<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
Inspirations For Songwriters is  I F S
IFS aims to INSPIRE YOU into ACTION
2,674 songwriters, music publishers, artists, and music fans receive IFS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
 
Please forward IFS to your songwriting friends
 
If you want receive IFS or change your email address with IFS
SEND an EMPTY email to
 
difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First congratulations to IFS reader john Arthur martinez,
I received the following announcement from him.

Also congrats to IFS readers Mike Blakely, Monte Warden, Stephanie Urbina
Jones, and Steve Seskin who got cuts on john Arthur's upcoming CD.

If you want to receive jAm Fan announcements send an email to
jamfans@...
by the way i think it is smart for artists to receive
many email announcements from other artists so you can get ideas on how to
better market yourself

jamfans@... writes:

Friends, Folks, Fans,

All of the basic tracks have been recorded and wow, do they sound great!
Dualtone executive Scott Robinson, after hearing the roughs, couldn’t contain
his
excitement. This week I have my work cut out for me as I have to deliver vocal
performances that equal the tracks. The next step will be to add the
harmonies and any extra color Matt Rollings and I choose to add. Of course the
final
major step involves the mixing of the album. All of the secondary markets
should have the single by next week. We’ll have direction from management and
the
label as to how you can help with radio by the end of the week.

Country Music Association’s newsletter has listed me among the faces to watch
in ’04. CMT interviewed me for a future show yet to be determined. The Fort
Worth Star Telegram will include me in a piece on the Hispanic influence in
Texas music. Norbert Nix has teamed with Stuart Dill to co-manage my affairs at
Refugee. Nix brings truckloads of radio experience, on top of being a great
human being.

In addition to:
"Home Made of Stone," written by jAm, Steve Seskin, and Ande Rasmussen
"Amarillo by Morning," and
"Tonight at Fiesta,"
we've recorded the following:

"The Man Who Holds the Bow" co-written with Mike Blakely; I remember a
frenzied creative moment in my study when I knew good and well this was a gift
from
a higher power.

"The Armadillo Song" co-written with Mike Blakely; Mike and I suffered
through 20 plus hours of skidding on ice from Nashville to Marble Falls and
created
this nonsensical ditty out of madness.

"If I Didn't Care," co-written with Monte Warden & Tommy Connors; I don't
want to give away the payoff in the bridge, but I know you ladies will love it.

"Just Like the Moon" co-written with John Bolinger (bandleader of Nashville
Star ensemble); John came to me with this idea of comparing a woman to the
beauty of the moon; it lent itself to a bilingual interpretation as well.

"Lone Starry Night" co-written with Ande Rasmussen; the proposed title track
of the album—love how this turned out.

"A Girl Named Texas" co-written with Kent Finlay; when band played Kerrville,
TX years ago we met a woman who's first name was Texas; her maiden name was
Flowers!

"Trouble Rides A Fast Horse" co-written with Yvonna Martinez; this is not a
song about Yvonna, instead it's about the evil companion of Doc Holiday in
Tombstone.

"The River of Love" co-written with Yvonna & Stephanie Urbina Jones, (who
made the top 20 for Nashville Star II)

"Pour a Little Love On It" co-written with Mike Blakely and Jerry Harkins;
the Bible says the greatest of these is love.

My apologies go out to my good buddy, Myrl McDuffie. Matt really wanted to
record "Jack of All Hearts", but it will have to wait for the next album as we
are well beyond the originally intended number of eleven, and we will be
pushing the budget beyond it’s seams.

vaya con Dios,

john Arthur

www.johnarthurmartinez.net

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Here's a website where you can hear clips of upcoming country releases.

http://www.allaboutcountry.com/cfm/newreleasesradio.cfm
In fact you can hear john Arthur's latest single "Home Made of Stone" there
too.

"Home Made Of Stone"
http://www.allaboutcountry.com/media/music/ram/jamstone.ram

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So I guess by now you know I've got two cuts on jAm's project too.
"Home Made of Stone" and "Lone Starry Night"
and I'm as excited as can be. I'm also really looking forward to help
promote his john Arthur's CD. I hope the little things that I can do will help
his
project be even more successful.

but what's interesting is those cuts happened because of what I worked on
last year.

The point is if I want great things to happen next year I need to get to work
NOW.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When I announced this news on ALW
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AdvancedLyricWriters/

I also ASKED "I'm curious if any of you have any suggestions about how I
ought to use this news as a springboard into more opportunity. Also I'm curous
as
to when the timing might be best."

Patricia Smith with Next Nunber One publishing wrote

That would depend on what opportunities you are looking for, Ande. Getting a
cut
is a good thing indeed, where it goes on the chart, can be even better in
terms
of what doors it opens for you. I'm thinking you may be looking for a staff
writing deal or something? If this is the case...a cut might get your foot in
the door, but when you get through through, you had better have a boatload of
something to offer or your tenure will be shortlived...(not to say that you
don't have much to offer), but just to maybe give you an idea of what to
expect
and maybe to help you decide...do I try for this now or later. Sometimes,
later
is better...better to wait a year and stay 5 or 10 years, than to go in now
and
stay 6 months.

The questions will still go back to...how much YOU as a writer has to
offer...not who you know, although that ceratinly can't hurt you.

Can you start a song from scratch...
write it on your own...and
stand beside Nashville's best?

Answer that question honestly and if your answer is YES, then you should pack
your bags and move to Nashville.

Getting the cut is an addition to your resume...it is no different than what
many others have, who do not have, nor can get, a staff deal. You have to
really
have something more. Contacts never hurt and knowing you as I do, I think
that's
one of your biggest assets. You really know how to network.

If your intentions are to just write great songs and pitch them yourself,
then
you must still make great contacts. It is almost impossible to pitch a song
to
anyone in Nashville without a great inside recommendation, and not have it
pitched into a round file. They just don't listen. Your best bet would be to
check around Nashville and find a publisher, who would either sign you as a
staff writer, or at least agree to do some co-pub deals with you...no draws,
etc...upfront.

Now, understand that everything I'm saying here is just from personal
experience
from years of working in the biz and in no way is the gospel. You may walk
into
an office tomorrow on the row and find what I've just said to be totally
offbase, but I doubt it.

If I were you, I'd dig deep...try to get at least 5 or 10 songs, that were
pretty much all mine (at least lyrically or melody wise) and load of my
van / truck / car...take a trip to Nashville...spend a week and knock on
doors. USE
YOUR RESUME!! Say who you are...What cuts you have....what you're looking
for...and pray.

That's my advice. Might sound a bit harsh at times, but I only say that
because
that's the essence of the business we are in...harsh and sometimes downright
mean. Having said that, I do hope that you get a number one this year. That
would make us all very happy!! Good luck!

Patricia

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NextNumberOne/

To Subscribe from this group, send an EMPTY email to:
NextNumberOne-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

they also announced

To All Our Writers!!
We have a very important and exciting announcement to make
concerning our publishing business!

NextNumberOne Music Group has enjoyed representing your songs
to all the majors in Nashville, as well as all other areas of
the music business, and we will certainly continue to do so on
a weekly basis.

However, since we have received such great response from our
writers and the business is growing, we have decided to bring
in another music professional to help exploit the catalog.
Positive response to your material has encouraged us to expand
a bit and now we have secured Norman DeVasure of Nashville to
help represent our cataloq!!

Norman has expressed interest in the cataloq and has agreed to
help us try to get you that "Number One" cut. Norman is a great
guy, a dedicated and honest professional, who is always looking
out for the writer, and someone we're glad to call our friend.

Below I have included a mini-bio about him for you information.

Norman DeVasure :

Owner of Sunset Ranch Music/NormanProductions...
Songs recorded by Tracy Lawerence, Colt Prather's single
"The Dash", Brice Long, and Jeff Bates. 2 more songs may
be singles this year.

Vice President & Co-Owner (1999 - 2001) rpm music group
Started a new publishing company with Tim McGraw and his
manager Scott Siman. Signed and developed writers and
artists.. Supervised all employees. Published, produced
& pitched RCA artist Brice Long, plus had several cut's
and a BMI award.

Senior Creative Director(1991 - 1999)HoriPro Entertainment
Group, Inc. Started a new publishing company. Signed and
developed writers and writer/artists. He's had numerous
cuts and many singles by artists such as George Strait,
Lorrie Morgan, Reba McEntire, Tanya Tucker, Billy Ray Cyrus,
Ty Herndon, John Michael Montgomery, Daryle Singletary,
Lee Ann Rimes, Tracy Byrd's "Keeper Of The Stars" ,
ACM's Song of the year.

Professional Manager (1990 - 1991) Route 66 Music
A & R responsibilities for Richard Landis Productions with
an artist roster including Lorrie Morgan, Roy Rogers, The Oak
Ridge Boys and Earl Thomas Conley, Eddie Rabbit... Publishing
responsibilities were to pitch songs: got Billy Ray Cyrus's
2nd single "Could've Been Me".

Engineer & Assistant Engineer (part-time) (1985 - 1986)
Music City Music Hall (Owen & Jerry Bradley)
Projects included: Ronnie Milsap, Ed Bruce, Mickey Gilley & Janie Fricke

NOTE!!
Please do NOT call or email and ask Norman about your songs. He does not have
time to be dealing with the writer's questions. His time will be spent
getting our music heard. Everything will still be handled through our office.
Absolutely all questions, etc...will go through us.

Now, keep those great songs coming!! We're going for the NextNumberOne!!

Patricia & Linne
NextNumberOne Team

here's their Submission info

Welcome to NextNumberOne Music Group!

We are constantly seeking hit-potential songs with great
titles and hooks, a captivating story, fresh lyrics, a catchy
chorus and a killer melody.

Send us that song!! It doesn't matter which state or
country you live in. If you have a hit, we want to hear it!
Our objective is to get your song cut and into the #1 position on the charts!

We pitch on Music Row to ALL major artists, producers, managers,
and publishers in all fields and genre, as well as film and tv.
Our reputation for tenacity and refusal to accept NO for an answer
has opened the doors for us in Nashville! Let us get your music heard!


Please note the submission guidelines and adhere as closely as
possible to them:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Send CD's ONLY with no more than six of your best songs. NO CASSETTES and NO
MP3's, please!

We prefer professional radio-ready demos, but will accept a clear home
demo with a singer who can put the song across. Clean guitar or piano/vocals
are accepted.

Include two lyric sheets per song.

Please include a cover letter with the following information:

* Names, addresses, phone numbers and email of each writer on each song..
* The pro-affiliation of each writer (BMI, ASCAP, SOCAN etc)
* The percentage of publishing available to us on each song

It's not neccesary to use a lot of tape on your packages. We receive over
several hundred cds per month, so we need to be able to open them.


Please refrain from calling or emailing us just to ask if we have received
your package. We will respond only if interested in your material. Please allow
3 to 4 weeks. If you haven't heard from us after this time period, you can
consider that a pass. (It doesn't mean your song wasn't good..most likely it was
not what we were seeking at the time.) Of course, if you have other
questions, concerns or comments, please feel free to email us.

Please do not send "signature required" mail. We do NOT sign for anything!


Send to:

NextNumberOne Music Group
Attn: Linne/Patricia
44 Music Sq. East # 406
Nashville, TN. 37203

Send all film and tv material to:


Seeing Stars Music
4189 Welcome Arcadia Rd
Lexington, NC 27295


Thanks,

Linne Black/Owner/Pres. A&R
Patricia Smith/Owner/Adm. A&R
NextNumberOne Music Group
Pitchy Women Music/ASCAP
Seeing Stars Music/BMI
Target Top Ten Music/BMI


you can reach patricia at:
nextnumber1@...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On JPF a writer asked,

I was wondering how to become a "professional" songwriter. I have the lyrics
on paper, have the melodies in my head. How do I get from where I am to the
"professional" level. How do I make professional looking song sheets? How do I
make a demo of my music? What kind of contests should I enter, local, internet?
I am no stranger to music; went to college and got a degree with voice and
percussion major. I am not a computer idiot, so I can find my way around pretty
good. I have some stage fright, but have greatly overcome the worst of it.
Just don't know what to do to take the next step. Any help would be greatly
appreciated. Thanks in advance.------------------
KLG

here's my reply

Hi KLG,

"I was wondering how to become a "professional" songwriter?"
~~~> you write a songs that artists record and you receive royalties,
then you are a "professional songwriter"
it's a very hard long slow process.
you need to write songs that are as good if not better than songs written by
professional songwriters
you create demos of your songs that sound like HITS that belong on the radio
now

I have the lyrics on paper, have the melodies in my head.
How do I get from where I am to the "professional" level?
~~~> write fresh interesting amazing songs
cowrite
find people who can create awesome demos

How do I make professional looking song sheets?
~~~> you don't need sheet music unless you're writing and pitching hymns, you
just need lyric sheets and CD's of your demos

How do I make a demo of my music?
~~~> you find people who can create excellent demos, there are several in
nashville, like
www.thegatorhole.com
or
www.dennymartinmusic.com
some people have good home studios and enough talent to create competitive
demos
good voices,
excellent playing ability
excellent recording skills

What kind of contests should I enter, local, internet?
~~~> local and global
contests aren't going to make you a professional songwriter
if you win or final, contests will just affirm that you are writing strong
songs and may help you write with better cowriters you can find a boat load of
info at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/messages

good luck
ande rasmussen
http://hometown.aol.com/anderasmussen/myhomepage/profile.html


Here's the rest of the thread
http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001333.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

here's another interesting thread on song critiques

http://www.justplainfolks.org/ubb/Forum4/HTML/000990.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

here's a great article from Mary Dawson

MAKING THE LIGHT GO ON

There are many "highs" and "lows" in the life of a songwriter, but in my
humble opinion one of the lowest moments is when you excitedly premiere a new
song
for your spouse or a friend -- but instead of their being completely
mesmerized by your new masterpiece, a look of total confusion passes over their
face.
Or even worse -- they start to watch TV or begin talking to someone else in
the room while your song is playing. This song you poured your heart into is
obviously NOT making the light go on in their eyes! What happened? Why didn't
they hear what you were trying so hard to express?

While writing songs to "express yourself," may be great therapy for you as a
songwriter…..the reality is that such expression may never touch anyone else.
Hit songs that touch the emotions of millions -- are not so much about
expression as they are about communication. There is a vast difference between
the
two! While expression is simply letting thoughts and feelings freeflow,
communication, is the transmission of information, thought or feeling so that it
is
satisfactorily received or understood by the listeners.

The familiar story of Noah's Ark gives a helpful analogy. You remember how it
goes…after forty days of floating around on the endless ocean, Noah sends out
a dove to see if there is any sign of vegetation. The first time he sends the
dove out, it has to return because there is no place for the bird to put its
foot on anything but water. A few days later Noah sends it out again. This
time it returns with an olive branch in its mouth indicating that the water is
receding. Finally, when Noah lets the dove out for the third time, it doesn't
return at all. It is then that Noah knows the flood is almost over.

The listener's mind is much like Noah's dove. It is flying around over a
"flood" of thoughts -- family concerns, problems at work, preoccupation with the
traffic etc. When your song begins to play, the listener begins to
subconsciously search for a place to mentally connect with you in the experience
of the
song -- a place to "put their foot down" and ride to the end. You as the
songwriter must offer "solid ground" for the mind to get attached and stay
interested
all the way through.

How do you do that? If you can learn to master this art, you will truly be on
the way to a place in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In my opinion, the key to
writing a "hit" is to make sure that in both the music and the lyrics…..
1. your audience understands what you are trying to communicate
2. that they identify with that message of the song

Accomplishing this goal involves developing a tightrope walker's sense of
balance. Musically, the melody and harmonies must be familiar enough so that the
expected musical payoffs occur and enable the listener to hum or whistle the
melody after the song is over. But, on the other hand, the music must also be
fresh enough to surprise and delight the ear. Similarly, the lyrics must be
conversational and understandable, but -- at the same time -- stated in a
slightly unique and original way to bring home the point of the song. Mega hits
usually flow from the pens of artists who write like song craftsmen, but who
listen
and think like ordinary people.

Great songwriters know what listeners expect to hear and then they craft
songs that will meet and exceed those expectations. But not only do great
songwriters know their listeners, they also respect them. An audience can tell
by the
way you write whether you have taken the time to really craft a song they can
understand or whether you are simply giving vent to your own personal
emotions. They can also tell if you are writing songs in order to sell them a
slick
and clever product or whether you really have something heartfelt, true and
well-crafted to communicate. If you sincerely respect your audience, you will
take
the time to make sure they "hear your heart" in both your words and music by
carefully and meticulously shaping every note and word so that your listeners
can receive what you are trying to express. They need to know that you are
speaking their language, getting on their wavelength and that you consider
yourself "one of them."

Stop and think for a moment about the people who have made the deepest
impression on your life -- perhaps a teacher, a parent, a mentor. I would almost
bet
that they are NOT people who talk down to you…or talk over your head….or
preach at you in a condescending way. Almost always, the greatest impact comes
from people who genuinely and honestly share with you so that you are able to
connect with them and with what they are trying to say. The effective songwriter
must approach the task of writing with that same honest and humble spirit.

My third child -- a very responsible and industrious youngster -- used to
have a phobia about school tests until a very wise teacher changed her thinking
about the whole process. The teacher told my daughter that tests are NOT for
the purpose of measuring how smart the student is, but rather to measure how
well the teacher has communicated the material. The responsibility lies with the
communicator -- not the receiver -- as to whether or not the material is
assimilated!

The same principle applies in songwriting: the responsibility for ensuring
that listeners stay attentive does not lie with the listeners, but with the
songwriter. If you are seeing confused expressions on the faces of the listeners
to your songs, it's time to go back to the drawing board until you have created
music and lyrics that "make the light go on" in the eyes of your audience and
perhaps even produce a few tears.


© 2003 Mary Dawson / CQK Music
All Rights Reserved
http://www.cqkmusic.com/mdawson.html

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm very impressed with
www.ChristeneLeDoux.com


she's doing a lot of things right
and has some terrific info on house concerts


Write on!
 
Ande Rasmussen
Editor and Publisher of I F S, Inspirations For Songwriters
 
Contact info is:
 
Ande Rasmussen
835 Martindale Falls
Martindale, TX 78655
 
AndeRasmussen@...
512-217-2728 cell
 
You can read my Bio at:
http://hometown.aol.com/anderasmussen/myhomepage/profile.html
 
You can hear a few of my tunes at:
http://www.soundclick.com/anders
 
If you want receive IFS or change your email address with IFS
send an email to difs-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
 
FORWARD IFS to your songwriting friends!
 
IFS home page is
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS
 
All IFS messages are archived on
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DIFS/messages
 
Once you're in the IFS archive, if you're looking for something in
particular, you can do a key word search
 
I F S stands for Inspirations for Songwriters, I F S is an ezine for
songwriters filled with inspirational and practical information about
the art, craft, and business of songwriting. We want to help YOU
become a more successful songwriter.
 
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
The entire text of
"Inspirations for Songwriters"
© 2004 Anders Rasmussen






















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]