VYRALUNIVERSITY

Songwriting In
Nashville, TN

WHAT IS MUSIC PUBLISHING? WHAT DO THEY DO? BASICS OF PUBLISHING

AGREEMENTS
We will define what We will explain the
music publishing is different things that We will describe the
and some of the common music publishers do different types of
terms used in the for songwriters and publishing agreements
music publishing explain how they help and how they work.
busisiness. your songwriting
career.

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 Vyral University: Songwriting 101

VYRAL MUSIC
Songwriting In
Nashville

SO YOU WANT TO BE A SONGWRITER IN NASHVILLE...

There is a specific set of unwritten rules and guidelines by which the songwriters and publishers of Nashville, TN
adhere to on a daily basis in order to function in a city full of dreamers....This article will finally spell them out...

WELCOME TO MUSIC CITY, USA....

So you've taken the plunge and arrived in Nashville, TN, or as some people refer to it, "Nash Vegas". You pull into town
and head straight for music row, passing the amazing but strangely awkward statue on the roundabout. As you take your
3rd trip around the circle, you realize that you are home, and in that moment home becomes a foreign land, filled with
unexpected things and unforeseen pressure. Making your exit onto 17th avenue you almost rear-end the car in front of
you because your eyes are fixed on the ASCAP building, and your head is racing with thoughts of stardom and fame.
Down the row, passing what looks like a residential area, you suddenly realize that these houses contain the studios and
record labels that built this city. RCA Studio B, Sony Music, and so on. Pulling over to catch your breath and take it all
in you tell yourself, "I'm here, ready to change the world one song at a time.” And then it hits you all at once like a tidal
wave of uncertainty......... NOW WHAT?

At one point in every songwriter's life, this story has manifested itself one way or another. We arrive here with
dreams, and are left to fight and claw our way to the top. This was me, 4 1/2 years ago. I might as well have been a
refugee, straight off the boat. I didn't speak the language, didn't know the customs or traditions. It was if i was entering
into another world. A world of fast money and hard setbacks. Almost 5 years later, i am no closer to a solution, and just
as well there may not be one solution. Every person has their own stories of "making it". This is not meant to be a road
map to success. Instead i would like to share with you the things i have learned throughout my time here in Nashville.
Hopefully it won't take you 5 years to learn what it took me, but trust me, it was worth every minute. Don't forget to
enjoy the ride!

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A Brief History of Music Row...

Music Row is a section of Nashville, TN home to record labels,
publishing companies, recording studios, writers and dreamers. But it NASHVILLE
HIGHLIGHTS
wasn’t always booming with the music industry elite.

In 1925, a radio show was created that would change the
landscape of Nashville into what we now call Music City, USA. This
radio broadcast is more famously known as the Grand Ole Opry. The
success of this program, mostly due to the leadership of people like Roy
Acuff, George D. Hay & Uncle Dave Macon, was recognized by NBC,
which picked up the show in 1939, launching it into a national spotlight.
The success of this show directly resulted in Nashville becoming known
as a leader in country music.

In the late 40’s, after WWII, radio stations began building studios
in Nashville to record and broadcast advertisements. Recording artists
naturally began to use these radio studios to record music, and that
brought record labels such as RCA, Capitol, and Decca to the town to
reap the rewards of a booming music industry.

Many credit two men for opening the first studio on music row.
They were Owen and Harold Bradley, and the studio marked the start of a
transformation into what is now simply known as Music Row. Soon after,
publishers and labels started opening offices in the area. Many people
credit low real estate prices as well as the close proximity as the catalysts
for the growth of this “neighborhood”. Of course it didn’t hurt that many
of the great country musicians flocked here as well once the success of the
Grand Ole Opry generated a mainstream buzz in Nashville for country
music. Many believe, (as do I) that the close proximity of these buildings
also had another effect. Musicians and Studios would work closely
amongst each other, crafting and refining recording techniques, and
creating what we now refer to as the “Nashville Sound”.

Music Row is now home to every major record label, houses
hundreds of publishers and recording studios, and offices for each of the
three major Performing Rights Organizations. (SESAC is based in
Nashville, TN).

Music Row in
Nashville, TN

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 Nashville Basics...
CELEBRITIES IN Before we dive in to the intricacies of being a songwriter in
Nashville, it is important to know a few things special to the music
NASHVILLE community here.

1.) Nashville is a Hub For Songwriters: It may be obvious to those of you

reading this article, but I am surprised at the enormous amount of people who
move to Nashville each year to pursue a career in music. Nashville is home to
over 100,000 “writers” and even more musicians, publishers, and executives.
This is truly the only place where music is woven so deep in the fabric of a
community that it is likely 9 out of 10 people you meet in this town will have
some tie to the music industry.

2.) Nashville is a small community: This may sound contradictory to the

1st statement, but it is the absolute truth. Unlike Los Angeles or New York, the
music community in nashville is very closely connected. Everybody knows
everybody. This works in favor of those in the “circle”, but can also be one of
the most frustrating aspects of trying to jumpstart a career here.

3.) Staying power is the key to success: Nashville prides itself on being a
close-knit community, and in turn, most people who arrive here find it difficult
to navigate the social hierarchy. Remember that it is not necessarily that
Nashville is full of snobs and elitists, it is more that the music community has
seen its share of fast money and broken promises. Things don’t happen quickly
here, and they don’t come easy. Your ability to press onward and grind through
the failures you will most definitely encounter along your journey will be the key
to finding success.

4.) Nashville is not just country music: You would think that everyone is
walking around in cowboy hats and boots, spitting tobacco and feeding horses
in stables outside their recording studio, (which sounds pretty cool actually),
but Nashville is far from a “hick-town”. We are home to all types of music, art,
and theater. Nashville is also a mecca of christian music, children’s music, and
has one of the most underrated indie rock scenes in the US.

5.) Nashville is full of celebrities: Nashville prides itself on being a

community where the stars of hollywood and Rolling Stone can lead a semi-
normal existence. It is not uncommon to sit down at a restaurant and see Tim &
Faith (Tim McGraw and Faith Hill), or find yourself at a bar drinking a beer with
Ben Folds. Remember that “star-gazing” is very frowned upon in this town, and
the people who do are looked down upon. Remind yourself that you are a part
of the same industry as them, and then treat everyone as an equal. You will find
that this treatment is well-respected and common practice here.

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NSAI - NASHVILLE SONGWRITER’S QUICK FACTS:

ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL NSAI is a Non-Profit Organization

NSAI operates primarily as a

legislative group fighting for
songwriter’s rights

NSAI has local chapters in almost

every city in the US.

NSAI provides all of its

information in ‘online’ format so
that you can enjoy the benefits of
being a member from basically
anywhere.

When you first get to Nashville, you will find that you are a little “off-the-grid”. The first thing that i
recommend to all newbies is to join NSAI. You may have read about NSAI, and I will be the first to
admit that there are good and bad things about it, but one thing it does do is help its writers.
(especially the novice writer).

NSAI Benefits Include:

- Weekly Workshops: Presentations from industry professionals on different aspects of

songwriting and music business
- Song Evaluations: Maybe the best thing about membership, these are one page evaluations of
songs you submit.
- 1-on-1 Counseling: You can set up 2 meetings each year with an NSAI staff member who will
listen to your songs, offer advice and answer questions.
- Pitch-to-Publisher Meetings: Once a month, a different publisher will come and listen to songs
from NSAI members. Many songs have been picked up as a direct result of this meeting.
- Forums: There are membership forums on the NSAI website where you can get feedback, ask
questions, and hook up with other songwriters.

It costs $150 to join, which may seem like a fairly substantial amount of money, but for a
newcomer, the benefits of having professional advice and a sense of community will help you
tremendously while you “get-on-your-feet”. There are also a few other benefits of joining, including a
few Song Workshops and Seminars held throughout the year, but the main thing to remember is that
your first goal in Nashville is to network, and NSAI provides a platform on which to do this.

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 Songwriter essentials...
There are many different aspects of a songwriter. These include the tools you use, the music you
create, and the channels you will use to get your music in the hands of people who are in essence
the decision makers of the music industry. But first the essentials. Everyone will take a different path
to success. These paths will be carved through personal experiences, networking, and yes, even
lucky breaks. (and harsh setbacks for that matter!) But there are a few key components to most if not
all successful songwriters in Nashville. So let's break down the things that every songwriter must do
in order to advance their career, and more importantly, improve on their songwriting.

1. Write Great COMMERCIAL Songs!

If it has been said once, it has been
said a million times in this town. Nashville
depends on songwriter's for commercial
music. I bold the word commercial
because however obvious it may seem,
the one criticism that is more often
placed upon a song is it's ability to sell!
Yes there is a place for great music that
was not meant for radio success, and
yes i agree that more often than not, my
favorite songs are the ones that did not
achieve the most in regards to radio or
charts. Nonetheless, it is imperative to remember that as a songwriter who is living in Nashville, your
focus should be on creating songs that are commercially viable, and more importantly, songs that
have the ability to sell records. Some would regard this as selling out, or giving in to the pressures of
sacrificing artistic freedom for monetary gain. Remember this: " Your goal as a songwriter is to get
cuts. You can't get cuts unless you are writing material that artists want to record, and fans want to
purchase"

2. Write Mid-Tempo & Up-Tempo Songs

I read a statistic from Ralph Murphy, who runs a great songwriting website called Ralph Murphy's
Laws of Songwriting. In this article there was an article that analyzed the Number 1 country songs of
2008. His analysis of the 26 number ones saw that 65% of them were up-tempo songs. I don't ever like
to go into a writing session, or for that matter sit down and write with that purpose in mind, however it
may be beneficial for you as a songwriter to force yourself to write more up-tempo music. As the saying
goes, "Practice makes perfect!"

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3. Co-Write

One of the cornerstones of the songwriting

community here in Nashville is the co-write. When
i first moved to town, I viewed the co-writing
process as something that i would never be apart
of. I kept telling myself, why would i want to give
away half of my great song idea to someone, and
at the same time be forced to compromise my
"artistic integrity"? Well i have learned through
time that not only was it foolish to think that i
could write a bunch of hits by myself, but in turn
failed to notice the amazing benefits of co-writing.

1st - "Expands Your Creative Catalog"

The 1st, and to me, the most important thing co-writing does is expand your "creative catalog",
as i like to call it. Not only do you have two great songwriters throwing ideas back and forth, but you
also have the ability to create melodies, chord progressions, and lyrical phrases that you may never
have come up with on your own. Don't believe for a second that you are too good, or too novice to
collaborate. I will use this opportunity in the blog to shamelessly reference another worn out saying,
"Two heads are better than one!"

2nd - "Double the Pitch"

When two writers are co-writing a song, the vested interest in the success of that song doubles.
For example: You come to writer A with a great idea for a song. You sit down and start writing the
song, and a couple of hours later, you have something that resembles a "hit". Now writer A has a
publishing deal with UMG, and you have one with Sony ATV. So this is the brilliant part of this
process. You take the song back to your publisher to listen, as does writer A. Your publisher loves
the song, and in the next few days begins to pitch it, with no success. At the same time, across
town, Writer A has gotten word that his publisher might have gotten the song cut by Tim McGraw. If
you don't already see what happened the idea is simple. Two writers, two publishers, twice as many
pitching opportunities.

3rd - Networking
Co-writing offers a unique opportunity. This opportunity is especially valuable to unsigned writers,
because co-writing allows you to network with writers at all levels, from the hit writers, to unsigned
artists, and even other writers on the same level as yourself. By co-writing, you are increasing your
exposure to publishers, managers, and labels.

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4. Play Live
One of the great added values of being a songwriter in
Music City, USA, is the enormous amount of opportunities
for you to showcase your music in a live environment.
There are literally hundreds of writer's nights, open mic
nights, and venues that cater to songwriters. If there is one
thing that i have learned through my experiences in
Nashville, it is that playing out provides the number one
opportunity for you to network. Think of it in this regard.
Where would you find the most concentrated collection of
like-minded professionals pertaining to your songwriting career. If you answered "Writer's Nights", then
you are correct. By playing your songs out live, you have a unique opportunity to meet other writers, set
up co-writes, debut new material, and gage the response of your songs.

5. See and Be Seen

Nashville is built on personal relationships. The
best way to advance your career as a songwriter,
other than writing, is to go out and meet people.
Now this doesn't mean that you should approach
this with gorilla warfare-like tactics, but the truth of
the matter is that for you to become a successful
songwriter, you must be visible to those people who
have the power to make the decisions that will
ultimately lead to your success. This brings up another important point about socializing in Nashville.
Remember that you are always “on-the-clock” so to speak. Every time you are in public there will be
people from the music industry around. Remember to act accordingly because there is nothing worse
than a bad first impression.

6. Record Demos
Obviously, i will go into greater detail about the intricacies of demo
recording, but for now, lets remember that as a songwriter, it is
imperative that you have recordings of your songs. Otherwise, there will
be no way for you to let those who matter hear your music. Most
situations will involve someone asking for a CD or you to send MP3's so
that they can listen and evaluate your music on their own time.

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A SONGWRITER’s TOOLBOX
There are a few things you will need to have in order to function as a songwriter. Here are the things
that i use on a daily basis.

A Guitar
Although it is not entirely uncommon for a songwriter to write
without an instrument, you will find that most writing is done using
primarily guitars. Keep yours handy at all times, and make sure you
have taken a little time to learn the basics of the instrument.

PEN AND PAPER

It might sound obvious, but this novel combination can be a
lifesaver. Especially in situations where your laptop battery runs out or
you are in a place where you need to jot things down quickly.

HandHeld Recorder
If you write regularly, you will want to have some type of handheld
recording device, whether it be a handheld recorder like this one, or
your phone. This also comes in handy when you have an amazing
melody pop into your head and want to make sure you remember it.

COmputer
My computer is at the center of everything i do. It allows me to
send and receive files, keep track of my schedule, and store my lyrics,
mp3’s, and photos. Your computer should be reliable, and if possible,
portable, so that you can bring it with you when you write somewhere
other than your house.

Organizer
Although i use my computer for this task, it is nice to have an
organizer handy because many times things are planned and dates
are scheduled when you are not around your computer.

Business Cards
Business cards are essential in Nashville. What many have dubbed
the “Nashville Handshake”, it is a common practice to exchange cards
with anyone you meet.

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 SONGWRITER ROUNDS

What is a Round?
A writer round is basically a way of performing in which multiple performers get on stage at once,
(usually 3 or 4). and perform songs one at a time. The first songwriter (usually one on either end) will
perform a song, and then the next songwriter will perform a song, and so on. What is unique about a
writer’s round is that while the other songwriters are performing, you stay on stage. Once the round has
completed it comes back to the first songwriter and continues until everyone has performed a certain
amount of songs usually designated by the host of the writer’s night.

It is not uncommon for writer’s to play or sing backup on other songwriter’s songs. This is
sometimes referred to as “noodling”. It is best, however, to not do this unless you know the other
songwriter and/or they have asked you to play during their performance.

Why this format?

With the unusually large amount of songwriters in Nashville, writer’s nights attract a large number of
people who wish to play. This method of performance was created in order to get more performers on
stage.

There is another benefit of playing in a round that is not as obvious. If you are new to town, or do
not have many fans/friends who come to see you play, performing in a round usually gives you the
added benefit of being able to perform for the people brought by the other songwriters on stage with
you. Sometimes this could mean family and friends, and other time it might be that songwriter’s
publishing company, record label, or musician friend.

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 DO’S AND DON’TS OF PERFORMING AT A WRITER’S NIGHT
Here are a few tips that will help you during the early stages of performing out in Nashville. Learn these
now, or learn them the hard way through an embarrassing moment. Your Choice....

Do....
- Tune your guitar before you get on stage....there is nothing more annoying than listening to someone tune
their guitar. There is also nothing more annoying than trying to enjoy a great song when the guitar is out of
tune.

- Say the name of the song before you play it. It may sound trivial, but with the enormous amount of songs
being played each night, you want to at least allow people the opportunity to remember the name of a song
they enjoyed.

- Play your best songs every time. It does get boring playing the same songs over and over, and it is ok to
throw in a new one every now and then, but it is important to remember that the crowd will be different each
time you play, and if you don’t play your best stuff, you may have missed an opportunity to showcase that
song in front of someone who might be able to do something with it.

- Thank the host for having you out. It might sound like a small gesture, but these hosts put time and effort
into their night, so take the time to let them know you appreciate the opportunity to play.

Don’t?
- Play cover songs. Most of the time it is against the rules anyways, but even so, remember that you are here
to showcase your skills as a songwriter. Cover songs should be reserved for performances where your job is to
entertain, such as a bar gig or a longer show.

- Leave right after you play. There is nothing more frustrating as a songwriter than playing for an empty
room. It is ok to leave early if you have something scheduled, but in most cases, you should at least stick
around to see the next group of writers before bailing.

- Play long intro’s or solos. This is a SONGWRITER’S NIGHT. The idea is to showcase the song, and it is
hard to do that amidst the 40 measure intro or the elaborate solo in the middle of the song.

- Explain in detail the meaning of each song. I once heard a comedian say, “If you have to explain it, then it’s
not funny”. If the audience doesn’t get what you are trying to convey, then you should be concentrating on
writing better lyrics.

- Talk to much during a performance. If you are in the audience waiting your turn, it is usually common
practice to keep conversations at a low level. You will be able to tell what type of atmosphere the writer’s night is
trying to create when you sit through a few songs.

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