Originally posted by daveasdf
That's right. I remember seeing and almost entering the 'John Lennon Songwriting contest' I think it was. I didn't have enough time though to pull it off. If they're picking pop music artists then all one would have to do is pick up a midi unit and crank out an nsync type tune. Canned music.

Yeah, but who wants to waste the time.

What about sending a demo tape to a company and saying, hey hire me as a songwriter? Odds are they get 300 tapes a day and unless you have a well known.. publisher(? .. not promoter, I can't think of the word) they won't even look at it, right?

Yeah there's one problem with that, and it's sad but true. If you haven't made a name for yourself a record company (one that may purchase your songs) won't even open the envelop. You have to climb the hill before you get noticed in the music biz. That's why I'd start of at the songwritting contests, at look for movies in production and maybe send them a demo of a tune you think would go good in a movie. You have a better chance in movies, I believe, because the movie biz already shovels out millions. So if they can get a good tune for the fraction of the cost of a big act to do a song for the movies. They'll save the money.

Yeah chris, your right. The band doesn't make the decision of whether they can use your tune. The record company and management make that decision, and since they would have to track you down, get your permission with legal documents, plus pay you royalties. They save themselves the hassel. You may get a crum if they use a hook from your song, but that's about it.

JSV, tell me a job where it isn't like that anymore? With a hundred good deeds, I still get someone trying to f#$k me over in the end. Obviously, you need to love making music and be excellent at it to make it full time. Unless your on MTV, as an artist you'll live a mediocore life either way. Your right though, you should probably only look forward to it being a part-time thing you do on the side of a real job. At least until you start getting major royalties.

Do you work for a major label? If so, I though they took care of your legal documents for you. At least as a producer. I understand how you get treated. I once had to work with a producer and as stubborn as I am :D, it's didn't go over well. I wanted to change keys on a certain part, he wanted to take the part completely out. I bet you get that alot. 'LOL'