The answer?...I think you should understand what it takes for your music to make an impact. That understanding comes from knowledge, resources, time, patience, and a little trial and error. Whenever an artist asks me for feedback about their music, I give them that. Feedback. Not the kind of feedback a fan would give, but the kind I would give. Constructive feedback.

See, in my mind, I believe every human being on this planet possesses natural creative talents. We all tap into that talent in various ways. All musicians have talent, just some are more tapped into that creative well than others. I believe as musicians we should be there for each other constructively, offering insight and experience to help our fellow musicians along. Its a sure sign of support.

this post will go over some questions I ask myself when hearing new music,

• When considering song titles I look to see if it has any relevance to the lyrical content and in what way. 
• Does the title stand out? 
• Does it connect with me at all?
• Does it seem too? Too vague? Too Specific? Or just right? 
• Am I thinking too much about the title or not enough? 
• What was the artist thinking when they came up with the title of the song?
• Is there anything about the title that would hold back exposure?

• What mood or feelings are these lyrics supposed to convey? 
• Just like the title are the lyrics too cliche or generic? Too Vague? Too Descriptive? 
• Do the lyrics serve a purpose or are they just written on a piece of paper? 
• What was the songwriter's reasons for writing this song?
•  Does it seem as though the songwriter knows what they are talking about from personal experience or someone else's? That question takes an assumptive stance. 
• Some more questions I might ask are: Should these lyrics be rewritten? How can this song be rewritten to say the same exact thing it WAS saying but just saying it better?
• Anything to keep this track from going far? 

• What kind of tone is being set with this arrangement? 
• Does it fit the overall feel and design of the lyrics? Meaning, if the song is supposed to be about fun, then the arrangement shouldn't make me want to cry. 
• Is there harmony in the arrangement, and does it work? 
• Should there be background vocals/singers? 
• Is it in the right pitch and tone? 
• Does it transition well from section to section? From hook to harmony and beyond.
• What kind of tweaks, if any, would you suggest the singer make to increase the impact of the arrangement and lyrics? 
• Can the singer handle the range needed for the song?  
• Is this song incredible WITH OR WITHOUT music?? 
• Am I really feeling this?

I take choosing the music I write to very seriously. I am extremely selective. Being selective doesn't mean I only stick to one style or genre of music. It just means that whatever track I choose has to connect with me on more than just the surface. There's a lot of activity in the brain as I listen to the music I plan on writing to. When it comes to music I listen to, whether actively or passively, I take the same stance, I'm very selective. Although now as a music publisher building a catalog, I have to listen to more and more music and be open to a variety of artistry, I still am extremely selective to the kind of music I will place in that catalog.