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Richhoncho's Songwriters Links Articles copyright - the legislation, the options, how and when to register rhyme schemes - list of the names and types of rhyme song check list - A list of questions to ask yourself to help you decide whether you have written a classic song. Chord Map in the key of C - Copied, with permission from Steve Mugglin's wonderful site "Music Theory for Songwriters." 10 song writing blunders - a comparison between classic songs & indie/demo recordings - kindly supplied by Roedy Black. 36 rules for bands - a light-hearted look at things to avoid. Publishing basics - kindly supplied by Irene Jackson How to make a $million from your music - the secret information they don't want you to know. How to make a $million from your music Part II - A list of some of the more dubious ways to part a musician and songwriter from their hard-earned cash. Links The Creative Bit :- General Songwriter Advice Groups Fellow Songwriters with helpful tips/links Musicianship/Tutorials etc :- The Recording Bit :- Getting Heard :- Information Overload :- Online facilities- radio & magazines Some more useful addresses :- Copyright/Royalty Collection Agencies Songwriter & Musician Organizations Chat rooms and message boards :-
Where a copyright is claimed be sure to ask the copyright holder, other than that, you are welcome to use any other page for your own site, please let me know so I can add a link to you. E-mail
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Richhoncho's Songwriters Links How to make money from your music I lied, but I was just checking who is awake. * This is where I tell you about the guys who are more interested in your money than your talent.* There are people who make such extravagant claims, and here are a
few ways to spot them, because nobody can sell you a
magic potion, a secret formula to make money (or in their parlance
"$millions") in the music business, and you know what?
There's guys out there on the net selling these "secret
formulas," "the real truth of the biz," You can spot them,
they park their car next to the CEO of ....... Records, photographs of the
owner of the site next to some long-forgotten semi-star, photographs of the
offices of record companies, long on testimonials and short on facts.
There's 100s of them on the net that will tell you how to have a hit
record once they receive your credit card details. Here are a few little
tips: - If a site says something like "I worked with Madonna on a #1 hit." This is probably correct, but it doesn't tell us in what capacity. If it had been as producer, arranger, songwriter or musician, don't you think they would have told us? The truth, they were probably tea boy, or the waiter who brought the napkin that she wrote the first draft of some lyrics. So rule #1 is check
the meaning, they are relying on you to put in the wrong dots. Which leads us to the
next piece of typical spiel, "They all laughed when I said I was
going to write a hit song...but the look on their faces soon changed when
they heard my song played on the radio day and night " Did you spot the major point? Yes, he failed to mention the song or the radio. Could it be they mean one play in the morning and one play in the evening on Radio Lying Toe-Rag (audited listening figures: 3 including the DJ) So Rule #2 is to
check the meaning again. Some of these
salesmen, because their own knowledge is dreadfully limited get confused,
I know of one so-called "Songwriter Guilds" that says the best
way to get a hit is to record a cover version. What have cover versions
got to do with song writing? So Rule #3 is read
through everything again before pulling your credit card out of your
wallet. Here's a bit more of
the typical spiel found, "No matter how frustrated you get, never lie
about anyone.... make sure your reputation is as a 'honest, ethical guy'.
All the guys that know me say I am 'honest and ethical.' It is
a dictum of advertising to emphasis the weakest point, so anybody who
claims to be honest are probably admitting that they are dishonest. Rule #4 is to be
wary of sites that us words like "honest," "ethical." Another line is
rubbishing other sites, saying they couldn't find out the cost, a contact
phone number, and no postal address. Generally this isn't true, It's just
another cheap way of saying "I'm the real deal" Genuine business
people don't make public pronouncements about competitors. So Rule #5 is to
move right along as soon as you see negative comments about somebody else. A site might say,
"I'm always available on the phone?" Let's face it;
"the boss available" is laughable. Next time you fly Virgin, do
you ensure the pilot is Richard Branson personally? "The boss
available" tells you are dealing with a guy with a computer in his
bedroom. So Rule #6 is if the CEO is available on the phone it's a very small
company. One of my favourites
is the " no quibble, lifetime, guarantee." This is not a
generous offer, he knows that most that fallen for the spiel will be too
embarrassed to make a determined effort to get their money back. On the
other hand he doesn't need bad publicity so money back is an option. So Rule #7 is
always ask for your money back. Don't let the jerk get away with it. Can I tell you a
"real secret?" LOL. They don't want intelligent customers,
because intelligent customers will ask for their money back, this is why
you will see lots of CAPITAL LETTERS, liberal use of highlights.
This tells you the site is looking for people of, how can I put this
politely - a lower IQ, perhaps? I don't need to explain why because you
have already read this far, but Rule #8 is the more
highlights and capital letters there are, the less likely you are to have
found a bona fide site. Lots of pictures of
the CEO? Who cares? You'd deal with the ugliest son-of-a-bitch if they
knew what they were doing. So Rule #9 is the
more pictures there are, the less likely you are to have found a bona fide
site. (Note:
Richard Branson is the exception to this rule). I was going to get my
best friend to write me a testimonial to tell you how wonderful this site
is but I thought you'd be too clever to fall for that one. Some of these
guys have bought a round of drinks and are loaded with testimonials. If
you read "Hey Joe, you've been a great help to me, D.. C......
(Member Number XXXX) it really means nothing whatsoever. You have a
computer and know how to do a Google search otherwise you wouldn't be
reading this! So Rule #10 is to
check the testimonials out independently. You have found several
sites all recommending each other. Don't be surprised, it's so easy to
register a domain and put together 20 or so sites. So Rule #11 is
check out who owns the domains if you are suspicious. What sort of person
runs these sites? They are people who may have had success in the past and
are now past their prime, or those that know they will never make it as
real songwriters, musicians, booking agents, managers or other music
business executives. In other words, they are egotistical, pushy, arrogant
with no real talent. Furthermore if they were any good with their information
don't you think one of the major record / publishing companies would offer
them a fantastic salary? So Rule #12 is
check out the way the real music business works. Why do they do it?
Could it be because they are perfectly happy living on the proceeds of
encouraging dreamers for a fee, which is the most they are really capable
of? Why on earth does anybody want to help a whole load of total
strangers to have a success from which they themselves will not
benefit financially? Hitting folks for nickels and dimes instead of
going for the big one? It's just another pay-to-play way to make money. So rule #13 is
pay-to-play does not earn you money. Have you found a site
and you are not sure whether it is the real deal or just another scam
site? E-mail and ask the questions, "what have you done in the past 5
years (any longer and it's irrelevant)," who in the business can I
contact for references (again use the 5-year rule). Make certain your
questions are answered clearly and concisely and without dodging your
questions. Remember the more dubious the site, the more practiced they are
at dodging the questions. Rule #14 is ask the
questions before you pay your money. I've seen them say,
you can always check the information out on the net. True, you see
self-written advertisement links all over the net, but only because nobody
has (not even me!) has the time to check the honesty of every site. Rule #15 is don't
believe all you read on the net. We mustn't forget all
the "hit records" they have been involved in. Remember a hit
record can be what you want it to be. Your mother liked the song - it was
a "hit record" for her. Rule #16 is to
re-learn the terminology. The finance of the
music business, how much do you think a successful manager or producer
makes? I don't think I am giving any "real secrets" away if I
say more than your average "$make a million from your music
guy." So Rule #17 is you
can make more in the music business by walking the walk than talking the
talk. Which reminds me,
there are millions of people who think they have what it takes; singers
who can't sing in key, guitarists who only know two chords, old-age
pensioners who think the 60s are going to come back, people who have
written their first song, don't you think somebody who was genuinely
interested in helping people with a music career would check the
possibilities first? So Rule #18 is
don't sign with anybody who doesn't check your potential first. "We're not in it
for the money" is a common cry of these guys, they tell you about all
the charity performances they do, and they shout it at you. And because
you are a caring person somebody that says he does work for, say disabled
children, you think must be one of the good guys. Wrong, doing charity
work can be a lucrative paid job in the music business, it also encourages
people to buy records and sign up for dubious courses etc. So Rule #19 is
don't be mislead by "not in it for the money" claims. Finally, let's be
honest, we've all bought something that didn't live up to the advertising,
whether it's a holiday, a piece of software, a car, or whatever, if you
have signed up for one of these more dubious characters then the most
important rule is :- Rule #20 is to make
sure you get your money back. Let me repeat that, Rule #20 is make
sure you get your money back. You can e-mail me and
tell me the story - all sources will remain anonymous. Who knows we might
be able to put one or two of them out of business? Here comes the quiz. Would you trust somebody who uses the following gif?
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