Customer Reviews

This Business of Songwriting

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I've been writing songs (without a lot of success) for more years than I'd like to admit. But I never really understood how to do the business without getting scammed. After reading this book, I finally understand about so many things: song publishing, being my own publisher, how to be a staff-writer, how to make money from TV and films, and what I need to do. This book is excellent. It explains so many things in plain English. This book gives the facts and the figures. It includes the actual contracts and licenses you would sign and explains them a paragraph at a time in a way that I wish I had understood before. It tells how much money you can earn from hit songs and from getting your songs in movies and TV shows. This is also the first time I've understood how ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC work and how to join them and how songs earn money. I highly recommend this book. It is well organized and easy to understand, and is a good reference guide.

Having composed songs for all sorts of pop and country stars and written a number of other songwriting-related books, Jason Blume is already one of better known names in the industry. Personally, I think this is the most useful of his books. It is a very well written, extremely informative book about exactly what it says on the cover. Having read Donald Passman's music industry text, I felt reasonably informed before reading it, but this takes the issue of publishing to another level. Obviously, it's aimed at songwriters (those of us who have a desire to write for others or perform our own songs) rather than bands who want to "get a record deal". So much the better, in my opinion, as the numbers of books that get to the nuts and bolts of this side of the industry are scarce. Totally and utterly essential for any songwriter who wants to make a living from writing songs.

This Business Of Songwriting: A Practical Guide To Doing Business As A Songwriter is a complete, 288-page instruction manual for the aspiring songwriter. Author Jason Blume has logged twenty plus years of professional experience in song writing and publishing, and he shares that experience in This Business Of Songwriting from first page to last. It is crucial for the songwriter to understand that it is not enough to be able to write great songs, or even to learn to write great songs. There are a plethora of practical business skills and music publishing details that can make the difference between success and failure as a songwriter. This Business Of Songwriting steps up to the plate and fully delivers. It has whole chapters dedicated to grasping the basics of music publishing, choosing (and being chosen by) a publisher, staff writing, understanding music publishing agreements (which can be quite complex), self publishing your work, exploiting your copyrights, co-publishing your work, operating as a performing songwriter, and understanding copyright administration agreements. Three additional sections deal with how songs generate income, how to protect your songs,, and maximizing your chances for success. Each section contains two to five chapters detailing information that is crucial to the songwriter who is "in the business." As in many other fields, the key is a combination of organization, persistence, realistic expectations, and determined follow-through on good ideas. A Final Note from Blume contains valuable nuggets of encouragement to students of songwriting: "In the years that I've taught songwriting I've been privileged to watch some of my students attain their goals and live their dreams - but I've not seen it accomplished without dedication and hard work...I know that success is possible, despite how it might sometimes feel. Take advantage of the educational and networking opportunities provided by classes, workshops, camps, and other music industry events; hone your skills by seeking professional feedback, studying the craft, and rewriting your work; learn about the business of songwriting; and most importantly, enjoy the ride (p. 310)."

This is the litmus test of all other books I own on songwriting. Much more than the creative prose of lyric writing; It is the rubber meets the road text for a career in music. If you're serious about business and songwriting this is an exceptional guiding investment.

Whether you have a passion or desire to make through in the art of songwriting, ideas you wanted to bring to the people, this book is for you. Give all props to Mr. Blume for putting much in-depth information details everything behind the scenes on the business of songwriting and rules you needed to know.

I literally understand since you first read this book, you wouldn't feel dissappointed. You're familiar with a lot of things like music publishing, getting permission, demos, getting your own voice or recognition heard and more, give this book a chance to help.

Others I recommend similar to this are Don Passman's All You Need to Know About the Music Business: Seventh Edition, Kashif's Everything You'd Better Know about the Record Industry, Music Supervision: The Complete Guide to Selecting Music for Movies, TV, Games and New Media (Omnibus Press), This Business of Music, 10th Edition (This Business of Music: Definitive Guide to the Music Industry).

Thank you to alternate providers of items. Though I have yet to thoroughly read this book, my songwriting instructor highly recommends is as THE book to have in the field. Thank you again. SJ Mackenzie

The book shipped fast, it was brand new and it is worth the money. I have not put the lessons or teachings from this book to use, but based on a few cover pages, it actually works. There are some cover pages that will show you how to approach the music publisher when shopping your demos. Just read the book, follow the rules and expect a opportunity if you have good songs. I will write about this book again after I submit my demo to Atlantic Label,just to see if it actually works.

I got the book pretty cheap, because it had apparently been 'used.' I opened the box up; I flipped through the pages, and found not a single flaw. Its a great book; Very readable and interesting.