Getting started on your own

Taking Initiative in Songwriting

I suppose, you know, just taking your own initiative. If people are listening to this and thinking, "Well, that's amazing, but I'm not signed to a publisher," let me tell you:

• Form a Collective: You can get together with some mates or other people you know who write music.
• Diverse Collaboration: If you've spent all of your time writing hip hop, consider collaborating with somebody who writes folk, or whatever genre inspires you.

You can absolutely do this independently. You don't necessarily need to be signed to attend a songwriting camp.

Creative Process

Oh, right, right! It's really more about the creative process. For example, if we mentioned Notting Hill and John Saunderson is there:

• If you give him something he likes, he's likely to introduce you to other songwriters to elevate your skills.
• You'll be writing with people who do this day in and day out.
• And keep in mind, he hasn't shelled out an advance for you initially.

If you write a great track, he might say, "Well, let's do a single song assignment," as we discussed earlier. Then, you can work from there.

It's a great way to start your research. Earlier, we spoke about researching publishing companies. You might want to find out what kind of sub-publishing deals they offer.

Hallmark of a Good Publisher

Surely, that's a hallmark of a good publisher, someone who organizes lots of songwriter camps and networking events.

• Yes, absolutely! To me, that's what defines a proactive publisher.

We talked about collection deals and admin deals, those where you're basically just registering and collecting. This is one type of publisher.

Behind the Scenes vs. Proactive Publishers

• Behind the Scenes: Almost like the behind-the-scenes publishers.
• Proactive Publishers: Then you have someone like Notting Hill or Downtown, or other firms that are very proactive.

It really depends on what sort of composer you are. If you enjoy an environment where you can do co-writes, that's fantastic.

Do Your Homework

But remember to do your homework, find out what these publishers do.

The other side to consider is the inbox side. A good publisher should have connections with:

• Broadcasters
• Filmmakers
• Ad agencies

Important Note: They should be receiving plenty of briefs and subsequently sending them out.

A&R Departments

Your A&R (Artist & Repertoire) department within a publishing company should know which brief to send to you. They should be familiar with your style and capabilities.

• For instance, if a brief comes in for some folk music or techno, they should know just the right person in their roster to send it to.

This is really important as well, having a good A&R person at a publishing company can make a significant difference in your career.