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STRATEGY FOR TOMORROW: Get dressed up in a stupid costume and eat too much candy! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I got an email from a songwriter this morning and thought it was worth posting, along with my answer. This is the question that every singer-songwriter asks at some point, usually after you've been singing to the bedroom wall for much too long. Here it is:

"I was wondering what if you had any tips on getting a Record Deal? How should I go about it? If you have any advice Id love to know. Right now, Im writing every day for a minimum of 6 hrs. I want to start making moves ASAP. Thanks. - Danny"

My answer:

Good for you for treating your songwriting so seriously and working at it every day! Here are some some things you can do to move in the direction of a record deal.

1. Listen to those artists who are already successful in the music genre you've chosen. If you are working in the singer-songwriter field, listen to Jason Mraz, Shawn Mullins, Sarah McLachlan, Ryan Cabrera, or the hit songs of artists you admire. Study their most popular songs. (You can see which songs are getting the most downloads at places like iTunes.) What you want to do is learn their techniques - not so you can sound like them but so you can have those skills available as needed for your own songs. Notice how these singer-songwriters use fresh images and turns of phrase in their lyrics, how they make familiar themes sound unique and personal. Learn to play one or two of these songs and see how the melodies feel when you sing them. How do they get into the chorus from the verse? (A crucial point in every song.) How much melodic repetition is there? How and when do they vary that repetition? Try writing new lyrics to one of these melodies and see how it feels. Try writing new melodies to the chord progressions. Now look at the songs you have already written and see if they are as strong as the ones you have been studying. A record label or publisher will want you to be as good as the best that's out there.

2. When you have good demos of 3 or 4 of your strongest songs, the best way to get in the door and get your songs heard is to join TAXI, an independent A&R company that screens songs and artists for record labels, publishers, and producers. I screen songs at TAXI two days a week and I hear some VERY good songwriters and artists, and I also hear some who are still learning their craft. TAXI has members all over the world - you don't need to live in L.A., New York, or Nashville to get heard. TAXI gets many listings from major labels and producers looking for new artists. Visit their web site at http://www.taxi.com to learn more about them and see the current industry listings. But don't join until you have a few strong songs that are recorded well - the demos don't have to be elaborate; drums, bass, guitar and voice will usually be fine.

It costs money to record a good demo (You either need a home studio and good engineering skills or know of a reputable studio in town that will give you a demo deal.) and TAXI isn't cheap either - it costs $300 the first year ($200 to renew). I can get you a $25 rebate if you decide to join; for info about that go to my Resources web page at http://www.robinfrederick.com/resources.html and scroll down to the TAXI listing. Be sure your songs are as good as they can be before you commit to spending money on them.

Good Luck!

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I've had some great workshops lately. My class at Ventura Community College on Oct. 23rd was really energizing. It's a real treat when the participants are asking questions and listening closely. Instead of being tired at the end of class, I walk out of there ready to start working on new songs myself! And what a pleasure to see my friend Randy Crenshaw turn up unexpectedly to take the class. Randy is one of the finest voice-over actors and singers in the business. He worked on every album I produced for Disney. All I had to do was say - I need a voice that sounds like John Denve,r or Bing Crosby, or Randy Travis, or Elvis, or a mean little kid about to whack your shins with a baseball bat, or Peter Rabbit's fairy godmother, or any one of hundreds of cartoon characters. Randy is a consummate professional and one of the funniest people I have ever worked with. It is a real treat to be back in touch with him. He has been interested in songwriting for quite a while but didn't feel he had a handle on it. Here's what he wrote to me after the class: “I went away from the day energized to pursue songwriting, the one area of music that I have always loved and appreciated, but never really felt "qualified" to do. Your analogy about learning to ride a bike was very helpful, because, though you can give a lot of technical hints and guidelines related to the process, the aspiring bike-rider can only really learn to balance on the bike by trying it and doing it until he/she gets it right, then remembering that sensation.”

That's the last of my 'official' college workshops until next January but it looks like I will be giving one at the University of California at Irvine on November 17 and a workshop at Santa Monica Music Center in mid-December.

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Read A Brief History Of Love Songs by Robin Frederick at the Sound Experience Music web site.

Copyright 2004 Robin Frederick. All rights reserved.