No More Excuses...Please Help A Wannabe Songwriter

[vurt]

well other than to help you believe in yourself maybe, but not just to get a track produced

[Distorted Horizon]

One likes knobs.. another the cable..

[Unaspected]

"Satisfaction" seems to be a word that is central to all of this.

I think someone's already done that one.

Fair enough. Definitely a recurring theme though.

I'm never going to make the whole world love me.

Well, whatever happens, you've got a song title out of it..

Same number of words as...

"It's The End Of The World As We Know It"

Wonder if that's a coincidence.

It might be. It might not be.

You certainly have the emotional understanding of this with which to write a song from multiple perspectives - or, indeed, twist the narrative and question how it is that you cannot be hated - that could lead to some dark writings.

Plenty of fuel for the fire there.


I wouldn't bias your desire or perceived ability to become a professional songwriter with the abstract concept of satisfying any set of questions. But you seem to repeat a pattern of behaviour in equating your inability to answer questions to Benedict's standards with your ability as a songwriter - transferring your anxieties from the music industry onto Benedict's system/course. No offense to Benedict's efforts - as I do think he has gone out of his way to try and help.

"Satisfaction" seems to be a word that is central to all of this.


Sorry you were hassled by time-share vultures though. Glad you're back in one piece!

Well, all I'm doing is stating facts. Perhaps I did not make myself clear.

Benedict asked me questions.
I answered the questions.
He was not happy with my answers and wanted me to try again.

I am assuming that he will not move forward with whatever help he intends to give me until I answer those questions to his satisfaction.

My reason for believing this to be the case?

He said he liked my song "At The End Of The Day" and would like to have it on a record. I take that to mean that he wants to produce it. If that were truly the case, we'd be moving forward with doing just that.

Instead, he wants me to answer a set of questions until he is satisfied with my answers.

How much clearer can I make the situation and how else am I supposed to interpret these events?

I mean if I'm a producer, and somebody plays me a song that I absolutely love and want to make a record of, I'm going to make the record and I'm not going to ask this person to answer a lot of questions. And even if I did have questions, I would accept whatever answers he gave me especially if he assured me that he answered those questions honestly and to the best of his ability.

So am I really being unreasonable here?

Not at all. There are plenty more fish.

As speculated above, I think Benedict was trying to help you to see yourself in a different light so that you can sell yourself to others more easily. I wouldn't think those were conditions for him to produce your work - that would seem a little odd to me.

[Karma_tba]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Is he a tutor...a mentor...or a therapist?

[Unaspected]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Is he a tutor...a mentor...or a therapist?

All those terms describe skills that are useful to a producer.

[wagtunes]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Look, if he wants to get to know me as a person (in case he wants to work with somebody he feels he can coexist with) I have no problem with that. But that there's right and wrong answers to personal questions, to me, is ridiculous.

Here is the one question, how I answered it, and then his response.

Question: Who Am I?

My Answer:

Who am I?

Okay, here goes. You may not like what you hear.

I'm a guy who is pissed off that life has to end because life is amazing. My experiences, my memories, my everything I've done in this life is like the most amazing novel ever written.

Yes, I believe in Jesus and the resurrection and everlasting life in heaven, but God put us here for a reason and it pisses me off to no end that I don't have more time to figure out what that reason is.

To that end, I am in a constant battle with time to do as much as I can in as little time as possible. It is like I am running a race. I am obsessed with making the most out of every minute of every day, which is why I can't sit around watching TV. My wife sits all day watching DVDs. I can't do that. To me, that's throwing my life away. I am always productive. Always.

I am passionate about everything I do, which is why I often go off the rails. I don't like nasty people and have little tolerance for them.

My life consists of

My wife
My daughter
My church
My music

In that order. Maybe that's part of the problem, that music isn't at the top of the list. It can't be. It will never be. That doesn't mean it isn't important to me. Every day of my life is filled with music.

Here is a thread I started a while ago.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=522861&p=7359820#p7359820

I have listened to all those songs since starting this thread and I don't plan on ever stopping.

Finally, yes, I want people to like me. Ironic considering how badly I act around here. But I so want to be liked. To that end, in the offline world, I bend over backwards for people, especially my wife, my daughter and my church. I am the associate pastor, treasurer and assistant music director of the church. I am also heading the outreach program to bring in more members.

My day is full. I am NEVER sitting around doing nothing. I only wish there were more hours in the day.

Anyway, that's who I am.

His Response:


Now on the other answer. Thanks but while you have told me some useful and good things (and some just like me - I never stop & bend over backward for people and get angry when they don't even try to reciprocate) this isn't answering that Q of what God put you here to do. Doh!

But there are clues: life is amazing, I don't have time to figure out what that reason is, constant battle, obsessed, always productive, maybe that's the problem, I bend over backward for people.

None of these are really who you are. They do show that you know you have a mission to give something to others. I believe that God lets us know what that is early on but we obscure it because we are silly duffers. We then have those other things happen as a result of fighting what we came for. Read this article and get the message around Gena: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2019/03/1 ... e-writing/

I'll stop there. And then, he tries to sell me a book to read.

Okay, I'm done jumping through hoops. I have no idea what he wants from me.

Anyway, that's what's going on.

[Karma_tba]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Is he a tutor...a mentor...or a therapist?

All those terms describe skills that are useful to a producer.

Did I imply otherwise

[Unaspected]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Is he a tutor...a mentor...or a therapist?

All those terms describe skills that are useful to a producer.

Did I imply otherwise

I guess that was open to interpretation but now we have clarity.

[Etienne1973]

And then, he tries to sell me a book to read.

Nobody rides for free.

[donkey tugger]

Read this article and get the message around Gena: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2019/03/1 ... e-writing/

I'll stop there. And then, he tries to sell me a book to read.

Blimey.

[Karma_tba]

nope.
i dont get the questions business either tbh.

Look, if he wants to get to know me as a person (in case he wants to work with somebody he feels he can coexist with) I have no problem with that. But that there's right and wrong answers to personal questions, to me, is ridiculous.

Here is the one question, how I answered it, and then his response.

Question: Who Am I?

My Answer:

Who am I?

Okay, here goes. You may not like what you hear.

I'm a guy who is pissed off that life has to end because life is amazing. My experiences, my memories, my everything I've done in this life is like the most amazing novel ever written.

Yes, I believe in Jesus and the resurrection and everlasting life in heaven, but God put us here for a reason and it pisses me off to no end that I don't have more time to figure out what that reason is.

To that end, I am in a constant battle with time to do as much as I can in as little time as possible. It is like I am running a race. I am obsessed with making the most out of every minute of every day, which is why I can't sit around watching TV. My wife sits all day watching DVDs. I can't do that. To me, that's throwing my life away. I am always productive. Always.

I am passionate about everything I do, which is why I often go off the rails. I don't like nasty people and have little tolerance for them.

My life consists of

My wife
My daughter
My church
My music

In that order. Maybe that's part of the problem, that music isn't at the top of the list. It can't be. It will never be. That doesn't mean it isn't important to me. Every day of my life is filled with music.

Here is a thread I started a while ago.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=522861&p=7359820#p7359820

I have listened to all those songs since starting this thread and I don't plan on ever stopping.

Finally, yes, I want people to like me. Ironic considering how badly I act around here. But I so want to be liked. To that end, in the offline world, I bend over backwards for people, especially my wife, my daughter and my church. I am the associate pastor, treasurer and assistant music director of the church. I am also heading the outreach program to bring in more members.

My day is full. I am NEVER sitting around doing nothing. I only wish there were more hours in the day.

Anyway, that's who I am.

His Response:


Now on the other answer. Thanks but while you have told me some useful and good things (and some just like me - I never stop & bend over backward for people and get angry when they don't even try to reciprocate) this isn't answering that Q of what God put you here to do. Doh!

But there are clues: life is amazing, I don't have time to figure out what that reason is, constant battle, obsessed, always productive, maybe that's the problem, I bend over backward for people.

None of these are really who you are. They do show that you know you have a mission to give something to others. I believe that God lets us know what that is early on but we obscure it because we are silly duffers. We then have those other things happen as a result of fighting what we came for. Read this article and get the message around Gena: https://benedictroffmarsh.com/2019/03/1 ... e-writing/

I'll stop there. And then, he tries to sell me a book to read.

Okay, I'm done jumping through hoops. I have no idea what he wants from me.

Anyway, that's what's going on.

I don't doubt your productivity, but if you are productive in a way that doesn't serve your goals it's useless. Personally I don't feel you need a "Benedict". I believe you have reached a level where promoting your music is more important and "productive". Many artists become known by way of "mix tapes" or CD's. The HipHop artist "Logic" broke into the main stream with mixtapes. In Boston we have a vibrant music community. On any given day you will find a few artists selling their "albums" out of backpacks at "Downtown Crossing". Rock bands use Newbury Comics to promote themselves by giving away EP's, anyone can leave a stack at the door where they are available to customers. They also hang flyers for their shows. If you have clubs with live music you can offer bands a CD with a few of your songs to generate interest. They might record a song or play it live. Look for alternative ways to get your work out there. The paradigm of being discovered and given a contract is Jurrasic.

[Michael L]

I read through Benedict’s questions and actions in the link he posted earlier in this thread. They are quite basic and practical for an artist in the industry — even selling CDs from a backpack. I appreciate that he took the time to share so much online, and then organised his insights into a separate book. I will use them myself.

[Karma_tba]

I read through Benedict’s questions and actions in the link he posted earlier in this thread. They are quite basic and practical for an artist in the industry — even selling CDs from a backpack. I appreciate that he took the time to share so much online, and then organised his insights into a separate book. I will use them myself.

You are mis interpreting the intent of my post. I never said there was nothing of use in Benedict's bag of tricks, just that it maybe elementary to wags. He wants action NOW. That requires a bit of sweat. If a book is helpful to you ….cool.

[The Noodlist]

Delete.

[Michael L]

I read through Benedict’s questions and actions in the link he posted earlier in this thread. They are quite basic and practical for an artist in the industry — even selling CDs from a backpack. I appreciate that he took the time to share so much online, and then organised his insights into a separate book. I will use them myself.

You are mis interpreting the intent of my post. I never said there was nothing of use in Benedict's bag of tricks, just that it maybe elementary to wags. He wants action NOW. That requires a bit of sweat. If a book is helpful to you ….cool.

Yes. While my post did follow yours, it was not meant as a response, but only to share my own personal appreciation of the ‘bit of sweat’ in Benedict’s action-oriented website.