SONGWRITING TIPS: Pitching Songs in New York

What can you expect when you knock on doors in NYC?

First, the bad news.  In New York the music industry is, by design, insulated from those writers who are “knocking on doors.”  Geographically speaking, almost everything in The Big Apple is accessible by foot or public transportation.  Therefore, the industry’s unofficial policy of not accepting unsolicited material is based much upon the desire to avoid the occasional infringement suit as it is the need to defend the doors against what would otherwise be an uncontrollable amount of unannounced songwriter visitations.  When asked what kind of music one writers, it is not uncommon for a NYC writer to respond, “Unsolicited.”What can you expect when you knock on doors in NYC?

First, the bad news.  In New York the music industry is, by design, insulated from those writers who are “knocking on doors.”  Geographically speaking, almost everything in The Big Apple is accessible by foot or public transportation.  Therefore, the industry’s unofficial policy of not accepting unsolicited material is based much upon the desire to avoid the occasional infringement suit as it is the need to defend the doors against what would otherwise be an uncontrollable amount of unannounced songwriter visitations.  When asked what kind of music one writers, it is not uncommon for a NYC writer to respond, “Unsolicited.”

But don’t let the closed doors discourage you.  “Finding those closed doors is discouraging enough.  Somewhere within the six square miles of glass and concrete structures that are four times as tall as they are wide, and somewhere beyond the building security officers, floor receptionists, department receptionists, and private secretaries… is the music business.  Welcome.

Now the good news.  You can get over this.  NY is surmountable, it just requires a bit more patience and tenacity.  As the ancient Chinese proverb says, “Water wears the stone not by force, but by constant dripping.”

Although music industry source books are somewhat expensive, several of them are available through the reference section of the New York Public Library, the main branch of which is centrally located at 42^nd street and Fifth Ave.  These books will give you important names and addresses so that when approaching a publisher for the first time, you can call and ask for a person by name.  Be prepared to improvise with the receptionist; however, don’t be cute.  Rather than saying you’re a songwriter who would like to submit a tape of some songs, your initial design should be to promote an individual song for a specific artist.  Promoting yourself as a writer can come later.  If you do obtain permission to submit a song, be sure to then indicate on the package that it is solicited material.  This indication might require the receptionist’s name or some other written distinction.  If possible, drop by, introduce yourself, and ask if the package is addressed correctly.  Bring the receptionist a $1 instant lottery ticket.  They will remember this.  If they win, they will never forget you.

What kind of material are they looking for?

All kinds.  No Kidding, if it sells.. it sells in NYC.  In the 21 minutes it would take you to walk Bleeker Street from LaGuardia to the Hudson River, The Bitter End to the Cottonwood Café, you will pass it all; rock, alternative, dance, country, folk, jazz, Americana, and a Beatles tribute band.  However, the market is proportionate.  Look in Billboard and see how many pages are assigned to each music genre.  Loosely, those proportions parallel the market activity in NYC.

Although not on the same scale as L.A., New York is home to film and TV production companies as well as advertising agencies, all of which use songs.  Although on the whole NY is musically diverse, individual publishers may not be involved in all styles.  Before contacting, it’s a good idea to determine if the publisher you’re targeting is directly involved with the kind of song you’re pitching.  One way to do this is to work backwards.  Begin by asking yourself which artist do you realistically think would record your song.  Examine their CD and note those publishers whose songs appear.  If they’ve managed to get a song on this CD, chances are they can do it again.  Listed after the name of each publisher on the CD booklet should be their respective Performing Rights Organization (PRO); ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.  Call the appropriate organization and request the contact information for that publisher.  The contacts you uncover in this manner are often not listed in the source books and therefore might be a bit more accessible.  On some level, these publishers might also be impressed with the professionalism demonstrated by your ability to track them down.  Compliment them on their success and indicate that you have selected one song that you feel would be right for this specific artist.  What can they say?  No?  If you’re not rejected three times a week, you’re not trying hard enough.

What kinds of artists are hot now and what might they look to sign?

Although Billboard magazine is once again the best source to determine the climate of what’s hot and what’s not, the charts only reflect what has already proven to be commercial.  To determine what is on the horizon you need to go to the clubs and check out who’s doing what.  Rootsie acoustic Americana folk rock singer songwriter type stuff seems to be predominant in the clubs.  Several public access TV programs are showcasing low budget/high art rap artists.  Music production companies are always looking for good commercial songs for use in film and TV.  Get to know some of the artists who are doing what you do.  If their performance is as strong as you believe your material to be, get to know them better.

Is there a lot of co-writing going on?

You bet.  Getting to know artists, as described above, should include co-writing.  It’s the best way to get your songs into their live set.  If the act gets signed, your co-written songs have a great chance of being on the CD.  In fact these songs might even be responsible for the act getting signed.  Co-writing with producers, band members, and other published writers also increases your chance to get a cut.  Networking in the clubs, which brings you face to face with these potential co-writers is, however, dependent upon your ability to start and maintain a conversation.  Develop this skill if necessary.

Demos

With most pop music styles it is somewhat difficult to separate the “production” from the “composition.”  The “sound” of these songs is as important as its content, if not more so.  Songs written to “tracks” differ in this way from most ballads, country or folk songs which are primarily lyric/melody driven and might require a less produced demo.  In either case, the demo should be produced to the degree necessary to “demonstrate” the feel and the emotion of the song.  There is no shortage of demo studios in New York and that is to the writer’s advantage.  You can often find competitive prices from $200-$500 per song depending on the level of production.  There are busloads of demo signers (most jingles are still recorded in NY) however, be sure to choose the right voice for your song and be prepared to pay from $50-$250 per song with or without background parts.  Choose the singer before you record the tracks to determine the best key for their voice.

What would you tell writers moving to NY?

Have a day job lines up before you move here as your savings can diminish quickly.  Write as much as you can and network by attending events run by the various music industry organizations.  Be hardworking and tenacious and remember the ancient Chinese proverb.