A Living, Breathing Case Study of a DIY Artist: Part Three – 3 MORE Things Music Supervisors Are Looking For In You And Your Music

Welcome to Part 13 of an ongoing, immediate experiment. For the last 12 weeks, and over the next 4, we’ll learn together as I (Secrets in Stereo) write, record, promote, and release my new album.

To catch up, here are links to the past 12 weeks worth of blogs…

Part 1 – Meet The Artist

Part 2 – 3 Things That Have Let Me Quit My Day Job

Part 3 – 5 Things Music Supervisors Are Looking For in You and Your Music

Part 4 – 5 Truths About Licensing Companies

Part 5 – 5 Rules to Follow When Getting Your Music to Music Supervisors

Part 6 – The First 3 Questions of Artist Positioning

Part 7 – A Real Life, Current Example of Artist Positioning at its Finest

Part 8 – Applying Objectives, Strategies, and Tactics to an Album Release

Part 9 – 3 Key Tactics For The Release of The New Secrets In Stereo Album

Part 10 – 5 Blogs Every Indie Artist Should Read Every Day

Part 11 – 5 Keys to a Successful Fan Funding Campaign

Part 12 – 3 Examples of Fan Funding Done Right

I’ve been in LA for the past two weeks, meeting with a bunch of Music Supervisors.  I’ve been lucky enough to talk shop with some great music minds, including the vice president of one of the biggest film studios in the world, as well as the Supervisor for some of the biggest TV shows in the last 5 years.  I’m going to keep them anonymous, but trust me, they’re awesome.

Just when you think you have it figured out, you sit down with people like this, and they give you great insight.  I thought it was too great not to pass along to you.  So, this week, we’re going to expand on Part 3, and look at 3 more things Supervisors are looking for in you and your music.

1. Don’t Tell the Story.  Speak Around it.

This one is kinda tough to wrap your head around, but it’s sooooo important.  The story can only be told once.  Either by the dialogue, the visual, or the audible.  If a song is describing exactly what’s being seen visually, then the story is being told twice.  That doesn’t work.  The Supervisor that told me this did an interview in Time, and summed this concept up perfectly…

If a song tells too much of the story, it takes you out of the film. Because then you’re like, I’m already watching the story unfold, I don’t need lyrics to tell me the exact same thing.

2. Stay Away From “He” and “She”

The same Supervisor said that whenever she hears a song with those words in it, she screams a curse word that I can’t repeat here.  ”He” and “She” pigeon hole a song.  If the singer is a girl, and she is talking about a “he” lyrically, then the scene has to be a female actress focusing on a guy.  On the flip side, take the “he” out, and it could be a guy focusing on a girl, a girl focusing on a girl, the list can get as creative as you want it to.  :)

3. Song Titles Matter

In the same vein as #2, the more specific the title, the less likely it will get listened to.  Simple as that.  Keep it accessible and interpretable.  For example, I have song titles like “Tonight,” “Happy,” and “Beautiful.”

Until next week!

Josh

www.SecretsinStereo.com

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