Songwriters don't have to be good musicians

[Pelado]

Last week I was plucking around on our piano and came up with a melody I thought could be used in a hymn or children's song. So I input the melody into MuseScore along with a verse of lyrics. Since then, I've added a couple of verses along with harmony to the original melody. MuseScore has been indispensable in my efforts - makes adding/changing notes/harmonies pretty easy.

The song has the same meter (I think that's what it's called) as "More Holiness Give Me" and kind of has SATB harmonies. The problem is that now the piece is beyond my meager piano skills. The only way I can play it properly is by using the computer software.

I feel like, as it is, it could work as a Primary song. I looked at the Church's website for information on submitting music for publication. The only info I found is at the link below. Seems that they have an annual contest for a few different categories (Hymns, Children's Songs, Relief Society, etc.) for which they give a small monetary prize ($100-300). The rules for the General Music Category include the following:

Before the awards are announced, do not transfer ownership rights to the Church. When you accept an award, you grant the Church a nonexclusive, perpetual license for unlimited use.

https://www.lds.org/music/submit-music?lang=eng

Maybe I'm a little too greedy, but it seems that $100-$300 is kind of not very much for a perpetual license for unlimited use. I realize it's a nonexclusive license, but what other avenues of revenue could a church music writer expect? Sheet music sales seem like they'd be pretty limited since the Church could include the song on its apps or in the Friend (or other medium). Royalties from performances seem like they'd be pretty slim, too. Any other way to monetize this awesome song I can't even play myself?

Anyone here submit music to the Church before (or know someone who has)? Anything I'm missing?

[Northwestcoug]

That's interesting Pelado. I wasn't aware that boring accountants were creative

My advice: make the song as doctrinally bland as possible. Shop it around all the major Christian sects, and sell to the highest bidder.

[BigFatMeanie]

Last week I was plucking around on our piano and came up with a melody I thought could be used in a hymn or children's song. So I input the melody into MuseScore along with a verse of lyrics. Since then, I've added a couple of verses along with harmony to the original melody. MuseScore has been indispensable in my efforts - makes adding/changing notes/harmonies pretty easy.

The song has the same meter (I think that's what it's called) as "More Holiness Give Me" and kind of has SATB harmonies. The problem is that now the piece is beyond my meager piano skills. The only way I can play it properly is by using the computer software.

I feel like, as it is, it could work as a Primary song. I looked at the Church's website for information on submitting music for publication. The only info I found is at the link below. Seems that they have an annual contest for a few different categories (Hymns, Children's Songs, Relief Society, etc.) for which they give a small monetary prize ($100-300). The rules for the General Music Category include the following:



https://www.lds.org/music/submit-music?lang=eng

Maybe I'm a little too greedy, but it seems that $100-$300 is kind of not very much for a perpetual license for unlimited use. I realize it's a nonexclusive license, but what other avenues of revenue could a church music writer expect? Sheet music sales seem like they'd be pretty limited since the Church could include the song on its apps or in the Friend (or other medium). Royalties from performances seem like they'd be pretty slim, too. Any other way to monetize this awesome song I can't even play myself?

Anyone here submit music to the Church before (or know someone who has)? Anything I'm missing?

If you send it to one of the many folks on the board with some decent piano skills they can play it for you and tell you what they think of it.

The problem with LDS church music monetization is you are competing against the likes of Sally DeFord who is prolific, very good, and doesn't monetize her creations. There are also tons of sites like this: http://freeldssheetmusic.org/, and this: http://www.tuiofuandthomasmusic.com/, and this: http://www.freewardchoirmusic.com/. Not all of them are as good as Sally DeFord but they all chip away at the earnings of the traditional LDS music publishers like Jackman

I don't know how the likes of Jackman stay in business these days but if you want to try and monetize it, send it to Jackman and see if they think it's worth publishing: https://jackmanmusic.com/

[Shaka]

I've never used MuseScore but it sounds cool. You're absolutely right though, you don't have to be a great musician to write songs. An understanding of theory helps but most of the time when I write I don't consciously think it terms of keys and modes. Afterwards sometimes I will look at the piece after and figure out what is going on from a theory standpoint. The most important thing to being a songwriter is just finding a melody and riding it out. Sounds to me like you've done that using an interesting piece of software.

I'm a hack on the piano so I am no help there. However, I've written pieces on keyboards with the help of soft instruments and may be able to help you out. Will MuseScore output a midi file?

[Pelado]

Thanks for the input so far. I spent some time looking at Jackman's site and will probably send the song over. Seems like they are more about arrangements for ward choir usage while my song (as presently constituted) is not really for that.

The lyrics right now are mostly about having courage and overcoming adversity, so relatively bland from a doctrinal perspective and could be marketed to various religious sects. There are a few references to the Lord, so it's appeal would probably be limited to Christians. I hadn't originally considered it's potential appeal outside of the LDS world.

Shaka - MuseScore seems to have its own proprietary format. MuseScore is free to download and use, though. I could send you a copy of the MuseScore file or a pdf of the sheet music.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[Shaka]

I'll check it out in the morning. See if you can export to a midi file.

[Pelado]

So I just submitted one of my songs in the Church's competition in the Children's Songs category. The deadline is March 31. Hope my entry doesn't scare off the rest of you.

[happyone]

Good Luck!

[Copelius]

So I just submitted one of my songs in the Church's competition in the Children's Songs category. The deadline is March 31. Hope my entry doesn't scare off the rest of you.

I would be curious to see the piece, if you would be interested in sharing. I am not a great musician by any stretch (You may have heard the phrase, I'm singer, not a musician), but my wife is an amazing pianist.

[Pelado]

I would be curious to see the piece, if you would be interested in sharing. I am not a great musician by any stretch (You may have heard the phrase, I'm singer, not a musician), but my wife is an amazing pianist.

Of course. I wish all to receive it:

https://musescore.com/user/27633993/...04046/s/4c0b6f

[Pelado]

Only one week left for everyone to submit their songs for this year's contest.

[Pelado]

So I just submitted one of my songs in the Church's competition in the Children's Songs category. The deadline is March 31. Hope my entry doesn't scare off the rest of you.

Got an email update on my submission earlier in the week. They indicated that results of the 2018 competition will be emailed by the end of July.

They also mentioned some changes for the 2019 annual competition, followed by this about the hymnbook and Children's Songbook revisions:

You may have also seen the recent announcement about the upcoming revisions of the
hymnbook and Children’s Songbook. This is certainly an exciting time for Church music! You can
read more about this effort at newmusic.lds.org.

As you may have expected, this announcement affects a few categories in the annual
submission. Related FAQs are listed below:

- Does the recently announced call for new hymns and songs for the hymnbook and
songbook revision affect the annual music submission? The hymnbook and Children’s
Songbook submissions will replace the hymns, children’s songs, and hymn texts
categories for the 2019 and 2020 annual music submissions. For more information on
the hymnbook and Children’s songbook submissions, see newmusic.lds.org.

- Is there a limit to the number of works I can submit? Yes. You may enter up to five
works per category (hymns, hymn texts, children’s songs, and children’s song texts) for
the new hymnbook and Children’s Songbook submissions. In addition to these
submissions, you may submit one work per category to up to three categories in the
annual music submission.

[Pelado]

Guess who has two thumbs and just received the "Award of Merit" for Children's songs in this year's Church Music Submission competition?

[BigPiney]

Guess who has two thumbs and just received the "Award of Merit" for Children's songs in this year's Church Music Submission competition?

Janice Kapp Perry?

[creekster]

Guess who has two thumbs and just received the "Award of Merit" for Children's songs in this year's Church Music Submission competition?

Nice job!