A Short Guide to Seeking Out the Independent Publisher - by Steve Cooper

Hello ! I've produced demos for songwriters around the world since 1989 at the Songwriter's Studio. This series of monthly articles is designed to share some of my knowledge about the music industry. While I could start this first article off about all the reasons to have a good demo of your song, I've decided to address a question asked just last week of me by a songwriter.

A demo studio contacted me and as part of their services they'll pitch my song to the major labels. Is this true? Should I work with them since this could be invaluable to getting my songs' heard by the right people?

The first thing I can say is beware. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. What this demo service is doing to get your business is offering something they probably just pretend they do. While I've cut many great songs over the years, I've also cut some that aren't so great. Some songs have no potential in the marketplace. Sometimes the writer knows this, and other times they do not. Imagine going to the MCA A&R Rep and telling him I have a great song about a neighborhood dog. Or perhaps a "hot" one about Space Aliens. I'm sure you're laughing, but I've cut songs over the years that have such topics. These songs are usually very special to the songwriter, but obviously they are not "pitchable". You could never go to the label and pitch these. So when a demo studio offers pitching for any song they produce you know they are not being legitimate. In all probability the only place they pitch it is in the waste basket, whether your song is the next big hit or a silly ditty.

What is the solution? I suggest you demo your song professionally and then seek an independent publisher. Most of these independent operations are small, but the person behind them is usually supercharged and really eager to get songs cut. These publishers NEED songs. Most major publishers DO NOT NEED songs.

Why don't the big guys want my song? Well, the big publishers almost strictly use writers they've signed, and will not even accept material from outside that circle. They have money invested in their writers, who usually take a draw. In order to get their investment back, they need the songs by their writers recorded. Therefore, no matter how good your song is, it doesn't fit in the business model they work under. Furthermore, most big publishers have a tremendous back room full of songs, so to sign a "single song" isn't worth their time and effort, no matter how good your song is.

If an independent publisher likes your song, then they think your song is good enough for the major artists. Most are not going to sign a lot of songs, as they don't have a big staff to manage them. It takes a lot of time and work to sift through songs, and once they've found what they want, there isn't any reason to keep signing more and more.

Most independent publishers will sign a two-three year contract, with a reversion clause that states if they do not get the song signed the rights return to you. That is in their favor and yours too. If they can't get the song recorded, then they can move on to new material without being tied up with an ever growing catalog that sits on a shelf. You, the writer, get a chance to seek out someone new who might have better contacts for your song. It's important to know that a demo or unreleased recording of the song is not justification for a publisher to keep a song under contract via the reversion clause. The song has to be recorded professionally and released to the marketplace to qualify. I've seen some shady publishers in the past pull some strange things in order to keep a song beyond the agreed to limit.

The Songwriter's Guild has an excellent standard contract that has a one year reversion. I think their contract is very good, but personally I think this length of time is not long enough for a publisher to effectively push the song . Two to three years is good. That way the publisher can become familiar on how and where to pitch the song, and get a chance to truly see what happens.

Where do you find an independent publisher? Today, with the internet, there are all sorts of ways to find them, from searching Google to asking others in chat rooms dedicated to songwriting. You can also use the old fashioned method of searching through The Songwriter's Market. It is published each year by Writer's Digest. Or you can ask the writers representatives at BMI, ASCAP or a songwriting organization like NSAI for referrals.

Will the independent publisher cover the costs of the song demo? The independent publisher will 99.9% of the time not pay for your demo. Even the big publishers don't pay for a writers' demo. They charge back a portion of the costs, from 50-75% to the songwriter. So it is important that the songwriter give the independent publisher a demo that is top notch and worthy of pitching.

What kind of demo should be recorded? My goal in producing demos is to offer a radio-ready arrangement of a song that will spark the interest of the listener. The demo, which is short for "demonstration tape", has the purpose of giving the listener an idea of what the song would sound like were it to be actually recorded and released. It's not meant to be a master recording.

Can I record my demo at home? Possibly, but the demo needs to be up to the standards of what is currently being pitched. While home recording gear has become cheap, MOST demos being pitched to the majors are still cut in a pro studio. There's a difference in quality and musicianship that is apparent to the listener right away.

Should I sing my own song? Having a professional vocalist sing it also lends to the "ready for radio" illusion. I've been lucky to have singers on demos I've produced like Buddy Jewell, Trace Adkins, Lance Miller and Becca Jackson, who all went on to major label deals. A singer who really delivers really makes a difference in the presentation. Most songwriters just cannot come up to these high standards in their own studio. I wish you luck with your songs and your songwriting hobby. It's fun, thrilling, artistic and creative. There's nothing more rewarding than hearing your song played by great musicians and sung by a first class vocalist.

Stay Tuned for Steve's article in next months newsletter: How do I make money once my song is cut?

Steve Cooper is a trusted friend of I Write the Songs and is a wonderful producer. For further information from Steve about songwriting as well as the services he offers visit the Songwriter' Studio Website.