Question??

[Disturbed16]

Ok my friends and I are together, and getting everything figured out. We are working on getting the rhythm down. We know that getting gigs is a ways away for us, so we thought up this idea. There are lots of songwriters out there that are willing to pay bands to put music to their lyrics. Now does anyone have any input on that idea. I along with my band mates think doing music for songwriter's lyrics would be a good way to make money and get our name out there to begin with. Now what do you guys think?

Cory,

[jbh]

Uh. I'm a songwriter, and as far as I'm concerned, bands can pay me to play my music anytime they want. I think what you mean is that there are songwriters willing to pay musicians to record their songs for songwriter demos. If someone seriously wants to pay you for putting music to their lyrics he or she is not a songwriter, but a lyric writer, and a rich, misinformed one at that. In any case, go right ahead and charge him or her for your services. I seriously doubt you will find anyone like that, though. Lyric writers can colaborate with songwriters for free - there's an endless supply of them, and this sort of thing happens all the time. Not a business-to-business service, though. Don't get your hopes up just yet.

[Chirpy_72]

To answer your question ... YES


These people are called " Studio Musicians "

The Studio Musician is paid by someone to perform their song on record.


The members of a band I know in Central Pa have started a recording studio. They offer their services as a backing band to individuals who want to record,but don't have a band to record with.

You really need to be super skilled and super versitile. Make sure you can read music on the spot ....


It's a pretty hard gig to get though...

[Disturbed16]

Yea I mean writers pay us, and I have found over 20 writers looking for that sortof thing. Almost everyone in my band can read sheet music, but then again some of the members can just look at lyrics, and tell you what kind of beat and stuff should be used.

Cory,

[StratKat]

In my limited experience a songwriter doesnt hire studio players to write music to their material. They hire a composer to do that.
And most writers dont waiste time in a studio with hired guns to create the original music to their naked lyrics.

In my time in this biz i havent heard of being paid by a writer to create music for lyrics perse at all except in the amatuer world. I have heard of writers collaborating with musicians or bands as a joint effort to creat an entire complete tune/work. And ive heard of amatuer writers paying a band to flesh out their stuff now and then. But not on a pro level. Not on a regular paying level. And the pay was minimal since it was mostly fledgling writers with no large deep pockets. Maybe 50 bucks a tune for two or three tunes a pop. So with no cash incentive this isnt a lucrative vocation possibility.

The most common thing i have seen and been apart of off and on is the collaboration between a writer and a band with an agreement that the song is copyrighted as the writers work and the band can perform and record it for free until it is on a major label with a recording contract. Thats a good way to get decent original material btw...

[Ministry of FOG]

As a studio engineer, if you aren't an experienced recording musician, I would NOT recommend you to be a studio musician. The studio is an unforgiving environment and most musicians I know either charge by the hour, or the day. If you are inexperienced in the studio, you will take longer to record your parts, making the person hiring you pay more.

I also work with songwriters in getting their material recorded for copyright, or publishing and I hire musicians that I know can get the material down accurately and quickly, saving the songwriter money in the long run. You figure paying for the studio time, plus the time for the musicians adds up pretty quick and if you hire someone that isn't compitent, you waste money.