Living In The Moment

I know this through direct experience. On August 19, 2011, I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. On October 12th I had major surgery to remove the cancer, from which I am still recovering. That’s why I haven’t updated Serve The Song in over a year. It sure feels good to be back. If you’re a regular reader, thanks for your patience.

After my surgery I couldn’t play guitar for a while, but I could play the ukulele. That ukulele was such a gift to my sanity. It kept me going for weeks and weeks during what was often a long, slow, painful recovery process. I’m so thankful that 1) I’m gonna be ok and 2) that I had a joyful, fun activity to pursue that helped me heal.

From October to March I recorded dozens of uke-based song ideas into my iPhone. I don’t know if any of them are worth keeping and I actually don’t care. It’s the doing of it that made me happy. I had forgotten that simple joy. Cancer shakes you to your very core and forces you to focus only on the things that truly matter. Everything else falls away. For me it’s my family, my health and my music. The challenge is carrying this feeling forward as things get back to normal. I want to feel this way all the time.

Remembering What Is Possible

I certainly would never wish what happened to me to fall on anyone else, however I want to use the experience for good if I can. I’ve been given a second chance to live life on my own terms. It’s so easy to fall back into old habits that keep us from our dreams. If you’re like me, perhaps you have a day job, family, or other responsibilities that prevent you from writing music as often as you would like.

I want Serve The Song to be a useful resource for DIY musicians who want to make things happen despite the everyday challenges life throws their way. I used to get really frustrated by my own time constraints, but now I’m learning to embrace them and use them productively. While things don’t always go exactly as planned, I feel like I’m heading overall in the right direction.

John Lennon said a long time ago that life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans. Life will continue to happen all around you and your music. But if it’s important enough to you you’ll make time for it.

Why Do You Write Songs Anyway?

As an aspiring or professional songwriter, of course you want your music to appeal to a mass audience and fit the needs of the market. But if it doesn’t also rock your own socks aren’t you just selling your soul? Where is the joy in that? You’ve got to be authentic and find your own voice first. Then, when you can express your highest and best self through your music, your audience will naturally find you. And that’s the real brass ring.

Over To You

Have you ever experienced healing through songwriting? How did it impact you and what did you learn from it? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

photo credit: istockphoto

Unless you’re an established working songwriter, chances are good that songwriting is something you do in your spare time. Whether you’re doing it for fun, to complete an album or EP project, or you hope to win a Grammy one day, it’s important to establish a regular writing routine. But how can you do it in the midst of a day job, band, family responsibilities and walking the dog? In this post I’ll give you five strategies to help you block out distractions so you can effectively focus on following your dream.

1. Get Up An Hour Earlier

You’ve heard this one before, but it really works. Steven Memel, an L.A. voice/performance coach and author of the Science of Switching On, encouraged me to do this and it has made a huge difference. I give myself enough time to make a cup of coffee and grab something to eat, then make sure I’m in my studio writing by 6:30 am. I wish it didn’t have to be so early, but it’s the only way I’ve found to protect my precious writing time from work/family interruptions and distractions. The great news is I seem to be most creative during this time, and have come up with over 50 song ideas within a month. Now I just gotta finish some of ‘em.

2. Find A Dedicated Place To Write

It really helps with consistency if you write in the same place each day. Hopefully you have a home studio, but even if you don’t, a desk or kitchen table will do. Wherever you write, make sure your writing tools are handy, which may include pen, paper and a pocket recorder. If you’re a regular Serve The Song reader you’ve probably heard me talk about the importance of having a dedicated creative space before. It’s critical if you want to establish any kind of regular writing routine. Find a place in your home that is off limits to family, friends and any other distractions such as TV, computer or phone. Make it a special gift you give yourself to make time to write there every day.

3. Set Clear, Measurable Goals That Stretch You

What is the purpose of your dedicated writing time? Why are you doing it? It’s one thing if you’re simply exercising your creative muscles. It’s quite another if you want to go for a Grammy or get a song placed in a film. Knowing your desired outcome will give you the motivation you need to keep writing on a regular basis. Are you working on an EP or album? When do you want to release it? Work backwards from that date to figure out how long you will need to produce and package the recording, and then even further back to determine when you need to have your songs finished. Write these goals down and put them somewhere prominent where you will see them each day.

4. Find An Accountability Partner

Get yourself a cheerleader in the form of an accountability partner. This could be a fellow songwriter, bandmate, or friend who knows you well. This person needs to be a positive force in your life to cheer you on and help you stay on track when you need it. It’s best to have someone outside your immediate family who understands the ups and downs of the music business. That way they can remain objective as you work through the inevitable ups and downs of songwriting and recording.

5. Include Your Most Important Relationships

Even if you’re a budding Grammy winner, at the end of the day nothing is more important than taking care of your most important relationships. Whether it’s friends, parents, children, or a significant other, these people make up the fabric of your life.

Your songwriting efforts will be far better supported by a family/friend/roommate/spouse/partner who understands how important songwriting is to you. Let them know what you’re up to and see if they’re willing to give you the time and space to accomplish your goals. In return, it’s your responsibility to come out of the studio once in a while and spend time with them. You’ll enjoy happier, healthier relationships and might just come up with that monster hit as a result.

credit: istockphoto

Rewriting a song means accepting that the beautiful inspiration you just poured out of your soul might need some extra work. It takes courage, humility and patience to rewrite a song effectively. Here are 10 reasons why rewriting your latest song is a good idea.

1. New, Better Ideas Are Waiting To Be Discovered

It’s a wonderful feeling when you’ve just written a brand new song. There’s really nothing else like it. But have you ever noticed that you need to take time to learn it, just like when you’re adding a cover song to your set list? Rehearsing your new song often gives you an opportunity to make improvements and polish it further by making the lyrics more singable or the music more fluid.

2. You’ve Got A Great Chorus But Weak Verse/Pre-chorus

You want to make your song as strong as it can possibly be. So don’t settle for verses or a pre-chorus that don’t properly setup your amazing chorus and hook line. Keep working on these elements until they leave listeners begging for the chorus.

3. Your Chorus Doesn’t Payoff

Your verses and/or pre-chorus work hard to setup your chorus, so make sure there’s a solid payoff when you launch into it. If not, revisit it and tweak it until it’s worth listening to. How do you do it? Try to make it as punchy and memorable as you can, in a way that clearly connects it to the material that came before it.

4. Bridge Over Troubled Water

The purpose of a bridge is usually to give your listeners a break in the action and provide a re-cap of the overall storyline. Not all songs need a bridge, so if yours isn’t working to support the overall song it may be best to edit it out. At the end of the day everything needs to point to and support a memorable chorus/hook.

5. A Chance To Improve Your Production Values

Sometimes after you’ve spent long hours toiling away on your latest creation it pays to come back a little later with fresh ears. For example, when you listen to a mix after one or two days away you may discover a great opportunity to tighten the bass and guitar, or find just the right way to let the vocal sit in the mix without dominating the other instruments.

6. Addition or Subtraction Equals Better Songs

Along the lines of number five above, intentionally adding and subtracting production elements can really draw the listener in and make a good song sound great. See if there are places where adding or subtracting instruments or vocals might add more emotional intensity to your song. You want to maximize every chance to connect with your listener and this is a great way to do it.

7. Add More Contrast

Do you have enough contrast between your verses, chorus and bridge? How do the chord progressions change? If they are too much alike the lister will lose interest. Make a clear distinction so listeners know which part of your song is playing at any given moment.

8. Prosody Wins The Day

Loosely defined, prosody has to do with how everything fits together in your song to communicate your message. In very broad terms, if you are writing a happy song you want your music and lyrics to sound happy. If your lyrics are sad, the music should also communicate sadness. Each part of your song works together to reinforce everything else. If your breakup song sounds like “If You’re Happy And You Know It” you may want to consider a rewrite.

9. An Unexpected Collaborator Makes A Great Suggestion

You may play your new song for a colleague who in turn makes a great suggestion that totally improves the quality of the original composition. This is quite often one of the best reasons to rewrite a song.

10. You Just Need A Fresh Start

Sometimes an old dog just doesn’t want to hunt and it’s best to walk away for a while. Come back later with a fresh head and see what you can come up with. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Your Turn

What are your best reasons to rewrite your song? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

photo credit: iStockphoto

Writing good lyrics is hard, and where they come from is often a mystery. While everyone has their own unique approach to writing a song, here are seven tips that may help you jumpstart your lyric writing process. Let me know what you think in the comments.

1. Keep A Hook Book

This is a great tip I got from Jason Blume’s wonderful book, Six Steps To Songwriting Success. For the last few years I’ve kept a “hook book”, which is simply a collection of song titles and phrases I keep with me at all times. While a pocket notebook and pen works just fine for this purpose, my hook book is in my phone and I email myself backup copies once in a while to keep it safe.

The idea is to always be ready to capture ideas for song titles and hooks the moment they strike so you don’t forget them. Over time you will amass hundreds of ideas, many of which you can later incorporate into your song lyrics. Lyric ideas are everywhere – in everyday conversations, in books, on TV, on Facebook, etc. Anywhere humans interact there is often a story waiting to be told. Find it and write it in your next song.

2. Start With A Strong Title

When you sit down to write, try to start with a strong title that clearly communicates the emotion you want to impart to your listener. A strong title should also contain your hook. This will help you keep your lyrics focused on your song’s overall concept. Your challenge is then to support the title and hook in your verses/choruses with powerful, concrete imagery.

A great current example of this is Edie Brickell’s “Pill”. Each verse opens up with an everyday vignette explained in a conversational tone, followed up with a catchy hook/title that I still can’t get out of my head. A great title often helps a great song write itself.

3. Sketch Out A Concept

Robin Frederick, author of Shortcuts To Hit Songwriting and Shortcuts To Songwriting For Film and TV advocates sketching out an overall concept of your song that you can use as a lyric template. First you decide what the song is about, such as “I miss you”. Then come up with a one-sentence statement that describes each verse, chorus, or bridge in a way that supports the title. This gives your song a written “scaffold” on which to hang your lyrics as you develop them out further.

4. Do Your Research

Often doing a little research can pay huge dividends in your search for the perfect lyric line. Last week I was writing a song to pitch to a network TV drama. Before I started, I watched a few episodes of the show to get familiar with the show’s sound, and then decided on the emotion I wanted to convey, which was “isolation”.

I went to Wikipedia and looked up the word “isolation” and some other facts that I knew would be featured in the scene. This, along with a concept sketch really helped me come up with some concrete lines that vividly described the story without specifically stating “I feel isolated”. The real proof will be if the song gets accepted. But regardless of the outcome, I really enjoyed the writing process.

5. Do Word Associations

Once you’ve done your research, make a list of words and phrases you like that tie back to your title and hook. Then make a list of opposites, synonyms, and rhymes. This word association will provide you with some great reference material which you can then use to craft your verse, chorus, and bridge lyrics. Give it a try and have fun.

6. Re-Write

Re-writing is often what separates professional songwriters from amateurs. Just getting to the point of having a finished lyric is a big enough milestone. Is it really necessary to re-write? Yes, it is. Take some time away from your song and come back a day or two later to look at it with fresh eyes. See if there are any spots you can tighten. Ask yourself if everything was communicated clearly and get rid of any lingering cliches. Share your creation with people you respect and ask for feedback. Then polish your song lyrics until they are the best you can do.

7. Make It A Game

If this whole lyric writing thing steals all the joy out of songwriting for you, see if you can make it into a game. Write your lyric lines backward. Tape them up on the wall and put sticky notes with new ideas on top of them. Come up with 10 reasons why you just know your latest verse is going to win a Grammy. Team up with a co-writer and make a friendly competition to see who can come up with the most titles and hook lines over a given period of time. You get the idea.

Write Lyrics Every Day

The point of all of these tips is to get you writing better lyrics quickly and on a regular basis. On top of all your other songwriting activities, try to set aside time each day to improve your lyric writing skills. The more you do it the better you’ll get. And the world is waiting to hear the stories you have to tell.

This is a video interview at the 2010 TAXI Road Rally with hit songwriter and songwriting coach Jai Josefs, author of Transforming The Tune – Secrets of Musical Rewriting.
Jai is also the author of Writing Music for Hit Songs, the definitive text on modern music writing endorsed by hit writers including Diane Warren. He is a nationally renowned songwriting coach who has taught songwriting at UCLA as well as for dozens of songwriting organizations and conferences nationwide. Many of Jai’s students have gone on to successful careers in the industry, and several have been signed to major label deals.

Jai is also a successful songwriter/producer whose credits include more than 30 recordings with such companies as MCA, RCA, Motown, and Disney and hit artists like Jose Feliciano. His songs have been used in TV shows on every major network (CSI, Brothers and Sisters, What About Brian, Monk, Cold Case etc.) as well as over a dozen major motion pictures with such stars as Harrison Ford, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, and Billy Bob Thornton. In his latest work, Jai teaches the songwriting techniques used by hit writers like Pink, Jason Mraz, Taylor Swift, Rob Thomas and John Lennon. Learn more about Jai Josefs at www.jaijomusic.com.

In part 2 of our interview with game composer Aaron Marks, Aaron shares his insights on a typical day as a game composer, how songwriters can break into the game industry, how they get paid, and the skills they need to be competitive. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out part 1. Learn more about Aaron Marks at OnYourMarkMusic.com.

Do songwriters need to understand how to write full midi orchestrations to be competitive?

It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not a deal breaker. If you plan to create a believable orchestral score, that’s one thing but who’s to say your ‘uneducated’ orchestration methods wouldn’t be fresh and unique? There are rules in music but you can’t be confined by them and you shouldn’t be afraid of trying because you don’t feel you have the right background. There are several games with orchestral scores written by composers using heavy rock influences – God of War for example.

The good news is that orchestral music only makes up a portion of music in games so skilled composers in other genres are also needed. Composers who are proficient in many different styles are probably the most competitive, since games often cover a variety of time and places – ancient to the future and every continent or planet.

Please describe a typical day in the life of a game composer.

Ha! If you ever come across one, you have to let me know what it looks like!

Really, it all depends on the project, your work habits and the deadline. If you’re lucky enough to have casual milestones, you can compose and record at a leisurely pace. But most of the time the established deadlines aren’t as realistic as we’d like so it’s a bit more frantic with less sleep and more coffee to get you there.

I typically take the first couple of days on a project to plan my attack – how much music needs to be created and how much time do I have? Once I see it on paper, I know how long I’ve got to work on each cue and I stick to it. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get organized, find samples and get everything set up. But after the initial housekeeping, it’s nice to be able to focus on the music.

For me, a ‘normal’ day starts in the studio about 10am where I make the daily plan, write emails, make phone calls and do ‘non-creative’ tasks such as reviewing past work or mixing the previous day’s tracks. I’ll break for lunch around 2pm and then head back in around 3pm for a big creative push. Depending on family needs or dinner, that could be an hour or several hours. If there is a looming deadline, I’ll break for dinner when I get hungry then work until it becomes unproductive, usually around midnight.

If not, I’ll noodle around a little in the evening, get some ideas floating around in my head to sleep on and come in the next day with them more developed. Of course, some days are spent entirely in front of an instrument composing when I’m on a roll, other times I get as far from the studio as I can to clear any lingering writer’s block – but most of the time it’s a fairly predictable schedule for me.

Is there a specific formula to success as a game music composer?

Be passionate about your craft, first and foremost. Potential clients feed off your enthusiasm and will want to be around it. Be passionate about games, specifically the game the potential client is creating. Network, network, network – not only with the folks you want to work for but with fellow composers. I’ve gotten a surprising number of jobs from my own competition either because they were busy, on vacation or needed a hand with a large project.

Market yourself every chance you get.  By simply tapping into your friends and family network, chances are somebody knows someone who works at a game company. Start local and with smaller companies, then work further out to larger developers. Don’t expect to get a AAA game title right out of the gate. Get the experience and work your way up to it. Learn everything you can about the industry, how a game development company is structured and how a game is developed, the role of the composer, how music is implemented into a game – anything that will make a potential client feel comfortable so they won’t have to hold your hand through the process.

Really, anything goes and the more you have ‘skin in the game’, the better your chances are of getting work and making a career out of it.

How do you get paid? Is there a standard deal between a game developer and a music composer?

For the most part, creating music for a game is done as a ‘work for hire’ – you compose it and they own it once the check clears. Composers can charge either on a ‘per finished minute’ basis or set a fee for the entire project. Fees can vary depending on your experience, their budget and the project scope. Obviously, if you’re composing for and recording a full orchestra, the fees would be higher than if you were in your home studio using samples.

More and more composers are able to negotiate other revenue streams from a single project’s music. Work for Hire agreements don’t have to be so short-sided that the composer sells the music and loses total ownership of it. If a game’s music appears in a film or on television or is released as a soundtrack, it’s fair to request appropriate compensation. A game which will be released as multiple SKUs (stock keeping unit – a unique identifier for each distinct product) and in multiple languages, there is no reason why the composer can’t also be compensated for that. Royalties can be also negotiated if you anticipate the game could be a huge success – why shouldn’t the composer share in the success since their work helped get it there? Remember, if you don’t ask for it, you’re not going to get it.

How do you juggle outside responsibilities along with your music career?

I’ve always just done what I’ve needed to do. If I have an upcoming deadline, I put my head down and work until it’s done. If one of my animals needs to go to the vet, I toss them in the car and go. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

I’m really big on keeping schedules, making a plan and getting it done. I’ve got checklists for each project, whether it’s yard work or an audio contract. I use the calendar feature on my smartphone religiously, one on the wall for the family to see my firm commitments, detailed checklists in the studio for the complex tasks and sticky notes for priorities. Somehow it all seems to work, even if it comes down to just trying to keep several balloons in the air at the same time – the one about to hit the ground gets the attention!

And it doesn’t hurt that I have the support of my family, friends and neighbors when things really get crazy!

What’s the best advice you can pass along to songwriters who want to break into the industry?

If it’s what you want to do – then do it! You can read about it, study it, make connections but if you don’t ever decide to do anything with the knowledge, then it’s not going to happen. Breaking into games is just like any other business endeavor – it’s going to take some focused effort, a little luck and the persistence to make it happen.

I know a composer who got a game job with his very first phone call and I know composers who after a couple years are still hopeful, so there’s no magic bullet. Love what you do, let people feel your enthusiasm and stay positive. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

For self-taught musicians without any formal music training, what’s the best way to learn how to compose orchestral music?

Not having formal training composing orchestral music isn’t an excuse to not do it. Originality is huge in any musical endeavor and who’s to say what you do with an orchestra or orchestral samples can’t be unique and fresh.

For me, the ability to listen and learn has been my greatest asset. I learned chords and fingering initially but that all went out the window pretty quick. It wasn’t until I realized that I could take what I was hearing and duplicate notes and chords on my instrument that it started making sense.

I’ve never learned how to read or write music so my ability to recall what I’ve heard before and my muscle memory have contributed to how I process and compose. Am I limited by that? Some would argue that I break a lot of ‘rules’ and I’m occasionally frustrated by my lack of knowledge of a particular style but for the most part, I’m OK with that and ‘cope’ accordingly.

If you are really interested in composing orchestral music, critically listen to a variety of orchestral pieces from classical symphonies to movie soundtracks and get to know them. Pay attention to the types of instruments and how they are utilized, get a feel for how melodies, counter-melodies, dynamics and percussion all evoke a certain mood – then start writing short pieces of your own to test out your theories and ideas.

Chat with other composers, read books, ‘listen’ to movies, go to concerts – anything to get the exposure you’ll need to do it justice when the time comes. Practice is a big part of self teaching, so be prepared to write a lot of ‘trash can’ music – the stuff you expect to throw away until you get a solid grasp on it. And after that, continuously improve your skills and understanding of articulations, musician and instrument capabilities, song construction and other subtleties which will make you sound like an expert.

Is scoring music for game trailers a good way to break into the biz?

It wouldn’t be a bad thing but it’s not a definite ‘foot in the door’. Unless it’s the actual game developer you’re working with to score the trailer, the publisher or advertising agency who is creating it might not have any influence with the developer per se, plus they’re not really looking outside of their needs.

Trailers, as far as structure, are linear and scoring one is a different skill set than say, creating adaptive or interactive music for a game. If you are lucky enough to be working with a developer and they like your work, it’s possible it could turn into a fruitful relationship. But, most of the time, music for a game is well underway or completed by the time a trailer is considered and the games composer is usually their first call for music.

Was this post helpful? Do you plan to write music for games? Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Aaron Marks is a professional game composer and author of The Complete Guide to Game Audio, Second Edition: For Composers, Musicians, Sound Designers, Game Developers (Gama Network Series). Aaron’s music can be heard on dozens of game titles, including  the ESPN MSL Extra Time Playstation 2 soccer title and online casino/arcade game sound effects and music for several Universal/Vivendi casino websites . His most recent project is music and sound effects for the game bittosHD for Xbox, PS3 and iPhone/iPad. In the following two-part interview, Aaron shares his insights on the current state of the game industry and how songwriters can break into the action. Learn more about Aaron Marks at On Your Mark Music.

How did you get your start in music?

I came from a musical family and was ‘encouraged’ at a young age to play a respectable instrument like the organ… so, in retaliation, I learned the guitar instead! And because any protest should be enthusiastic, I took advantage of my brother’s set and learned the drums too. During my college years, I added piano and bass guitar to the repertoire and eventually moved into engineering and recording. For many years, I was quite content dabbling in different musical styles, learning everything I could about music, composing and recording with no particular direction. I considered scoring for film or television but didn’t really think about it seriously. Essentially it was an overgrown hobby and I was content just doing it for myself.

What made you decide to focus on music for games?

As we all know, ‘gear lust’ is expensive and my little hobby was no exception. It took an ultimatum from my wife to finally stop the insanity, start making some money and have the hobby support itself. I had always wanted to compose for television and film so I headed off in that direction. Along the way I worked in radio, public service announcements and pretty much any ‘music’ job I could find to gain the experience and earn some income.

It actually took a chance meeting with a neighbor to redirect my efforts into games, since it was something I had never really considered on my own. He had just started his own game development company, and coincidentally, had just let his audio guy go. We got to talking and next thing I know I was composing for my first game – it was literally 2 days from the first meeting to working on the first track!

When did you compose your first game soundtrack?

“I, of the Enemy” was the first game I started working on in 1996 for an independent developer. Smaller companies typically have a much slower development cycle, so it wasn’t until 2001 that I wrapped up my efforts and the game was released. Now, that’s not to say that I took 5 straight years to compose the music but I did have plenty of time to get it the way I wanted it. I was also doing sound effects and recording and editing the extensive dialog for the project as well on top of working on other projects during that time.

What is the current state of the game industry? Is it still growing despite the economic slowdown?

Historically, the game industry has done quite well during downturns. People tend to look for distractions from reality and immerse themselves in all forms of entertainment. This time definitely feels different as the slowdown lingers on and works its way into every business, including games. Game companies are like any other business in a recession and do whatever it takes to stay solvent. Streamlining their staffs, sticking with proven franchises and keeping an eye on their bottom line are solid business practices that get them through the hard times. It’s hard to say from my perspective whether the industry is growing but I’m personally feeling the effects and have had to shift gears as well.

Is there still a strong demand for original music?

You bet! Even if a game is utilizing licensed music from established artists, it will still need original music for the opening sequence and front end, menu screens and cinematics. Most games rely on original music from start to finish to establish a unique brand identity, provide the appropriate mood and pacing and help propel the story, for example. So, there is most definitely a strong demand.

Do game soundtracks use full songs?

Certainly. Opening and credit sequences and gameplay are typical areas in a game that can use fully crafted songs. These longer sequences often benefit from the journey a full song can provide. A lot of it though, depends on the needs of the game and how much physical storage space is available for the entire project. One of the ‘tricks’ to save space is to create loops which provide the illusion of a longer piece of music without being too repetitive – so there is often a good amount of loops as well.

How can songwriters break into the game industry?

Believe it or not, getting into the games industry as a creative entity is pretty much like getting into any other industry. You need to have knowledge of the industry, be proficient with your craft, have appropriate business, marketing and networking skills and the absolute will to succeed.

Speaking specifically about the game industry, there are books like my two, “The Complete Guide to Game Audio” and “Game Audio Development”, which go into the industry in great detail. Check out websites like Gamasutra.com, GameAudioForum.com and GameAudioPros on Yahoo! Groups for industry news and specialized forum discussions.

Spend some time in retail stores to see what types of games are popular on the market. Play as many as you can and study their use of music and sound as part of the experience. Attend industry events such as the Game Developers Conferences, SIGGRAPH and E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo). Get involved with organizations such as The Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.) and the Interactive Audio Special Interest Group (IASIG) not only for industry information but great networking opportunities. Network with peers and other game development folks, artists, programmers, producers, anyone related to the game industry. Tell EVERYONE about your intentions and market, market, market – make everything a opportunity to market your talents.

I read in your book that you have to love games to write music for them. With that said, does it make sense for non-gamers to even try?

Well, yes and no. Composers and sound designers who are avid gamers have a much better chance understanding how audio enhances a game experience and the intricacies of the process to do it correctly. Anyone who’s played a game knows when the music is working and when it’s not and that’s the kind of knowledge game lovers bring to the creative table.

That’s not to say non-gamers couldn’t do a good job but most developers don’t want to, or have time, to hold their hands. It’s difficult to explain their needs sometimes and having the experience will really be a plus for them and make the composers life less frustrating.

Consider this for a moment. An experienced ‘film’ composer decides to take a leap into games. They’ve got the talent to create top-notch music with many years of film work under their belts. They’re confident and able and may even have a shelf full of awards. But, what happens if the game they have been hired to score is utilizing interactive or adaptive audio? Films are linear in format and their predictability makes scoring for them more straight forward. Game players create their own experience – they can explore as long as they’d like, fight bad guys or run, for example. Most games are never played the exact same way twice. An ‘interactive’ score is designed to be able to keep up with the unpredictable twists and turns and if a developer has to explain all of that, it could spell game over. This common knowledge is a benefit of being a ‘gamer’.

Do you have to have a home recording studio to write music for games? If so, what sort of gear is needed to be competitive?

It’s certainly not a ‘must’ but, unless you’re writing for a live orchestra, it’ll definitely keep the costs of renting recording space down and more money in your pocket! Most game composers have a home studio setup and that can always be augmented by renting studio time when necessary.

As for gear – that all depends on the type of music you compose and record and whatever special talents you bring to the table. I scored a game a couple of months back completely on a laptop using Reason and an Axiom 25 keyboard – and for ‘electro-pop’, that was more than enough gear. Last month, we worked on a project using live drums, percussion, trumpet and guitar as well as sampled instruments. That took a full complement of real instruments, microphones, a mixing board, multi-track software, samples and a wide assortment of plug ins to do – so, you can see that it can run to both extremes as far as equipment is concerned. A typical setup is a decent computer with a capable multi-track program, a sequencer, a sampler and array of instrument samples, plug ins, an audio editor and a midi capable keyboard to compose and perform with. Anything beyond that will depend on your specific talents as a composer/musician and what you can add to be unique.

In part 2 of our interview with Aaron Marks, Aaron talks about the skills you need to be competitive, how to get jobs, and how to get paid. Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

In this final installment of my conversation with veteran songwriting consultant John Braheny, John gives advice about making a living as a solo singer-songwriter, how to maximize your songwriting output even if you have outside responsibilities such as a job and family, and the best ways to seek out and secure publishing deals. I’d like to thank John for sharing his decades of music industry experience with Serve The Song. We really appreciate your insights! – Mary Shaw

11. Is it possible for a solo singer-songwriter to make a living completely online, or is it still necessary to tour and get as much publicity as possible?

Big question and a good one. It is possible for a singer-songwriter to make a living completely online, but the odds aren’t as good and it takes a lot of work and creative marketing. You need to be able to drive potential fans to your website or wherever you’re selling your music.

Touring is one of the best ways to generate fans. There’s nothing quite as powerful as connecting with your audience in person. If they like what they experience they’ll want to take home your CD as a memory. You want them to go to your site, get on your mailing list and you want to create as much contact with them as possible. That means blogging, using Facebook, Twitter and other social media networks frequently, coming up with special deals for fans, like bonus tracks, works in progress they can have input on, discounts on merchandise and concerts etc. Even if you are touring, it’s still tough to “make a living completely.” It helps if you can find compatible sponsors for the tour.

If you’re not touring it means you have to generate income and publicity about yourself in other ways. One of those ways is to get your songs and instrumental tracks into films and TV shows, video games, commercials or for other uses that pay licensing fees and royalties. Another is to gain expertise in production and write for/with other artists.

12. Let’s talk about output for a minute. Obviously the more you write, the better you’ll get. But given the other responsibilities faced by many singer-songwriters such as day jobs, families, etc., what is a reasonable amount of output that an aspiring singer-songwriter can expect to make without going crazy? Should they aim to write one song a week, one a day, two-three a month? What’s reasonable?

What’s reasonable varies widely. All those factors you mention have variables. How supportive is your spouse? Will he/she support time for you to spend a couple of hours a night by yourself without making you feel guilty? Are you willing to allow your spouse the same consideration?

You also have to make quality time for your spouse and kids – share what you create with them so they can see/hear what that creative space you request has produced. You’ll model for them that they deserve to have their own private time to create.

As for the numbers, I’ve known people with day jobs and families who can still create a song a week and produce at least a rough demo. Others just take a whole lot longer. There’s no getting around the fact that it’s always a difficult juggle. But don’t use your family and job obligations as excuses for not writing. You can write while you’re in line at the bank, commuting, and in any number of common circumstances. Keep a digital recorder and notepad with you. I did a seminar recently and a 13-yr-old was in the front row taking quick notes on her iPhone. (Or was she texting her friends??)

13. What is the future of music publishing? Should writers aim to keep their own publishing or look for deals?

Music publishing will continue as long as there is music to be licensed and royalties to be collected. It’s just a question of whether you’re capable of exploiting your own music (finding income generating uses for it) or whether you want help with it.

The royalty collection part is extremely important because over half your income may be generated outside the U.S., which means you will need an administration deal with an experienced international administration company to collect on your behalf. In this situation you’d keep your publishing and hire an admin company for typically about 15% of what they collect.

My general advice (much more detail in the book) is to hold on to your publishing rights unless you get something very valuable in return. That might include financing and shopping master recordings, giving you advances to live on while you’re writing songs, and giving up limited publishing income (but not ownership) for someone to do film/TV placement.

Generally speaking, if you’re a writer/artist/band actively looking for a record deal, keep your publishing. You may need it as part of the deal. If you’re a songwriter only, finding a good publisher may be a good situation for you.

14. Are services like TAXI and Pump Audio still viable in light of all the recent changes in the music business?

Very much so, especially if they’re as trusted by the industry as TAXI to pre-screen the material so it’s high quality and appropriate for the requests. There are always producers and record company A&R people looking for songs and artists, managers looking for artists, film/TV music supervisors and music libraries looking for songs and instrumental tracks, and publishers looking for songs and writers. Those services can really help indie writers exploit their songs and keep the publishing in most cases.

15. What do you think about selling songs to royalty-free music providers like AudioJungle.net?

AudioJungle is an Australian company and I believe you receive a 40-70% commission from the music that they sell to users on your behalf. Generally speaking, royalty-free music means that a user pays a one-time fee and can either sell unlimited units of the same work or, depending on the contract, may use up to, say, 5000 units without additional fees.

A better deal for you is that the end user has to file a cue sheet with your Performing Rights Organization (PRO) – ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC (in the U.S.) so you’ll get paid a royalty for its continued use. One factor that will shape your decision is how valuable that piece of music is to you. If it’s an instrumental track that you don’t think you’d have another use for and you need the cash, you might go for it. If it’s a song that’s dear to your heart, you’ll probably want to maintain ownership and license it so you get an up front sync fee and “back end” payments from your PRO. This is a time when these services are evolving with varieties of new business models. As a copyright owner you can make any kind of deal you want. My advice is to read the contract very carefully, though.

In case you missed them, check out part 1 and part 2 of this interview and leave your thoughts in the comments.

Children’s singer-songwriter and Parent’s Choice Award winner Andrea “Dre” Towey writes and performs music that resonates with children of all ages as it touches a wide range of subjects, from the dog across the street to the harrowing experience of losing a balloon. A former elementary school teacher and art educator, Dre “unleashed” her first solo album, “Chester The Dog” in 2006. Her award-winning follow up recording, “Sugar On Top”, was released in 2008. Dre shares her thoughts on writing, recording and performing children’s music in the email interview below. Learn more about Dre Towey at www.litteloomis.com

How did you get your start in music?

I entered the music business as an illustrator. I was illustrating and writing children’s books with hopes of being published when a teaching associate asked me to illustrate her cassette (did I say cassette?!). Later I wrote songs for her and eventually performed with the band. My specialty was monkey noises, ant noises (very subtle) and the shaker.

When did you start writing songs?

I began writing songs as toasts for my family on special occasions. It was kinda the family joke like, “Oh jeez, here goes Andrea again.” I was writing the words to existing tunes. Eventually I found my own sound and I still don’t know where it comes from. Then I picked up the guitar and kept practicing in front of anyone who would listen. Libraries are good places for this because it’s free to the public.

While Michelle Shocked is a clear vocal influence, who are your songwriting influences?

I am a big fan of Michelle Shocked and honored by the comparison, but the truth is I didn’t know who she was until a reviewer covered my CD and said that I sounded like her. I would say that my influences are Rickie Lee Jones, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Nicks and more recently, Sheryl Crow and Ariel from the Little Mermaid. Ariel has red hair and I really like her shell bikini and man, does she have pipes!

What made you decide to focus on children’s music?

The music just happened as I taught and as I had children. It wasn’t like, should I do this or should I do that. Any decision I made regarding my music happened because it felt right, it felt natural and it felt good.

How is writing songs for kids different from writing for adults?

Don’t know. I never write for anyone but myself. Maybe it’s easier for me to connect to my inner child than my inner adult. More recently though I do like to have a couple songs that the kids can follow along during live performances. I think this is same for adults. People, in general, want to relate and sing along to songs. A simple catchy chorus can define a song.

What is your songwriting process? How do you go from initial idea to finished track?

It usually starts with something a child says or does that either hits me or triggers a personal memory. It can start with a phrase and I usually play with it until the melody reflects the imagery of the song. I don’t usually complete a song until I have to – I can’t tell you how many beginnings are on my laptop.

Do you own any type of home recording setup?

Amateur set up. Things I get frustrated with. Not a tech person at all.

How do your songs change once you hit the studio? Do you work with other musicians and/or a producer?

My songs burst when I hit the studio because recording and playing with other artists is the most exciting part for me. Most of the time I like them better, there have been only a couple of occasions when I didn’t put a track on an album.

Are your live shows different from your recordings? In other words, do you play solo or with a band? Is there a different vibe?

My live performances are more interactive than my recordings. Considering my age group they have to be. Sometimes I play solo, or with a percussionist and other times the whole band. It’s always a different vibe catered toward the audience at that given moment.

Where do you find inspiration?

Obviously, children inspire me. Usually I am inspired when I have a quiet moment and I am taking time to listen. Nature inspires me. Dogs inspire me. Humor inspires me.

How often do you write? Do you have a set writing schedule?

I am writing all the time. Not physically at my desk but constantly churning ideas and recording them (even if it’s just on my voicemail). No schedule unless I have a deadline.

Where do you think children’s music fits in to the larger music industry?

Children are born all the time. Why not make more music? They are the perfect audience. It’s been going on a long time, Woodie Guthrie, the Beatles – they got it. It’s not a new thing and believe me there is a lot out there, good and bad and really bad.

Have your albums sold well? How do you promote them?

Ah marketing. My nemesis. Just tackling that now. This interview should boost sales, right?

What are your future plans?

A third CD is pending, a couple of video shoots (I can’t wait!), and I plan to open an intergalactic studio for kids and adults based on Mars with spaceship carpools. Just kidding. How about one in SoNo, CT??? I am going to call it JAM, an acronym for Junior Art & Music. Seriously, come visit me this September.

Listen to Dre Towey’s music at http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/DreTowey

A lot of people come to Serve The Song looking for songwriting templates, so I’ve put together another one. My first  GarageBand songwriting template was built using basic song forms. This new template uses very basic music theory featuring simple I, IV and  V chords along with ii and vi minor.


What The Heck Does That Mean?

With all due respect to those of you who understand music theory, the Roman numerals I, IV and V (1, 4 and 5) describe the first, fourth and fifth scale degrees in any major scale. When you build major triads (three-note chords) from these points in the major scale, you always get major chords. Likewise, when you build minor triads on the second (ii) and sixth (vi) scale degrees you always get minor chords.

Use Basic Chords As Building Blocks For Your Songs

While there are dozens of chord combinations you could use, these 5 basic chord forms are excellent building blocks for pop songs in any key.

Download and use the attached zip file to get started. The template has a basic drum and bass groove and the chords are played on piano as straight half notes. There are also blank tracks available for you to add your own melodies.

Remember, this is very basic stuff. No bells and whistles. Just enough to give your creativity a boost. You are free to build on top of this in any way you choose. To change key in GarageBand simply change the key of your project and all the chords will transpose accordingly. Same goes for tempo.

Have Fun And Write Something New

The template is saved in both Garageband .band format and .mp3 so you can use it in whatever software package you prefer. Let me know if it helps you jump start your songwriting. Use some or all of the chords to give you a starting point for your next song. Use them in any key at any tempo. Stretch them out, chop them up, or put them in any combination you prefer. But most importantly have fun!

Download Songwriting Template