Songwriter's Market Guide...

[grandmatarkin]

Hi there,I was just curious... has anyone here had some success with publishers or other companies in the Songwriter's Market Guide?I know that some people in here talk about Taxi not being their only way to promote/pitch, so I'm wondering if there's been any progress via this route? Currently, my cowriter and I are putting together a list of publishers out of the guide to pitch to, so I guess this prompts my question... Thanks!Dave

[jchitty]

Hi, grandmatarkin I bought a Songwriter's Market Guide several months back, and I'm now just getting around to using it. This week, I mailed some of my songs to 2 music publishers, one that is actually in my city, and one that is in California. The publisher who owns the publishing company in my city actually answered his phone and we talked via the phone....my guess is, it's a small place, but he was very nice and cordial, and I decided to submit. It's not common occurence that the owner would talk with you, but I had a very pleasant experience talking with him. He is the publisher I found in Songwriter's Market. So I would say that using the Songwriter's Market Guide might help you with a few leads.The other publisher I found on the internet. (the one in Cali) I don't know what will result of these pitches, but I'll let you know. I should hear something within the next six weeks because their listings specified so. I'm not counting on anything, but you never know, you might get lucky. I'll continue to pitch to TAXI too....need all the connections I can get. I look at TAXI as one leg of the chair.......you have to have more than one approach.

[jchitty]

'answered his phone, and we talked via the phone..." Well, that makes sense, I guess.

[Casey H]

Regarding Songwriter's Market... email me or PM me and I can provide some insight.

[davewalton]

Well, I don't know about "success" with it but I generally consider it to be a fairly legitimate source, especially for any of us starting out and needing some kind of direction in terms of who to send demos to and how to that in a professional manner. Probably the last part of that last sentence is maybe the most important and valuable thing the book offers. For me it gave me some good guidelines when I started to make contacts on my own.I know that there are some listings in that book that aren't worth the paper they're printed on. A year ago or so I saw a listing by a guy I know in my area that runs a little ad agency and I called him about his listing because I didn't realize he did all the things he said he did in the Songwriter's Market. As it turns out he didn't do any of those things, just that he somehow got a form to fill out and he wanted to see if he would get any response. On the other hand, there are a good number of listings in there that are really worth a lot. I've had responses and some interest from the things I've sent but no deals. Kind of the equivalent of a "forward" in my opinion, it met a certain standard and sometimes they asked for more music but haven't done any business yet. The excercise and process of the whole business/marketing thing certainly hasn't hurt me any. Anyway, for the cost of the book, overall it's a good source even considering some of the listings that might not really be what they say they are.If anyone bought it and all they got out of it was the suggestions for making contact and sending demos in a professional manner, it's worth the cost many times over. Being professional is maybe as important as having good music.HTH,Dave

[hummingbird]

Quote:If anyone bought it and all they got out of it was the suggestions for making contact and sending demos in a professional manner, it's worth the cost many times over. Being professional is maybe as important as having good music.HTH,DaveI agree - the articles in this book, and also in the Indie Bible, are worth the cost.