Here's how to start your ghostwriter music career, easily
Knowing how to start your ghostwriter music career will put you on the right track toward some huge growth in your music career!
Read this FULL blog... Guaranteed you'll learn something new & useful.
When it comes to ghostwriting you're part of one of two sides.
You either agree with it or disagree - but I'm sure this article will change your opinion.
See, making money through music is every music artist's dream, but it's difficult to actually do...
Taking the ghostwriter music career path will lead to profit as a music artist!
Through your ghostwriter music service you'll earn enough money to invest in:
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New audio recording equipment
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Produce nice music videos
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Better music marketing campaigns (ads ain't cheap)
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A new Rolex watch (just kidding)
These benefits are just waiting for you!
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An intro to music ghostwriting
In Music normally, you're credited for the tracks you make.
Music ghostwriters do not have this sweet luxury. You are not credited.
Normally you would think "damn, that sucks", but there's a surprising twist to it.
Ghostwriter music is interesting because you're creating it just to give way.
The music industry is hard, they said.
You're essentially putting the work out there just for somebody else's name to be slapped right on it.
And just like that - you officially became a music ghostwriter.
Feel like a scam yet?
A lot of music beginners don't even think of entering the ghostwriting music industry.
The Negatives Of Ghostwriting
There are a few negatives too...
When you ghostwrite you:
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Can't develop your artist brand through ghostwriter music projects
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Spend a lot of time on other people's projects
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Are forced to keep your ghostwriter music project involvement silent
These are all super legitimate concerns you may have, and I totally understand why.
Fortunately, there is a whole other side of ghostwriting.
Get ready for it to be revealed to you, and take your career to the next level!
How writing works in the music world
Let's look at the word "ghost".
Consider yourself as a phantom- you don't exist in terms of who worked on the project.
Think of The Wizard of Oz, controlling the stings from behind yet totally unknown to the outside world.
Most times you're hired as a music ghostwriter, and the project is later registered and copyright protected.
Ghostwriter music contracts state that you cannot legally mention your project involvement!
Can't write and tell.
This can benefit you as a ghostwriter.
You pretty much have a shield around your ghostwriter career in the music industry!
You're not obligated to mention it, not on the cue sheet 😉.
Ghostwriting 101:
Please note that not everybody can become a ghostwriter music professional.
It's no regular entry-level position (and thank god too.)
To be a successful ghostwriter you need to have legitimate music production skills.
Truthfully, would you trust some unknown people with no catalog to mess with your track?
To start as a ghostwriter, you must join together a collection of your own works, your own songs.
This adds ghostwriter "street cred" and proves to your clients that you're the real deal.
Ideally, have a Dropbox folder with snippets from your catalog.
Your clients can hear this.
Get your own music studio booth (for under $500)
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Ghostwriting: Remember The Basics
In ghostwriting, no matter how skilled or experienced you are, the main focus is not on you.
It's the project that you're working on.
Focus ONLY on getting it to the next level with your skills.
You must be able to disconnect yourself from your own music styles, and then connect to the client's project.
This is a skill that gets better over time, so don't worry if you're having issues at the beginning.
are your music skills needed?
The first and probably the most obvious questions you're probably asking are
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Why would anybody need ghostwriter music in the first place?
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Doesn't ghostwriter music take away from artistry?
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Is the entire project a cheap sell-out to the industry?
Think of ghostwriters as invisible song managers.
Writing help doesn't mean that the project isn't yours.
Kanye West's projects join HUNDREDS of composers/writers collaborating.
Without it, he would not have been even half as great as he is.
You don't become a billionaire without help!
Sure, he credited the writers but it doesn't change the fact his music is written by other composers.
The music ghostwriter simply helps develop upon what is already there, not create something brand new.
Would you be against the idea of a music artist having cover art designers and video editors?
You need to think of that same approach when you research being a ghostwriter.
why would someone hire your ghostwriting?
Music artists can grow too big for their own good, as odd as it sounds.
4 reasons ghostwriters are needed:
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They travel too much
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Labels pressure them to release more music
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Excessive writer's block
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Creativity suffers as lifestyle changes
The smart thing to do is invest some money into a ghostwriter music service.
Just look at Drake for example:
Drake would hire ghostwriters to complete his project's cue sheets.
The results?
Artist of the Decade and hundreds of awards.
It pays to pay for writing help.
ghostwriters help push a legend's name
This is a bittersweet reason to become a ghostwriter.
When a legendary music artist dies, there is still unreleased music.
As a final project, labels/publishers push this out to fans.
Just search XXXTentaction, Pop Smoke, and Michael Jackson for examples.
It wouldn't feel right to credit the ghostwriters on post-humous albums.
Do you justify ghostwriting here?
By acting as ghostwriters, you pay homage to these prestigious careers.
Labels can Hire You for ghostwriting services
This one is a pretty obvious marketing tactic.
Labels, publishers, and music artists want to hire you as a ghostwriter to crack out as many good tracks.
This pumps up their streams and brings in revenue - you can't miss this opportunity!
How else do you think 20+ song deluxe albums come out?
The idea is that some of the songs will stick and bring in long-term royalties.
Music artists need to cash in their 15 minutes of fame by releasing when they're hot!
The more products (songs) there are out there, the more potential sales.
This alone pays for the cost of hiring you as a ghostwriter.
It's honestly a money-making factory.
Different styles of music ghostwriting
Don't take the name ghost "writer" too literally.
A lot of your ghostwriting gigs won't necessarily have a pen, paper, and words involved.
Different styles of musicians are considered ghostwriters:
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Ghost producers
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Vocal artist professionals
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Mix engineers
Knowing which style you want to be will help you out a lot.
#1. Being A Lyricist
This is the most famous (and hated) style of being a ghostwriter.
It is a very common occurrence in the music industry, but it's a kind of “taboo” thing to talk about openly.
Think of the Quentin Miller and Drake situation as a great example of this and how it can be done.
Hip-hop culture is about "being real" so fake lyrics are frowned upon.
If the hip-hop lyrics are good though, people will buy.
Lyrics require a lot of creativity to start!
#2. Ghostwriting As A Beat Producer
Super common, yet super overlooked.
You always hear of producers putting beats for sale to music artists for a flat fee...
Where are the producer's credits?
Exactly -not mentioned.
It's so common though that the vast majority of people don't even realize that it is a form of ghostwriting.
You pay for the lease and you're good to go!
#3. Vocalists
Vocalist studio work is considered "work for hire."
Here, pay is sent for hours rather than the end product.
Due to this, I would 100% consider vocalist ghostwriters by the type of work.
You don't have to look very far to see this type of ghostwriting, just think of top Hip Hop and electronic music songs with a vocal hook.
Often, the singer isn't mentioned once.
Benefit #1: Get Paid Nicely As A Ghostwriter
At the expense of your lack of credit, you can expect high pay.
This can be a great advantage if you want to experiment with working with other genres.
You're getting paid to learn (the music still has to be good though.)
Clients are loyal for the most part.
If there is chemistry, they'll keep you. Yahoo, long-term clients!
Benefit #2: Ghostwriter Network Benefits
You're going to be connecting and communicating with various artists in the ghostwriter field.
You may rub shoulders with industry players without even knowing!
As you get more deals, expect to meet bigger clients and receive many more referrals.
It's a perfect situation - referrals run the music industry.
These experiences can give you a clearer picture of where you fit in the music scene.
Now that you have these friends and connections, you'll succeed when releasing your own music!
securing a ghostwriting music job
Are there many ghostwriter music jobs available?
You’d be supposed how big the ghostwriting industry is.
If we’re only speaking just on record labels, there are millions of dollars flowing to ghostwriters every year.
Securing a decent ghostwriting music job can set you up for life…
It’s not easy but if you put in the work then there are music ghostwriting jobs waiting for you.
Are You Good Enough To Start?
This is something only you will know best.
Have a sense of what your written skills are.
If you can't believe in yourself then don't expect clients to believe in you.
Offer free ghostwriting gigs first until you feel comfortable charging.
Make sure your ghostwriter catalog is updated frequently.
How To Land Your First Few Clients
The first rule of thumb is pitching to people that you already know.
4 steps to landing music ghostwriting gigs
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List down a bunch of different artists you know
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Reach out and let them know of your ghostwriting service
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Work for free for a project or two
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Ask your network for referrals
Instagram DM is your best friend when it comes to networking.
The more people you know then the bigger the pool of potential clients is.
You may also want to see if you can get featured on SoundBetter for Lyric Songwriters for hire!
Pricing Your Ghostwriting Services
3 factors in your music ghost-writing charge amount
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Your placements
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Your experience
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Your catalog quality
Charge appropriately to how much you know and the service you can provide.
Pro tip: always make sure to write a legally binding contract for all of your ghostwriting deals.
This ensures that both parties live up to expectations and are legally protected.
Every artist needs a music attorney - don't miss this!
How To Write A Contract
Larger artists already have lawyers and contacts.
The contract should clearly state exactly what your role and contributions will be.
Sometimes, you can charge a 50% retainer of your earnings for the project and then the remaining 50% once you finish it.
This reduces the chance of them straight-up not paying you.
Keep in mind that not every artist will try to swindle but you can never be too careful.
Business is business - you should manage to research more information to know what's happening.
If you are making the track from beginning to end with all your original ideas and work put in you can expect to charge more.
On the flip side, if you only have a few verses then don't expect to charge too much.
Remember that the price can either come from the final product or hours put into your service.
Generally, artists who use ghostwriters are connected to each other due to having similar service needs.
Making A Website For Your Services
Data and analytics are everything in marketing.
Sadly, Twitter data isn't that helpful for targeting interested clients.
Websites are better because you can take Shopify payments for your services, as well as log analytics.
You can sign up for FB pixel to re-target site visitors and close more deals!
Labels watch this kind of stuff, it makes you look more professional than simply using Twitter.
Getting Started: The Process
Our Boost Collective Instagram is living proof of connections that can be made.
Optimize your Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook profile data so that it mentions that you are a ghostwriter.
This can easily attract interested clients and develop your ghostwriter career.
"I don't want others to know that I'm a ghostwriter", Is that on your mind?
Even though it's discreet, it's one of the music industry's most profitable jobs.
Don't worry, you can simply create a second brand under a different persona and do all of your ghostwriting through that.
Twitter is effective for finding clients to market your services.
The benefit is that it keeps you confidential and makes sure there is a separation between brands so the ghostwriting brand can prosper.
Here are easy steps to getting this down
How to be a Music Ghostwriter-
Write an outline of the client's brand and sound on a document
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Make your recording in the artist's style
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As you continue ghostwriting continually refer back to the outline
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Make sure that your created music is properly merged
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Once finished, go back and do one final check before submitting it to the artist.
By following these steps you will evolve from a ghostwriting newbie to a grandmaster.
I hope you now know how to start your ghostwriter music career!
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