What is NSAI?
Founded in 1967, Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) is the world’s largest not-for-profit trade association dedicated to the craft of songwriting. NSAI has a membership of more than 5,000 amateur and professional songwriters spanning the United States and six other countries.
What is the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter?
Founded in 2008, the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter is one of more than 130 NSAI regional chapters (formerly known as “regional workshops”). At the chapter level, NSAI’s chapter coordinators are dedicated to educating and encouraging their region’s songwriters through monthly meetings and bring a variety of experiences to the NSAI family.
Do I have to belong to NSAI to attend meetings of the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter?
No. The opportunity to attend NSAI regional chapter meetings at no additional cost is just one of the many benefits of NSAI membership. However, individuals who have not yet joined NSAI – or simply choose not to join NSAI – are welcome at all regular chapter meetings and may attend two meetings at no charge. For each meeting following these two complimentary meeting, each non-NSAI member shall be assessed an attendance fee of $15.
Is NSAI membership worth the money?
Ultimately, only you can answer this question. However, most NSAI members agree that the many benefits of membership far outweigh the annual membership fee. For more information on NSAI membership and its benefits, please visit the NSAI website.
What if I only write music or lyrics?
Some of the world’s most recognized and commercially viable songs have been co-written by writing teams in which one or more writers provided the music and others provided the lyrics – musical “yins-and-yangs,” if you will. NSAI and the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter welcome all songwriters, regardless of musical or lyric-writing ability. Indeed, one of the fundamental goals for our chapter was the fostering of songwriting teams. Who knows, maybe you are one-half of the next great songwriting team.
What if I’m just starting to write music?
It doesn’t matter. As discussed above, NSAI and the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter welcome all songwriters, regardless of musical or lyric-writing ability. Our chapter is comprised of individuals with varied musical experiences and levels of commercial success. The one unifying characteristic is that we all want to become better songwriters.
Is NSAI or the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter a music publisher?
No. Neither NSAI nor the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter is a music publisher. In a nutshell, commercial music publishers (also known as “publishing companies”) are engaged in the business of obtaining and exploiting copyrights in original musical compositions (sometimes referred to as “publishing rights”). Under a traditional music publishing agreement, a songwriter, as the original “author” of his or her musical composition, “assigns” the copyright in the composition to the music publisher. In exchange, the music publisher “pitches” the composition to recording artists, record labels, music producers, film and television producers, and other industry players in the hope of securing licenses for various commercial uses. The music publisher will license the compositions, account for the uses, and collect and remit royalties to the songwriter.
Will NSAI or the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter help me get a music publishing deal?
No. Although at chapter meetings we sometimes will discuss music publishing and what music publishers often look for in songwriters and their musical compositions, neither NSAI nor the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter can help you in your efforts to obtain a music publishing deal.
Will NSAI or the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter help me pitch my songs?
Neither NSAI nor the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter will help you pitch your songs, per se. However, by submitting your original songs to NSAI’s song evaluation service (another major benefit of NSAI membership), one of your songs could be selected for performance to music publishers during one of NSAI’s Pitch to Publisher (P2P) Luncheons, held once a quarter at NSAI’s international headquarters in Nashville. Please understand that only the top, most commercially viable songs submitted to NSAI are played at P2P Luncheons. Click here for more information about NSAI P2P Luncheons.
Also, as discussed above, although at chapter meetings we sometimes will discuss music publishing and what music publishers often look for in songwriters and their musical compositions, neither NSAI nor the NSAI Charleston, WV Chapter can pitch your music to commercial music publishers, artists, record labels, managers, or any other music industry players.
Will I obtain legal advice?
No. Although our chapter coordinator, Kevin Levine, and one of our assistant chapter coordinators, Ann Haight, are lawyers whose practice areas include entertainment law, music law, and intellectual property, your attendance at our chapter meetings does not create an attorney-client relationship between or among you and Kevin and/or Ann or their law firm, Kay Casto & Chaney PLLC. Also, although some NSAI lessons are written by lawyers and include information regarding legal issues, your participating in chapter meetings at which such lessons are covered does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and any of those lawyers or their respective law firms.
It is advisable to seek legal counsel of one’s choosing before entering into any music business venture or agreement.
