How to write and sell a song

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 2: Writing a Catchy Song
Part 2 of 2: The Road to the Music Industry
Tips
Warnings

Weren't you surprised that some songwriters go wild in a matter of days, while others, being incredibly talented, remain unknown? The main difference between the two groups is that the former know how to market their art, while the latter do not. Add to that the fact that this industry is now overflowing with talented and competitive writers. It is not enough for you to just pay attention to yourself; you also need to stand out from the countless number of other talented authors and mainstreams. This article will teach you how to overcome all these obstacles.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Writing a Catchy Song

1 Write a song with a strong emotional message. Although all modern music is somewhat similar, there is no single correct recipe for writing a song. A great song can contain countless points of view and the full range of human feelings. Some songs are funny, others are filled with rage and hatred. Some songs allow you to relax and unwind, while others make you feel tense. Some are of great importance to the author himself, while others have no purpose at all. Nevertheless, all songs convey emotions in one way or another.If you are a beginner in this business, then try to simply convey the feelings that you have for a certain topic, event, or person who is important to you. In the lyrics, you don't have to elaborate on all of this, but you can certainly do it.
- Let's take a look at this with two examples: "Between the Bars" by Elliott Smith and "Swimming Pools (Drank)" by Kendrick Lamar. Both songs tell us about alcohol addiction. You may notice that the authors take different approaches to this topic: Smith leads the story in a third person, while Lamar takes a more personal approach. However, both songs paint a very emotional picture.
2 Shape the song. So, you've already been able to jot down things that evoke strong emotions in you and give them the form of poetry. This is already a good start. Now it's time to give them the shape of a real song - decide which words will be used in the verses, which in the chorus, and so on. The lyrics of many popular songs have a rhythm. If you want to give your poems a certain rhythm, then you have to think about the rhythmic pattern.
3 Compose music for your song. After you've written the lyrics and turned it into a song, you need to think about how it sounds. Here, again, there is no single ready-made recipe, but it will be easier for you to first compose the instrumental part, and only then move on to the vocal part. It will be easier for you to transfer the vocals to ready-made instruments than to select the instruments themselves for the vocals. Try to choose the music so that it matches the emotional content of the lyrics.
- The instrumental component of the song is divided by sound and intensity. Some create an all-consuming "wall of sound", others can be almost inaudible companions of the text. For example, you can compare the "Only Shallow" group from My Bloody Valentine and "Polly" by Nirvana. They both came out within a month of each other, but they are completely different in sound. In "Polly" you can hear only acoustic guitar, a little bass, drums and Kurt Cobain's voice. In "Only Shallow" you will immediately plunge into the sea of completely different sounds filling all the space.
4 Add lyrics to music. In most popular songs, the main role is given to the vocal part, while the music is only an accompaniment. Now that you have the lyrics and music for the song, it's time to tie them together. Make a melody for your lyrics, or rather “melodies”, as most songs use different melodies in the verse, chorus, and so on. Although some performers use the divergence of vocals and main melody for more impact, you'd better keep them together.
- You can also gain popularity by making only chapels (songs with only vocals) and instrumental recordings. For example, "If I Ever Fall in Love" by Shai, which was precisely a chapel, for a long time occupied the second place on all the US music charts. And the latest hobby of the world of electronic dance music makes recordings, consisting only of instrumental parts, more and more popular. However, most popular songs still include both vocal and instrumental parts. Writing songs like this will allow you to capture more of your audience.
- Note that if you are writing rap songs, you may want to pay less attention to the melodic, since "pure" rap means performing without any accompaniment at all. However, some hip-hop artists style their songs as a mix of rap and regular song. For example, you can listen to "Juice" from Chance the Rapper.
5 Pay close attention to the chorus. Many popular songs with slurred verses, mediocre instruments, and ridiculous lyrics were only saved with a surprisingly strong and good chorus. Try to make your chorus the most moving, emotional and concise lines.Since the chorus is usually the most memorable part, you should try to make it the hallmark of your song. To compose the chorus, think about what the main idea is in your song. Collect all your emotions and splash them on paper as chorus lines.
6 Get carried away with what you do. Above all else, when you write a song, you have to be completely immersed in it. Your songs should give you, as a performer, strong emotions - if they seem boring to you, then don't be afraid to start over. Music is both a craft and an art - it takes time and effort to perfect. The best way to motivate yourself to work on songs is to be passionate about making them.

Part 2 of 2: The Road to the Music Industry

1 Perform live. While some musicians (such as the famous The Beatles) have been able to move away from live performance, working primarily in the studio, few, if any, have been able to completely abandon performing in front of an audience. To become a real musician and expand your audience, it is important for you to perform live. Consider performing at local venues to get started. Bars, clubs and cafes are classic places to test aspiring musicians. But don't limit yourself to them. Any place where large groups of people gather is suitable for you. These can be weddings, birthdays, fairs, and even street performances where you can gather an audience and sell your recordings.
- Don't be afraid to start small - all famous musicians started with such local performances. An example of this is Lady Gaga, who performed in bars and nightclubs in New York before her dizzying takeoff.
2 Record your music. All musicians have to spend time in the studio recording their songs. In a recording studio, musicians, with the help of a producer or sound engineer, create a product that suits their purpose. Recording Music gives you the ability to distribute your recordings to your fans (on CD or as downloadable files). It also gives you the ability to send your songs to people who can help you sell them - the record companies and their agents. If you haven't made any recordings yet, you can start with the "demo". Demos are short (3-6 songs) works that give you the opportunity to showcase your talent and style, a kind of resume in the world of music.
- Thoroughly practice your songs before you go to the recording studio. Since studio time is expensive, you should try to record the songs with as few tries as possible. All mistakes and shortcomings will lead to an increase in time and, as a result, prices for studio work.
- For the same reason, avoid unnecessary sonic experimentation while you're already in the studio. The place to experiment is during rehearsals, don't let the producer persuade you, for example, to try out various guitar effects while working in the studio.
3 Consider hiring a manager. Dealing with contracts, concerts, recordings and distribution is time consuming and requires some knowledge and experience. Therefore, most musicians prefer to have a manager or agent who will take on some of the business-related work. Although it does require some expense, a personal manager can be a great help for an aspiring singer in unleashing his potential and climbing to the heights of show business. Make sure your manager is trustworthy and reputable - don't fall victim to a scam.
4 Contact the record company. After you've got your first fans and recorded a couple of demos, you can try signing a deal with a record company. While large multinational companies sometimes contract with little-known, promising, or experimental groups, you will be more fortunate if you go to a smaller, independent company.Find one that produces music of your style, and if their terms suit you, send them your demos, photos, interviews, biographies, and the like.
- The best way to get the attention of record companies is through groundbreaking music innovation, stunning live performances and a unique image. In other words, if you are able to become popular without the help of the record companies, then they will find you.
5 Look for unconventional sources to sell your talent. Of course, you can perform live with your songs, but there are other ways as well. You can work as a session musician, composer and so on - use every opportunity to spread your music and gain fame.
- Often forgotten about such a way to make money, as writing music for advertising. Advertising companies often hire aspiring musicians to write and perform songs to promote a product. There are even special companies that are exclusively engaged in such activities.
- Musicians, especially early in their careers, may not have the opportunity to choose an employer. Don't worry too much about it - in a way, it's an integral part of the road to fame. In fact, many well-known musicians with anti-government views started with just such an advertisement. For example, Tupac Shakur used to be a member of the light-hearted hip-hop group Digital Underground.
6 Create your own recognizable style. Competition in the music world is stronger than ever. With the development of the Internet, musicians have to compete not only with each other, but also with the stars of the past, whose recordings are as easy to find as modern ones. The best way to sell your talent is to stand out from the crowd of other contemporary artists. You don't need music that can be easily confused with someone else's. Instead, you must create your own recognizable image.
- This advice extends not only to music, but to your performances as well. You should be proud of the unique features you have in your performances. Famous musicians such as Prince, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and many others had an unforgettable and incomparable style of performance. Everything from how you behave on stage to your clothes will create your unique look - take the time and attention to create it.
7 Promote your talent. Whether you play live or sell copies of studio albums, it will always be important for you to get as many people interested as possible. Promote your talent by any means: in person (for example, if you are tutoring, tell your students about the upcoming concert at the end of the lesson), handing out flyers or using advertisements on a local radio station. Take care of online advertising as well. Today, a timely message sent on social networks can be much more effective than any traditional means.
- Even a modest handout can be great for promoting musicians. You can easily and in large quantities make them even on a home printer. Make sure the flyer contains all the important information: time, place, date and price. Place them in highly visible places: bars, cafes or universities.
8 Promote your songs personally. No matter how good they are, they won't sell themselves. Use each talk as a chance to do this: during the talks, tell the audience that you have CDs of recordings, or remind the address of your website. Feel free to do it - if you put on a great show, then you deserve the money. Moreover, you are not selling your recordings in the literal sense, you are simply giving the audience a chance to support you ..
- The Internet offers many opportunities for distributing and selling music. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter allow musicians to connect with and notify them of new albums and concerts.Sites like Artistir, GarageBand, and Soundcloud enable musicians to post and sell their music online.
  - Some of today's musicians have gained popularity thanks to the Internet. For example, Justin Bieber's path to worldwide fame began when one of the representatives of the record company accidentally stumbled upon one of his recordings on the Internet.
9 Pay attention to the quality of your music. As you may have noticed, all the songs that are broadcast on the radio are generally of very good quality. Their creators took special care of this. The issue of quality plays an important role - few people want to hear noises, missed notes and mixing defects. Although there is a buyer for such recordings, there is still much more room for high-quality recordings. Thus, decide for yourself what quality of recordings suits your purposes.
- Some musicians produce their own music. For example, Kanye West and his hip-hop neighbors produce their own albums and songs. If you don't already know how to do this, then find yourself a professional producer who will help you in creating and processing your music.
10 Don't let the industry get the best of you. Unfortunately, history knows many examples of this. Beware of dishonest managers, agents, establishment owners, promoters and so on. Never let little-known people drag you into signing a strange or vague agreement. Do not agree to work for free in the hope of subsequent payment. Don't risk your reputation for fame. Don't let your manager and other employees make decisions without your knowledge. In general, in the music industry, you need to be always on the lookout. While there are many good people in this business, being in touch with just one “bad” one can permanently end your career.
- Conclusion of a contract necessarily... Verbal agreements, even with good acquaintances, are legally worthless. Always insist on a written agreement. Always consult an experienced attorney first before signing critical agreements.

Tips

Sing with all your heart and don't be ashamed to be who you are.
Don't be afraid to change! The audience is always hungry for variety. Follow your style or in the future you will be rich, but unhappy.
Write for yourself and try not to adapt to someone's requirements. Wealth is just a bonus on the path to self-realization through music.
Have fun creating and selling music.
Try to create a group of people with whom you know well to perform songs.