Cut/able: Lessons In Market-Smart Songwriting
"Cut/Able: Lessons In Market-Smart Songwriting" is five powerful lessons for songwriters who want cuts & hits, who want to learn how to write commercially marketable songs, & who want their songs to connect powerfully with both fans and music industry professionals.
Are you frustrated that your audience isn’t responding to your songs the way you want them to? Do publishers or song evaluators keep saying your songs aren’t commercial or that they don’t “fit the market” or they don’t “fit on radio?”
Have you ever asked yourself, “What IS the market? What is marketable, and how do I write more marketable songs?”
That’s a frustrating place to be. I know- I’ve been there. I know how it feels to wonder if there is some secret code written into the songs on the radio- a code nobody has shared with you. I also realized that it was going to take a lot longer to crack that code without some guidance, without some help from someone inside the music biz.
Thankfully, I was able to make contacts in the music business, and with a lot of hard work and trial and error, I’ve been able to write songs that have been recorded by Alan Jackson (the top 5 hit “Monday Morning Church”), Lady Antebellum, Randy Travis, Joe Nichols, Lonestar, comedy legend Ray Stevens, guitar legend Steve Cropper, Andy Griggs, Canadian country star Gord Bamford (the #1 single and CCMA Single Of The Year “When Your Lips Are So Close”), Ruthie Collins and more. And now I want to share some of what I’ve learned in my 10+ years in the music business.
“Cut/able: Lessons In Market-Smart Songwriting” exists to help you write songs that fit the commercial market- songs that are “market-smart.” Each of these five powerful lessons challenge you to take an in-depth look at current and recent hits and compare them to YOUR best songs.
WHO IS “CUT/ABLE” FOR?
Songwriters who want cuts and hits.
Songwriters who want to better understand market-smart songwriting.
Singer-songwriters who want their songs to connect more deeply and successfully with their fans and radio.
“Cut/able” isn’t just about “___, ___ and ___ is popular right now, so write that.” No, it’s much more than that. It’s about helping you discover how to study the charts and radio so you can identify what kind of songs are market-smart at any time.
"Cut/able" isn't just a book, either. It's a WORKBOOK. It combines sections where I provide insight and information, but a big part of it is exercises for you to do on your own. In my experience, information is much more valuable when you apply it and learn in a hands-on way.
This workbook allows you to really dig in and add the characteristics of market-smart songs to YOUR songs.
CUT/ABLE WILL ENABLE YOU TO:
Connect on a deeper level with the artist and listener through effective use of imagery. (Lesson #1: W.I.L.L.power: Proving Personality & Emotions Through Your Lyrics)
Give the artists what they need, give radio what it wants, and give the fans what they like by learning the importance of writing positive, uptempo, love/depth songs. (Lesson #2: PUL/D To Success: The Value of Positive, Uptempo, Love/Depth Songs)
Develop skills to identify an artist’s “brand” so you can write songs that fit that brand and speak to the artist’s core audience. (Lesson #3: Neighborhoods: Where Will You Build A Home For Your Song?)
Pinpoint areas of opportunity within an artist’s catalog- slots you can fill with your songs, songs that fit the artist’s brand without being just like what they’ve already done. (Lesson #4: Fill The G.A.P.S.: Growth, Achievement, Preaching/Positioning, Songwriting)
Frame your song in a way that makes it most compelling to the listener, most attractive to the artist, and communicate most clearly. (Lesson #5: M.V.POV: Most Valuable Point Of View)
Invest in your songwriting today. The sooner you do, the sooner you’ll increase the commercial marketability of your songs. You and your listeners will BOTH be glad you did!
CUT/ABLE IS AN INVESTMENT:
A typical demo in Nashville may cost you anywhere from $400 to $900 per song. I've made the mistake of spending big money in songs that just weren't very commercial. Those songs haven't made me a dime. A $35 investment to help ensure you don't blow $900? That's a great big bargain.
But let's say you're already writing really good songs and you land a cut on a major artist. Congratulations! You know the difference between an album cut and a hit single? It could be $500,000 or more. When you're in the super-competitive world of pro songwriting, you have to give your song every edge you can. The principles in Cut/able can give you that edge.
I GUARANTEE:
If you aren't completely satisfied with your purchase, I'll give you a full refund. No hassle, no risk. Just email me at brent@songwritingpro.com (from the email address you purchased with), let me know you'd like a refund, and I'll PayPal your refund to that email address. Simple.
PRAISE FOR CUT/ABLE:
Wow! What a great, practical book about songwriting for the real world. Read it and, most importantly, work your way through the exercises and you will learn invaluable lessons about your own writing and what you need to do to take it to the next level. Highly recommended.
-- Kate Schutt, singer-songwriter, Grand Prize Winner in the Jazz Category of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition (2007) and ASCAP Plus Awards for Jazz (2006 through 2009)
Loved “Cut/able” Brent. This is essential material for the aspiring commercial songwriters. Fantastic work.
-- Doug Folkins, Songwriter, Courtenay, British Columbia
“Cut/able is filled with real insights into the songs being cut today by someone who is actively getting those cuts himself. It goes beyond broad advice into very specific, actionable detail on how to write songs that are far more likely to get cut in today's market and how to find the artists most likely to cut them.
Brent reveals some really common mistakes songwriters make that kill your chances of getting a cut and processes you can use that multiply your chances that your songs will find a home.
Cut/able is a must-read for songwriters who are serious about getting cut.”
-- Andrew Cavanagh
PRAISE FOR BRENT'S COACHING AND WORKSHOPS
Brent’s Skype clinic was great. He was so well organized that the information was very easy to follow, and he was very friendly and the environment was very interactive. His suggestions and ideas about songwriting were so motivational that I stayed up until 2am writing that night! He even sent all of us extra handouts and went past the scheduled time to make sure everyone had their questions answered. I appreciate his willingness to share his love of the craft with other writers. - Briana Murphy, Nashville
Your presentation was interesting and flowed well. Your handouts and examples were good and helped. What you covered in that short amount of time was very informative. The development section has opened a new world to me. Would I do this again? Yes. -- Mark Westendorf, songwriter
Brent Baxter’s songwriting workshop gave me the ol’ inspirational shot in the arm that I was hoping for. I can’t wait to try out some of his recommended methods for digging up and developing ideas. He’s on top of the latest digital aids and is the most organized songwriter I know. This man knows his stuff and shares it with those who want to take their skills to the next level. -- Janet Goodman, Miami
"Brent's training in this workshop was phenomenal. Very detailed and filled with real world, proven methods he uses every day to come up with ear grabbing song ideas and titles. His detailed step-by-step explanations of what you need to do before you write a song and why it's vitally important not to short cut the process are pure gold from a genuine hit songwriter at the top of his game." -- Andrew Cavanagh, Australia
"Brent is a great teacher and packs a lot of really useful information into a one-hour session. He gives you a lot of tools that you can use right away in your next co-write. If you are a serious songwriter, I highly recommend one of Brent's classes." --James Hoppe, songwriter