Have you ever had a song in your head, but you had no idea how to compose the music for it?  That happens to me all the time.  I'll overhear a bit of conversation or read a passage of Scripture or hear a sermon illustration, and I'll have a great idea for a song, but until now, I didn't have any clue at all about how to get from that initial inspiration to the point where I am handing my choir director the sheet music for my own song.  In this article, I want to share my solution to that problem.  I developed a method for using the wonderful freelancers on Fiverr to help me turn my song ideas into fully orchestrated choral productions.

Making Music with Fiverr

1. Find a song similar to one you would like to write.
   1. This will be your inspiration song.
   2. Needs to be in the same mood and style.
   3. Should convey a similar type of message to your song. 
2. Write your own lyrics to the same tune.
   1. The tune is just a guide to help you.
   2. You can change the meter to fit your words as needed.
3. Determine if your song can be sung in multiple arrangements (solo, duet, choir, etc.).
   1. Write down a few ideas for each type of arrangement.
   2. Note where you think the part divisions should be.
4. Hire a composer on Fiverr to write the music.
   1. Why Fiverr?
      1. All Fiverr contracts are work-for-hire contracts.
      2. You own all the rights to what you pay for.
   2. Search for someone who specializes in the same genre as your inspiration song.
   3. Look for a composer with actual music training.
   4. Listen to the sample songs to make sure that the composer’s style is a good fit.
   5. Send the composer your lyrics and a link to the inspiration song.
   6. Ask if he is able to compose a song in that style with your words.
   7. Ask how much he would charge.
   8. Ask if he can create multiple arrangements and for how much extra.
   9. Find out how many revisions he will allow you to request.
   10. The composer should provide:
       1. Sheet music single for each arrangement
       2. Set of parts for each arrangement
       3. Xml files for each arrangement
5. Hire a composer to write an orchestral score.
   1. An orchestral score provides both an additional product that you can sell and an enhancement for your other products.
      1. Sheet Music for Orchestra or Band
      2. Backing Track
      3. Better Recordings with Vocals
   2. Choose which instruments you want.
      1. Classical vs. modern
      2. Full Orchestra or a smaller ensemble
      3. Special instruments – marimba, harmonica, didgeridoo, etc.
   3. The orchestral composer should provide:
      1. A conductor’s score
      2. A set of parts
      3. A high-quality recording
      4. Individual stems
      5. Xml files
   4. All audio recordings should be in wav format not mp3.
6. Hire a performer to sing your song.
   1. Look for a performer who has actual music training.
   2. Look for a performer who specializes in the style of your song.
   3. Look for a performer who will provide both audio and video.
   4. Send the performer a copy of your sheet music and a link to the inspiration song.
   5. Ask if your song is comfortably within the performer’s range.
      1. Female Vocal Ranges
         1. Soprano – High
         2. Mezzo-Soprano – Middle
         3. Alto – Low
      2. Male Vocal Ranges
         1. Tenor – High
         2. Baritone – Middle
         3. Bass – Low
   6. Send the performer the backing track.
   7. The performer should provide:
      1. High quality recording of vocals with backing track
      2. High quality recording of just the vocals
      3. High definition video of performance
   8. All audio recordings should be in wav format not mp3.
7. Create sheet music cover design.
   1. This is an optional step.
   2. It makes your music look professional.
   3. Your cover design should look similar to other sheet music in the same genre.
   4. Should be a simplistic design with only one or two colors.
      1. It will be printed on low quality paper through budget printers.
      2. It will likely be copied multiple times on a copy machine.
   5. You can hire a graphic designer on Fiverr to do this for you.
   6. Should be in pdf format.
   7. Combine the pdf’s of the cover and the music into a single document.
8. Create cover for mp3’s.
   1. Anyone who plays your song online will want an image to use with it.
   2. This should be a square image in high resolution.
   3. It should look similar to the covers for other songs in the same genre.
      1. Look on itunes or spotify for examples.
   4. You can hire a graphic designer on Fiverr to do this too.
   5. This image should be in jpg format.
9. SELL your song!
   1. Upload the video of the song to YouTube.
      1. https://youtu.be/CsvgeuVN7UQ
   2. Upload the sheet music to online publishers.
      1. Sheet Music Plus
         1. https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/bill-fortenberry-sheet-music/3015410?isPLP=1
      2. Amazon
      3. Holy Sheet Music
      4. Swirly Music
      5. Music Spoke
      6. ArrangeMe
      7. Sheet Music Marketplace
   3. Upload the mp3 of the performer singing your song to Amuse.
      1. This will distribute your song through iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, and etc.
      2. You will earn a small commission every time that your song is played.
   4. Create your own website.
      1. https://www.joyforevermusic.com/
      2. Sell the sheet music on your site as a pdf download.
      3. Sell the backing track on your site as an mp3 download.
      4. Eventually sell mp3 collections of the performances of your songs.
      5. You need a website that will allow you to sell digital downloads.
      6. There is usually a monthly cost for that feature.
10. Promote your music.
    1. Talk about the song on social media.
       1. This begins long before the song is ready to sell.
       2. Post when each step of the process is completed.
       3. Share your posts where your target customers will see it.
    2. Ask to be a guest on podcasts that your customers listen to.
    3. Guest post on blogs that your customers read.
    4. Send samples to college and university music programs.
    5. Use your friends to help you network with other music professionals.
11. Do it again with your next song.
    

I know it looks a bit daunting to see the entire process in a lengthy outline, but it's actually a lot of fun.  With each step, you can see your dream becoming more and more of a reality.  I used this method to create the song "Come and Rescue Me" which is available here at Joy Forever Music in either solo or choir format along with an orchestral score and a backing track.  You can hear the solo version in the video below.