YOU WANT TO KNOW THE KIND OF SONGS THAT SELL? READ ON!

The highest stage of songwriting is the Commercial Level. I wrote about this and the other stages here. But let me reiterate about the Commercial level some more because this is where the money comes in. In this stage, the composer is at his highest creative self that he can mix his emotions and creative genius to concoct words and melodies that sell. “Whoa”, you might say, ang bigat men!

But what really are the types of songs that sell? Dyaraaann: songs that ARE EASY TO REMEMBER. This kind of song is so easy to recall that you only need to listen to it once and then you’ll catch yourself singing along with it, humming parts of it, or singing it repeatedly that you sometimes embarrass yourself when your crush or your boss catches you singing it. Sounds familiar?

There you have it. Songs that sell are songs that have “recall power”. These are the songs that become POPULAR. Some call it the LSS or Last Song Syndrome factor. Some producers refer to it as HOOK. For jingles it is known as the LOGO or the signature melodic line which contains the brand, product or company name. For complete songs, the recall power is oftentimes in the CHORUS. Nevertheless, some songs have LSS in their intro or stanza.

WHY DO THESE SONGS SELL? First, songs with LSS factor attract album producers, those who pay the composers, because they know these songs would be easy to sell to consumers, in turn (in CD’s or in Digital format). Ask yourself this question: will you buy songs that only the singer can sing or understand? NO! You buy albums because you like the songs, since you can sing along with them, or you can easily remember them either through relevance, emotional attachment, or plain appreciation.

Second, since songs that have LSS factor become popular, companies would be attracted to use them in their promotional campaigns through licensing or buyout (subjects that I’ll cover in my future blogs). They would PAY MONEY, in thousands (or millions, sometimes) just to ASSOCIATE THEIR NAME/BRAND/PRODUCTS with ANYTHING, in fact, that is RECOGNIZABLE, LEAVES AN IMPRESSION or voila: EASY TO REMEMBER. Ever wonder why these companies get popular celebrities as endorsers?

SAME BANANA: by attaching their brands to popular songs, companies believe that they will be on people’s top of mind whenever they buy products or use services. They believe that this ATTACHMENT will create a CALL TO ACTION for the consumers to buy what they offer instead of those of the competition.

NOW, HOW DO YOU WRITE SONGS THAT SELL? This will be the topic of my next blog, so watch out for it! 

In the meantime, check out these songs that became popular that not only were they sold in CD's but they were also used as jingles/commercial background music (NOTE: they are not mine, they are properties of the companies, composers, and publishers concerned):

"Penge Naman Ako Nyan" by Itchyworms, used by RC Cola

"Inuman Na" by Parokya Ni Edgar, used by Mang Tomas Sauce

"Ikaw" by Sarah Geronimo, used by AMA

"Betamax" by Sandwich, used by Cafe Puro

I'm sure you know other songs that were turned into jingles or theme songs, but anyway, I think you get my point.

  

May you be successful in your musical venture,

Robster Evangelista

P.S.

Get my Ebook THE SECRETS OF RADIO HIT SONGS AND 10 TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN USE THEM WHEN WRITING YOUR OWN SONGS for FREE!!! Just sign up on the upper left corner of this blog or below and you will receive an email with instructions on how you can download my FREE EBOOK.

THE 4 STAGES OF SONGWRITING

Most songwriters don’t realize that they go through different stages. It is only when I saw the TV interview with Rey Valera, an icon of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) of the late 70s and the 80s, a few years back, that I was made aware of the various phases a composer undergoes. I consider Rey Valera as one of my most favorite songwriters because his songs are heartfelt yet very simple, melody-wise and lyrics-wise. Have you noticed that his songs are still being revived or used as theme songs for Pinoy Telenovelas?

Rey Valera’s interview was very informative that I decided to share the insights I got from it and inject some of my own.

Before having the guts to write my own song, I learned to play the guitar first, at the age of 16. I learned on my own, from those music magazines that feature free guitar chords. With the help of friends, I was able to hone my skills and develop my own technique. But hey, I wasn’t contented to playing the music of others. There was this itch to “create” my own. Do you have this same feeling?

I told myself that if chord patterns in the music magazines were just man-made, and since I’m also human, what should stop me from making my own song? It was just as simple as understanding the patterns and the flow of melodies, right?

And so I wrote my first song, something about the Philippines (I was feeling patriotic back then) and I wrote it just for the sake of making it. And boy, the feeling was like having your own child (well, somewhere close to it): AMAZING!

So there you go with the first stage: REALIZATION. You feel the urge to make your original song, and actually doing it just for your PERSONAL FULFILLMENT. Oftentimes, the song one makes during this stage is about himself or his experience. It doesn’t matter if no one hears your song. The point is you made one, and you’re happy with it. ALL SONGWRITERS GO THROUGH THIS STAGE.

Unfortunately, some songwriters don’t graduate from the first stage. It could be that they are too busy (or too lazy?) to develop their talent, or maybe too shy to let others hear their works, or wala lang, they are just contented to write about and for themselves.

BUT, the moment a composer musters the courage to perform their song or just let other people hear it, he enters the second stage: COMING-OUT.

In this juncture, the songwriter craves for attention from an audience. He needs approval that his songs are actually good. He is open to criticism and is willing to learn. Songwriters at this phase normally makes songs for others, that is, the experience or subject matter is still drawn from his own experience but presented in a way that may affect other people too.

He becomes sensitive about the reaction of the listeners and purposely writes his songs to draw emotional response from them. Here is an example of a song I wrote during this stage, it’s called SHOULD HAVE BEEN, arranged by Benjie Pating Jr., and performed by yours truly. (To listen, click here).

The third level is when the composer learns and applies the technicalities of songwriting to his craft. He studies the different genre, structure, and format, etc. (stuff that I’ll be talking about sometime in another blog).

This is the AWARENESS phase, wherein the composer improves on his technical knowledge and sometimes tests the quality of his songs by joining songwriting contests. Or having the guts to record his songs and submit them to record company.

He is aware that he is actually a gifted songwriter and begins to experiment on the topics of his works and may even write about other people’s experience. A very good example is when a composer takes on a different persona.

Here’s a song I wrote for a 17-year old female singer (Lyn Reyes) entitled HOW WILL I KNOW (arranged by Benjie Pating, Jr.). The song is obviously not about me or my experience, but about the female persona. (To listen, click here).

The fourth and the highest stage of songwriting, according to Rey Valera, is the COMMERCIAL level. At this point, the composer is somewhat “detached” from his personal experience. He can write about anything.

 In fact, he can be commissioned to compose a song about a certain topic for a certain singer or artist. THIS IS WHERE THE MONEY COMES IN!

Like a product, it’s up to him if he wants the song to be bought or used for a certain period of time (licensing). This will be another subject in my next blogs.

Anyway, this is the stage whereby the composer is introduced or immersed to the business of music. The songwriter at this level is also capable of writing JINGLES, simple melodies with lyrics promoting a brand, product, individual or company.

Many young songwriters aspire to reach this stage. But to get this far, the composer needs more than sheer talent. He needs THE break. He should PERSEVERE to get the break. Remember what I said about BUILDING YOUR NETWORK? If you haven’t read it yet, please see my blog on the subject matter, click here.

I am very fortunate to have met the right people that gave me the opportunity to write commercial songs and get compensation in return. Here are just some of them, my commercial jingles:

AMATS, recorded by Parokya Ni Edgar:

BLIND ITEM, recorded by Wonder Gays:

MR. PAPABOL, recorded by Vhong Navarro:

My latest, KUNG PWEDE LANG, recorded by Eurika:

So which stage are you in now?

May you be successful in your musical venture,

Robster Evangelista

P.S.

Get my Ebook THE SECRETS OF RADIO HIT SONGS AND 10 TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN USE THEM WHEN WRITING YOUR OWN SONGS for FREE!!! Just sign up on the upper left corner of this blog or below and you will receive an email with instructions on how you can download my FREE EBOOK.

YOU CAN EARN MONEY FROM YOUR SONGWRITING TALENT! HOW? READ ON!

Let’s face it. There are only a few who would become a Vehnee Saturno, Ryan Cayabyab, or a Gary Granada, Rico Blanco, or even a Lito Camo—composers who will be paid hundreds of thousands of pesos (or even millions) for their songs.

But does that mean that you, an aspiring, average, songwriter cannot earn money from your God-given talent? NO. Because nobody has monopoly of talent and more important, dyaraaannnn: CLIENTS.

Just like any product, your song has its audience or market. All you need to do is to find them. And in finding your audience/client, you will need a lot of patience and persistence.

Someone told me (my brother, actually) that in whatever he does, whether it be basketball, playing the guitar, singing, or even playing—all of which he does very well—he always meets someone better than him. That’s why he is so frustrated to pursue any of his talents as career. But I told him this: SO WHAT?

Let me tell you a little about myself. I’m not Lito Camo. But I have clients calling me up to make jingles for them. I’m not Vehnee Saturno or Ryan Cayabyab, but I get inquiries and requests from producers and artists to write songs for their albums. Why? Three things: 1. I have developed over the years the skills needed to write songs that are easy to recall. 2. I have developed a network of people who know about my songwriting abilities, and 3. I always put additional VALUE to my work. Allow me to elaborate them one by one.

I started writing songs at the age of 16, upon learning how to play the guitar. Almost everyday, I would write melodic lines and lyrics that by the age of 21, I have written over 200 songs. Never mind if none of them aired over the radio or became hits. Never mind if I’m the only one who appreciated all of them. I DID NOT CARE.

I just wrote and wrote songs. One day, I just found myself singing my songs in front of people at my university and getting flattering response from the audience.

Now, I’m 33 and I haven’t stopped writing songs. 17 years. Now I’m reaping the benefits of building my songwriting skills and my confidence over the years. Back then I was wondering why we pay doctors thousands of pesos for a few minutes of consultation just to tell you that you have a fever so you need to take up paracetamol. Now I know. They have developed their knowledge and skills to determine your sickness. They continue harnessing their expertise by continuously attending seminars and conferences and practicing their profession, such that every minute of their day is VALUABLE, hence we pay them hundreds or thousands of pesos.

DEVELOP YOUR SONGWRITING SKILL SOME MORE. Write as many songs as you can. Listen to hit songs and popular jingles. No matter what genre, and it doesn’t matter if the artist is male or female. Just listen and immerse yourself to the melodies and lyrics that became famous and you’ll find yourself becoming familiar to melodies and lyrics THAT PEOPLE LOVE. Then write your own. Record them. Compile them.

Next, BUILD YOUR NETWORK. Meet new people related to your passion. Let other people know about your MUSICAL GENIUS, your gift from above. Spread the word that you can weave wonderful melodies and catchy lines out of thin air. There are two things that will happen if you do this. One, you will get feedback about your work (positive or negative). Two, one of them (your audience) can be someone who knows someone who is a relative of someone who needs a song for his/her album or a jingle for their company or product.

Make song and jingle demos and then submit them to producers or marketing department of several companies even without initial payment. Give them your contact number.

Be humble if you get turned down. Remember this: it’s not no, it’s just NOT NOW. Believe me, you’ll be remembered. And when time comes that they need a song or a jingle, they might consider your services. JUST CONTINUE BUILDING YOUR NETWORK.

While building your network, FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN GET DEALS FOR YOU. He or she will come, just continue being passionate about what you do: songwriting. Initially, you will need to learn to negotiate for yourself. This will be uncomfortable because it’s always a shame to us Filipinos to put a price on our works.

Never mind, JUST DO IT. Research on current rates. Sooner or later you’ll find someone, an agent or a manager, who can negotiate on your behalf.

So there, feel free to post your comments below and watch out for more information about songwriting in the Philippines. You may ask me questions, and who knows, the answers could be YOUR OWN KEY TO MAKING MONEY OUT OF YOUR TALENT. Also, don’t forget to put your name and email on the upper left part of this blog to get more updates on monetizing on your songwriting talent.

May you be successful in your musical venture!

P.S. 
Get my Ebook THE SECRETS OF RADIO HIT SONGS AND 10 TIPS ON HOW YOU CAN USE THEM WHEN WRITING YOUR OWN SONGS for FREE!!! Just sign up on the upper left corner of this blog or below and you will receive an email with instructions on how you can download my FREE EBOOK.