Expecting leads coming from artists looking for fresh material is not critical anymore.
Now the process is simplified and faster. Music users are now shopping for ideas directly on the internet, talent scouting through music libraries, and new online publishing tools. The publisher's role has changed. He/she comes into the game much later, closing deals and checking accounting and legal affairs. The publisher is now less central as a decision-maker in identifying new talents, at least for pop, urban, and rap.
Music libraries have expanded to all genres, and the quality level is so high that tracking the right material online is what everyone does now, including A&R doing talent scouting, publishers who need to find specific material they don't already have in their catalog, and of course, famous artists!
It means that you don't need a publisher until you find an opportunity first; only then will you sign with the publisher linked to the artist team.
Now, as a songwriter/producer, you need to make sure your material is available to share, whether online in a library or on your computer, as a confidential production. You may approach artists directly because there is no reason to do differently unless you want to lose time. How's that? Via their managers.
How to find their managers? Via www.artistmanagerdirectory.com
Imagine yourself being able to send an email to most of the famous artists when it is the right time for you, spontaneously submitting your production, your lyrics, your song, your beat... No endless decision-makers along the way anymore.
Are you not sure this can be that easy? Are you suspicious? You are right to be cautious. After all, this is sensitive talk and online business here... This is why we made checking easy and free on our home page.
So stop overthinking before CHECKING the names in the directory, check our demo, and check who we are. What you see is exactly what you will get.
Now you may want to know why this information is made available so easily when it was so difficult to get just one contact not too long ago. Because time has changed, and this is the time to do it! Need proof?
Lately, the songwriting process was a shortcut, and beatmaker tools are allowing any computer geek to compose without being a musician first.
Lately, E-productions/E-mixing/E-mastering has cut the production and postproduction process and allowed it to proceed faster and cheaper while keeping a professional result. Lately, music marketing allows indie artists to use the exact same tools as major record labels to promote their music. Music distribution tools now allow indie artists to use the exact same tools as major record labels to promote their music.
More than ever, talent scouting starts online, and everybody can pinpoint new talents just like any professional.
Songwriting material and beatmaking material are now proposed in professional libraries for all genres, and indie artists and producers can shop around to find ideas and material to build their projects before buying licenses, stems, or exclusivity. Publishers are now using those tools in the first place to shop around; they come later in the game mostly as "accountants," at least in the indie music business. No need to put your effort into trying to get signed anymore. The name of the game has changed. Songwriting, production, marketing, distribution, publishing, and talent scouting processes have been cut down big time. Why should the song-pitching process have to stay in the stone age and could not be sped up as well?
In conclusion, as an indie artist or songwriter, even if you get signed, you will be signed for one project, a few productions, or one event... not for your entire catalog of production. Therefore, you have to put a frame around your activity like an entrepreneur and surround yourself with professional services that provide tools that will help you to be proactive and move on from one project to the other.
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Author : Fran Pelissou
Pic credit: Fotolia/shutterstock/istockphoto
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