Some of the “rules” of music notation are really more appropriately considered “ideals, if you can manage it.” One of these is the desire to set four bars per system.

Often, this is great idea. So much music is based on phrases of four bars, and if you can keep a phrase intact, it is easier to read. Here’s an example of where this works out nicely.

But what if there was a busy bee-like accompaniment, say sixteenth note runs? Fitting four bars per system here would be pretty hard to read, even if we reduced the notation size to make it fit.

Tempting would be to set just two bars per line. This would preserve some sub-phrases and give the sixteenth notes room. However, it would also make the score a lot choppier to read, not only because of the system breaks, but also the additional page breaks that would be required. Figuring three systems per page, we’d need five pages, which is very obnoxious on a music stand or piano desk.

In this case, the best compromise would be three bars per line for the first two systems. Overall, this would be the most readable solution, and the whole piece would fit on three pages—relatively managable. Though the phrases don’t correspond to the systems, the notes are all clear, and this needs to be the primary consideration, in an imperfect world.

I might vary the number of bars per system, to make page breaks easier, and to generally cause logical groupings, where appropriate. The important thing is to let go of the sense that “the rule says four bars per line,” and to choose a measure layout that provides for the most readable score.

I live in Philadelphia and I want to break into songwriting so bad – I am not sure if I can afford to take classes at the moment and wanted to know if you had an alternative or knew what I could do. I have been thinking about relocation to NYC to hone my skills, but the thought of Nashville, TN always pops up in my head since that is the heart of Songwriting. What are your thoughts? I am self taught at guitar and have been writing song lyrics and songs all of my life. This is my passion and the thought of being stuck in an office all of my life really doesn’t appeal.

-Geoff G.

Many of us find ourselves asking these same questions as we contemplate a career in music. At the risk of sounding like a Dear Abby column, I’d like to talk a bit about the industry and the honest truth of the challenges we face as writers and artists. Perhaps you’ll find your inner compass pointing you towards new horizons.

First off, what does it mean to ‘break into’ songwriting? It could mean getting hired on as a staff-writer at a publishing company. It could mean becoming a vital part of a songwriting team already involved in the careers of promising artists. It might mean grabbing the attention of music supervisors for film and TV, or becoming known among communities of independent filmmakers looking for good music. It might be writing for commercials, or it simply might mean unearthing opportunities for writing music wherever music is played. There are so many reasons to write songs, it’s difficult to predict which path our career is going to take.

If you’ve got the ambition, there are a few good places to start exposing your music and talents to the world of songwriting. Many of those places I explain in other blogs, and here are two to get you started:

NSAI – Nashville Songwriter’s Association, International. Get involved in your local chapter, as most major cities have monthly meetings. Take advantage of all the resources this association offers and search the website for pitching opportunities, connecting with other writers, and critique and instructional services.

ASCAP – American Association of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Familiarize yourself with this association, and take advantage of the resources and information found on the website. Sign up for the free newsletter.

As important as making connections, it’s vital we keep improving and refining our skills as writers. If you truly want to break into songwriting, you must write consistently. Try devoting an hour a day to writing – and more if you can spare it. If you are reading any songwriting instructional books, and I recommend the melody and harmony books by Jimmy Kachulis and the lyric books by Pat Pattison and myself, make sure to apply the material of each chapter as you read. Read a few pages each day and to digest the material employ the techniques in a new melody idea, harmonic progression, or lyric.

Other things you can do to start your songwriting career is connecting with other artists and writers in your local community. Go to shows and introduce yourself to writers and artists you enjoy. Ask where they are playing again, and get to know their music, their story, their needs. Build relationships with people who are doing what you want to do on the local and regional level. Over time you’ll find yourself helping others and helping yourself create opportunities for advancement.

The major cities we think of when we consider a career in the mainstream music market are Nashville, NYC, and LA. The critical word here is ‘mainstream’. It’s really important to understand that these cities are overflowing with artists and writers just like you and me with the same dreams of making it in the music industry. With such saturation, a big challenge is getting noticed in the crowd. Lots of networking, long hours, and years of dedication with no assurance that it’s all going to pay off are constant challenges for anyone devoting a life to a career in music. Nashville is indeed a song town, with some of the greatest writers on the planet. Time spent in Nashville can be like graduate school for songwriters, and I myself lived and worked there for the first decade of my music career. There are many styles of music happening in Nashville, but the primary style is country music. If your goal is to become a staff writer in the country music vein, then Nashville would be a great choice. If your goal is to write mainstream pop, alternative rock, or work with bands and artists stretching their styles in the independent music scene, then Nashville may not suit you. Before you move, it might be a good idea to take a visit. NSAI has some wonderful multi-day workshops and camps during which you can get your feet wet.

It’s vital that we understand our own strengths as writers and clarify our goals as we consider where to live. In every major city there are people – large numbers of potential fans with varying preferences in music. Consider what opportunities you may be overlooking for reaching those people who might like to buy your music. Again, get familiar with the local artists and groups who are doing what you would like to do. Identify the places music like yours is played, and how you might become involved in those circles. Moving to a major music mecca can be one way to approach a career in the industry, but it’s not the only approach. We may be in a situation where uprooting our family or simply paying double our current rent or mortgage just isn’t an option. What that means then is you’ve simply got to take advantage of the opportunities available to you within your geographic area. Once you start scouting around, getting involved in your local NSAI chapter and meeting other artists and writers, you’ll find opportunities sprouting where you didn’t expect.

Becoming immersed in a songwriting community takes time and dedication. Take inventory every few months and assess where you’re at and where you’re going. Learn as much as you can about the industry in your local area, and also the industries of major music cities. Each city has a vibe, a style of writing and artistry, and a way of doing business. I encourage you to find out what unique aspects of your artistry call to various opportunities in music, rather than what opportunities in music you can define your own artistry by.

Andrea Stolpe

There’s an old adage about keeping your friends close to you– and keeping your enemies even closer.

Having spent the past week fighting through a thicket of legal and licensing issues on several different projects, I was reminded that in the jungle that is the music business, it’s often very hard to tell which is which– who is friend and who is foe. In fact, more often than not, friend and foe are one and the same person. Unfortunately, when it comes to disputes and problems in the songwriting and publishing business, the two opposing sides are usually former associates or friends.

In a business filled with myths, one of the greatest myths is the idea of “song theft”– some nefarious stranger that happens to hear an undiscovered hit song and suddenly grabs it, and claims it as his own. I’ve had countless songwriters ask me about how to avoid this fearsome fate. Many have explained to me that they never send their songs out to people; for fear that someone might hear their work of genius and steal it out from under them. Needless to say, this particular career strategy has its drawbacks. Others carefully edit their tracks to 30 second blurbs, or add annoying bleeps and blips periodically throughout the track, as if their demo was as likely to be pirated as the next Lil’ Wayne single.

The good news is that it’s highly unlikely that a perfect stranger will pilfer your song. Honestly, 95% of the people to whom you send your demo, solicited or unsolicited, will never listen to it at all. Out of the remaining five percent, two or three percent will listen to only a couple of seconds of the song before moving on. All things considered, your chances are pretty good that no one weeding through a pile of demos on his or her desk will be making off with your masterpiece.

The bad news is, you might want to take a long, tough look at your friends. Call me a cynic. You wouldn’t be the first. But a long career in the music industry doesn’t exactly elevate your faith in humanity. In fact, experience has taught me that the vast majority of legal issues within the music industry, the problem is not between strangers, but between business partners– one songwriting collaborator with another, an artist with his or her producer, an A&R person with his employer, a musician with a producer, etc.

These disputes usually arise in part because of the close relationship between the people involved– a closeness that usually means that the necessary paperwork goes undone. If you’re concerned about avoiding trouble, don’t worry about sending out demos or sticking sound effects into the middle of your recording. Instead, keep your focus on the paper:

1.Split Letters– agreements between the songwriters involved in a composition, outlining the percentage of the song controlled by each writer. These letters should also provide the publishing and contact information for each writer.

2.Production Agreements– usually between producers and artists that the producers are developing. This agreement, at the very least, should make clear who owns the master recordings and the performances on those recordings, and the compensation to be paid to either the artist or the producer should the product be released (or not released).

3.Work For Hire Agreements– usually given to session musicians or vocalists who perform on a recording, in exchange for a one-time fee. It establishes that people performing “work for hire” have no further claims on future income generated by the song or recording.

4. Sample Agreements– made when samples of other recordings are included in a new master. These are the responsibility of whoever adds the sample– the producer, the writer, the remixer, or the record label.

Trust the voice of experience. Most of your career in the music business will be spent dealing with arguments between two collaborators, each who think they contributed at least 60% of the song, or a session singer who thinks that he or she really wrote part of the melody, or a producer who did a demo with an unknown artist that led to a recording contract, but no song on the album for the disappointed producer. These are the issues that come up again and again, and many of them are impossible to resolve, because they come down to oral agreements, assumptions, or inferred agreements between two parties too engaged in the creative flow to bother with outlining their understanding with each other.

Am I saying that crooks and cheats surround you? Of course not. Most people in any dispute sincerely believe that their position is correct and legitimate. Most disputes are misunderstandings that have risen to a level where compromise and an apology is not sufficient. While a written contract will not solve every problem, it does force everyone involved in an issue to clearly outline their understanding of the situation and their expectations, as well as establishing a clear record of what everyone actually agreed to at one specific point in time. Even well meaning people often rewrite history in their heads, forget what they did or did not say, or change their perception of what is “fair” over the course of several years. That’s why it’s good to right things down.

I know that most struggling songwriters, producers and artists are not anxious to take on legal fees they don’t need. If you’re looking for a template of a songwriting “split” letter, you can find one in my book, Making Music Make Money. On several different Internet sites, you can find examples of work for hire agreements, production contracts and sample agreements. Certainly, I would encourage you to see an attorney for big items– especially artist/producer production contracts. But if that’s out of reach, use the best template you can find, and make sure that you understand what it’s saying. So long as it accurately reflects your concerns, it’s probably sufficient. It’s certainly better than nothing.

Music Ally has posted their thoughts on the best online promotions from October 2008. I was familiar with many of these (the AC/DC video in Excel being my favorite), but there’s some other really creative ideas in here worth looking into. Great iPhone app ideas from Snow Patrol, NIN and Pink, and a cool online distribution idea from Ben Folds that leverages iTunes and his live music.

Also: if you are not part of the Twitter train yet, I suggest you give it a look. Microblogging is another great marketing tool that should be considered as part of your overall community-building plan. Even Britney Spears is on board!

I know, I know… I’ve been silent since the announcement of Pro Tools 8. Why? Well, I didn’t want to post anything until I actually saw the program and played with it. Like anyone else, I can watch the marketing videos on Digidesign’s web site and be awed, but until I actually try out the software, I can’t give my real opinion.

So, here’s my real opinion. Pro Tools 8 is amazing. It is a major leap forward for Digidesign, and a necessary jump to leapfrog Logic and DP, both in GUI looks and MIDI functionality. Literally, it looks a lot like Logic now (when you make the tracks dark grey) or like Digital Performer (when you make the tracks light grey). Gone are the familiar white background on the edit window and stale grey mix window. Say hello to color! Seriously, the interface looks much more modern, with 3D buttons and rounded corners. The Color Palette window gives you a lot of control over the intensity of the colors too… ranging anywhere from muted pastels to bright ‘bag of Skittles’ technicolor.

Pro Tools new face seems appropriate too for all the changes under the hood. Let me list off “a few” of the new ones:
- 10 inserts (5 more than previous versions)
- Grid lines show through audio regions
- Meter markings on the mix faders
- Insertion Follows Playback button (yes, its not the “N” key mystery anymore)
- Waveforms are shown in higher resolution
- Customizable tool bars at the top of the Edit window (which can be saved in a Windows Configuration)
- Universe window is docked and resizable
- Time Lock feature allows you to edit a region without it in time
- MIDI Scrub tool
- Elastic Pitch tool
- MIDI Editing window (can be either a separate window or a docked window)
- MIDI Smart tool — this makes editing MIDI SO MUCH EASIER!!!
- MIDI notes shown with lighter color have lower velocities, darker colored notes have higher velocities
- 64 sample buffer size for USB interfaces
- Video Satellite (use a separate computer for viewing HD video, connected via ethernet)
- When launching, PT asks whether you want to create a new session, open a session, or start with a template
- at least 30 template files (.ptt files)
- Pressing SHIFT while opening a session makes all plug-ins inactive

OK, that’s a big list… but not enough to warrant PT8 status. Good thing there are a million more improvements…

PT8 comes with 5 new FREE virtual instruments:
1. Mini Grand - 1.5GB worth of great sounding piano
2. DB33 - B3 organ with a convolution modeled Leslie cab (which can be used as a standalone effect, sans the B3)
3. XPand2 - a serious upgrade to XPand! with 2GB of sounds and 1500 patches
4. Vacuum - mono synth with gnarly tube sounds
5. BOOM - an analog style drum machine

In addition, you also get Eleven Free (light version of their awesome guitar amp simulator) and Structure Free (light version of their sampler)… in addition to a whole slew of new effects plug-ins. Its quite a big offering. In fact, it all adds up to 9GB for the entire PT software package.

BUT WAIT… there’s more. I haven’t even talked about some of the coolest and most useful improvements.

First, there’s track comping… where you can record in Loop Record and each take is recorded onto a new playlist. Then, you can open and view multiple playlists for one track all in the Edit window. Making a comp between playlists is now even easier. No more switching between edit playlists. Then, there are “Automation Lanes,” which show any or all automation for a track on separate “lanes” at the same time. Draw volume, panning, and mute automation at the same time. No more switching between automation playlists.

And finally… yes, we’re finally getting to the end of the improvements… the Score Editor. Yup, PT has notation now, driven by the Sibelius engine. You can view the Score Editor as a separate window or as a docked window and edit on the page just like editing MIDI. Print and/or save your score as a PDF. The Score Editor doesn’t have all the complexity of Sibelius, but you can easily export directly into Sibelius for further tweaking.

There are other improvements, but my hands are tired from typing all of these ones. Stay tuned for more info re: the Music Production and DV Toolkits, as well as upgrade pricing…

Cheers!

There are some great events happening in Boston over the next two weeks, all to do with Video Game music and sound.

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On Tuesday, November 11th, there is a joint meeting of the Boston chapter of the Audio Engineering Society and the Boston Post Mortem group. AES is the only professional organization focused solely on audio, with many chapters around the world. Boston Post Mortem is a local group of game development professionals working in and around Boston.

Presenting on the 11th will be a colleague of mine, Keith Zizza. Keith will be discussing the role of the Audio Director in games. He’ll also discuss his experience developing an audio engine based on his work with Tilted Mill. The event starts at 7pm at the Skellig pub in Waltham, follow this link for directions and details.

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Next up will be the Video Game Orchestra (VGO) performing a concert on Saturday evening November 15th. Admission is free and the concert starts at 6:30. It will include not only 45 musicians from around the Boston college community but also the Berklee Chamber Choir Club. The VGO had a concert earlier this year at a smaller venue that was wonderful. Definitely a great way to spend your early evening next Saturday!

Here is a photo from the concert this past summer

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The following week, on Wednesday November 19th, the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council is hosting an event, that while not focused specifically on game audio, is focused on gaming in New England. Video Game Gold: The Prosperous Gaming Industry in Massachusetts promises to be a thorough look at just what is happening in this neck of the woods. There’s a lot more than most people realize!

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As if all of that is not enough, I’ve perhaps saved the best for last! I was blown away last March when I went to see an orchestra playing and people were cheering and hooting and having a ton of fun. In fact, I noticed that one of the musicians on that stage in San Francisco was a Berklee alum, Evan Price, formerly of the Turtle Island String Quartet and I meant to email him to ask “Just how many times do you play a concert where people cheer like the musicians are rock stars?” (Of course I never did email him… but now I suppose I should)

What is this woman talking about? you might be saying to yourself. Have any of you EVER attended an orchestral concert that involved cheering and shouting by the audience? Could it be that an audience hasn’t been this engaged with an orchestra since the riots at Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring premiere?

Ok, ok… if you know video game orchestras, you know there is only one that I could possibly be talking about. The Video Games Live world tour is visiting Boston on Friday November 21st at the Wang Theatre. If you’ve never seen one of their concerts check out this youtube video…

It promises to be a great event!

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What a great month to live in Boston!

Whether you are the kind of writer for whom the whole song falls out in 15 minutes, or you painfully deliberate for hours over each line, there are a few quick rewriting tools that can help polish that final product. To apply these tools, sometimes we’ve got to be flexible with our melodic rhythms and pitches, open to adding or taking away a syllable or two as the lyric dictates. Other times we’ve got to be careful not to play and sing the song too much while we write, to avoid convincing ourselves something sounds natural when it actually doesn’t. Singing an unnaturally set phrase over and over again enables us to ‘learn’ the part, which can make it very difficult for a demo singer or the audience later on to sing and remember the song. Staying objective can mean keeping enough distance between you and the performance. When our gut tells us something didn’t sing right at first, our impulse may be to sing it again and convince ourselves we don’t need to go through the work of rewriting. But, give yourself enough credit as a skilled writer to practice seeing opportunities for making the melody even better, the harmonies even more complimentary, and the rhythm even more exciting. Remember, whether you’re pitching your songs to other artists to record or recording your songs yourself, the listener only gets one chance – and they’ll be relying on their first impression.

Point of View

One fun tool you might start with is changing the point of view of the song. First, check to make sure you have kept the point of view consistent throughout the song. If you start with ‘I’, then switch to ‘you’ or ‘he/she’, your listener can wind up confused. Establishing clear characters is the first step in making sure your listener can connect emotionally to the song, rather than sit there trying to figure out who’s doing the talking. After you’ve got it in one point of view, consider which point of view you’re working with.

First person point of view uses ‘I’. ‘I remember when…’ or ‘I thought I saw you there…’.

Second person point of view uses ‘you’. ‘You took the train to New Orleans…’.

Third person point of view uses ‘he/she’. ‘She hold the ticket in her hand, and knew he wasn’t far away…’.

In third person point of view, the singer is the narrator, not part of the story but looking from the outside in.

If you’re in first person p.o.v., try changing to second person, replacing all the ‘I’ pronouns with ‘you’. If you’re in third person, try changing to first person p.o.v. If you’re in first person, try changing to third. Play the whole song and even record a rough guitar/vocal or piano/vocal of it. Sit back and listen to both versions and try to imagine yourself as the listener. What kind of impact do you feel from both versions? Does first person feel more intimate, more suspenseful, more purposeful or empowering? Does third person lend a more mysterious or adventurous mood? How does the point of view affect the overall emotion of the song?

Verb Exchange

Another technique you might use is exchanging your verbs for more specific verbs. Verbs hold so much potential in a lyric, able to burst forth strong feelings of movement and texture, or disempower those feelings and leave the lyric lying flat. Let me give you an example. In the lyric below, I’ve used generic verbs:

You’re putting sugar packets under the table leg
but it just seems it’s built to slant
and it’s making you crazy
I’m moving runny eggs around a breakfast plate
watching you put your face
in complete frustration

Now here is the same verse, with more specific verbs:

You’re stuffing sugar packets under the table leg
but it just seems it’s built to slant
and it’s driving you crazy
I’m pushing runny eggs around a breakfast plate
watching you twist your face
in complete frustration

By livening up the verbs, I can create a more vivid situation. The more vivid the situation, the more my listener feels a part of the experience rather than an observer from the sidelines. Try using this technique with the help of your thesaurus to find verb substitutions. In some cases you’ll be able to match the number of syllables and stress pattern of the original verb, and in other cases you’ll find a great verb that requires more or fewer syllables. All in all, it’s good to have options. Writing with control over all these elements means we can better gauge how strongly we’ll capture the attention of our listener.

Happy writing,
Andrea

Roger H. Brown, President of Berklee College of Music, shares his thoughts on the importance of music for child development, cultural awareness, communication, and family connections.

Let’s face it– all anyone wants to talk about at the moment is politics. I was at the TJ Martell fund-raising dinner this week, which is always a big music industry event, and no one said a word about their hot new record, or big new signing, or even the annual holiday record industry lay-offs. All anyone could talk about at the table was the election. The next day, I met with a manager who confessed that the black circles under his eyes were not as a result of hanging out at a late-night gig, but rather staying up for the reruns of Keith Olbermann. Everyone’s a political junkie these days, and it doesn’t leave much room for music. It’s a little surprising. People appear to be somewhat more concerned with the future of the world and the survival of the global economy than they are about which record is topping the Hot 100. Where’s everyone’s sense of priorities? (joking…)

But just when you think that everyone has forgotten about music to focus on the big issues, you are reminded that music is right there, in the middle of the fight. After all, you can’t have a campaign rally without music. And that often becomes just one more issue for aspiring politicians to deal with.

It would appear that most political campaign managers have a minimal knowledge of popular music, and not a great deal of attention to lyrics. In the last few years, there have definitely been some questionable choices– Senator Bob Dole’s rewriting of “Soul Man” into “Dole Man” was surely a low point, as was Ronald Reagan’s use of “Born In The USA”, a song about the poor treatment of a Vietnam veteran. But this year has proven particularly difficult for the Republicans, who can’t seem to latch on to anything that works. So far, McCain and Palin

have tried:

“Right Now” — Van Halen. The matching of Van Halen and the evangelical movement seems an odd one, and apparently it felt uncomfortable to Van Halen as well, who asked that the song not be used.

“My Hero” — Foo Fighters. Not exactly a perfect demographic match.

“Running On Empty”– Jackson Browne. What were they possibly thinking? Do the people running the campaign know that there are about 700 lyric sites on the web, in case they want to check the words before they hit “play”?

“Barracuda”– Heart. This one was pulled out for Sarah Palin, as it appears there are very few songs about shooting moose. The Wilson sisters were not pleased.

“Still The One”– Orleans. Besides being about a hundred years old, this song has the disadvantage of being written by a Democratic New York Congressman (John Hall).

Not an easy year to find a GOP fight song. They now appear to be left with no choice but to endlessly recycle Hank Williams Jr., to rile up the crowd. The problem is that song just makes you want to watch football.

The Democrats have had a much easier time of it, as they usually do, given their wider support among most musicians and songwriters. Obama
seems to have stuck with “The Rising”, with an occasional Motown classic, or another reprise of Aretha’s “Think” (which isn’t actually a great lyric fit either, as the song isn’t actually extolling “freedom” as much as it sounds like it is). At least the Dem’s haven’t had to contend with angry songwriters objecting to the use of their song. In a side note though, I do have to ask– why do political crowds in both parties always clap on beats one and three, rather than two and four? It’s tragic to watch.

For more on the politics of song selections, check out <a href=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/listoftheday/98146/ten-controversial-campaign-songs/<Ten Controversial Campaign Songs

So what are the actual rules about using a song in a political campaign? Does the songwriter have to give permission? Is it possible for a songwriter or publisher to stop an objectionable use? Like most things legal and political, it’s a very gray area…

In fact, most campaign rallies use music under the guise of the “blanket performance license”. This is the license, issued by ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC to the halls in which the rallies occur, which allows someone holding an event in that location to use music, without a specific license from the publisher. It’s what allows hotels to play music in the lobby, and wedding bands to play songs in the hotel ballroom, and baseball teams to play “YMCA” at the stadium. BMI, ASCAP and SESAC then take those general fees, and pay their songwriter and publisher members. The use of music under the blanket license is compensated, but not individually licensed. Therefore, no one songwriter can refuse the use of his or her song. When you join ASCAP, BMI or SESAC, you agree to have your music included in the blanket license. That means your song could show up in a stadium, a hotel ballroom, or a business conference at that hotel, without your specific approval.

Of course, songwriters would argue (and do) that the use of a song at a campaign rally is very different than a song being played at a wedding. Because the music is customarily used at a prime moment, often the moment most likely to be televised, the song being used often appears to be an “endorsement” of the candidate. Because the songwriters (in some cases) and the artists singing the songs (in most cases) are public figures, it is somewhat unethical to imply that they are endorsing a candidate, if in fact they do not support that particular politician or cause. This is the basis upon which Bruce Springsteen objected to “Born In The USA”, Mellencamp to “R.O.C.K. In the USA” and Heart to “Barracuda”.

In most cases, politicians have backed down when faced with complaints from artists or songwriters. In all likelihood, they could probably continue to use the songs– there is little real legal recourse for songwriters and publishers, and the case would take a long time (and cost a lot of money) to resolve. Generally speaking, the threat of bad publicity is enough to make a campaign drop the song and move on. But few writers or publishers would be willing to go to court to stop this type of use.

The only real exception to that rule would be a use that involved a re-write of the lyric (like “Dole Man”), or the use of a song in a denigrating way (perhaps the “Running On Empty” use, which apparently was being used by the McCain campaign to ridicule Obama, might fall in this category). While there are legal protections for parodies, in most cases it is within the rights of a publisher to stop uses that either change a song significantly, or in some way damage a song and possibly reduce it’s long-term value as a copyright. Lyric or musical changes, a ridiculous performance, or putting a song in a context that changes its meaning could fall into the category of things that would require a publisher’s (and often a writer’s) approval.

Here’s an interesting question to which I’ve yet to figure out the answer:

Suppose a song is exclusively licensed to an advertisement or brand tie-in, meaning that the song cannot be used for any other brand for the duration of the ad campaign. But then, the song happens to be picked up and used (without permission) by a political candidate? What if the brand does not wish to be associated with that particular candidate (as most brands prefer not to take sides in these things). Does the brand’s exclusive licensing agreement allow them to stop the candidate from using the song? Tricky one, huh?

Here’s another interesting one:

We know that politicians have a limited right to use any music they want (under the blanket license). But what about a songwriter’s use of the politician’s words? Check out one of my favorite new musical happenings:

Clash of Civilizations.

Clash of Civilizations - Legacy

Change in America - Obama 2008

If politicians can borrow songs, then why not the other way around? Mixing music and politics is an interesting, provocative, and sometimes dangerous business, and I think Clash of Civilizations does it as well as anyone out there at the moment. Check it out– its’ definitely more enlightening than hearing another round of tired campaign rhetoric and Hank Williams Jr.

And don’t forget to vote on Tuesday. This is a big one, with a lot at stake. Read up on the issues, put some good thought into it, and then get down to the polls.

Check out this great article at Grammy.com featuring Chris Stone, co-founder of L.A.’s legendary Record Plant Studio and Berkleemusic Music Industry Entrepreneurship instructor. Chris was the keynote speaker at the 125th AES Convention in San Francisco a few weeks ago.

Here’s a highlight:

“The music industry is alive and well, it truly is,” Stone told attendees at the show’s opening bell. “We’ve gone from being pretty much run by the major labels to pretty much being…a cottage industry that satisfies all the needs of the artist today.” Stone pointed out that it’s this evolutionary contraction cycle that presents many opportunities, while also noting that “You’re only as good as your phone book.” He suggested utilizing events such as AES as a social networking tool and that artists look toward other area of opportunities with their music, including film and television, video games, and even houses of worship. “This makes the artists our target customer,” he said.

Read the full article here.

Over a steaming cup of tea and some of the best sweet potato fries I’ve even eaten, I recently met with a past student and fellow songwriter of mine, Joy Gora, in Boston, MA. We talked about the craft, about the daily challenges and the victories we experience as we journey through the business. I found her insight about song critiques particularly valuable, and asked her to write a bit to share with my Berkleemusic readers. Joy is a wonderful lyricist, singer/songwriter, and former student of the Berkleemusic songwriting courses. Below you’ll find some of the things she’s doing to promote her songs and examples of feedback she’s gotten from various sources like TAXI and NSAI. You can hear more of Joy’s music at http://www.lyricwriter.net/.

Song Critiques
Even though music is an extremely subjective art, I’ve often leaned on feedback from different sources in order to improve my own craft of writing songs. I will admit that as a Berkleemusic student I have been quite spoiled with quality detailed instructor feedback and a warm supportive environment of fellow songwriting students. But outside of the classroom I’ve found a variety of song evaluation methods offering different styles and opinions. And I use the word opinion because I believe a song critique is just that – one person’s opinion.
Hopefully critiques are coming from an educated opinion, but I believe even comments from fans attending shows can be very enlightening. If you are looking for a way to improve your songwriting through feedback here are a few sources you may want to consider.
Friends and family – Ok this one may seem dull, but I can’t leave out the support system of those that want to see you succeed and those that will always tell you how great your writing is. It’s invaluable, especially on those days when you wonder how “good” your stuff really is. Let them cheer you on.

Other songwriter friends and musicians can appreciate the depth of your soul that goes into your art and they can often times make cool suggestions while still treading lightly on your work. A friend of mine will send songs out to her friends saying, “let me know which ones you like the best.” If she gets replies from them and everyone is saying “I love song #3″ then she knows that particular one resonates with people.

Your fan base – If you have the opportunity to play live, your audience can sometimes be the best critic. If someone takes the time at the end of the night to comment on a song or if you silence a room with your latest ballad that may mean something to you as you continue to write.

Taxi – Taxi is an “independent A&R company.” Outiside of my Berklee classes, one of my first experiences with a song evaluation was from TAXI. These critiques are streamlined into a form style of evaluation with a multiple choice answer with some room for actual comments. You get back a combination of song opinion and the experience of what it’s like to interact with the gatekeeper of an artist looking for new material. These particular evaluations are really in the confines of that particular listing. If you’ve never pitched you stuff to and A& R person, it’s a safe way to build your courage muscles for rejection!

The areas of focus for Taxi critiques are Style (was it right for the artist), Melody, Structure, Lyric, Title, Overall Rating and verbal overall comments. I think their focus is more on why the song wasn’t forwarded than specific suggestions as to how you could improve your writing or song. To give you a sense, here are a few of the comments I’ve gotten from my last few evaluations:

“Really Nice work here, but for a debut album by a young country artist, the theme here is a bit too mature (especially for commercial country. The hook needs to be a bit more repetitious and better defined. I really enjoyed the song though”

“A really nice love song with some expressive lyrics, but it’s not quite the style of song that they’re looking for with this request. Songs like those of Shania Twain and Carolyn Dawn are what they need. Clever stories with memorable country pop melodies/hooks are what this artist is trying to find. But still, this is a good love song, good writing.”

“There is some nice imagery here and you sell the emotion well, but musically it is just a little too busy and is not quite in the style that is being requested. The musical attitude is much more pop than country – a bit too sophisticated.”

Nashville Songwriters Association International – As a member of NSAI, you may submit one song per month for evaluation. An independent team of published songwriters will evaluate each song’s commercial potential and return an evaluation. Any song submitted to the Song Evaluation Service that is judged “Ready-to-Pitch” by the song’s evaluator is then screened by the entire panel of NSAI song evaluators. If approved, the song is played for major music publishers and label A&R representatives at NSAI’s exclusive Pitch to Publisher Quarterly Luncheon. On a quarterly basis, they play the best songs from their Song Evaluation service for a “who’s who” of Nashville publishers at their in-person listening session.

The focus for these critiques is: overview, form, hook, lyric, melody, and commercial viability. Usually you get a one or two line statement under each subject. Here are a couple of sample comments from my own evaluations:

“ Very good overall especially the 2nd verse. The chorus bothered me though. It needs more edge. It feels too wholesome and fuzzy. Very good with a few fixes. Add some tongue in cheek wit”

“ I like the hook and idea. The lyrics were good, I would work on making them more youthful. Keep it simple so the listener can enjoy the song without having to think too much”

Song Camps and Workshops – A fellow songwriter friend of mine had the opportunity to get a one-on-one session with Pat Pattison and Jason Blume based on the way a particular workshop was set up. There were large group lectures that broke-out into small sessions where she got to work with other hit writers. She told me this experience changed her life and how she approached music, writing and her career.

Pitch to Publisher Events – ASCAP, and BMI come to mind as organizations that help you get in front of a publisher with your music. As an example, ASCAP has an event called Song Source every Wednesday afternoon in Nashville that allows each participant an opportunity to play their most commercial song to a music publisher and get direct feedback.

Proven Professional Songwriters – Ok, I’ve saved my favorite for last. There are numerous hit songwriters that are genuinely interested in sharing their knowledge to help you pen the best songs possible. They help you dig deep inside of yourself to bring out what unique experiences only you bring to the world of music. They can help you turn mediocre songs into great songs by offering specific, relevant hands on advice. These critiques are usually not generic, but rather focus on tools like, point of view, rhyme scheme, structure, power positions and originality.

There are certainly other places to seek opinions about your music, but whatever path you choose, I encourage you to let you songs see the light of day and play them to anyone who wants to give you an opinion. I personally have gained golden insight into how professionals in the industry look at music, what resonates with listeners, and tips to improve my writing. I have also disagreed with comments I have received so I caution you to try a variety of song evaluation sources and stick with the ones that are helpful to you. Take away from these critiques only what you want to take and throw out the rest. I was recently told that I had to “dumb down” my lyrics for a certain genre. My take away from that was not that I had to change my style of writing, but that my song just wasn’t right for that artist. I often remind myself of the many stories of songs that were rejected for years before they became hits.

Thanks to Joy for setting aside time to share her experience with us -

Andrea Stolpe

Berklee Today, Berklee’s Alumni Magazine, just published a feature story by Julie Pampinella on Children’s Music.

Check it out here.

So… enough of the feel-good blogs.

In a couple of recent postings, I’ve relayed the happy news that the Copyright Tribunal has come down firmly on the side of the creative community, the songwriters and publishers, with their recent rulings regarding the mechanical royalty and ring tone rates. So far, so good. But as we come up on the Halloween holiday, it’s good to remember the first rule of the “fright night” movie:

Just when everything is looking good—
–SOMETHING UGLY IS WAITING AROUND THE CORNER…

And you can be sure that he, she, or it is just waiting to stick the knife in you. As pleased as music publishers and songwriters should be about recent political and legal developments that could mean big money for creators and copyright holders, we should also remain vigilant, and keep one ever-open eye trained on our real enemies in the long-term battle to keep the creation of music a viable business pursuit.

Indeed, just like in the slasher movies, the bad guy is seldom exactly whom you think it is. It’s not really the DMA (Digital Music Association), the ones who wanted to slash royalty rates from 9.1 cents to 5. It’s not even multi-million dollar corporations like Yahoo, AOL, and YouTube, who have built their business on the back of music which they have resisted paying for. It’s almost certainly not the casual illegal downloader, grabbing tracks off of illegal sites and thereby depriving Doug Morris and Steve Jobs of their 99 cents. Those groups aren’t helping us– but they’re just decoys, distracting us from the real killer lurking in our midst.

Interestingly, the real enemy lies in corners of the media intelligentsia– egghead authors, columnists and pundits with whom most songwriters and publishers have little or no familiarity. But for those that read the Wall Street Journal, Wired magazine, and other decidedly non-music oriented publications, you may have caught a glimpse of the masked monster lurking out there in the dark. If you want to meet the enemy, check out the Time magazine Business & Tech section’s review of Lawrence Lessig’s:

“Decriminalizing the Remix”

Lessig is a Stanford University Law professor, and one of the most outspoken and engaging critics of the nation’s copyright laws. He advocates reforms that would make it far easier for his heroes, the remixers, mash-up makers, collage artists, and other “secondary users” (i.e. not the people that came up with this stuff, but the ones that found it out there scattered around the pop cultural landscape) to create derivative works without the permission of (or without compensation to) the original creators. This is not an unpopular view.

In fact, it’s a view that is gaining considerable intellectual respectability– far more than one would have anticipated even ten or fifteen years ago, when copyright law was considered a fundamental requirement for an advanced economy. Lessig is also a columnist for Wired magazine, which has been one of the champions of copyright reform. That magazine is also the source of the famed “long-tail” argument, a theory that was supposed to save the music industry, but which has instead proved to be pretty much a complete bust (see my blog “The Long Tail Was A Very Short Tale”).

Other critics of copyright have emerged in Europe, where there is a growing movement against the “stifling” effects of laws that protect creators, and grant them the right to control the use of their creation. Now even the documentary film makers are getting into the act, with the recent release of writer/director Brett Gaylor’s movie:

RiP: A Remix Manifesto

Everyone seems to love the remixers these days. Strange that the remixers don’t manage to sell more records. But I suppose that record buying isn’t exactly the ethos of Lessig and Gaylor.

The danger here is that this is how real change happens in our society. The discussion begins on a very intellectual level, safely disconnected from the real world of commerce and big business. Theories are discussed, books are written, positions are debated, but the discourse remains pretty well isolated from the day-to-day lives of the everyday person. It would be safe to say that few music licensors, and frighteningly few music creators give a great deal of thought to the basic existence of copyright law. It’s simply assumed as a given by most of the industry built upon it. But it’s not a given. Nothing is. Like most every social construct, copyright law exists only so long as the majorities of people in the society respect it, value it, and are willing to defend it.

Whether you agree or disagree with things like the “non-smoking” movement, the “green” movement, or even the “neo-con” movement against things like excessive government regulation, the seeds of change usually begin in the form of intellectual ferment within universities, think-tanks, intellectual journals and the like. Gradually then, they begin to take root in the mass media– until they ultimately start to affect the way the general public views a particular issue. Twenty years ago, who would have thought it would one day be illegal to smoke in an outdoor space? When the public changes its opinion about a particular subject or principle, the laws will eventually change to reflect that shift. As a generation of young people raised with the concept of “free”, download-able music come of voting age, the writings of people like Lessig will find a receptive audience. There is every possibility that ten years from now, the general public support for the idea of copyright law will have simply melted away.

In some ways, it could hardly be surprising. In his movie, Brett Gaylor centers on the DJ, remixer Girl Talk– a king of the mash-up, who borrows liberally from dozens of well-known and obscure musical copyrights to form his new musical “collages”, and is, as he was once described in the NY Times magazine, “a lawsuit waiting to happen”. To Gaylor, Girl Talk is a victim– a creator of a new art form (not that new actually) being unfairly restricted by conventional copyright law. In the same way, Lessig is a champion of the “amateur culture” propagated by outlets like YouTube that encourages consumers to “create art as readily as they consume it”. Let’s face it, if it’s an us or them battle between creative professionals and amateurs, between people that want to build their lives (and incomes) around creating art and selling it, and people who just want to have fun goofing around with music– there are a lot more of them (the amateurs) than us (the professionals). In a democracy, that’s a dangerous position in which to find ourselves.

Let me be honest: I’m a big fan of Girl Talk. One of my all-time heroes was Hank Shocklee and the Bomb Squad, who arguably took sampling to its ultimate level with the Public Enemy records of the Eighties and Nineties. I like a funny video on YouTube as much as the next guy. I spent my life in dance music, and had the good fortune to have my music remixed by some of the greatest remixers ever– including Todd Terry, David Morales, and Masters at Work. And I recognize that copyright law can make life miserable for people that work in the art of mash-up, mix-up, and “found” art.

I’m sorry about that. But I’m also a trained musician, and at the risk of sounding elitist– when it comes to music, I am one. The ability for the best musicians and composers to make music not just a hobby, but also a very lucrative profession has served American culture quite well over the past hundred years. The world of “professional” musicians has given us Gershwin, Leiber & Stoller, Motown, Cole Porter, and plenty of others. If I have to sacrifice a couple of homemade videos of someone’s infant dancing to a Prince song in order to preserve that, I’ll take the trade. I watch Myspace as much as every other A&R weasel– and I’m not sure that any of us would claim that the talent pool has increased in quality simply by giving the world access to posting their own creations. The truth is that creating music demands a certain investment of time, talent, creativity, and sheer hard work in order to get it right. People that make that investment need and deserve to be compensated for their work. That means protecting what they make, and allowing them a reasonable level of control in the way that others use their work. It also means preserving some level of (dirty word) professionalism (that is, the ability to make this work a profession) for those who wish to spend their lives in the trenches of the creative community. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Beware!! Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water– here I am to warn you of sharks. But keep an eye on the disciples of copyright “reform”. Though they may masquerade as the friend of the aspiring musician, they’ve got a dagger under their coat. Copyright law may not be fundamental to music, but it is certainly the foundation of the music business. If you want to make this your life’s work, I suggest you keep a tight leash on that elephant in the room…

The deadline for our winter term Celebrity Online Scholarship Program is coming up fast. Apply by November 2nd.

Each term, Berkleemusic recognizes sixteen of our best and brightest online students for outstanding performance in our certificate programs. These students are each awarded a $1250 scholarship in the name of a renowned music education champion.

The Fall 2008 scholarship honorees and recipients were:

• BT Scholarship: Michael Campion Leczinsky, Gianluigi D’Autilia, Henrique Matulis Filho, and Michael Wooten
• Alf Clausen Scholarship: Katie Gosnell, Peter Jonatan, Angel Smith, and Stephen Woodard
• Juan Luis Guerra Scholarship: Celeste Cresswell, Erin Daniels, Maria Paz Escudero, and Carlos Perez Velilla
• Patty Larkin Scholarship: Amanda Knollman, Andrea Olson, Branden Petersen, and Scott Tuttle

Are you one of our next recipients? Find out how to apply for our winter term scholarship program before it’s too late.

One of the best “viral” emails I have seen since Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits email campaign.