This is the schedule that we are about to go to print with. There may be a change or two because we are adding classes now and hearing back from instructors to make sure this works for them. The final schedule will be printed tomorrow afternoon. This is to give you an idea how the weekend will go. Here are some basic things you should know:
1) The class times are almost always 90 minutes sessions.
2) There will be 3 to 5 classes running each session.
3) In the pitch to publisher class you may bring CD or you may play your song live....as you wish. There will be a CD player in the pitch room available to you.
4) Each of the publishers have their own way of how the pitch session will go. They will explain that to you at the beginning of their session. There are lots of pitch to publisher sessions scheduled so you can see each of the publishers and see the ones you favor more than once to pitch different songs or pick up tips to help you in dealing with selling your music.
A. If you are going to pitch with a CD... have one song per CD. Put your name and contact info on the outside of the CD with a marker or something that will last and is readable. Put the name of the song on the CD.
and bring a lyric sheet for each song.
B. If you are going to play your guitar in a pitch session have it tuned before you go to class. Bring lyric sheets with you for each song.
C. Don't tell the story behind the song or when you wrote it...they are all new until someone hears them and it will take up too much time and you want to pitch as much as possible. People want to know both of those things but not at that moment....unless the instructors asks. You won't get to explain it to whoever he pitchs to. The song has to stand on it's own without the story.
D. Some of the publishers and/or song pluggers only listen to the first 30 seconds of the song. Don't take that in a bad way. They can tell by that time if they are interested or not. Just because they stop it doesn't mean
they don't like it. They may like it and want the time to hear what else you got. Some of them will want to hear the whole thing...again it depends on the publisher. This is just a heads up. I remember wondering
"what the heck" the first time it happened to me. It ended up good so it's not so hard now but not the easiest thing for me either. But they are doing this for a living. They are looking to find someone or some songs
that they can sell. They listen to a lot of songs and have their own way that works for them. I know each of them and have worked with all of them. You just have to trust them. They want it to work as bad as we do.
5) Most of publishers will accept your music if you are in their class. They may only ask for the songs you pitched in class so have that separate from your CD with all your songs on them. Sometimes they will like your songs and ask for a CD.
6) Please don't try to give your music to the artists that are at the conference unless they ask you for it. They probably will ask but it is better to wait. You are also welcome to ask if you can share your music with them, but don't take for granted that you can. They would end up with over a hundred CD's just from this conference alone. They are all very friendly and accessible to us and we would love for them to stay that way. Atleast wait til Sunday and then pass it to them. : )
7)We all have lunch together on Sat.
OK here is the schedule of the moment. I will fill in the missing classes as I hear back from instructors. Changes will be minor.
Thursday night... 7PM kick off party at the Wyndham. This is a time to register and pick up your registration bags with your program in it. There will be light foods and drinks. Come out and meet the staff, panelists, publishers, instructors, and special guests. There will be a very special concert with Monte Warden and Roger Brown. Picking circles are open about 11PM for those that wish. Remember that the publishers and song pluggers and other song buyers or bookers of some kind will be in and out of picking rooms through the weekend.
Friday 9 - 10 registration
10 - 11:45 Publisher Daniel Lee / Ten Ten Music
Bobby Rymer / WritersDen
Roger Brown - Songwriting
something else
