BLOG - Flipside

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

WHEN WRITING SONGS, LESS IS MORE

4/24/2019

We all have had that moment we when come up with a catchy hook and thinking to ourselves "ok what's next?". It's always great to stick to a simple rule that Max Martin had mentioned numerous times in his very few interviews! Keep it simple and balanced. These 2 elements in production can turn a "just nice" song into a hit. That's what we all always wanted to have right? A timeless music creation process that never goes out of fashion and it's always helpful. Here I explain what is my understanding of Max Martin's Rule of keeping it simple and keeping it balanced.

DECIDING WHEN TO RECORD A FULL DEMO OF YOUR SONG

4/17/2019

You have just written your latest best song and you are asking yourself “What’s next? Should I do a full expensive version of this song or a simple piano/vocal demo?” This is often one of the most important questions a songwriter can ask themselves in this game. Getting this step right can often determine whether an artist records or passes on your song. Here are some guidelines I’ve used to help me successfully navigate the song demo waters.

MISTAKES THAT CAN KILL YOUR SONG DEMO

4/10/2019

So, you’ve written a great song and you want to record an amazing demo to present it to the world. But there are certain things you need to know and follow before, during and after writing your demos. Believe it or not, the presentation of the demo sometimes can be even more important the content of the demo itself!! You can have a great demo and a bad presentation can make music supervisors and producers to don’t take it seriously, or opposite, you can have an “okay” demo but a good presentation and attract the attentions towards what you had done. Here are things I have learned in a 15-year career and more than 3,000 demos.

WHY WON’T A HIT SONGWRITER WRITE WITH YOU?

3/20/2019

I’ve been asked hundreds of times “Why are staff writers hesitant to write with writers who don’t have a writing deal?”. The short answer is that the people who have gone before you have ruined it for you. Here are the most significant reasons signed writers hesitate to write with unsigned writers.

WHEN YOU HAVE TO WRITE BUT YOU CAN'T

2/23/2019

We all have been there. When have to write something specific that might not be our current mood but the project we're working on requires us to write it now. Or those times that you really need or want to write something but the "writers' block" is doing its job which is freezing the brain and not letting us to focus properly. For me personally when it comes to these situations, I do either one or a combination of few of these things to come over the block and do what I'm supposed to do. To write!

SUCCESS IN MUSIC WITH TEN TIPS

2/20/2019

Win the battle in your own mind first. Surround yourself with family and friends who share a similar vision and avoid those who have a negative attitude. Before you win the fierce battle with your competitors, make sure you've won battle with your own mind to persist no matter what it takes. When I left Kansas, friends told me I was just a church organist and not a Vegas singer. After nine years, I had sung and played every room in Reno, Tahoe, and most in Vegas. When I left to go to LA to write, musician friends said, "you're just a musician, you'll never make it as a writer." Now, 100 cuts later I don't hear much from them.

HOW OFTEN TO RELEASE SONGS?

2/13/2019

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.

THE FIVE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF A SONG

2/2/2019

I’m sure we would all have our own opinion about the most important part of a song, but I’ve compiled a list of my top 5 most important parts. All of these areas deserve extra special attention. In no particular order:

The hook. The title of the song is worth getting right. The better and more original your idea is, the easier it is to turn it into a hit song. A weak idea is hard to turn into a hit. It’s worth spending lots of time finding great ideas.

The opening line. Either peaks the listener’s interest or loses it. Killer opening lines increase your chances of keeping a listener interested or getting an artist interested in your song.

HOW TO PITCH YOUR MUSIC

1/23/2019

There are a lot of people approaching me or respond to my approach for either publishing their music or using their demos for pitching to the bigger names in the industry. I can say about 40% of the demos are receive are okay in sense of professionalism but the other 60% usually have some sort of issue which makes the project to don't move forward. Here I list down some of the common issues and the solutions for them.

Decide what you want. Before sending your track or your demos to a publisher or a producer, make sure at least you know what you want, and it would be even much better if also be open for their suggestions too. When you are sending them a demo, do you something in mind? If you had the power to get the song in whatever direction that you wanted, what would you do with it? All these and things like these are what you need to prepare before sending your demos out. Don't be confusing and don't make people confused. At the end of the day, this is your project and you want it to move forward, right?

SONGWRITERS WHO ARE DREAMERS

1/16/2019

Through years of working at Flipside, I met a vast array of people wanting to become professional songwriters. People of all ages, races, backgrounds and economic situations, most of whom would love to achieve some degree of commercial success with their music. As a student of people and a guy in love with studying psychology, I have studied what causes some people to succeed and others who are equally talented to fail in that quest.

HOW TO RESOLVE SPLIT DISPUTES IN SONGWRITING

1/5/2019

Today's international music industry is extremely dynamic. Such a large and evolving industry comes with questions of song contribution, so how do you determine who created what? Two words: Split Sheets.
It is extremely common for songwriters to collaborate with other co-writers to create new pieces. Many songwriters are left unpaid as a result of split disputes when co-writers cannot agree on split portions. The performing rights organization and record company involved will withhold royalties for a song if a dispute involving ownership arises.

TODAY’S MUSIC SUCKS!

12/1/2018

Years ago, in Iran, my publisher convinced two different Hall of Fame writers to write with me, the new kid in the industry. I had been writing for years and written hundreds of songs, but never with writers this big. I was pumped!

STAYING TRUE TO YOURSELF WHILE WRITING COMMERCIAL SONGS

11/24/2018

Here are some ways I try to stay authentic to myself while at the same time trying to get a cut from the commercial song we are working on, specially when the song is ordered by a client to be in a specific way or topic or direction.

Archives

August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
October 2017
May 2017
April 2017
November 2016
September 2016
August 2016

Categories