How To Get A Song Published

Awhile back, I received a request from a person asking for information on HOW TO GET THEIR SONG PUBLISHED. While I may not be an expert on this.... I answered their question as follows:

Hello xxxxxxxx........

I have to admit...... I don't know if I can help or not but maybe I can give you some pointers...... Now.... to give you an idea of who I am......... I've had a few full-demo's created, I'm currently being published through Music In The Right Keys Publishing Company in Chicago, and I'm listed with BMI as a songwriter with published materials......

I admit that I fell into this with very little knowledge myself..... sooooooo..... here goes..........

In writing a few songs, I decided to have one of my songs made into a demo....
the recording studio that was to do the demo was:

Midi Magic Studio
7176 Somerset Farms Dr.
Nashville, TN 37221
615-646-7440
The owner is Gerry Peters, (his website is listed at the end of this article).

I decided that I was going to send him a "mediocre, middle of the road" song.... (meaning.... one that I didn't feel was one of my best but not one of my worst songs that I had written). I paid him to arrange it, provide a FULL demo (full band), singer, and harmony. (Cost was around $300)

What was returned a few weeks later stunned me...... it was a full song that sounded like it was ready for airplay on the radio.

I then purchased a book called THE SONGWRITER'S MARKET (which is published and updated new each year). This book can be ordered through most any bookstore and cost is $22.99

The order information:
"1999 Songwriter's Market"
Writers Digest Books
F&W Publications
1507 Dana Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45207
ISBN 0-89879-853-1

Then was the time to do some homework........ this book has 522 pages on the music industry, with a complete section on MUSIC PUBLISHERS (including their names, addresses and what they are looking for in submissions). (Note: Only ASCAP or BMI publishers are listed.... no illegit) The front of the books says that there are 350 music publishers listed....... along with..... 400 record companies, 350 managers & booking agents, 200 record producers, 100 songwriting organizations, 60 contests & awards...... and a total of 2000 music industry phone numbers. (In other words....... this book has become my guide to the music industry !!!)

I spent several days going through the publishers, writing down the ones that accepted the TYPE of music that my song fell into..... I then looked at their past publications and decided whether or not they were in business to promote themselves or to actually promote other writers that submitted to them. Then I compared the publishers that was still "not marked off" of my list, by the number of NEW songwriters that they publish per year (the more new songs, the better... at least that is what I figured). Finally..... I looked at how long the publisher had been in business..... knowing that the longer they had been in business, the more contacts they had in the music industry.

After marking off most of the publishers that didn't meet my homework criteria...... I had about 6 left on my list........ so, I put together my submission package (just as outlined in the "Songwriters Market" book). I used my computer, and created a label insert for the cassette tape box, with name of song, my contact information, copyright notice, and on the inside fold, a short paragraph about what the song was about. I also used my computer to print a label to stick on the cassette tape, so that it would look more professional. (These are AVERY labels found at most office supply stores). I used my computer again, to print addresses on a self-addressed (stamped) envelope for the publisher to return mail to me, and finally I printed the outside address labels for my bubble package that would house all the contents from damage by those irate postal workers.

I sent out two of these packages....... to the top two publishers on my list. (Each publisher saying in the book that they would take from 4 to 6 weeks to respond). However....... three days later..... the top publisher on my list, phoned me with an offer for a publishing contract. (I didn't know anything about contracts, so I sent a copy of it to Gerry Peters (of Midi Magic Studio) to go over, with his music lawyer.... they got back to me and told me that the contract was OK..... so, the contract was signed and the publishing company is now promoting my song to different artists and to the major recording companies.

Since this has happened..... I've had Gerry work up a couple more demo's for me. I tried to make it hard on him to see what he could do also...... I took one of my songs that was totally incomplete.... (mainly several verses of words) with a central theme, and I sent it to him without any guitar or music backgrounds...... just totally my voice, singing the words on a tape, and I asked him what he could do with it.

He worked with the words some, provided the chord progression, provided the backgrounds, recorded it as a FULL demo (full band) with vocalist and harmonies..... and it came out sounding great !!! (It cost more, but was well worth it). I'm getting ready to send this song to my publisher now......... (By the way.... Gerry does this work as "Music For Hire", which means... that I've hired him to work on my song, but all rights to the song stay in my name.... I'm still the sole owner and I own the copyright).

On the 22nd of January (2000), I will be heading into a local studio to have different vocals placed on another one of my songs that Gerry did as a demo. It seems that Gerry is in Nashville, TN and so far, most all of the songs that he has produced for me has a distinctive "country" sound...... and while his demo's are excellent, I've decided to replace the country vocals with a female voice that more resembles that of Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters).

I highly recommend this....... if you get a demo recorded..... always do this...... get one version of it as a full demo with full vocals......... then get a second version of it as a MUSIC ONLY version, and finally a karaoke style version with music and background harmony vocals only. This can be done quite easily prior to the final master mix, so the studio can provide you with all of the cuts. In this, you have music that you can "sing along to"...... but you also have music that you can change the vocals to if you so desire at a fraction of the cost of a full demo. (Just in case a publisher would want to hear it in a different format, or with different words).

If the studio has the capability...... always get the demo sent to you on a CD. The reason for this is..... it will become your MASTER COPY..... (the one you will make all other copies from). We all know the sound quality difference between a cassette tape and a CD..... but when you are recording off the cassettes to send to the publishers, the cassette to cassette has allot more "hiss" in it than the CD to cassette........ (and we want the publishers to hear us at our best...... after all... it's that FIRST IMPRESSION APPEARANCE thing.... we want to look and be our best ... first time out !!!)

I am not associated with Gerry Peters (Midi Magic Studio) or with Music In The Right Keys Publishing companies in any way other than I'm doing business with them...... so everything that I've told you above is completely my attempt to answer your question that you asked.

I do agree with Gerry Peters (on his webpage)..... he states that if you are going to do a demo to send to a publisher. ALWAYS make it a FULL DEMO (meaning a full band with vocals and harmonies)...... make it sound as professional and as near ready for radio air play as you can. These are the tunes that the publishers will listen to instead of tossing them in the trash. If you can't find a local studio with studio musicians, then consider sending to a demo create studio like Midi Magic.

If you want your vocals on the demo.... do so.... even if it means a trip to a create studio like Midi Magic. If you feel your vocals are weak..... then let the studio provide a singer with a strong voice. Make sure that the vocals are out in front of the music, so that everything that is said can be easily heard in the song. This type of demo will cost in the neighborhood of $250 - $350 but well worth every cent when it comes to trying to get a publisher to listen to your songs. (By the way, there are less expensive demo studio's but I believe you get what you pay for).

Finally...... if a publisher doesn't pick up your song...... don't fret...... Reject Notices are part of this business.... and not something to be taken personally.... keep sending it out to other publishers....... After all, a song that doesn't appeal to one publisher, may appeal to another publisher. Also keep in mind that some publishers work on a limited budget and while they may want to work with your song, finances prohibit them from signing new songs at the present time. Finally, keep in mind that while your song may be the greatest one ever written, the publisher may be working on a totally different project right now and your song just doesn't fit with what they are currently working on.... so.... if one publisher doesn't want it, maybe another one will.

When the publisher picks up the song..... all additional expenses comes out of the publishers pocket..... (so your total investment should be around $300). But... because the publisher is putting their money into a song... it means they feel certain that the song is worth their investment, that it will sell, and that everyone will profit. Be patient and let the publisher have time to do their magic with your song... let them have the time to promote it....it's their job.

NEVER EVER EVER EVER !!! Sign any type of contract that indicates that you have to pay any additional expenses...... any publisher that would do this is trying to take you, and not living up to the standards set by ASCAP and BMI.

Finally...... if you do not have copyright on your songs...... you can still get the demo created. Legit studio's (like Midi Magic) will not take your song. And the new copyright laws indicate that you can claim copyright as soon as your song is recorded (even prior to submitting for a copyright from the Copyright Office - Library of Congress, Washington D.C.) However....... as soon as you can make a copy of your recording...... the first "COPY" should be placed in an envelope (along with the copyright form and $30) and sent to the copyright office for your copyright registration. When you send this...... send it CERTIFIED mail, and request a receipt from the post office...... (some publishers will use a photocopy of your registration form, and a photocopy of your postal receipt as proof of your application for the copyright).

As soon as you have sent in for your copyright, you can start sending your song out to the publishers........ if they are interested, they will let you know without your having to wait to long.......

I hope this answered your questions......... I wish you the best of success....... Good Luck !!!!!!!!!!