Come meet your fellow EXPO attendees at this networking event the night before the ASCAP EXPO begins. Your EXPO badge is required for admittance, so be sure to pick up your badge at the ASCAP Registration desk on the Mezzanine Level of the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel prior to the party! Complimentary appetizers for the first 250 people.
Join us at night at the Renaissance Hotel Lobby Lounge (1st floor) and enjoy live performances from songwriters. Check the hotel lobby area for details.
As the world's leading performing rights organization and strongest advocate for music creators, ASCAP is at the center of the sweeping changes affecting the music industry. You don't want to miss this opening session, in which ASCAP's President and Chairman Paul Williams, ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership Randy Grimmett will provide an update on the "state of the union" of ASCAP, the choices you have for future career success and making the most of your EXPO experience. You’ll get a deeper understanding of what ASCAP is doing on your behalf, and how ASCAP’s role fits into the wider music industry climate.
Are you releasing a cover song? Wondering if you need a license? Confused as to how to get one? Getting a license means supporting your fellow artists and the music community at large! Join Harry Fox Agency's John Raso as he explains the how, what and why of obtaining a license for a cover song and shows how easy (and economical) it is to get one using Songfile, HFA's online licensing tool.
The Fretlight is a real guitar with a built in learning system that places fingering information where you need it most, right at your fingertips. Use Fretlight Studio to audition and explore new scales, improvise over 100 different backing tracks in your choice of key and scale. Light up Tablature directly to the Fretlight guitar using industry standard GuitarPro 6 software. Create, edit and play back your own scores or download GP6 tablature from many online sources. The Fretlight is the ultimate learning and creativity tool for the guitar.
Dan Wilson has transitioned from his early success with the rock bands Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic (“Closing Time”) to being one of the most in-demand songwriter/producers in the world. Among his most recent achievements, Wilson was responsible for co-writing and co-producing Adele’s Grammy-winning 21 (including the international hit “Someone Like You”) as well as Dierks Bentley’s number one country single “Home.” In this candid master session, Wilson discusses his history as a writer by sharing the stories and creative processes behind some of his most beloved songs.
Engage in honest talk and receive valuable advice from chart-topping country singer/songwriters and music publishers in this song feedback session, during which a limited number of songs pre-submitted by registrants will be given constructive criticism in front of an audience.
The last decade has seen an explosion of independent music used in film, TV and new media projects. Syncing your music to picture is undoubtedly a lucrative income stream and a great promotional tool, but for many music creators, the paths to licensing success are unclear. How do you get your music from point A to point B? Who are the creative gatekeepers? What are they looking for? What new licensing opportunities are there in internet programming, and how do you make money in that arena? Our distinguished panel of music supervisors and licensing experts will answer these questions and many more.
Playing live remains a vital way of getting your music to the masses. But just like every part of your music career, there’s plenty of practical knowledge to pick up and potential pitfalls to avoid on your path to touring success. Our panel of live music industry pros and touring artists will share the secrets of the art and business of touring, from the importance of merch to dealing with promoters to tour van etiquette.
Learn how to maximize the composing and producing power of Cubase 6.5. Advanced multitrack editing tools, lush virtual instruments, an unrivaled take-comping system and a revolutionary approach to MIDI form the centerpiece of this next-generation production environment. Crucial to any System Solution is the perfect integration of software and hardware. Hear the pristine sonic quality of the UR Series audio interfaces that boast high-resolution analog and digital I/O, DSP FX alongside the widely acclaimed D-Pre mic preamps and experience the flexibility of the modular CMC Series USB controllers, six unique controllers designed to give you the fastest and most flexible way to control your session. System Solutions from Steinberg are unparalleled in the world of music and audio recording! Kevin Doucette (A.R. Rahman, Berklee College-Film Composing) and Brian McGovern (Steinberg NA Product Demonstrator) will conduct this informative session.
These leading songwriters and composers hail from all different points on the musical spectrum. Yet whether they made their name through writing smash radio singles, the score to a major box office hit or a Tony-winning musical, they have all faced challenges, overcome obstacles, made sacrifices, experienced breakthroughs and reaped rewards as they built real lives in music. Discover the common threads that connect all music creators together and gain valuable insight from these artists, who will share the unvarnished truth behind their success.
In this “always online” world, the barriers to growing your career have been replaced with a host of new tools to reach fans all over the globe. With this great freedom comes a great responsibility: musicians now have to put down their instruments and put on their marketing and business hats to have success. These leaders from both the business and creative sides of music will provide practical advice on how to make the most of new marketing platforms, distribute your recordings, build loyal fans through social networks and monetize your music along the way.
Even the catchiest hook won’t connect unless it’s paired with a great lyric. You can expect more than a few clever turns-of-phrase and bon mots from this panel, in which some of the best songwriters working today talk about what goes into a top-shelf lyric and how lyric writing fits into the songwriting process. Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your lyrical craft or you’re just curious about how words and music can interact, these master wordsmiths will show you how it’s done.
What do top drummers Kenny Aronoff, John Blackwell, Carter Beauford, Thomas Pridgen, Ray Luzier and Alan White have in common? They each play different styles of music on different acoustic drums, but they all agree the Yamaha DTX-PADs come closer to the dynamic response and feel of a real drum than any other e-drum on the market. Come see and play the new DTX kits and talk to DTX artist relations manager and Hal Leonard author, Bob Terry, about the benefits of adding electric drum kits to your live show.
Tired of playing the same ol’ live circuit? Think your melodies might fit better with lyrics in a different language? Sail into the uncharted waters of foreign markets with our panel of internationally successful songwriters and industry experts from outside the US. These folks know what it takes to make it in other countries, and they’ll share it all – everything from collaborating with a foreigner to how live audiences respond differently in other parts of the globe.
Meet your fellow music creators and panelists at a special networking reception in and around the Dell, Intel® and Open Labs Lounge on the terrace outside the Grand Ballroom.
Join us at night at the Renaissance Hotel Lobby Lounge (1st floor) and enjoy live performances from songwriters. Check the hotel lobby area for details.
Enjoy some great live music from this diverse group of successful ASCAP songwriters, who will treat the audience to acoustic performances of some of their best-known songs in an intimate “in-the-round” setting.
One-on-One Sessions, which have sold out early each year, provide attendees an opportunity to meet with a songwriter/composer, music publisher, online marketing executive, record company executive, Film/TV music executive, music attorney or ASCAP executive. The 15-minute session will be a mix of career advice and/or song critiques.
There are no openings or waiting list spots available.
In 1989, a former real estate appraiser named Allen Shamblin became an overnight songwriting sensation when Randy Travis took his song “He Walked on Water” to the top of the charts. In the two-plus decades since, superstars like Bonnie Raitt, Mark Wills, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert have connected with country fans over and over again with songs written by Shamblin’s golden pen – most notably Lambert’s recording of “The House That Built Me,” which won Song of the Year at the CMA, ACM and ASCAP Country Music Awards, and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Country Song. Shamblin hit it big through innate talent, hard work and incredible perseverance. It’s an amazing story, and he’ll tell it in detail during this intimate master session.
Though there are now more paths than ever to publishing success, major music publishers still play a huge role in developing songwriters into hitmakers and propelling their songs to the charts. This panel of executives, representing the heavy hitters of the music publishing world, will discuss how they find new talent and the role of the major music publisher in this rapidly changing music environment. You’ll emerge with a deeper understanding of how publishers operate day-to-day and what they look for in a prospective songwriter.
Whether you just co-wrote your first song or you’re a veteran hitmaker in a long term publishing deal, being aware of your legal rights and responsibilities is an important part of a successful career in music. Our panel of music law experts are devoting their entire session to answering your questions about publishing deals, co-writes, clearing samples and anything else you might want to know about putting your “legal” house in order. Come prepared with questions – our panelists will have the answers!
Line 6 is proud to present a powerful new ecosystem of innovative live sound solutions—from the world’s first smart mixing system and most versatile speakers, to the fourth generation of the acclaimed Line 6 digital wireless platform. Designed to work together as an integrated system, the new StageScape™ M20d digital mixer, StageSource™ series loudspeakers and XD-V digital wireless microphone family represent the future of live sound.
Learn how to maximize the composing and producing power of Cubase 6.5. Advanced multitrack editing tools, lush virtual instruments, an unrivaled take-comping system and a revolutionary approach to MIDI form the centerpiece of this next-generation production environment. Crucial to any System Solution is the perfect integration of software and hardware. Hear the pristine sonic quality of the UR Series audio interfaces that boast high-resolution analog and digital I/O, DSP FX alongside the widely acclaimed D-Pre mic preamps and experience the flexibility of the modular CMC Series USB controllers, six unique controllers designed to give you the fastest and most flexible way to control your session. System Solutions from Steinberg are unparalleled in the world of music and audio recording! Special guest Allen Morgan, a remix engineer and producer who has worked with Taylor Swift, N.I.N, Sony Records and MCA Nashville, will join the session.
Production music libraries have become a lucrative revenue stream for songwriters and composers. You’ll learn everything you need to know about this corner of the licensing world from the biggest names in production music, the songwriters/composers that write for them and the music supervisors who use them.
Writing with other music creators can yield artistic and financial fruits. In this panel, hit country writers discuss the process of collaboration. They’ll talk about how to balance writing alone versus writing with others, and delve into the psychology and people skills involved. Our panelists will also weigh in on working with recording artists, and what it takes to transition from writing for yourself to writing with - and for - others.
175 attendees who signed up for the Lunch Roundtables will meet with four different panelists in small group settings. This event sold out five months in advance!
There are no openings or waiting list spots available.
Propellerhead Software shows you the newest features in their songwriting and music production software, Reason. You can also check out their award winning audio interface, Balance. Balance's sleek design is a perfect representation of its easy-to-use, artist-friendly capabilities. Line 6 will also be on hand showcasing their latest gear! LA-based band Standing Shadows will be dropping by to demo how they use Reason and Balance to create and record their sound!
Since its 2001 introduction, the Motif synth/workstation has found wide use in a variety of applications ranging from music production to live performance. To celebrate the Motif 10th anniversary, we are offering a special Anniversary Pack with the purchase of a Motif XF. The Anniversary Pack includes over $800 worth of software and hardware including the Mark V Chick Corea library, developed by Chick himself. Come hear special demos created by Chick and play the same sound he used in the Return to Forever tour. Product specialists will be on hand to explain all the power in the top selling workstation in the US.
The tools you need to deliver a professional quality recording have become increasingly affordable. But which ones do you need, and what basic techniques should you know to get moving? This panel will address these questions and more, all aimed at helping you establish a solid foundation for recording your music.
Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Desmond Child has written massive, worldwide hits for Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, Aerosmith, Bonnie Tyler, KISS, Ricky Martin, Cher, Meat Loaf and countless others. More than 30 years after landing his first major cut, Child is as in-demand as ever – and he’s only grown more versatile. But as anyone that attended one of his master classes at last year’s EXPO can attest, there is much more to what Child does than simply writing great songs. In this provocative master session, Child and his longtime friend and collaborator Darrell Brown – himself a veteran songwriter with numerous #1 pop and country hits under his belt – will discuss the personal, emotional and spiritual dimensions of songwriting in a town hall-style setting.
Propellerhead Software shows you the newest features in their songwriting and music production software, Reason. You can also check out their award winning audio interface, Balance. Balance's sleek design is a perfect representation of its easy-to-use, artist-friendly capabilities. Line 6 will also be on hand showcasing their latest gear! LA-based band Standing Shadows will be dropping by to demo how they use Reason and Balance to create and record their sound!
The Fretlight is a real guitar with a built in learning system that places fingering information where you need it most, right at your fingertips. Use Fretlight Studio to audition and explore new scales, improvise over 100 different backing tracks in your choice of key and scale. Light up Tablature directly to the Fretlight guitar using industry standard GuitarPro 6 software. Create, edit and play back your own scores or download GP6 tablature from many online sources. The Fretlight is the ultimate learning and creativity tool for the guitar.
Join us at night at the Renaissance Hotel Lobby Lounge (1st floor) and enjoy live performances from songwriters. Check the hotel lobby area for details.
ASCAP proudly presents our annual Attendee Showcase. The lineup represents a diverse group of EXPO registrants, all of whom were hand picked from a pool of submissions by our panel of music industry experts. Don’t miss this great opportunity to meet your fellow ASCAP members while listening to some great music from independent songwriters! On tap to host and perform is ASCAP member Eric Bazilian (member of The Hooters, writer of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”), who will entertain the audience between acts, and will be joined by Hawaiian artist Makana.
As the music landscape continues to undergo dramatic changes, it’s more important than ever to understand the policy issues that affect you and your livelihood. ASCAP President Paul Williams is a veteran of numerous trips to Washington D.C. on behalf of ASCAP members. In this informative forum, Williams will speak with U.S. Congressman Howard Berman of Los Angeles and Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement John Morton - two of Washington’s most prominent advocates for effective copyright protection - about what they’re doing to protect your intellectual property rights. Joined by ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento, they will discuss legislative, law enforcement, international and other recent policy developments that involve the creative community, and what you can do to get involved.
Yamaha created the A Series to be the ultimate performance-level, bang-for-your-buck guitars, built with our legendary excellence. Come see why for both stage and studio the A Series acoustic electric guitar is going to make recording and performing easier. You can also demo the new revolutionary THR amps and the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele, now officially available for the first time in the USA! Half guitar / half ukelele - 100% FUN!
ASCAP Nashville’s Ralph Murphy is both a great advocate for songwriters, composers and publishers and a successful songwriter who quite literally wrote the book (Murphy’s Laws of Songwriting: The Book) on the art of the hit. Murphy’s workshops are renowned for their insight, honesty and humor. Join Ralph to discover what makes the songs on the chart tick – and how to write one yourself.
This session features three successful songwriters working with EXPO registrants in front of a live audience, offering valuable advice, insight and teachable moments for all attending to help enhance their songwriting skills. In a bit of a departure from the other Song Feedback panels, our panel will be spending additional time with each pre-selected song, providing more in-depth analysis. The selections were drawn from the same pool of songs that registrants submitted to the regular Feedback panels.
SoundExchange will explain how registering (for free!) with them can earn you royalties for plays on satellite radio, Internet radio, cable TV music channels and other services that stream sound recordings. SoundExchange is a non-profit, and an important source of revenue for all artists (big and small) and labels (indie and major): they've distributed over $900 million to artists and labels so far. But thousands of artist and labels don't know they need to register, and millions in royalties haven't yet been claimed. Interactive and question-driven, this workshop will also cover need-to-know info on copyright, licensing, metadata, and legislation that will affect your career.
The Fretlight is a real guitar with a built in learning system that places fingering information where you need it most, right at your fingertips. Use Fretlight Studio to audition and explore new scales, improvise over 100 different backing tracks in your choice of key and scale. Light up Tablature directly to the Fretlight guitar using industry standard GuitarPro 6 software. Create, edit and play back your own scores or download GP6 tablature from many online sources. The Fretlight is the ultimate learning and creativity tool for the guitar.
Talent is only half the equation in a successful music career. You also need a solid grounding in the “business” part of the music business. Noted attorney Donald S. Passman has helped his clients navigate the industry’s choppy waters for over 30 years, and his book All You Need to Know About the Music Business remains an essential guide to understanding the biz. Passman will offer an accessible overview of how the music industry operates like only he can, from record deals to the digital sphere and everything in between. Whether you’re a total music biz newbie or just need a refresher course, this panel is for you.
Learn how to maximize the composing and producing power of Cubase 6.5. Advanced multitrack editing tools, lush virtual instruments, an unrivaled take-comping system and a revolutionary approach to MIDI form the centerpiece of this next-generation production environment. Crucial to any System Solution is the perfect integration of software and hardware. Hear the pristine sonic quality of the UR Series audio interfaces that boast high-resolution analog and digital I/O, DSP FX alongside the widely acclaimed D-Pre mic preamps and experience the flexibility of the modular CMC Series USB controllers, six unique controllers designed to give you the fastest and most flexible way to control your session. System Solutions from Steinberg are unparalleled in the world of music and audio recording! Kevin Doucette (A.R. Rahman, Berklee College-Film Composing) and Brian McGovern (Steinberg NA Product Demonstrator) will conduct this informative session.
This group represents some of modern music’s most successful songwriters and performers from across the musical spectrum. In a fun, stripped-down, in-the-round setting, they will share the fascinating stories behind the creation of their best-loved and chart-topping songs and will perform them live. Feel free to sing along!
Join us at night at the Renaissance Hotel Lobby Lounge (1st floor) and enjoy live performances from songwriters. Check your program book and hotel lobby area for details.
