Online Music Marketing and Artist Promotion

Songwritingis an ancient art form that has traveled through history for the sake of entertainment as well as storytelling. There are a number of musicians and musical groups who’s songwriting stands out against the noise of today’s music industry. There are at least as many who could obviously use a leg up in that department. There is a lot more to breaking an artist than songwriting but without it there is not much to work with. Songwriting is so important that record labels have always employed songwriters to help secure the success of an artist on their way up. Some certainly have an undeniable knack for songwriting while others don’t seem to have the slightest clue how to string their musical ideas together. Still others have learned too much about songwriting to write a good song. I personally have struggled with the latter in my own songwriting endeavors. Recently I was shown a way out of the know-to-much predicament.

I have spent a good deal of time studying the way of the Tao in my life. I find more peace this way than any other way of being that I know of. Here is a Taoist lesson on songwriting from my four-year old as delivered by him the other night at dinner.

The other night as my family and I were getting ready to sit down for dinner. My four-year old son was singing a song to himself as he played on the floor of the dining room. The song was something about Cookie Monster eating… well, what else… cookies.  As I set the table I took a minute to take note of the melody and rhythms that my son had chosen for his song. As we all sat down at the table he was still singing his song that he had composed himself. When he finished the song, I asked him… “did you make up that song by yourself” my son turned to me and said “no… I didn’t know it before but now I do.”

This simple statement embodies perfectly the concept of creation through zen mind as I understand it. The song was not created by my son, but delivered through him. Maybe we all could experience a little more flow in our creativity if this were the way that we approached the process.

Tom Siegel

P.S. – If you are interested in some really comprehensive songwriting concepts to hone your songwriting skills. Get this book from Morgan Cryar. It will help you beyond expectation.