TO JOIN THE WAITING LIST FOR FUTURE CAMPS, PLEASE EMAIL: signalwritingcamp@gmail.com
The first ever Signal Records writing camp took place October 24th - 28th 2021. The next one is TBA, coming first half of 2022. Terms for the previous camp and for future camps are below:
Because groups are in different timezones around the world, there wont be a live 'event' for the kick off... everything will be announced and explained via email. Later this week I'll send a welcome video where I'll also talk through my preferred (and well honed) workflow for online sessions.
For now. I'll explain a bit about the camp / session process for anyone that hasn't attended a camp before, including T&Cs of what you're agreeing to by taking part (don't worry - nothing complicated or scary!)
If you have any further questions after reading this email, add them HERE (to this shared google doc) and I'll answer there too for everyone to see.
Also, make sure to follow http://instagram.com/signalrecordsuk on instagram and tag us in any posts/screenshots/photos from each day :)
Thanks,
James Grover | YCONN
Writer | Producer | A&R & Head of Signal Records
About me: http://yconn.signalrecords.co.uk
Follow me: http://instagram.com/yconnmusic
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Here's what will happen on the camp:
- Each day you'll be with a new group of 3-4 people, each group including at least 1 singer and 1 producer.
- You'll have that session only to write a song... music industry briefs will be provided so you know what to write to (though you're totally free to disregard the brief and write anything your group wants).
- It's not expected you have a finished master by the end of the day, a quick voicenote will suffice to make sure everyone can remember what was done on the day. Once the song is finished being written, the video chat session would typically end, then the singer will record vocals in their own time and send files to the producer. The producer would work on the production in their own time, and then submit the demo when ready.
-Groups and brief(s) for each day will be announced via email the day before. There will be an email thread created for each group with the suggested start time (which I'll decide based on the timezone of that group's members)... group members can agree between themselves to change the start time for that day.
- We'll run the video chat sessions over Google Meet, which is free and easier to use than zoom (works in any browser with no time limits etc). So please make sure you all have a google account (get a free one if you don't have one currently). If for some reason your group decides on the day to use zoom or another platform instead, go ahead.
- Also you'll typically want to use a collaborative lyric sheet via Google Docs... again this is free and easy to use.
- You can use the group email thread to send back and forth bounces/files, inc. google drive / dropbox /wetransfer for bigger files, though for quick voicenotes I would also recommend each group sets up a whatsapp chat between themselves each day.
- I'll drop into various rooms for 5-10 mins at a time to see how people are getting on, offering A&R advice etc and answering any other questions throughout the week. If you get stuck, email to info@signalrecords.co.uk and me or another experienced person will join the room asap to briefly help out.
- When the song is finished being written and the call ends for the day, send the rough bounce/voicenote etc to the email thread so everyone has a copy and feel free to include signalwritingcamp@gmail.com in the thread for an early A&R opinion before the final vocals and production are done.
- After the camp and once final demos are submitted (send them to info@signalrecords.co.uk), I'll make a series of videos giving A&R feedback on each one, as well as offering A&R opinions throughout the process via joining the different groups calls briefly through the day, helping solve any problems and offering advice etc.
- When tracks are finished to pitchable quality, we'll submit the tracks to the relevant brief-owner(s), and perhaps to further relevant industry opportunities. You are also free to agree between your group any other use for the track via your own contacts, and you'll together own the song as per the guidelines and T&Cs below.
- For the beginner producers, if you're worried about the meaning of 'pitchable quality', the A&R feedback will hopefully help you achieve this.
GUIDELINES ON SONG SPLITS
Typically in professional writing sessions, the writers in each session will jointly own the work they create and contribute to, under relevant laws. Split sheets aren't mandatory but it's good practice to include the agreed splits via an email after the session for future reference, and this is much more important when the splits are not even (the legal default).
PUBLISHING: typically, any song written would be owned in an equal split between the contributors in the room (in this case, on the video chat session). This split can be changed if all contributors agree.
MASTER: typically the singer will own their own vocal performance (ie unedited+unmixed files of their vocal recording) and the producer will own the master of (and all stems of) the version that they made (including final acapella, which they may have spent many extra hours on editing and mixing after the session was over and vocals were sent). If the singer did their own vocal production, sending mixed edited vocals, then producer wouldn't typically claim joint master ownership of the acapella. It would typically be the producer and singer's discretion to split any master ownership with other writers who didn't physically contribute to the master. If another writer contributes say a guitar part or a backing vocal file etc, they would own that performance in the same way the singer owns their vocals.
T&Cs
(by taking part in any Signal Records camp you are agreeing to these)
- Any cuts/placements that are secured via pitching efforts of Signal Records will be subject to a 20% finder's fee / management cut, but Signal Records has no ownership of the song otherwise (assuming no actual songwriting by James Grover was included.. see below).
- Writers are free to reject any proposed deal and/or to pitch the song elsewhere with no limitation or obligation by or to Signal Records.
- If a song gets signed/placed, it's up to the group to decide the splits on publishing and on master. Signal Records and James Grover take no responsibility for any negotiations between writers on ownership of songs.
- If James Grover during the process of A&R feedback/critique contributes in one instance a substantial lyrical/conceptual/melodic idea or rewrite which is liked enough by the writers to be incorporated into the final demo, then writers may consider adding James Grover as an additional writer though are under no obligation to do so.
- James Grover upon hearing a song/idea that he loves but requires further polish, may offer to work personally with the writers to finish the song. If they accept, this would require adding James Grover as a co-writer under equal split, and coproducer if also contributing to the master (as described above)
- Signal Records offer no warranties of any sort and cannot be held liable for any issues arising between other parties. The organisation of this camp is simply facilitating the meeting of writers who did not previously know each other, and anything that happens is entirely between those writers to sort out themselves. Any offer to arrange sessions between writers, to give feedback on songs, or to pitch songs, is entirely at the discretion of Signal Records with no guarantees of any kind.
- Relevant laws for this camp should be assumed to be the laws of the UK unless the laws of any writers' country/countries precludes that and takes precedence.
- Signal Records and James Grover are to be considered the same party in all terms above.
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