All the marketing and social media strategies don’t mean shit if your songs suck.

That is my new mantra I’ve decided as I navigate the new music industry. Since we have wrapped up production of my new album “All of This Dreaming” I have been reading everything I can get my hands on as far as promoting your music independently online and off. But the number one thing that is going to determine my success in this business aree the songs I write and record, not some fancy website or great email newsletter.

Facebook this, twitter that, email lists, and wordpress websites have been my life for the past few months and all that research has really helped me but I feel has also been lacking some fundamental material.

Part of my education in regards to the music industry should probably focus on the craft that I hope to promote, license, and sell shouldn’t it? You see, I need to stop thinking of songwriting as some magical, unknown muse that graces me with its presence only when she’s feeling generous, and more like the practiced skill that it is.

“practice? We’re talking about practice?”

Yes Mr. Iverson we are talking about practice.  How did I go from not being able to play a single chord on guitar, to knowing scales, keys and writing out chord progressions? I played the damn guitar everyday for hours on end! Now why haven’t I put the same emphasis on songwriting? It is a skill like any other, it needs repetition, research, education, and above all else practice.

I have wasted many years waiting for the muse, for that catchy hook, or elegant melody, but never trying to tame the muse. This is probably why my current catalog is only 11 songs deep and my live show only 22 songs deep.

I am happy with my collection of songs and really happy with my album “All of This Dreaming” but I am left to wonder what if I had put more time into actively developing this skill instead of waiting for it to develop on its own by way of some magical songwriting fairy?

Well, ‘what ifs’ are for those who watch the world fly by and I don’t want to be one of those people. So I’m hitting the books, joining the forums and writing like I never have. I am dedicating myself to improving my songwriting and building a catalog of tunes that I can be proud of.

I would love to set a goal of having 50 songs available on my site or itunes or whatever music service of the future, by the time I am 30. Ten songs a year seems pretty attainable, but they can’t be good songs I want to strive for 50 great songs.

It’s a lot to ask of myself, but really isn’t great the only thing you can ask of yourself?

So as I go back to the classroom and into my writing cave a leave you with another mantra I intend to live by; ‘Good is the enemy of great’.

That little saying is the topic for another post altogether but I feel is relevant to this article as well.

Also here is a little cover tune I did last week for one of my favorite new songs “Soul Sister” by Train. Its a little rough around the edges but was a fun song to play either way.