Competition Do’s and Don’t’s
Here are some suggestions to help you prepare your song for entry into the typical competition:
DO...
... keep your intro short.
...submit your song on CD if at all possible. If you must use a cassette, be sure to cue the tape. Many competitions are no requiring CD’s for submission.
...label everyting clearly with the title of the song and your name and contact information. Make sure cassettes are labeled on the correct side.
...buy a good quality CD or cassette. Double check to make sure everything plays.
...submit a clear, clean copy of the lyrics. Be sure the lyrics on your lead sheet match what is sung on the CD. Check for typos and spelling and grammatical errors.
...label parts of the lyric (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) It isn’t necessary to reprint the chorus every time.
...make the lyric fit on one page of paper.
...get the best instrumentation you can. Many songs are fine with just a piano vocal or a guitar vocal.
...get the best vocal you can, one whose voice fits the style of the song.
DON’T...
...spend a lot of money on your demo. An expensive demo can’t sell a weak song.
...give a long explanation of when, how, and or why a song was written. Generally speaking, a song should stand on its own.
...use lengthy instrumental fills or interludes.
...submit a song that is longer than most songs you hear on the radio.
...submit a song that only you can sing because it is so personal. Evaluators usually look for songs that have broad commercial appeal.
...submit a song that has poor structure or no recognizable structure.
...submit a song whose meaning is unclear.
...go overboard using special paper, an unusual typeface, or fancy graphics for your lyric. Keep it simple.
...submit sheet music and/or chord symbols. It’s not necessary.
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