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Most asked
Questions by songwriters:
1) How can I get my lyrics heard by pros?
First, you have to present your song in a very professional
manner. Publishers do not consider any handwritten lyrics, cassette
tapes, life stories.You need to send a CD with a sase envelope.
2) I want to work directly with your team to
create new songs?
This is possible if you want to work
directly from our L.A. studio. Contact our representative who can
help you setting up your itinerary and discuss availability. You can
see the studio rates in the studio rate link.
3) I have a song/lyrics but can't come up with any
music. Can I get your collaboration to write the music, in order for
me to pursue my career as a lyricist?
Of course. Do what you
do best and leave the rest up to us.
4) What do you do with the lyrics? Do we get them
back?
Seeing the quantity of material we receive, we can't
send the lyrics back to you unless you send an SASE envelope with
your lyrics.
5) Do you buy songs out right?
No, we are
not interested in buying your songs. We are a service provider
company, not a publishing company.
6) Genre of music you work with the most?
All types. We do everything from country/rock/R&B/dance/Hip
Hop/ Gospel/techno/blues.
7) How do you decide on what genre of music would
be best suited for the lyrics?
We generally ask the
songwriter to give his preferences on the order form .
There is
also a field for comments at the bottom of the form for any details
you may have to add. If you have any further question, call our
assistant .
8) Do you make lead sheets?
Yes for an
additional fee of $30.00.
9)Do I need to copyright my material?
Technically, a song is copyrighted at the moment you write it
down or record it. However, you should always register your
copyright with the Copyright Office so you can PROVE that the song
is yours, and when you created it.
10)How do I copyright my songs?
Contact
the U.S. Copyright office at (202) 707-9100, or download the forms
you will need to submit.
US copyright Office
101 Independence
Ave. SE
Washington DC, 20559-6000
(202)707-3000
11)What are the chances my song will be
stolen?
Very slim but for security purposes, you should
always register the copyright to your material.
The big
copyright infringement cases are against huge stars.
What
assurance do I own that my rights to my work are protected from
outside source, your company included?
You need to protect the
rights to your work, as well as protecting it from outside sources.
In order for you to do this, you need to :
- Go to
www.loc.gov/copyright/
- Download a PDF copyright form, fill out
the form, send your lyrics with a $ 30.00 check.
12)What are Publishing rights?
Publishing
rights are the rights to a song. If you write a song by yourself,
you own the publishing (and copyright) from the moment you finish
the song. You don't have to set up shop as a music publisher to own
those rights - they automatically come with authorship.
There
are actually two halves in every publishing dollar. One of the
halves is called the "Writer's Share," and that half almost always
stays with the writer for life. The other half is called the
"Publisher's Share'" and you own that half as well, unless you sign
a publishing or co-publishing deal. You can give up some of the
publishing rights you own (typically half or all of the "Publisher's
Share") in exchange for a cash advance from a music publisher. The
publisher will then act as a songplugger to get your song cut by an
artist or placed in a movie or TV show. They don't make money unless
they get the song used.
When you purchase the Hit Citi Platinum
package, you will receive a complimentary list of publishing
companies.
13)Do I need a manager?
Managers become
necessary once you've got a record deal and you need an advocate to
represent your interests at the different departments of a record
company. They help to coordinate efforts and get maximum results at
radio, retail, and publicity. Many labels will want an artist to
have a high-powered manager before a record is released and will
often recommend top managers. Good managers help the artist assemble
a competent team of professionals to handle various aspects of the
artist's career, including an attorney, a business manager (for
financial affairs), a booking agent (for live performances), a
merchandising company (for t-shirt sales, etc.) and more. Experience
counts for a lot when it comes to choosing a manager.
Hit
Citi is not a management company. We are a service provider. If you
order the platinum package, you will get complimentary A-list of the
latest management companies available.
At what point should
I get a manager:
Most of the manager's duties and
responsibilities come into play once an artist is generating income
- especially through a record company association, but also for
active local and regional artists who are touring and selling
product on their own. Therefore, many people think it isn't really
necessary to have a manager until there is an income-producing
career to 'manage'.
One exception is the manager who can
help you obtain a record deal. The right manager for this task can
be hard to find, and must be carefully chosen. You don't want to get
tied up in complicated legal contracts with inexperienced managers
who will need to be replaced once a record deal comes along.
What are some key points in a management contract:
Most managers will take between 10% and 20% of an artist's
gross income - including record royalties, publishing income, and
touring and merchandising income. There will sometimes be a "sunset
clause" i.e. a declining scale of payments due to the manager over a
few years should you decide to fire or part ways with him (or
her).
These are negotiable points, and many nuances and
technicalities are involved. You should always have an experienced
music business attorney to review any management contract.
14)How well-recorded do my demos need to be?
A&R people are interested in the song's potential, the
artist's appeal as much as the quality of the recording.
15)Should I record in a professional studio?
Yes, it will save you hours of time and money.
The focus for
you is to submit a quality demo to get your song heard and placed.
If you do it in a home studio, you are increasing your chances of
getting a mediocre quality demo.
Remember, it's both the
equipment and the skill level of the person using it.
16)Should I use a producer?
Definitely
yes. A highly skilled, objective ear almost always makes for a much
better product. Hit Citi garanties the quality of its work. We take
pride to give you an individual melody and music track. To avoid any
problems, just make sure you are VERY clear on your expectations
(see order form for comments). On the other hand, there are a lot of
unscrupulous people who claim to be producers, but don't really know
what they are doing. You have access to our company and our studio
on the web site, and you can come to our physical address as well
Monday through Friday.
17)Should I sing my own demo?
Use a
professional demo singer if you can. An exception to this rule of
thumb is when the writer (meaning you) has a great voice, or just
the right kind of voice for the song. In that case, look at our
studio rate to book your session.
18)How do I make money in the song business?
Contrary to popular belief, songs are not "sold" to the artists
that record them. In fact, artists who record "outside" songs, pay
nothing for the privilege Ð until records are sold.
Songwriters
earn money in two ways :
1) When records are sold.
2) When
their songs are played on radio/TV/cable.
19)How do I get paid from record sales?
Payments from record sales are called mechanical royalties and
are paid by the record company to the publisher of the song through
the Harry Fox Agency. The royalty rate is set by congress (the
"statutory rate") and is at this writing set at 8 cents per song.
Therefore if you had one song that was written and published solely
by you on a million selling album, you would earn $80,000 in
mechanical royalties.
Hit Citi doesn't own any of your
royalties. You own 100% of them.
We are an independant
contractor, paid upfront for the recording of your
songs.
20)How do I get paid from radio airplay?
Performance royalties are collected from radio and TV
broadcasters, etc. by the Performing rights organizations ASCAP,
BMI, or SESAC in the United States (each country has its own
P.R.O.). The P.R.O.s distribute these payments to their member
songwriters and publishers based on formulas that calculate how many
people have been exposed to the song. A number one pop single might
earn as much as a million dollars in performance royalties in its
biggest year.
21)How do I get paid from film and TV usages?
That varies widely depending on the kind of show or film using
your music. Money is earned in two ways: the licensing fee, paid up
front to the writer/artist, and the performance royalty, which is
distributed to the writer by a performing rights organization (
ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC in the U.S.).
No performance royalties are
generated on theatrical showings of films in the U.S.A. (though they
are paid in other countries), but when the film is aired on TV, you
would make your performance money.
You may also make money when
videos or DVDs are sold, depending on the nature of your original
license agreement.
22)How do I improve my songwriting?
The
best way is to constantly study what hit songwriters do. Learn from
the best. Listen to the radio and take notes on what hit songs have
in common. What is their structure like? Do they end verses on major
or minor chords? Do they have a bridge? How many bars are in the
intro?
The best novelists are people who constantly read, and
the same just might be true of songwriters. Reading helps develop a
writer's sense of worldliness. The more things you know about and
understand, the more you can write about. Reading books about
songwriting will also put you at a tremendous advantage. Write every
day. Good songwriters become great by learning from the writers who
came before them. Hint: Stay current. Don't write songs that could
have been hits years ago. Write songs that will appeal to today's
audience. Remember that you aren't competing with your friends and
peers. To really be in the music business and get your songs cut,
you need to be competitive with the top writers of the day.
23)What if I just write lyrics?
Frankly,
it's exceptionally rare that someone in the music business asks,
"Can you find me a lyricist - quick?!" Not to say that somebody who
is strong with melodies might not look for a collaborator whose
strength is lyrics. That's why you need a complete package : "lyrics
+ melody". This is your opportunity to be heard, by putting your
lyrics into songs.
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