If you want to write songs for a living, watch this.

Summary

In this video, music producer Adam Slagger and fellow producer Josh discuss the art of songwriting and collaboration. Adam shares the story of Brock Barry Hill's transition to country music and emphasizes the importance of consistently writing songs to hone one's craft. They advise aspiring songwriters to create music without waiting for external cues and to share their work to open doors in the industry. The conversation also covers overcoming the challenge of turning loops into full arrangements and the practical aspects of charging clients for music production services, advocating for clear communication and flexible payment strategies.

Takeaways

• 🎼 Collaborating with others is essential for songwriting and getting into professional songwriting camps.
• 🌐 Networking is crucial; knowing people in the industry can lead to more opportunities, as illustrated by Brock Barry Hill's transition to country music.
• 🔄 Consistent creation is key; Brock Barry Hill wrote numerous songs without being asked, building a portfolio and reputation.
• 🎧 The importance of sharing your work and not keeping it private to attract interest and open doors in the industry.
• 🎹 Songwriting should be an active process, not waiting for opportunities but creating them through continuous work.
• 🎤 Developing an artist or being an artist that writes their own songs can help establish credibility and get your foot in the door.
• 📈 Having a diverse catalog and being open to writing different styles can increase the chances of your songs being used.
• 🛠️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding song structure and using it as a foundation for songwriting.
• 💡 Creativity in songwriting involves experimenting with different chord progressions and structures to avoid repetition.
• 💰 Charging clients typically involves a deposit upfront, with the remainder paid upon project completion or satisfaction.
• 📝 Clear communication about payment terms is vital to avoid misunderstandings and ensure smooth project execution.

Q & A

What was the main topic of the discussion in the video script?

The main topic of the discussion was about the process of songwriting, collaborating with others, and getting into professional songwriting.

Who is Brock Barry Hill and what is his current role in the music industry?

Brock Barry Hill is a music producer who transitioned from producing rock music to writing country songs in Nashville. He is currently successful, producing hit songs in the country music genre.

What did Brock do to improve his songwriting skills in country music?

Brock started writing country songs every week, collaborated with other songwriters, and created a large SoundCloud playlist of his songs, which he shared with others to showcase his work.

What advice was given for aspiring songwriters to get their foot in the door?

Aspiring songwriters should be actively writing songs without waiting for opportunities, proving their ability by launching an artist or developing their own songs, and sharing their work to meet people who might be interested in using their songs.

Why is it important for songwriters to not keep their song ideas too private?

It's important for songwriters to share their ideas because it can lead to meeting people who want to use those songs, opening different doors and pathways in the music industry.

What is the typical payment structure for music production services?

The typical payment structure involves a deposit, usually half upfront, with the remainder paid upon completion of the project or in stages as the project progresses.

What is the importance of having clear financial expectations in a music production project?

Clear financial expectations ensure that both parties understand the costs involved, reducing awkwardness and potential misunderstandings, and facilitating smoother project execution.

What is the role of Adam Slagger in the music industry?

Adam Slagger is a music producer who works with various singers, songwriters, and clients, and also creates content related to music production.

How did the discussion on songwriting relate to the journey of becoming a full-time songwriter?

The discussion highlighted the importance of continuous practice, experimentation, and the development of a unique songwriting style, as well as the need to prove one's ability to write appealing songs.

What advice was given to help overcome the issue of creating loops but not developing full song arrangements?

The advice included creating a simple version of the song first, understanding song structures, and experimenting with different chord progressions to avoid getting stuck on a single loop.

Outlines

00:00

🎼 The Journey of Songwriting and Networking

The speaker, Adam Slagger, a music producer, discusses the importance of collaboration in songwriting and how it can lead to professional opportunities. He shares the story of his friend Brock, who transitioned from rock production to writing country songs, emphasizing the value of proactively creating and sharing music. Adam also touches on the idea of launching an artist to prove songwriting capabilities and the necessity of sharing ideas to meet potential collaborators. He encourages aspiring songwriters to write songs without waiting for external cues and to participate in songwriting sessions without the pressure of immediate commercial success.

05:00

🔄 Overcoming Creative Loops and Expanding Musical Horizons

In addressing Poppy Labuche's issue with creating loops but not developing full songs, the speaker shares personal experiences and offers advice on how to move from loop creation to full song arrangements. He talks about the exploratory phase of songwriting, the acceptance that not all ideas will become songs, and the importance of understanding song structures. The speaker also suggests experimenting with different chord progressions and styles to avoid getting stuck on a single loop. He highlights the importance of not buying too many plugins and instead focusing on creating full arrangements, especially for sync music which requires variety and distinct sections.

10:01

💼 Payment Strategies for Music Production Services

The conversation turns to the business side of music production, discussing various payment strategies for services rendered. The speaker suggests a common approach of taking a deposit upfront, typically half of the total payment, to ensure commitment from the client. He also mentions alternative payment schedules, such as paying as work progresses or upon completion, and emphasizes the importance of flexibility based on trust and the specific situation. The speaker shares anecdotes about clients not understanding payment protocols and stresses the importance of clear communication about financial expectations to avoid awkward situations and ensure smooth project execution.

15:01

📘 Providing Clarity and Transparency in Business Practices

The final paragraph focuses on the importance of being upfront and clear about business policies, especially regarding payments for services. The speaker advises setting clear expectations about payment terms to avoid confusion and ensure a professional business relationship. He also mentions a side project of creating a planner for music producers and offers a downloadable template for those interested. The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to be transparent about their payment expectations, likening it to knowing the cost of a cheeseburger before purchasing, and hints at upcoming content for the next video.

Keywords

💡Songwriting

Songwriting is the process of creating lyrics and musical compositions for a song. In the video, the theme revolves around the collaborative aspects of songwriting and how to break into the professional songwriting industry. The script mentions how Brock, a friend of the speaker, transitioned from being a rock producer to writing country songs, emphasizing the importance of continuous creation and collaboration in songwriting.

💡Toplining

Toplining refers to the process of writing the vocal melody and lyrics on top of a pre-existing instrumental track. Although not explicitly defined in the script, the concept is implied in the discussion of songwriting and the various elements that can be added to a composition, including melodies and lyrics.

💡Collaboration

Collaboration in the context of the video means working together with other songwriters, producers, or artists to create music. The script highlights the importance of collaboration in songwriting, as it can lead to the creation of better songs and provide opportunities to get one's work noticed in the industry.

💡SoundCloud

SoundCloud is a music streaming platform where artists can upload and share their tracks. In the script, Brock uses SoundCloud to compile and share his country songs, demonstrating the use of digital platforms for self-promotion and networking in the music industry.

💡Country Music

Country Music is a genre of music that originated in the Southern United States and is characterized by its narrative lyrics and twangy vocal style. The video discusses Brock's shift from rock production to writing country songs, illustrating the versatility required in professional songwriting.

💡Music Production

Music Production encompasses the process of creating, recording, and mixing music. The speakers in the video, Adam and Josh, identify themselves as music producers, and the script discusses various aspects of music production, including the challenges of creating full arrangements from loops.

💡Sync

Sync refers to the synchronization of music with visual media, such as TV shows, movies, or commercials. The script mentions sync music as a specific type of production where every eight bars of music must be different to allow for flexible editing in various contexts.

💡Artist Development

Artist Development is the process of nurturing and promoting an artist's career. The video suggests that developing an artist or being an artist who writes their own songs can be a way to prove one's songwriting abilities and gain credibility in the industry.

💡Song Structure

Song Structure refers to the organization of the various components of a song, such as verses, choruses, and bridges. The script discusses the importance of understanding and experimenting with song structure to create full arrangements and develop a unique songwriting style.

💡Plugin

A plugin in music production is a software tool that can add effects or instruments to a track. The script humorously mentions the speakers' experiences with purchasing plugins, highlighting the common issue of accumulating tools without necessarily needing them for song creation.

💡Deposit

In the context of the video, a deposit refers to an upfront payment made by a client to secure a music producer's services. The script discusses different payment structures, including the common practice of requiring a deposit to ensure commitment and seriousness from the client.

Highlights

Daman inquires about the process of collaborating with others in songwriting and toplining to enter professional songwriting.

Brock Barry Hill's transition from rock producer to successful country songwriter through consistent writing and creating a SoundCloud playlist.

The importance of writing songs consistently without waiting for opportunities, as demonstrated by Brock's initiative.

Adam Slagger and Josh's introduction as music producers with experience in various aspects of music production.

The suggestion that writing songs for an artist or developing an artist can be a way to break into professional songwriting.

The advice against keeping song ideas private and the importance of sharing them to meet people and open opportunities.

The recommendation to engage in songwriting sessions without a specific purpose to build a catalog and network.

Poppy Labuche's struggle with creating full song arrangements from loops and the provided advice on overcoming this issue.

The idea that not every musical idea needs to be turned into a full song and the importance of letting go of some.

The process of understanding song structure as a key to writing complete songs.

The encouragement to experiment with songwriting and not adhere strictly to a formula.

Josh's approach to creating full arrangements for sync music, emphasizing the need for variety in every eight bars.

The method of creating a basic structure for a song before adding layers and details.

The discussion on charging clients, with common practices being a deposit upfront and the remainder upon project completion.

The importance of clear communication regarding payment expectations to avoid awkward situations.

The mention of a music producer planner book in development, offering a template for interested individuals.

Transcripts

so Daman wants to know how collaborating

with others works with regards to

songwriting toplining and camps to try

to get into professional songwriting and

that is a great question so a buddy of

mine Brock he actually produced the

first band I ever played in Brock Barry

Hill you know you know Brock right yeah

I know him from a while ago and he is

now in Nashville writing like smash he

killing it killing it he's doing big

stuff in Country and I remember when we

were working together

like 8 10 12 years ago at this point he

was literally telling me hey I'm going

to start writing country songs and I

knew him as a rock producer so you knew

him before he did the country I knew him

before he wrote a single country S I

knew him when I did he did started to do

country okay right and he literally told

me I'm writing country songs every week

I am working together with other people

that I know write songs and I'm putting

together the biggest SoundCloud playlist

that's private or public I think he

might have made it public honestly at

one point he was sending it to people

but he was writing I kid you not like

Banger after Banger just all the time

and he sent me the SoundCloud Link at

one point and it had like 50 coites in

it and the thing is no one asked him to

do this no one hired him to do it he was

not waiting for some

opportunity like he was just doing it in

his free time and making it happen he

had it down to a science when I met him

like when I met him it was literally to

a point of like he had all everything

set perfectly it was like a preset he's

like insert this guitar sound that drum

sound boom boom boom he could write a

song in like an hour like it was it was

really cool to watch by the way if you

don't know my name is Adam slagger I'm a

music producer I do a lot of production

for syn and all types of singers

songwriters and clients around me Josh

here is a producer and mixer yeah I do a

little bit of everything I work with a

platinum um producer and I do stuff on

my own and I also have a channel if you

like music production videos can

subscribe to both our channels and come

back to learn more about music

production to answer the question

writing songs becoming a songwriter like

you have to just be doing it without

waiting for a cue from anybody now I

think from what I've gathered and a lot

of people I work with who are

professional songwriters full-time I

mean I'm I'm producing I'm not trying to

be a full-time songwriter but it seems

like another way to get your foot in the

door there is to launch an artist like

if you want to write songs for other

people you need to prove that you have

good songs and that you can write songs

that people like and if you're trying to

get strangers to cut your songs all the

time yeah it's going to be tough but if

you work with an artist or develop an

artist or are an artist that's writing

your own songs it's like Martin Johnson

Boys Like Girls gets here okay and then

people hear his songs and he's like I

want interesting reference but then he's

like I want to write songs for Chris doy

who's here is that what he went from you

know what I mean so it's like as an

artist you're going to cut your own

songs totally or someone you're

developing and then you can go from

there and grow that thing as much as you

can that gives you a foot in the door

elsewhere and that's a long process I

think to touch on that too it's also

important to not keep it so private I

think a lot of people I meet tend to not

I don't know they it's like they hoard

all these song ideas or they they're

afraid to show people or they just

whatever it may be but it's it's truly

you kind of have to let go of it like

you really have to share it show it and

that's how you'll meet people that want

to use those songs and then it just

opens different doors and Pathways 100%

100% And also sessions with other people

without a purpose I think are big like

hey do you want to write well do you

know an artist that would cut the song

do you have a connect in sync whatever

people say no to the session before they

do it because they're like well if it's

not going to go somewhere I don't want

to waste my time doing it and it's like

okay well that's not the attitude of

somebody who loves writing songs and is

is trying to build a catalog yeah like

it I've talked to a lot of people who

are like I'm not going to do a session

if there's no artist that's going to cut

the song Show Me the Money and it's like

well what are you doing instead

and they're like oh I was going to

play on my phone you know what I mean

it's like what are you doing instead so

do the session that's my opinion so

poppy labuche asks great name I know one

of my biggest issues with music

production is I create a decent loop I

get excited and listen to it for hours

and never create an arrangement for the

song and it collects dust on the hard

drive and then I repeat this process

essentially I spent thousands of dollars

to make a four bar Loop that the world

may never see I want to fix that issue

well poppy labuche we're here to help

you with that I actually recently just

spent a few hundred doar on plugins for

probably no reason I probably don't need

any more plugins to make songs but it

actually inspired me to start another

loop that the world may never hear but I

think ultimately that's part of you know

the journey that is getting past that

when I was a teenager I literally spent

2 years I was virtual schooled and I

just spent 2 years every day I would

just go downstairs open up My Little Mac

computer and I would just write

basically a part of a song every day

like it sometimes was just a verse

sometimes it was a random chorus a cool

viby thing and and occasionally I would

turn out a song and I would wonder well

how did I do that how did I actually

achieve the full song and it's kind of a

few things you know it's a little bit of

just letting yourself explore it but

also you know sometimes it's letting

yourself realize that not every idea

will get turned into a song I mean you

know you can force yourself to sit there

and push it out but it doesn't

necessarily have to be like that I mean

it's really just kind of riding and

riding until it starts to come together

it's kind of like riding a bike you got

to keep pedaling and you might wobble

and fall and do all this stuff but

eventually you get to the point where

you're just biking you know you're just

cycling and writing a song becomes a lot

easier to you because you already

understand what a structure is I mean

that's something I had to learn like

what is a song structure what is a verse

what is a chorus what do people tend to

do with all of that and honestly the

anwers usually pretty similar for like

pop music I mean it's you know Verse

Chorus Verse Chorus Bridge chorus done

you know you could just take that

structure and write a bunch of songs

Just based off of that alone but you

know it's all just part of experimenting

you know some songs aren't like that

some songs are really weird that's where

you start to listen to different music

and get inspiration and start to kind of

develop your style of songwriting cuz it

doesn't have to be this you know machine

process this Factory you know cookie

cutter thing that we all think it is

it's you know it's artist you know

you're still an artist you know you're

painting a picture you're doing you know

whatever it is to just create you know

something more than a loop and you know

some people Loops are actually songs

that's what I find funny I mean there's

a style of music that is just I think

Loop based you know I I think it's a

journey that you'll figure out but you

just have to keep doing it you just have

to keep trying new

things try not to buy so many plugins

cuz I have done that already and I'll

tell you what I've just I literally you

know I did last night was I realized I

bought the same plugin twice oh no Josh

I bought a uad version of the plugin

apparently a while ago and I've just now

realized that I already bought it from

plugin the lines so happens to the best

of us it happens it happens as far as um

I agree with everything you said like

it's okay to make loops that's how you

learn stuff and not everyone's making

full arrangements if you really are just

like I have to start making full

arrangements what I do and for sync

music you have you cannot do loops for

syn because every eight bars has to be

different so like because

it's if they're editing your song into a

show and they need a loop they'll take

the eight bars they want and they'll

Loop it Loop it okay so if I turned in a

song that was just not really an

arrangement they would reject it cuz

they need like an impact section they

need a verse they need a bridge they

need an outro all of everything's

different cuz they'll Loop it themselves

so what I do is I just go and I lay out

my little Loop and I get it to the point

where you can listen to it it and you're

like that's a loop and then I don't

listen to it again and I do all the rest

of the drums so I do a chorus drum beat

a verse two drum beat a bridge whatever

it is and then I go all right if the

court progression for the verse was like

a major chord progression yeah what is

the relative minor I'm starting the

chorus on that so like let's say you're

doing d a b minor G well now I'm like

okay well I know B minor is a good

minor chord so I'm going to write a

chorus that starts with that and I'll

come up with a second chord progression

as quickly as I can and it might not be

that same formula it might be different

chords but get a second chord

progression into your song as quickly as

you can yeah because if you get so used

to One Core progression over and over

again you're never going to have ideas

for anything else because you're just

going to hear that core progression

forever so come up with two or three

core progressions that work for your

song immediately because now you know

okay that's the chorus chords that's the

bridge chords before I make this Loop

sound good I already have the full drum

Arrangement and I have the core

progressions for the rest of the song

and then whatever you add onto that Loop

will usually apply to the rest of the

song too so like the tambourine you put

in the verse will still work in the

chorus so you can really like make the

shell before you make the first part

pretty it sounds like yeah you have to

almost create a simple version first cuz

then you end up with 50 layers if you

just keep looping one part like you kind

of have to attempt to just get the

basics and then you can go crazy cuz

once you have the full structure it's

fun cuz then you literally can Loop the

whole song and just embellish it you

know instead of just one part over and

over again 100% so maybe that helps you

hopefully uh $110,000 pyramid wants to

know how you go about charging clients

all up front half now half later or all

after it's

done there's a couple ways you can

answer that yeah so there's a usually to

me the usual is a deposit of usually

half up front I think that's a universal

acceptable thing and then some people do

it differently some people do half up

front to book it and then some people

want the rest when you show up is kind

of like a proof of like you're serious

cuz some people I'll be honest some

people will screw you some people have

been screwed heard some crazy stories I

could tell some crazy stories you could

I'm not going to yeah it's weird to talk

about cuz you don't want to you know

everyone's got a weird situation but I

think in general half upfront is always

safe cuz you need some sort of

commitment you need something that says

hey I'm serious I'm going to pay you I

mean I think a lot of services like a

tattoo they want something to say hey I

know you're actually going to show up

right cuz I'm I'm taking a block out of

my day like I could book someone else

that will pay I can go to the beach I

can go to the beach you know but you

need something and then I mean it

depends for me I kind of get charge at

the end you know once the project yeah

delivered once you're happy with it I

get the rest of my money and you get

your final files and then we're we're

all happy you know but I mean what do

you do is that well so that's typically

what I do I also try to be aware that

like everyone's situation is different

and if being flexible gets the ball

rolling sooner sometimes I will say Okay

half up front

sure maybe it's a quarter upfront

whatever it is sometimes if it's like

it's a casual thing it's going to take

two days it's just like just bring the

money yeah on day one that's true but I

try to do not payment plans necessarily

but like let's say I'm doing a five song

project and I track it all on whatever

days it is then it's like okay as I go

through each one and finalize them just

pay me for those as we go yeah so it's

like okay if it's going to be $5,000

let's split it up into 2500 and then you

know pay me 500 bucks every time I do

this that or the other instead of having

them having to come up with all this

money all at once or if it's like hey

let's start and then next time you get

paid for something just pay me book more

sessions as we go but like I need

something to start the project I'm not

going to start the project for $0 it

sounds like you there's some flexibility

I think it depends on trust 100% trust

who you're working with do they trust

you because it's a big thing I mean some

people you have to make sure that they

can trust you it's a it's a equal

process but it sounds to me like there's

a flexible way to go about it and then

there's a more kind of you know business

way but I do like your idea of the whole

song thing because I've had stuff like

that where maybe over the course of a

year I just consistently do songs with

someone I'm not going to charge them the

full price for them over you know for

one years's in advance basic basically

of like hey I know we're going to do

this all in a year but pay me now it's

like that's that's hard to really convey

but and if you get hit by a bus yeah I

they just spent 10 grand to I definitely

prefer to have it where it's like what

are we about to do and let's get that

settled and then you know as it goes on

but I think it's a lot easier than it

you know it doesn't have to be

complicated yeah now the tricky thing

for a lot of people is actually having

the conversation in the first place I

hate talking about Mone I know everyone

does but I'll say this projects go a lot

easier when everyone knows what's expect

of them financially and it's awkward to

be sitting in a session and being like

at the end of this session are they

going to ask me if they should give me

some money or am I going to ask them so

I just tell people hey bring this much

the iPad with the tip things oh my gosh

ask a couple questions but I've been in

sessions when I first started out where

no one tells you any of this stuff so

I'm literally like come book studio time

and then I tell them the price and then

at the end we're like so that was fun

huh yeah anyway hey did you bring any of

that money and then they're like oh yeah

I wasn't sure if you were going to ask

here's the money and it's like just tell

people hey here's my policy bring this

much I take this that and the other on

your I'll invoice you if you want

whatever it is be up front you know and

I think it's part of what we do is being

a business it's like you know that's

what businesses do you know they they're

clear they're concise they tell you what

you're going to get you know you if I'm

going to pay for a cheeseburger I want

to know I'm getting a cheeseburger and

what it cost before I pay for that

cheeseburger so that I know I like I

want that you know give me I want a

cheeseburger right now it's besides the

point so yeah just be clear I don't know

charge people charge people get money up

front though get something even if it's

50 bucks just it's 50 bucks to hold the

slot Yeah just something oh and by the

way uh this video is not sponsored but

I'm working on this book this planner

for music producers

specifically and I've got the to-do list

section nailed down pretty good so if

you want to download the template and

make your own book before the real one

comes out you can do that at the link in

the description I'll email you the

template so go ahead and get that and

then I'll see you next week for next

week's video