: A SONGWRITER’S RULE OF THUMB

7/9/2019

One of the most difficult moments in the process of writing a song is “bridge time”. I have been in many co-writes where we agonized over whether or not we need a bridge. At one point, early in my career, I came to my mentor to ask him if I needed a bridge in a song I was working on. He asked, “Is there a river to cross?”. I had no idea what he meant, so he said “Don’t build a bridge if there’s not a river to cross.

ARTIST INTERVIEW - CAMILLE MILLER

7/5/2019

Earlier this year we had organised a music festival in Singapore named "Sing For Kindness" in collaboration with Uncle Ringo and Singapore Kindness Movement. That was where we first had the chance to meet Camille Miller, an amazing Canadian singer, songwriter and performer who had just moved to Singapore a couple of weeks earlier.
She truly is one of the best musicians we had ever worked with and we recently had invited her for an interview for our blog, sharing with us about her music, her history and her current activities including her latest EP album, named "Cover Me".
Hope you enjoy the interview.

DON’T FALL FOR THESE URBAN SONGWRITING MYTHS

7/2/2019

I can write only 10 songs and have several hits in the bunch. Songwriting is a craft that takes years to develop. No painter paints a masterpiece within his first ten pieces of art. Most people have to write hundreds of songs before they write a hit.

I can move to LA or New York for a year and get my songwriting career going and then I’ll move back home. Most people I know spent 5-7 years trying to write full time in a music centre before they succeeded. It’s not going to happen in a year.

QUESTIONS PRO SONGWRITERS ASK WHILE THEY WRITE

6/28/2019

The line between pro songwriters and aspiring pro songwriters is primarily a line of thought. Pro songwriters learn to think differently as they write. That different line of thinking usually involves a series of questions that they keep asking as they write. Those questions cause the song to be more commercial than it would have been without them. Here are some of primary questions a pro asks while songwriting.

KEYS TO FINDING THE PERFECT CO-WRITER

6/25/2019

Music History is filled with great songwriting collaborations. John Lennon-Paul McCartney, Elton John-Bernie Taupin, Mick Jagger-Keith Richards, and the list goes on. Two heads can truly be better than one when writing a song, but only if it’s the right match! And finding that right match can seem impossible at times. Over the years I have written with many artist, producers, and writers; some went great and spawned multiple hits while others were a dud. Here are some of the qualities I look for in a co-writer.

DO YOU WANT SOMETHING YOU’VE NEVER HAD?

6/21/2019

The Definition of Songwriting Insanity. I’ve read that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. I believe there is a lot of truth in that statement. If you want something you’ve never had, then you are going to have to do things you’ve never done. It’s shocks many people to learn that I am a shy person by nature. I’m very introverted and, given the choice, I would almost always choose to hang out with my inner circle – my girlfriend and a handful of close friends. It is totally against my nature to play shows in front of hundreds of people, to speak before a large group, or to “work the room” at a party and talk to strangers. I really struggle to get out and “network” in the music business. I don’t like going out and making small talk with people I don’t know very well.

THE ART OF CHOOSING

6/18/2019

Where should I take the second verse? Should I switch to first person? What is the chorus missing? Is my set-up line better using the opposite technique? Songwriting choices. Many are conscious, and many are made so fast we don’t realize we’ve made them. But no song can be written without making choices. Many writers approach writing by intuition, without making conscious decisions: whatever comes out they insist is “great” and “perfect,” inspired, perhaps, by a life event. It feels real to them. They spill the words out on paper as if writing a diary entry and wouldn’t dream of changing a word.

HOW SONGWRITERS GET PAID

6/14/2019

I don’t know how many times I’ve been asked this question literary from everyone, family and friends to fellow musicians! And, the answer is ever changing. More and more writers and artists are finding creative ways to get paid for their music. I’ll start off with the simple answers and move on to some of the more creative ways people are finding.

HUSTLING TO RELEASE AS AN INDIE ARTIST

6/11/2019

You've spent a lot of time songwriting, brainstorming production ideas and many hours in the studio recording your babies (aka your songs). You think the work is finally over, but you're far from the finish line. It has just begun, and now it's time to prepare for your successful release. You've worked hard on the creative side of your music, but the only way to make music your career is to have a strategy and business plan in place. I'm going to give a few tips that will help with a successful release as an indie artist. These are all the things I've learned from mentors along my journey to releasing my albums and EPs. We'll start with promotion and the truth is, it begins months before a single hit the airwaves or internet. This is a long thought out process that goes past the isolation rooms and mixing boards.

HOW BIG IS YOUR EGO?

6/7/2019

It seems like so many songwriters and in general a huge number of people in music industry have egos that are out of whack in one direction or the other. I personally take these egos as syndromes some people have and treat them as if they are sick. Not only me but I think most people in professional music industry do the same, even the same people who have such huge egos. Even they don’t like others to show them their ego and attitude! Run through this list every now and then to make sure you are staying cantered.

MY FAVORITE SONG FORMS

6/4/2019

There are many different song “forms” that writers use. I have three that I lean on more than others. Obviously, the forms with a big chorus are more “commercial” and radio friendly, but there are times when the song just needs another form to do it justice. So, this post is just about creative writing. We’re not worried about radio or artists here. These are my favourites. In all of the forms, I will call the verses “A”, the chorus “B” and the bridge “C”. I will call an instrumental “S”.

BASIC LEGAL TIPS FOR RECORD PRODUCERS

5/29/2019

It is important as a record producer to understand that each situation is unique, and the relationship between the record producer and the artist varies greatly depending on the arrangement between the parties as well as the genre of music. Producers have traditionally been paid for their services as employees or as independent contractors, and their contributions to the creation of the sound recording in the studio are generally deemed to be a work-for-hire under the copyright law. As such, the copyright in the sound recordings is owned by the artist or the record label.

HOW OFTEN TO RELEASE SONGS?

5/22/2019

This is a question I've seen many artists; especially new ones are struggling to find the answer. Some love to release a song each few days and some believe only in "perfection" and they don't hesitate to work even a year or two on just one single track before releasing it. But the main question is that how often to release songs and albums to be active enough yet not to be a spammer!
Well, when it comes to such topic, there's no right or wrong and it's really up to the personal mindset for indie artists or the managers of label for signed artists. And here is my personal opinion based on my 15 years of experience:

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