I have been teaching songwriting a Ben Speer's Stamps Baxter School for 10 years now. I also do a few songwriting seminars when I get the chance at other times during the year also. I love working with writers who are just getting their feet wet in the music business. The fire of excitement and anticipation is very contagious. It makes me excited about writing my next song too.
But one thing that bothers me about a lot of new writers is the fact that many of them are not fans of the music they are trying to write. I find this very strange. I was a very big Southern Gospel fan before I ever started getting songs recorded. And because I was a fan of the music, I knew quite a lot about the artists who were making recordings. I knew the kind of music they sang. I knew what their current hits were. Now there have always been artists that I followed more closely than others, but I could always tell you what the biggest hit or signature song was for almost any artist.
I have had new writers bring me their new songs with ideas like "Midnight Cry" , "Glory Road" or "Oh For A Thousand Tongues". These are just a few examples, but I'm sure you would be surprised at how many well written ideas are being written again. When a writer brings me such an idea, I always ask if they are aware that their idea has already been a very popular song. The answer is always "no, who recorded it?" and " Is it new?" They are not aware of these songs because they are not fans of the music. I usually ask if they have any recordings by whatever group that has made this song idea a hit. The answer I usually get is " I really don't buy many CDs." But apparently they don't listen to the radio or television either. I grew up in California where there was very, little Gospel Music radio, and almost no Southern Gospel radio at all. Many of the popular songs on the charts, I had never had the privilege to hear. But at least I knew about the songs because I did read all the trade magazines that I could get my hands on. I at least knew the song titles and who recorded them. And I could also see by the charts how successful a particular song was.
Being a fan of the music will help a writer know the artists better. If you know that the Hoppers had a big hit with "Shoutin' Time In Heaven" , you won't be so quick to pitch them your version of the same title.
You wouldn't try to design houses unless you had studied and knew something about it. Most people wouldn't open an Art Museum without first learning something about that fine art. Yet many songwriters try to compete in the Music business without knowing anything about it.
My advice to new writers is listen to as much radio as you can. If you are reading this article, you obviously have access to a computer. There is a lot of music available to listen to on the world wide web. Read any of the trade publications you can. Watch Christian Television. Learn something more than you already know about the industry before trying to make a mark in it. There is so much more information available now than there was when I got started. If you apply yourself, you can become an expert pretty quick.
Until next time,
Keep on writing
Author: Daryl Williams
| Author's Website: http://darylwilliamstrio.net
Written: 10/01/2004
| 
Category: Monthly ArticlesThe Songwriter
Comments: 4
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Amen, Bro!!!
I couldn't agree more. I think that this is a problem throughout our industry, not only with songwriters. I talk to a lot of singers on the local level who don't have a clue what's going on in the industry. When you ask them what they listen to, they come back with talk radio, country, pop, etc, yet they expect to others to respond in an excited way about the music they are trying to sing. If it's not good enough for us to listen to ourselves, then how can we expect others to listen.
I have been writing southern gospel music for 20 years and singing them in area churches. People have been urging me to get them out to other artists, however I don't belong to any publishing company, what should I do. Is it best to find a publishing company or publish them yourselves? I have been told by many that they are as good of a quality song as most of those you hear now on the radio. Can I get an answer? Ken Robertson
Ken, go ahead and send your songs to the artists themselves. Many of them are tied to a publishing company already or own one. If they decided to use one of yours they will most likely wish to own the publishing themselves. If it is a local or regional group that does not have a publisher or publishing company and they decide to use one of your songs on their recording, they simply owe you the mechanical rights. With no publisher involved, there is no split in the fees collected. You get the full 8.1 cents/unit made...or whatever it is now.
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