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Inspirations For Songwriters (I F S)
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Dear IFS Readers

I received the following feedback from Jason Blume on the Pitches he
received from IFS readers on the recent SSS blurb we shared.

Ande

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Hi Anders -

I wanted to offer some feedback that I hope you'll pass along
regarding the song submissions I received in response to your
listing. I appreciate the time and expense that went into the
submissions; but being a teacher, it hurt me to see so many well-
intentioned, hardworking writers represent themselves and their work
in a manner that Nashville publishers, producers, and record labels
would instantly identify as amateur.

It's mandatory that we present ourselves as professionals - if we
want the music biz to take us seriously. Our competition is BMG,
Sony/Tree, etc. and it's crucial that our submissions are as
professional and of the same quality as theirs if we even want our
package to be opened. No one is born with the knowledge of how songs
are to be submitted and there's no shame in not knowing it. BUT,
it's very easy to learn. Anyone who reads the "expanded and revised"
edition of 6 Steps to Songwriting Success can see exactly what
information should (and should not) be included on the CD, as well as
in the cover letter.

What were the mistakes?

" The majority of the packages included no cover letter;

" Some who did include cover letters had letterhead that looked
amateurish (Avoid fancy little musical notes; go for a professional
logo - or keep it simple, as if it were coming from an attorney),

" Many misspelled the company name and/or my name. Be sure the name
of the person and company are correct;

" Many were not mailed in padded envelopes - the result: broken
shards of plastic falling out of the envelope. (Wrapping your CD in
paper towels or blank paper is not adequate protection, but more
importantly it screams "AMATEUR."); Likewise, sending a CD in a
cardboard box or in an enormous envelope is not acceptable. The CD
and cover letter should be mailed in a padded envelope of appropriate
size.

" In some instances I was pitched CASSETTES - when the industry
standard is CDs;

" Some writers ignored the description and sent ballads when I
specifically requested up-tempos;

" Some writers "hyped" inappropriately ("This song will be a smash, a
#1, and a Grammy winner . . ."). This would not be acceptable even
if the songs were indeed awesome;

" Others described the songs "up-tempo, rockin' sexy, country" (if
the listener can't tell, you're in big trouble . . .)

" Several ignored "2 songs max" and sent three or four


FYI, I listened to every song that I received. I found a handful of
very good, perfectly crafted songs -- but nothing that edged out the
songs being pitched from other sources. Of course, not everything we
write can be a hit - and it's hard to know if a song we've written
(that we love) is really as strong as we think - until we get
feedback. But there's no excuse for presenting material
unprofessionally; this knowledge can be easily acquired. I also
recommend seeking out honest input about whether your songs (and
demos) are ready to be pitched prior to doing so; some doors may only
open once.

I sincerely hope that this feedback will help your readers. My
intention is not to scold or embarrass anyone. I want them to have
the knowledge and tools necessary to compete and succeed in what is a
tough business.

All the best,
Jason Blume
www.JasonBlume.com

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IFS Readers here's my page on thefacebook.com
if you like to link to me

http://utexas.thefacebook.com/profile.php?id=7921551

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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@a...
You can read my Bio at:
http://www.AndeRasmussen.com/

You can hear a few of my tunes at:
http://songramp.com/ande

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IFS home page is
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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"
(c) 2005 Anders Rasmussen