If you take all the elements of the music/entertainment industry and boil them down to their purest essence, you would see that hype makes up the biggest part. Part of the allure and luster of music production is the immense hype—the over-the-top self-promotion, shameless plugs, fawning fans—which in turn attracts more people each year to enter into the field. This hype is what some con artists use to prey upon the unsuspecting who would do just about anything to get into the business.

Perhaps you have been reading a music trade magazine and saw an ad from company that claims they could set your poems to music and make them into a song. For a fee of “only” a few hundred dollars, this company states that they will make your song “hit” potential which would have artists, publishers, and record companies clamoring to record it. This is a well-known scam called “song sharking” and it claims many victims each and every year—even though it is perfectly legal.

With “song sharks”, the ego of the reader is stroked into believing that their poem could past muster as a song. The ad is worded to make the unsuspecting believe that “music industry professionals” all gather songs in this fashion and they should act now to avoid being left out. Once the victim sends their poem in, what they usually get back is a piece of bland music accompanying their poem; in some cases the “lyrics” of their poem-song do not even match the tempo and rhythm of the track. When the victim sends the CD of his new “song” out to prospective publishers or labels, he is usually met with resounding rejections of the piece.

After so many rejections, the would-be songwriter is furious at the “song shark” and demands his money back. This is when the “song shark” produces a carefully worded document which proves he did exactly what the victim requested: he put music to the “lyrics” provided; he sent copies of the finished work to the victim; in some instances, the “song shark” even promises to mail out copies himself to radio stations, music publishers, labels and artists. What makes the matter legal—and the “song shark” is quick to point this out—is that NONE of what is being delivered is PROMISED to be effective.

They do not promise that your new “song” will fit into anyone’s range of acceptability. They do not promise that the music they provide to you will be something no other “client” of theirs was provided. They do not even promise that any record label, radio station, or recording artist will listen to, let alone open a package containing your CD. They cannot guarantee any of this because they know that the chances are practically non-existent that anyone in the industry would accept a song in this fashion. Industry pros know that “song sharks” will accept anything for recording and therefore quality control is non-existent. Why then, the pros reason, should they waste their time listening to crappy recordings? The would-be songwriter is now left with an empty wallet and a load of embarrassment.

Another variation of this scam—while still, again, being legal—is to offer the would be song-writer a chance to place his poem-song on a compilation CD of other would-be singers or artists which would then be mailed out to industry movers and shakers. This scam costs a lot more because the victim is required to pay more up-front to handle the recording, mastering, and duplication of the CD. The victim may also be required to purchase a set amount of the finished product, ostensibly to offset the “costs” of promotion for the CDs and mailing them out. Once the victim receives his CDs and attempts to get them to A&R executives, agents, and manager, he is soon faced with the crushing rejection felt by the others, and the embarrassment that he too got reamed.

In this business—and I suspect, in almost every other—“success” comes before “work” only in the dictionary. No aspect of this business comes without hard work, sacrifice, and education. Songwriting is no exception. Study the career of any songwriter who has prospered—Babyface, Diane Warren, Smokey Robinson, etc—and you will notice that each took the time to hone their creative skills and business acumen. This time-honored way instilled in them the fortitude to persevere when the obstacles and the rejections mounted and seemingly conspired to beat them to a pulp.

The reason “song sharks” are allowed to prosper and go untouched generation after generation and seduce more suckers into their grasp is that they know a certain segment of the population will avoid doing their homework on the business, avoid the hard work of the endless hours of practicing and recording, and look for the easy route to accomplish their dreams. Remember this: THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS TO GREATNESS! If something in this business appears to be too good to be true as it relates to your goals, usually it is.

Next week, I would like to jump-start your educational pursuits by listing books and videos which I recommend and have personally used to learn more about this field. Think of the listings as a “Recording EQ Book Club”(hey, if Oprah can do it, why not me?).