Welcome! To The Nashville Music Production Blog!
Posted: June 21, 2019 Filed under: Studio Services | Tags: Bill Watson, christian demo recording studios in nashville, music producer, nashville trax, play it again demos, session quality Nashville musicians, song demo 1 Comment
Do you need a music producer?
Someone to take the helm during the process of producing your music?
Someone to help you navigate how to use the best of rapidly emerging A! technology combined with killer session players to make your music better?
If you haven’t had much success with your music in the past using other studios and producers, hop on board and hold on. Things are about to change!
Or maybe you’ve already started a project and simply need stellar background vocals? Some lead guitar work perhaps? Drums and bass guitar? Help mixing and/or mastering?
You’re definitely at the right place!
Welcome to the Nashville Songwriter’s Blog sponsored by Nashville Trax.
Bill Watson produces our music here and he is well qualified to be your music producer!
We offer high profile Nashville session musicians such as six time, and currently reigning, CMA Musician of the Year, Jenee Fleenor and 14 time winner (including currently reigning 2025 winner) of the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Guitarist of the Year Award, Brent Mason, to play on your music projects.
We can help you with recording your demo, your album, your EP or your single, starting from scratch.
We can add specific instruments or background vocals to your already-started project or we can produce from scratch your demos, singles and albums.
Interested? Text or call us: 615-319-8616 or e-mail us at nashtrax@bellsouth.net
Glance through our testimonials.
Here are samples of our work. We produce Country, Christian, Americana, Bluegrass, Pop, Rock and Blues.
We’ve been in business producing demos, master recordings and instrument tracks for songwriters and producers since 1991.
This blog contains numerous posts about songwriting technique,. music theory, artists seeking songs, song publishers seeking songs and more!
Text or call us: 615-319-8616 or e-mail us at nashtrax@bellsouth.net or at piademos@bellsouth.net to inquire about:
- Having a demo, master quality single or album produced
- Adding instrument tracks played by Nashville session musicians to your self-produced project.
- Live stage performance tracks made of a cover song or original
Since about the year 2000 as the Internet grew, the opportunities to place original music on TV, in films on the radio and more has exploded! Creating music and “getting it out there” has also become much easier! What a great time to be a songwriter!
Play It Again Demos is our service for songwriters who need high quality demos made of their work using Nashville session quality musicians and singers.
Nashville Trax is a project recording studio for singers and songwriters who wish to come to the Nashville area from other locations to record We can also work with you remotely without you ever having to leave your hometown. We have successfully worked remotely with songwriters and singers from every state in the U.S. and countries such as Norway, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Czechoslovakia and more.
Nashville may be known for country and bluegrass but the Nashville Trax A Team can play anything.
This blog is about songwriting, producing, recording and life. If we think it will help you out in some way, we post it. It’s free of charge and access is unrestricted, stop by anytime. Subscribe if you like, that’s free too.
Enjoy!
Music Production Client, Sean Morton Cashes $4,900 + Royalty Check, “Thank you Nashville Trax!”
Posted: December 8, 2018 Filed under: Client News, Client News, Home Music Production, Songwriting and Career Promotion, Songwriting Tips, Testimonials, Tracks Online | Tags: how to obtain radio airplay, Royalty Check, royalty cheque, song msrketing Leave a comment
Our music producer, Bill Watson, has been cutting tracks for various clients to add to their already-started projects for many years now. Most order repeatedly..
Sean Morton is one of those clients who hails from Canada, Nashville Trax has been supplying specific tracks for his projects for about two years now.
We have added drums, bass guitar, fiddle, guitar and more to his projects, whatever he thinks it needs, or he’ll send our producer, Bill Watson, a stereo mix and ask for Watson’s input on what might be beneficial.
When Sean started mentioning that he was receiving royalty checks for these projects, enough to fund additional track work on multiple songs, we became curious, thinking it might benefit our other clients and potential clients to know how he achieved this.
Sean gladly and unselfishly obliged.
We didn’t ask for it, we really just wanted to know the facts of how he went from recording at home to getting substantial airplay, but we received a bonus, it reads like a testimonial of our work:
“When I finished my EP (using a blend of my own work and tracks by the world class Nashville Trax musicians) I published it through CD baby which enabled me to get it onto all professional download and streaming services. The last step I took was to release it to country radio in Canada through DBDS service.
They picked it up and started playing it on satellite. That picture is the very first royalty cheque I received and I have received even more cheques since then.”
Songwriter Sean Morton. He can now preview the word “songwriter” with “Successful!”
Sean continues, “Utilizing Nashville Trax and getting the privilege of having some of the greatest studio players in the world play on my material ( I’m a country player “hack” up in Northern Alberta ) they inspired me to start writing again and more. They gave me the gift of recording and writing professional sounding music that was only made possible by having a cadre of professional artists readily accessible at a reasonable cost.
They gave me the confidence to risk pushing and exposing my music to the world because of the level to which they elevated things.
Even if I didn’t get those royalty cheques, Nashville Trax was worth the investment into myself. They allowed me to achieve a goal that was always on my bucket list for life. Release some quality sounding songs that I could be proud of.
I look forward to continue making great music together with Nashville Trax!”- Sean Morton, Northern Alberta, Canada
Would you like to contact us about YOUR project? E-mail:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net
Nashville Trax Produced Jingle Airing to Millions Daily!
Posted: October 31, 2018 Filed under: Client News, Client News, Music Industry News, Nashville Session Musicians, Testimonials | Tags: Ellen K Show, Jenee Fleenor, The Swansons, Thought of the Day Leave a commentTune in to the nationally syndicated Ellen K Show on KOST 103.5, Los Angeles, CA to hear The Swansons’ jingle opener for Ellen’s Thought of the Day segment. It was produced here at Nashville Trax and will play every morning moving forward until it wears out.
“I finished getting Jenee’s tracks on the project about 2 p.m. on Sept. 25th,” explains producer, Bill Watson.
“I wanted The Swansons songwriter, Joe, to hear how well it turned out. They had already supplied me with their vocal tracks so I did a quick mix, applied a little mastering, and Dropboxed it,” Watson continues, “As luck would have it Joe and Angie were still in a meeting at the radio station when they downloaded. The Program Director flipped over it and scheduled it daily starting the next morning, on the 26th.”
Jenee Fleenor of Blake Shelton’s band, a regular on NBC’s, The Voice, and fiddlist on several Billboard #1 country hits, figuring out her part on “Thought of the Day”.
“No way would I have thought the tracks we were cutting Tuesday would be heard on radio by millions of people within less than 24 hours, it’s crazy. God is good.”
“Thought of the Day”
Written by Joe Finley of The Swansons
Vocals: Joe and Angie of The Swansons
Fiddle and mando: Jenee Fleenor (NBC’s The Voice/Blake Shelton’s band)
Guitars: 12 xs ACM’s Guitar Player of the Year, Brent Mason
Drums and percussion: Rascal Flatts drummer, Jim Riley
Bass Guitar: Nashville Trax producer, Bill Watson
Produced, engineered and mixed by Bill Watson, Nashville Trax
Would you like to contact us about YOUR project? E-mail:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net
The Nashville Trax A Team
Posted: May 18, 2017 Filed under: Now Tracking, Samples of Our Work, Testimonials Leave a commentWelcome to Nashville Trax! Yes, we are located in the Nashville, Tennessee area and we are the home base of the incredible Nashville Trax A Team detailed below.
Scroll down this samples page and you’ll find numerous samples of work we did for many different clients.
We produce Country, Contemporary Christian, Bluegrass, Folktronica, Southern Gospel, Americana, Rock, Blues, Hip Hop and Pop music!
Whether you need a demo of your song, a master, a performance track, a session quality instrument track added to a project you are producing, mastering of your mix, or even an entire album produced, the Nashville Trax A team, featuring our best players, is available at a price lower than you might think.
Read what one of our current clients e-mailed to Nashville Trax’ music producer (B. E. Watson):
“These tracks are smokin’ hot, Bill!!! This album is going to ROCK country style!!! Thanks man!!!! Wow!!!!!!” -Joe Finley, front man for The Swansons, regarding the tracks posted below.
And from client Mike Martin of the Sacramento, California area:
“Hi Bill, I have been playing my CD with the four songs you recorded for me and everyone is amazed at the quality of recording as well as the musicianship. You make records and even demos that are radio ready in my opinion and I just wanted to say thank you for all your work.”
The Swanson’s album, Country This, produced by Bill Watson right here at Nashville Trax won The Producer’s Choice Awards “Best Country Album” in April of 2018. The Swansons also cut their second award album here, “BAM” in 2019, and here in 2021 we’re finishing mixing and mastering on The Swanson’s album # three!
Here’s our A team- we call them The Hitmakers- on a music-only track intended for the Swansons’ album:
Something’s Better © 2017 Joe Finley, published by Listen Again Music (BMI):
Drums: Jim Riley (Rascal Flatts)
Bass Guitar: Bill Watson (Nashville Trax producer)
Acoustic and Electric Guitars: 10 times Music Row Session Guitar Player of the Year, Hall of Famer, Most recorded guitarist in history, Brent Mason
Harmonica: Mike Douchette (Tammy Wynette, George Jones, ZZ Top)
Mandolin: Jenee Fleenor(NBC’s The Voice fiddlist/Blake Shelton’s fiddlist, 2019 CMA Musician of The Year 2020/2021 CMA Musician of The Year.
Banjo: Aaron McDaris (with the #1 award winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent)
Engineered, Arranged, Produced and Mixed by Bill Watson
The Swansons, who perform live shows and have their own band, have also started playing selected live shows here in Nashville and other locations with The Nashville Trax A Team, such as the 2018 Producer’s Choice Awards show in Las Vegas with the musicians who contribute on their albums : The Swansons, Brent Mason on guitar, Jenee Fleenor on fiddle, Bill Watson on bass guitar and Jim Riley on drums.
Would you like a quote on your project using these musicians?
Contact:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net Att: B.E. Watson, A Team quote.
Here’s the first single, releasing to radio in 2018: “Valentine” with Joe and Angie singing lead; Bill “B.E.” Watson on bass guitar; Jenee Fleenor fiddle; Brent Mason, guitars, Jim Riley, drums; Steve King, keys, Jamie and Jim Riley, background vocals:
The Nashville Trax A Team is comprised of session veterans such as Jenee Fleenor, who plays fiddle and mandolin for major label country artist, Blake Shelton.
She was also the fiddle player on John Pardi’s 2016 Billboard #1 country hit “Head Over Boots” as well as the fiddle player on the #1 followup song by Jon Pardi that was certified gold for sales and streaming of 500,000 copies “”Dirt On My Boots” which features Jenee’s playing throughout.
She is the 2016 CMA Touring Musician of the Year, 2020 CMA Musician of the Year, 2021CMA Musician of the Year as well as the fiddle player for the popular television show, The Voice.
In fact, Jenee turned down Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler’s offer to tour with him (to support his country album) but she is doing selected Steven Tyler dates…and guess what? Hire us and she’ll definitely play on your project!
The Swansons:
And here’s a quick rough mix of a three piece rockabilly jam with Brent Mason on guitar, Jim Riley drums and Bill Watson on bass guitar. More instrument parts have since been added; be sure to pick up a copy of The Swanson’s album (produced by Nashville Trax, intended for release November/December 2017) to hear the full mix:
Same song, same rhythm, track, but with Jenee, Mike, Joe and Angie Finley and other members of the A team on board, and EQ and effects applied to the tracks:
Here is our A Team playing that same song with The Swansons on their Nashville live debut/CD release party, 9-22-17:
The foundation rhythm section players: Jim Riley, Drums; Bill “B.E.” Watson, Bass Guitar; Brent Mason, Rhythm & Lead Guitars:
Some of the other A team tracking and overdub players we use:
“One of the best memories of my entire life!! Thanks to you and your crew of ‘Hitmakers’ Bill Watson!! Thanks again!
“- Songwriter Joe Finley of The Swansons.
Would you like a quote on your project?
Contact:
nashtrax@bellsouth.net Att: B.E. Watson, A Team quote.
Something’s Better, Valentine and I Need Your Love are all © 2017 Joe Finley, published by Listen Again Music (BMI). Posted for demonstration of production values only. Any other use is a violation of U.S. and International copyright law.
A Rockin’ Country Demo
Posted: November 10, 2016 Filed under: Samples of Our Work | Tags: country, demo, new country, rock, Song Leave a comment
Play It Again Demos
If you like older style country we can do that: fiddle, pedal steel out front in the mix, we love it!
But much of what makes radio these days incorporates more of a rock vibe. If there’s fiddle and steel they’ll have to fight for a spot in the mix, distorted guitars and cannon-like drums rule.
Here’s a demo produced by Play It Again Demos by produced here, titled “Renegade” that features those types of sounds.
Renegade is © 2013, 2016 Dan Mathews, used by permission of the songwriter. If you’re interested in recording this song please let us know and we’ll forward your request to the songwriter and music publisher.
Do you need a quality singer like this to make your song sound professional?
An arrangement that make your tune something special, not just regurgitate the rough version? The blues-scale riffs in the intro, halfway through the chorus and on through? The producer, Bill Watson, wrote them in during pre-production.
And how about these musicians? Wouldn’t it be thrilling to hear these guys doing your song? And so worth the money?
Pro demos make everyone– friends, family, artists, record company A & R and music publishers- take notice and will brand you as a pro-level songwriter every time you play them.
We would be as happy to do that for you! Just shoot us an e-mail at nashtrax@bellsouth.net with your rough mp3 version attached and request a quote today!
There are more samples of work to your right in Categories > Samples of Our Work.
New Vocal and EQ PlugIns. WOW, will YOU sound great!
Posted: November 10, 2016 Filed under: Pro Tools Software, Studio Equipment | Tags: Aphex Aural Exciter, Lexicon Reverb, The Fly III, Waves HEQ Hybrid Equalizer Leave a commentLet’s start with this piece of amazement, the Waves HEQ Hybrid Equalizer:
Waves HEQ Hybrid Equalizer At Work In A Nashville Trax mix
This is the $300 TDM version, and worth every cent.
Basically it will analyze the frequency response of a track and give the engineer a visual as he EQ’s it in real time. The yellow line is pre-EQ, the blue is post. The advantage over a regular analog or digital EQ? Instead of relying on your ears, you can see what is going on, see what needs to be cut or boosted, make the tweak, then get additional visual verification that you’ve achieved your goal.
Either that or it calculates how to get that insect DNA out of your body before you turn into The Fly III.
But I do believe it’s an EQ.
And here’s another piece of total greatness that can help your project sound amazing:
Aphex Aural Exciter
I must admit this isn’t my first Aphex relationship. (That sounds just plain weird doesn’t it?) We had the original Aphex Aural Exciter, the analog physical version, in our rack nine years ago. I loved that little guy but when we went to Pro Tools HD and started mixing in the box, the Aphex was no longer able to be utilized, so we sold it.
But appropriately, on Halloween Eve it’s back from the dead in software form, ready to add sparkle to any track it’s needed on. It may say “Vintage Aural Exciter” but at first listen there was no question it’s an emulation of the Aphex.
I don’t care who you are you have to love an aural exciter on drum overheads. But it will work on many track types anytime a mix is too bottom end heavy. Apply it judiciously and it balances out the lows with quality high end.
And here is our new Lexicon Reverb, part of a $600 bundle that includes everything from concert halls to tiny rooms:
Click here to see the rest of this post about our new Lexicon Reverb. Also learn more about our Tube Saturation Software for vocals and how it might help make your vocal track sound sensational!
Songwriters Paid Monthly
Posted: November 9, 2016 Filed under: Music Industry News | Tags: monthly, royalty payments, sesac Leave a comment
SESAC is now offering monthly royalty check payments. For details visit: http://www.sesac.com/News/News_Details.aspx?id=1793
Now Tracking: Better Than A Hallelujah
Posted: November 9, 2016 Filed under: Christian, Client News, Now Tracking | Tags: album of Contemporary Christian songs, Better Than A Hallelujah, Breakpoint Amy Grant Interview, Official Amy Grant Video of Better Than A Hallelujah Leave a comment
I hope to help make YOUR project sound GREAT soon!
Working on a limited release demo CD project mixing original songs with cover tunes. First up? A cover of Amy Grant’s Better Than A Hallelujah.
The songwriting craft evident in Hallelujah blows me away. The lyric is simple yet powerful. The melody just soars. Love it!
There’s no sense in copying Amy’s version, that’s pretty much a definitive performance so rather than attempt to emulate greatness, I want to do something different with it.
One thought was to make it much bigger sounding, over the top alt pop rock with distorted guitars, a full choir, big rock drums, etc.
But I decided while interesting to produce, going huge would lose the best quality this tune has going for it: simple understated beauty. So it will remain at about the same dynamic just a little more dense with a slightly bluesy lead vocal, some Hall & Oates style bgv’s (background vocals) and some unusual instrumentation. Exactly what, I’ll leave as a surprise for now and post an mp3 when the CD is finished.
In my research before charting I found an Amy Grant interview about the song I think you’d find interesting for a lot of reasons.
I also found the The Official Amy Grant Video of Better Than A Hallelujah Not too great of a discovery, Columbus’ place in history remains secure, it comes up 1st in Google, lol.
Beautiful the mess we are.
Wow!
b.e.
https://twitter.com/itsachuezra/status/373744607470686209
https://twitter.com/TaylorGiles02/status/373712911727742976
https://twitter.com/dulcineapo36m00/status/374121853289132032
https://twitter.com/aaron37227/status/374069958978068480
Songwriting Tip: Contrast Upbeat Music With A Depressing Lyric!
Posted: November 9, 2016 Filed under: Songwriting Tips | Tags: Jim Croce Operator, Jim Croce Time In A Bottle, Jim Croce Workin' At The Car Wash, lyric technique sad lyric upbeat, Third Blind Eye Semi Charmed, third blind eye semi charmed life Leave a comment
Bill Watson: Don’t Worry, Be Happy!
A tune came in today (by songwriter Tom Hogan a.k.a. Steve Zodiak) at Play It Again Demos that uses a rarely-employed technique you might wish to experiment with.
The song features a happy, upbeat melody but the lyric is definitely negative. For some reason that contrast works.
The best example of this technique is Jim Croce’s “Workin’ At The Car Wash Blues” where the lyric reveals the dichotomy between the singer’s current career path: “rubbing fenders with a rag and walking home in soggy old shoes” with where he feels he deserves to be: sitting in an air-conditioned office “talkin’ some trash to my secretary sayin’, ‘Hey now mama come on over here!”
I can’t agree with the attitude, a real man treats women they deal with in business or in their personal life as they would want their mother or sister to be treated, but the lyric’s contrast between fantasy and reality is hilarious.
In tough guy with a sensitive side, Jim Croce’s defense, he also wrote “Time In A Bottle” as well as “Operator.”
Another example is “Semi Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind. It can give you happy feet but the lyric is mostly negative. Including lyric lines discussing crystal meth addiction.
Happy music, not so fun-loving lyric.
It works, try it!- b.e.
https://twitter.com/Jessie_Maryee/status/373724535021121536
Songwriting Chord Progression Tip: Root to Relative Minor
Posted: August 10, 2013 Filed under: Songwriting Tips | Tags: root chord to the relative minor, Songwriting Chord Progression Tip, voicing Leave a comment
Songwriters who aren’t trained in music theory often hear a song using a bass line movement descending from the major root chord to the relative minor, then imitate that movement in their own songs this way: (key of C) C, B minor, A minor. In the Nashville Numbers System that would be 1, 7-, 6-.
What they are actually trying to imitate is this: C, G/B, Am or in Nashville Numbers speak: 1, 5/7, 6-. The G/B means a G chord played with a B bass note. If you play guitar or piano and you’re solo you can make the movement happen by voicing the deepest pitched B note as your root for the G chord. But if you’re working with a bass player it’s fine to simply play the full G chord and let the bass player take the B bass note. Another example just to confirm you understand the concept, this time in the key of G : Instead of G, F#m, Em use G, D/F#, Em- b.e.
Microphone Locker: The AT 4040
Posted: August 5, 2013 Filed under: Studio Equipment | Tags: at 4040, audio tecxhnica, play it again demos, when is a low price microphone better than expensive mic. nashville trax Leave a comment
A pair of At 4040’s used as overheads on our studio drum kit
The fact we have a pair of matched AT 4040 microphones is yet another reason to choose Play It Again Demos (our over-the-internet demo recording service) or Nashville Trax to do your recording work. They let us give you predictably fantastic drum sounds, and they add one more color to the producer’s palette.
For large diaphragm condensors they’re “cheapies” listing at around $500 each and retailing about $300. But price is irrelevant to application. In other words, a $150 dynamic microphone will sometimes outperform a $3,000 condenser microphone, it depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
The AT is listed as having relatively flat response across the audible spectrum from 20 HZ to about 20K. In actual use I’ve discovered it is a little heavy on the bass end, not muddy, just loud, and crystal clear in the mids. The high end is clear too but if that’s what the application requires, you have to roll off the bass to reveal it.
We use a pair of AT’s for drum overheads so normally I keep the 80 Hz, 12 dB/octave switch set to minimize the bass response. Once EQ’d properly, they shine as overheads.
I feel blessed here at the studio in two ways. We have a good selection of mics to choose from that cover every recording situation, plus we have a drum kit set up permanently.
So many studios let the drummer furnish the drums and that means setting up and tearing down the whole kit for most sessions. Then the mics have to be set up and re-calibrated each time. It can be done but I have zero time for redundant, skull numbing mindlessness and there’s no way you’ll achieve the consistently great sound inherent in a permanent drum setup unless you have one. So we do.
Comments from seasoned studio musicians on the drum sounds are typically, “I wish my kick drum sounded like THAT!” and, “The drums sound PERFECT, don’t change a thing!”
The drums alone have 9 microphones: bass drum, snare, hi-hat, 3 tom mics, the two AT 4040’s, and a room mic. I can fire up the gear, the drummer can simply sit down and start pounding away and with minimal tweaking, we’re ready to record.
All that being said I must admit that I sometimes pull an AT off the drum kit, usually out of desperation because a far more expensive mic isn’t getting it done. And usually the AT excels. I’ve used them on background vocals, fiddle, even horns.
On one session I used an AT for lead vocal instead of a $1,000 mic that pre-session I figured would almost certainly work because it had for that same singer many times prior. Both the singer and I agreed: The AT simply sounded better for his voice that day- B. E. Watson
Tough Gig and Tougher Crowd: The Battle of Franklin TN
Posted: August 5, 2013 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Dixie, Robert E. Lee's right hand man in The Battle of Gettysburg, Sherman Drove Old Dixe Down, Southern General John Hood, Winstead Hill Leave a comment
Plaque describing the Battle of Franklin. The lower right corner is where the quote below was pulled from.
On November 30, 1864 the Southern General John Hood held a position on the hill where the park is now located. He decided to attack the Northern troops located toward Franklin. His line was the largest single array of troops in the entire war, some 19,000 men moving shoulder-to-shoulder across the fields at the foot of the hill.
The plaque pictured above tells it best:
At 4 p.m. here on Winstead Hill, launched the single largest attack made during the American Civil War. The Federal soldiers never forgot the sheer spectacle of the Confederates sweeping across the fields before you with bands playing “Dixie” and “The Bonnie Blue Flag.” One Union observer later wrote that “we were spellbound with admiration, although they were our hated foes.”
Maybe the musicians should have altered the playlist with a tune less controversial than “Dixie.” The Union troops listened for a bit then opened fire. When the smoke cleared at day’s end there were over 6,000 Southern casualties. The action was a disaster for the South.
If I were the general I’d have suggested playing “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”
In just the first few minutes of battle, five Southern generals lost their lives in the field just to the right of the hill. Altogether 15 Southern Generals were killed in the fierce fight. Hood’s forces were rendered incapable of effectively engaging in battle for the remainder of the war.
If memory serves correctly Hood was Robert E. Lee’s right hand man in The Battle of Gettysburg, afterwards going to GA to harass Northern General Sherman near Atlanta as Sherman “Drove Old Dixe Down.”
Imagine walking from Gettysburg to Atlanta and on to Nashville as these troops must have done, including the musicians. Tough gig, tougher crowd– b.e.
One of many markers on the site detailing the battle. Man, I greatly enjoy history but let’s inject wisdom in all situations and pour out understanding, tolerance and love instead of hate so we never get to this point again as some are now calling for. Our nation torn in two, boys not yet in their prime being slaughtered and killing each other by the truckload? It can’t be near as much fun as it sounds.
https://twitter.com/mal_pal14/status/374002758439153664
https://twitter.com/SeaRavenPress/status/374117426394562560
https://twitter.com/shnake_10/status/374048717541621761
Songwriting Tip: Three Chord Groups
Posted: August 4, 2013 Filed under: Songwriting Tips | Tags: Bill Watson, Chord Chemistry Ted Greene, chord progressions, chord rules, chord substitution, guitar shop by bill watson, three chord groups, tonic dominant seventh Leave a comment
Knowing a few chords on guitar or piano is a good thing but some roughs I’ve reviewed here reveal that some newbie songwriters aren’t sure how to use them together. Sometimes chords are used that don’t support the melody or several chords are used that inadvertently introduce a new key in a spot where that shouldn’t happen.
Hopefully this post will reduce that confusion slightly, but in the larger sense, it’s aimed at introducing the abecedarian songwriter to the concept that there is a right way and wrong way to use chords, thus fueling the desire for further exploration of the principles.
Huh, abecedarian… pretty good word, eh? It means neophyte or beginner. Use it to replace a cuss word: “Listen, you abecedarian…” : )
As in most endeavors, there are rules. Rules can be broken but songwriters who don’t know the rules in the first place tend to break them in a bad way, in a way that detracts rather than enhances.
So here is a rule of sorts: Inject a sense of order in the writing process by employing a chord progression, which is several chords played in sequence that sound good together and firmly establish a key. There are many chord progressions that are accepted in music theory as “standards” and are used over and over, the simplest being the three chord group.
Many hit songs are written using only a three chord group, some with as few as two of the three chords in a group.
The easiest three chord groups to play on guitar are:
1. E, A, B7th
2. G, C, D7th
3. A, D, E 7th
4. C, F, G7th
5. D, G, A 7th
All of those can be played on guitar using open chords (chords that contain unfretted notes). The first chord in the three chord sequence is the tonic chord a.k.a. root chord. The second is the dominant chord, the third is the sub dominant or sub dominant seventh.
A three chord group is based on the major scale. Choose the 1st, 4th and 5th notes of a major scale and those notes name the three chord group for that scale with that 1st (the root note) naming the key. Also add a dominant 7th (7th) to the final chord (although the 7th is sometimes omitted).
For example, the notes in a C Major scale are:
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, (and back to C, up one octave in pitch from the original C).
The 1st, 4th and 5th notes of the C Major Scale, counting from C are C, F, G. So in the key of C, (C because the first note, the root note, is C) the 3 chord group is C, F, G. In the Nashville number system they’d be referred to as 1-4-5.
Click here to read the rest of this post, including how to use a three chord group to write a song and how to employ the principal of chord substitution.
Or you can skip the free stuff and go straight to the books this post is drawn from, we’re barely scratching the surface here. If you want to learn very basic open chord progressions and simple rhythms get my book Guitar Shop. If you want to learn more complicated chords, extended chords, how non-root bass notes work and learn all the chord substitution rules, get Ted’s book– bill watson
Get On Track With The God Of Wonders
Posted: July 31, 2013 Filed under: Christian | Tags: Beyond our galaxy, Chris Tomlin God of Wonders, focus energy Leave a comment
The radio alarm sounded this morning with this song and it was such a perfect wake up call I thought I’d share. A GREAT way to start the day or anytime really.
Focus and energy just pour on in!- b.e.
Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds
Posted: June 14, 2013 Filed under: Songwriting and Career Promotion | Tags: A & R, development deal, live showcase for major label, showcases, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds Leave a commentA lot of aspiring artists just don’t seem to get it. They can sing, they may be good looking. But in Nashville that’s only the bargaining chip that gets you to the table, everyone holds those cards. In most cases, to “win” you need more.
My advice: Hit the stage with intent.
This band gets it:
Sure, there are big acts that basically just stand nearly motionless onstage and win people over with their personality and/or talent. But they already have hit records. Too many aspiring artists who “want to get signed” get the chance to do a live showcase for major label A&R and when the lights go on, have nothing.
No stage movement, no personality, nothing unique.
The difference between singers I’ve recorded during my time time here who did move on to a major label recording contract and the ones who had great talent yet failed to move beyond a development deal or even the showcasing stage is a lack of drive, a lack of setting themselves apart from other aspiring artists in some way.
Sister Sparrrow and The Dirty Birds is a group totally into what they’re doing. It wouldn’t matter whether there were 5 people watching or 55,000, they’d perform just the same. The band is tight, the girl has a unique voice and makes the most of what she’s got. This is the type of act any A & R person would jump to sign- b.e.
How To Use Your AI Suno Project With a Nashville Recording Studio
Posted: November 20, 2025 Filed under: Song Demo Tip, Studio Services | Tags: AI, AI copyright, artificial-intelligence, Music, nashville trax recording studio, Suno, technology, writing Leave a commentAfter putting your prompts or lyrics in Suno and experimenting for a while, you finally have a country song you’re happy with.
So why use a Nashville music producer Nashville recording studio at all?
Here’s what songwriters who come to Nashville Trax say:
- AI portions of a project are auto rejected by the Library of Congress. Those portions can’t be copyrighted. They want real singers and musicians can be.
- To get what they really want. Suno AI has a mind of its own. FOR EXAMPLE: The songwriter wants the singer to go up an octave on the chorus but THE AI engine may not cooperate. That third chorus needs to happen just after the bridge but Suno decided to go off on a tangent. Often Suno generates weird artifacts, ghost vocals, etc. strange pronunciations that need to be cleaned up.
- Real singers and real musicians will impart a human element
- To avoid rejection. Many A&R reps in Nashville summarily reject anything to do with AI as soon as they recognize it.
- To sing it themself.
For one or more of those reasons, you may find yourself seeking a producer to help take your songs to the next level.
The first thing you should do is approach the studio with a very clear list of why you are approaching them. Example: Not “I want you guys to record this again.” Rather, “I want this with a female singer instead of male, a short guitar solo insterted and the chorus needs another repeat after the solo.
Second, list the things you like about the AI version. “I love the intro.” “I love the AI singer’s tone” etc.
Third, the things you don’t like: “I hate the bridge, it’s too long.”
Fourth, is anything missing? “I’d love to hear some banjo!”
This will give the producer a road map to follow.
If the project is still available go back and download the stems, even if its just the instrumental track and the vocal separated. The producer may decide to use some of them in the new rendition, but if not, he may find them useful anyway to help determine the exact notes or chords played.
Once you hire the producer, give him your project and notes, back off a few days so they have time to write charts and call musicians. At that point it’s appropriate to request a rough ETA.
Need Help Getting Your Songs To The Right People?
Posted: August 7, 2025 Filed under: Songwriting | Tags: song pitching marketing Leave a commentIf you are successfully pitching your songs yourself, great, more power to you.
But if you’re finding it difficult and time consuming to make the connection with those who need songs, such as song publishers and artists, it might be better to focus on your songwriting. You can let someone else handle the mundane task of marketing them. music libraries, movie and record company A&R- perhaps you should spend your time and energy songwriting and turn over the mundane task of marketing them to someone else.
Enter Song Rocket, that’s exactly what they do!
If you’re interested in their services contact Client Liason, Samantha Banks, for info: songrocketmarketing@gmail.com
Or visit their web site, SongRocket
If pitching your work and dealing with potential rejection isn’t your strong suit, consider hiring it out.
A Sample Of Our Work
Posted: March 24, 2025 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentAnybody Better Than Me
from the upcoming Swanson’s album, produced at Nashville Trax, with
Brent Mason all guitars; Jenee Fleenor violin; Bill Watson producer, arranger, bass guitar; Jim Riley drums; Steve King Keyboards; Britini Black background vocals
Lead vocals by The Swansons ©2025 The Swansons Music
Here’s another by the Swanson’s, also produced here at Nashville Trax with the same producing/musician team:
Forever
L to Rt: Jenee Fleenor, Bill Watson, Angie Finley, Joe Finley, Jim Riley, Brent Mason
Additional samples of our work can be found here:
Like what you hear? Would you like us to help produce your project? Call or text us at 615-319-8616
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Have you tried Song Rocket? Song Rocket is a song plugging service that can get your songs to artists, record labels, music publishers and other song markets at a reasonable monthly cost! They also offer a more comprehensive marketing program that will attempt to place your songs in song libraries, on radio, independent films and more. Give Song Rocket a look today!
We Can Provide the Tracks! Nashville Tracks!
Posted: September 1, 2024 Filed under: Home Music Production, Music Industry News, Nashville Session Musicians, Uncategorized | Tags: bass guitar, Fiddle, nashville tracks, pedal steel, track, tracks Leave a commentText us at 615-319-8616
Or vist Nashville Trax
Or e-mail nashtrax@bellsouth.net
Need Pro Session Musicians on your Project? 1 track, several tracks or your song fully produced, our Nashville Trax team will work with you!
We can provide the best of the best Nashville session players on your song(s).
Fiddle
Background Vocals
Pedal Steel
New Swansons Albums Produced by Nashville Trax Releasing August 2024 and 2025!
Posted: August 19, 2024 Filed under: Client News, Music Industry News | Tags: Album, Bam, Country This, The Swansons, Wake Up Leave a comment
“Wake Up”, the latest album from the Swansons duo will drop August 30th 2024.
The album contains 11 songs penned by Joe Finley and featuring the alt country sound the duo has been evolving under Nashville Trax producer Bill Watson. Prior to Watson’s influence on their sound which started in 2016 with Country This, the duo had been a rock act, releasing rock oriented albums.
And an as-yet-untitled 14 song album drops in July of 2025.
Other Swansons’ albums produced over the past several years by Nashville Trax include Country This, Bam and Amazing Love.
Record Your Song With Jenee Fleenor at Nashville Trax!
Posted: August 15, 2024 Filed under: Music Industry News | Tags: co-write Miranda Lambert, Fiddle track, Jenee Fleenor, nashville trax, songwriting, Twister Leave a commentThe just released movie, Twister, starring Miranda Lambert features a song Miranda co-wrote with our fiddle player, Jennee. It’s titled “I Ain’t In Kansas Anymore”. Jenee also played on it!
Interested in having Jenee play on your song? Text us at 615-319-8616, once we hear your rough and discuss particulars, we’ll make it happen.
We are happy to produce just one song. However, if you have three songs for us to produce, that meets our minimum for a dedicated session. You are welcome to come in and hang out a bit. You can actually meet Jenee and other musicians playing on your project.
2025: A Great Year for Nashville, Our Clients and Nashville Trax!
Posted: January 3, 2024 Filed under: Client News, Music Industry News, Studio Equipment | Tags: Music, Nashville, nhl, travel Leave a commentHere at Nashville Trax we addedthe latest greatest recording and mixing gear. Pro Tools 25 with the Steven Slate dual touchscreen system.
In business now for nearly 20 years, 2024 was our busiest and 2025 has been even more so. Keep an eye on our FB page!We are also in the process of adding new talent to make this roster of musicians and singers our best ever.
Our clients have many exciting single, album and performance projects in the works we’ll be posting about periodically.
Not only is Nashville Trax thriving, Nashville is too! Down on Broadway, with Luke Combs backing, The Wild Horse Saloon is being refurbished to become a multi-floor dance club holding over 3,000 people. Meanwhile, with over 100 people per day moving to Nashville, the housing market here is expected to experience another great year throughout the entire greater Nashville area on into 2026!
As the entire shopping mall concept has been failing with many malls closing around the country, Opry Mills Mall here in Nashville is going strong. Already the largest retail space in the area, OMM is experiencing their biggest year in 2025. Shop or just walk through, you’ll be glad you added it to your trip here!
And….drum roll please!…According to Statistica, country music has surpassed pop on the most popular genres list, at 42% and 40% respectively. It looks like everything is pointing to a banner year here in Nashville and at Nashville Trax!
Do you want to book a music project at Nashville Trax? Text or call 615-319-8616
Akademia Hall of Fame Inducts The Greatest Gift!
Posted: September 20, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentCongrats to long time Nashville Trax clients, The Greatest Gift, on their recent induction into the Akademia Hall of Fame!
They play approximately 240 concerts per year. They have recently achieved Platinum status on one of their releases. They have brought many souls to Christ. They have won other prestigious awards throughout their career. No question they deserve it!
Congrats to Longtime Nashville Trax client, The Greatest Gift, on Achieving Platinum Status!
Posted: September 13, 2023 Filed under: Client News, Music Industry News | Tags: The Greatest Gift Wayne Paterson Leave a comment
The trio has won many awards in the Christian Gospel field over the years for their multiple albums of original music produced here at Nashville Trax, vocals added and mixed at Bobcat Studios. They’ve now added Gold and Platinum certification for this 2021 release to their long list of accomplishments!
And keep The Greatest Gift in mind, they’re just getting started! We are currently about 1/3rd of the way through producing three additional albums!
Christian Song Before and After Production
Posted: August 5, 2023 Filed under: Samples of Our Work | Tags: Christian, Contemporary, demo, Song 2 Comments
Bill Watson, producer
Looking to have a Christian song produced? Give a listen to this client a capella “before” version of this song (titled “Paradise”) then our version.
Client “Before” version:
Nashville Trax “after” version:
Paradise is © 2025 Jon Smith, posted by permission.
Pro recordings make everyone- friends, family, artists, record company A & R and music publishers- take notice. Have 3 or 4 professional quality demos or masters to peddle and they’ll brand you as a pro-level songwriter every time you pitch them.
If you would like a quote on making a professional version of your song simply drop an e-mail with your rough mp3 or mp4 attached to: nashtrax@bellsouth.net with the details of what you want.
Need to chat first? Text or call 615-319-8616
Write in another style? There are more samples of work to your right in Categories > Samples of Our Work.
Your Music Produced and Played by Professionals!
Posted: December 12, 2022 Filed under: Music Industry News, Uncategorized Leave a comment
Music Producer Bill Watson and the session musicians here at Nashville Trax can do it! …Demo, Single, LP, or a full blown album!
In business since 2004- eighteen years with roots extending even beyond that- we’ve thrilled a long list of clients, and we can make that same jaw-dropping-level project happen for you!
Please take a look through the pages of this blog, It details what we’re all about and features many samples of our work.
“Before I go into details on this new project, I’d like to thank you guys for the tracks you played for my last project. I had a vocal recording session with my co-writer last Sunday and after recording some good vocals and mixing things down the song sounds very nice with your tracks. just absolutely stunning job. Thanks!”- Walter Troubadour, Alsace–Lorraine, France
To get the ball rolling on your project, give us a call or drop a text to: 615-319-8616
Chelsea, one of the highly talented singers at Nashville Trax…rock, blues..great harmony/backgrounds..maybe she’ll sing on your project?
Britt sings great pop, gospel, Christian..fantastic harmony and background vocals. Got a song for her? Text us 615-319-8616
Vinyl is back! Are Hula Hoops and Bobby Socks Next?
Posted: January 12, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentWeren’t we done with “records” “cassingles” and the like a couple decades ago? Didn’t new and supposedly better tech push those and many other “no longer useful” items into a huge pile to decay on the scrap heap of history?
Not so fast.
The Recording Industry of America reports that vinyl record sales, which first overtook CD sales in 2020, have been increasing for a decade now. And they’re up substantially over the two year pandemic period, by as much as an additional 200%.
But it’s not just vinyl records making a comeback. Another once nearly extinct item, the cassette tape, has also increased year-after-year in sales that now total in the six figures over this past twelve month period.
As more and more listeners choose vinyl and cassettes, the case for songwriters to make a portion of their work available in these old school formats is building, and some singer-songwriters already have.
For example, the Los Angeles based duo, The Swansons, have recorded three full albums here at Nashville Trax, are midway through a fourth, and just re-released their popular second album done here, titled Bam!, on vinyl…. red vinyl, no less.
Yes, far more people have cell phones to play an mp3 than have record players or cassette tape players at this point in history, but even if your vinyl record sales don’t track quite strong enough to turn a profit, there’s a certain coolness factor to having product in a retro format that can make releasing on cassette, on vinyl, or both, a good business decision regardless. It’s also uncommon enough, with many people, including members of the press, not realizing the comeback is on, that it can help your act obtain articles and interviews.
Since we are discussing old things becoming new again, there’s this kinda sorta related fact:
Did you know that all growth in the music business is coming from decades old songs? Yes, really. Newly written and produced material is actually experiencing a decrease, proof and details here:
Is Old Music Killing New Music?
But what what does this interesting, little known fact, mean for songwriting, if anything? Your songwriting?
Not much. Make no mistake, the trend line may not be in their favor, but the numbers that “new music decline” are based on were huge so even with a decline, new Christian, country and pop artists are still enjoying plenty of radio airplay and are still building lucrative careers. There is plenty of opportunity to write and market your songs in those genres.
If you’re an independent songwriter/performer you don’t want to sound dated of course, that’s often the kiss of death for someone plugging their latest tune. But food for thought: if you can incorporate the best aspects of the material that was popular in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s into your writing- the super catchy hooks, the cool arrangements, while having your demos produced with a modern spin, you may tie into something of a hybrid nature that can grab airplay and sell in big numbers to both the diminishing demographic that loves the new songs, and also appeals to the older demographic that is tiring of listening to Heart’s These Dreams” on their local oldies station for the 3,000th time.
That influence can be subtle, it can be overt, such as the Kidd Rock riffing on Sweet Home Alabama in “All Summer Long”, or downright blatant the way De Jay Silver recorded a rap tune that sampled bits of the Alabama country hit “Dixieland Delight”.
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The first step to releasing your songs on mp3, CD, Vinyl or cassette is to have a professional recording produced. Nashville Trax can guide you through the entire production process. Interested? Drop us an e-mail at nashtrax@bellsouth.net
A Songwriting & Recording Blog 