DALLAS SONGWRITERS ASSOCIATION SONG CONTEST FAQS

How can I enter?

It’s easy! You can enter online at any of these sponsoring sites: Broadjam or on the DSA website or download an entry form here and print out, and mail your entries to:

Dallas Songwriters Association (DSA)

2018 Song Contest Director

Sammons Center for the Arts

3630 Harry Hines Boulevard #20

Dallas, TX 75219

How much is the entry fee?

$25 each entry. Please note EACH entry must have an accompanying form sheet. If you are a member of DSA or plan to join, you can get a $5 discount off your membership or renewal for each song contest entry. To join DSA or renew your membership, go to dallassongwriters.org. We’d love to have you as a member!

Who owns the songs I enter?

You do! You retain all rights.

What has to be on the lyric sheet?

The song Title and Category appear at the top of the sheet. Your lyrics, marked with “Verse” “Chorus” etc., follow the Title. For a sample, click here. Do not write your name on the lyric sheet or on the outside of the CD case -- simply fold your lyric sheet white-side out (so that the back side shows) and legibly write the song Title and Category on the back of the lyric sheet, and place it inside the CD case so that the song Title and Category show through the CD case.

If I don’t write my name on my lyric sheet, how do you know which one is mine?

Song Contest staff keeps track of which name goes with which song – all names are withheld from the judges so that the judges can select the winners with the highest level of fairness possible. Once the judges select the semifinalists and winners, the song contest staff reveals the names of the winning artists.

What are the prizes?

GRAND PRIZE 

a Casio PX-S1000 Privia Piano 

Grand Prize Winner, and

1st and 2nd Runner Up Receive:

1 Yr. Broadjam Primo MoB Membership

($199.95 Value) 

Includes Artist Website, 1 Yr. Hosting 

and

Song Critique from Barbara McMillen, Associate Professor of Songwriting at Collin College,

recording time at Joe Musik Studio 

1st Place in Each Category Receives:

$100

A 1 year Broadjam Film & TV Membership ($99.95 value) 

2nd Place in Each Category Receives:

$50

A 1 year Broadjam Film & TV Membership ($99.95 value) 

Every Winner Receives:

DSA Membership ($75.00 Value)

• All entries are entered into a drawing for an IPOD

Are there time limits on the entries?

Yes. All category entries (except “Instrumental” category) may be no longer than five (5) minutes duration. “Instrumental” category no longer than 7 minutes.

Do mailed entries have to be on CD for songs and DVD for music videos – what about cassettes?

Yes – only CDs will be accepted for all mailed-in song categories or you can upload your song on the DSA website. If you are uploading your entries onto Broadjam see requirements at their site.

How can I tell if you have received my entries?

If you enter online, your entry will be confirmed by the submission partner of choice at the time of submission. If you enter via U.S. Mail, a DSA Song Contest staff member will email you to let you know your submission has been received.

Do I have to be a member of Dallas Songwriters Association to enter?

No, but you can join or renew your membership with a $5 discount for each song contest entry AND enjoy a full year of discounted songwriter workshops, meetings, notes, newsletters and performance opportunities. You can join online at our STORE or by check with your song contest entry fee if you are entering by mail.

Do I have to be a member of Broadjam to enter online?

You must register to be a member if you choose to enter your songs on Broadjam.com.. However, your membership is free for a limited period of time. (See details at submission partner's entry site.) You can also enter online at the Dallas Songwriters entry form. You do not have to be a member of Dallas Songwriters to enter the contest.

Oops! I forgot to send my lyric sheet! What do I do?

Go ahead and submit the sheet the same way you entered originally – either online or via U.S. Mail. If the deadline is close, however, you will want to email lyrics that were omitted from a mail-in entry. CONTACT. It will help tremendously if you email us to let us know you are sending it and we will know to look for it. If we notice the omission first, we will contact you via email to bring it to your attention.

I have a song that doesn’t fit any of your categories. What do I do?

Our eight categories cover most genres – pick the one that is closest to your genre and enter. If you have selected a category that the DSA Song Contest staff determines is not in your best interest, we will notify you by email which category is most appropriate.

I don’t live in your area. Will you mail my prize(s) to me if I win?

Yes! Be sure your information on your form is legible. All winners will be contacted using the information entered on the Entry Form within three weeks of the judges’ decision closing date.

How will I find out who wins?

All winners will be posted on the DSA website or the Broadjam. Winners will also be announced in the Dallas Songwriters Google Group, the monthly DSA "Songwriters Notes" newsletter, as well as various press releases. Get the free newsletter by subscribing at dallassongwriters.org

I placed in the DSA Song Contest last year. Can I enter again?

If your entry did not win 1st place or any Grand Prize in any previous DSA Song Contest, you may enter again. And best of luck to you this year!

Can I enter the same song in more than one genre?

Absolutely as long as the song fits the genres you’ve selected. Each entry is $25. Note only that a song entry can only win in one 1st place category.

I'm submitting four (4) of my instrumental compositions for the contest. Therefore, is it okay for me to submit one CD with all four compositions, or do they want one song on one CD?

It will be fine if they are entered in the one category, but you do need to fill out a form for each song entry which in your case would be four separate entry forms. One check or money order is fine or you can go to our DSA store, pay through PayPal or credit card, then mail the CD. Good luck in the contest.

For your Children's Song / Novelty category, must any novelty song be a children's song?

Yes, The category is combined as most of our categories are. Any novelty song, not necessarily for a child listener / any Children's song with lyrics for a child listener but not necessarily a novelty song.

I have a question about the song contest. I know that the judging process is a blind process, but are final decisions in each category made without regard to whether an entrant (or song) won or placed in another category? That is, could a song win more than one category?

Yes, the judging is blind, and there a separate judges in each category, so there is no way they can know if a song has won in another category: so yes a song can win in multiple categories.

If one person or song took up “too many” of the winning places, would you substitute in someone else or some other song in some of those places?

No

          I am a singer-songwriter in Dallas, TX and I plan on submitting some of my original songs to the DSA 2013 Song Contest. I wanted some clarification about the submission: Aside from the instrumental genre, must a submitted song be recorded (with music, vocals, etc.) for submission? Or, are you only looking for recoded melody and lyrics (i.e. someone singing their lyrics with no background music, etc)? I don't have my songs professionally recorded. I do have recordings I have made myself which are obviously not professional studio-quality, but they give a listener a good example of what it could sound like. Is that acceptable?

Yes. Your songs do not have to be professionally recorded.

 Your song is judged on Hook, Melody, Lyrics, Structure, Originality & Truth. There is NO column for production value.

       I was wondering can I enter two songs in different categories?

Yes, but each song needs to be on a separate CD because it will go to different judges.