The Best Kind of Feedback
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that one of the principle difficulties in songwriting is the isolation that comes along with the gig– and a number of people weighed in on the blog to second that emotion. It’s just too easy to hole up in your studio and shut out the rest of the world. Of course, the danger is that it’s the rest of the world, those people outside of your own four walls, who you’re hoping will actually buy your music. Once in a while, it helps to know what they think.
The truth is, it’s not just the physical isolation that takes its toll on songwriters. It’s the mental isolation: the difficulty of ever being able to step outside of yourself and hear your music as it sounds to others. As I point out again and again in my book on music publishing, Making Music Make Money, one of the most important functions a publisher plays for a songwriter is to be the sounding board that provides an alternate perspective to a writer’s new work. The job of a music publisher is not unlike that of an editor to an author. Any writer needs a certain amount of feedback in order to reach his or her potential.
But what if you are your own publisher? How do you bring a new set of ears to a song that you’ve just spent a week writing and recording and listening to over and over again? That’s trickier, and admittedly, it’s never quite as effective as getting an outsider’s view. But sometimes it helps to have a framework for listening– a way to force yourself to observe the big picture that matters to a casual listener or an industry A&R person, rather than the fine details that become the focus when you’re writing and producing. For this, I offer one suggestion– try this one out on your latest masterpiece. Admittedly, you might not agree with all of my suggestions or standards. But if you’re in the music business and listen to demos everyday, you start to develop a pretty clear picture of what’s important in a song and where most songs tend to go wrong. With allowances then for a certain subjectivity and gut instinct that is part of the process, I offer you:
(This should be fun, huh?)
1. Does the title sound like a “hit”?
Real “hit” songs have hit titles—interesting, provocative, funny, and unique. “Genie In A Bottle”, “U + Ur Hand”, “Pass The Courvoisier”, “Sk8r Boy” – these titles stand out.
2. Is there a concept for the song?
Most songs miss the mark because the core idea of the song is simply not very compelling. “I Kissed A Girl” is an idea for a song. So is “If I Were a Boy”. Too many songs are not really about anything, or at least not anything very interesting.
3. Is the lyric effective? Appropriate? Convincing? Singable? Cliché free?
Do the lyrics of a pop song really matter? Yes! The words have to sing comfortably. They have to say something that a singer would want to express. Most importantly, they have to say it in a way that hasn’t been said a thousand times before. Stock rhymes like “fire” and “desire” or trite, predictable metaphors drive A&R people nuts.
4. Is the song structured correctly? Is there a natural build and release within the song structure?
There are endless ways to structure a song, but only about three that actually work. Song structure works on basic principles: use the best parts more than once, don’t take too long to get to the best parts, and have at least one section that comes as a bit of a surprise.
5. Does the arrangement serve the song? Does it enhance the song?
On almost any classic record of any style, there is some sort of instrumental hook built into the arrangement of the song—the bass line in “Billie Jean”, the string lines of “Yesterday”, or the guitar riff of “Johnny B. Goode”. If you can’t find the instrumental hook in your song, then the song isn’t done.
6. Is the tempo right? Does the song drag?
You never really understand the importance of getting the tempo right until you play your song in front of someone. Suddenly, everything seems to be in slow motion. The best advice is to push the tempo up to the breaking point and then pull back just slightly from that.
7. Is the production of the demo “dynamic” and “in your face”?
The impact of music is not just emotional or intellectual. It’s also physical. If you don’t know what I mean, crank a little Nine Inch Nails on your stereo. Drums and bass should be a physical force that literally pushes the music along. Don’t be timid. Try to blow those weasels out of their chairs.
8. Does the demo fit clearly into one specific genre? Is that the appropriate genre for the song?
If you want to place your song, you have to figure out where it could fit in the giant puzzle of the music industry—and then make sure that it fits there. What type of artist would sing the lyric? How young or old would the artist need to be? What rhythmic feel works for the melody? Everything else can be adjusted to make sure the song is appropriate for a specific genre.
9. Does the song have the potential for mass appeal? Is it the right size?
Too many songwriters create lovely little songs: a melancholy little lyric, with a tiny, subtle hook buried at the end of each little chorus, with a lot of little chords and a melody in a little six or seven note range. Pop hits tend to be BIG, GRANDIOSE ANTHEMS TO BE PLAYED IN BIG ARENAS FOR BIG CROWDS. That’s why they’re big hits.
Challenging, eh? As I said, it’s never easy to be objective about your own work, and even with an outline like the one above, the tendency to minimize your song’s weaknesses (they all have ‘em) or, for many of the less-confident, to obsess over supposed flaws is tough to overcome. Of course, the easiest solution is to try things out on an audience. It’s amazing how clear things can become as soon as your song gets that first public airing.
Unfortunately, many songwriters find themselves living in places where an audience is not easy to find, especially an audience that would be the right one for that particular style of song. Or a songwriter may not be a performer, and may not have access to someone who could perform the song for him or her. So here’s one more solution–one that just became available, and that you might find it worthwhile to check out:
Alien Demo Critique is a new service offered by my buddy
Danny Zook
at Alien Music. Danny is an industry veteran– he’s the General Manager of Cee-Lo Green’s Radiculture Records and God Given Music Publishing and the President of Alien Music Services, which clears samples and handles publishing and administration on a wide variety of releases. Danny has worked with artists and producers ranging from Dallas Austin to Jasper Cameron to new Nashville act, Bombshel. Even better, he’s also a musician and songwriter. Danny unveiled his new service, Alien Demo Critique, at SXSW this year. If you’re looking for an outside opinion on your music, I can’t think of a more valuable or informed opinion than Danny’s. Give it a try…
Thanks!
I’ve gathered a number of songwriting checklists over the last year (and compiled one myself) ~ I’m very happy to add this to the critique collection I have.
Hey great advice and love your blog which I learned about from RavenousRaven on Twitter. I couldn’t use your subscribe button, don’t know if the problem is with your link or with Google Chrome, but I’ll be back:)
The list makes all sense and there ARE formulas for hit songs that seems to work quiet often. But if you stick to an agenda or even worse if you try too hard just to make your A&R happy, then you are already stepping into the wrong direction as an artist/writer/producer in my opinion. find your audience and then make songs for your FANS and not for executives or even for radio…
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