Durango Songwriters Expo

Your expo questions, answered

Everything you need to know—get ready to connect, create, and be inspired.

Who is welcome at the Expo?

Songwriters of every level are welcome, as well as anyone working with songwriters. Whether you've just written your first song, or you've been a professional songwriter for years, the event is designed to support your growth. We welcome producers, managers, hobbyists, touring artists, and everyone in between.

We also welcome all genres. Newcomers often worry that their style won't be a match; while we tend to see most writers in the broader pop or country writing worlds, we welcome authentic artistry in all shapes and sizes. Hip hop, soul, rock, dance, jazz, alternative/folk are also genres we regularly see in listening sessions and we make a point to highlight the range of genres at our event at the Showcases. The industry who come to our event are also looking for unique talent and a variety of genres.

What happens at the Expo and what opportunities are possible?

The purpose of the Durango Songwriters Expo is to connect songwriters with tools/resources to excel in their craft, and relationships to carry their career forward. To that end, we structure the event around Listening Sessions and Panels, with Showcases in the evening and breathing room before, after, and in between for inspired creativity, collaboration, and connection.

Listening Sessions are an opportunity to pitch your music directly to industry professionals, Panels are an opportunity to learn about the business, and Showcases are an opportunity to hear, get inspired, and taste a sampling of the talent at this event. You can check out the schedule and special guests for our upcoming event here.

Historically, we have seen publishing deals, label deals, and thousands of sync placements come to fruition as a result of the relationships created at this event; however, it's important to come to the Expo with an openness to learn, grow, and create long-term relationships rather than an expectation of a quick result. Craft and relationships both take time to build.

What size event is the Expo and what is the atmosphere like?

The Expo is limited to 200 attendees. We like to think of it as a big family reunion, and most of our attendees express feeling this way after attending, that they have joined a family. While we have a lot of professional learning and industry connection at our event, it's also very personalized and designed to facilitate real relationships and community.

Can I register/attend without submitting music?

If you do not have any recorded music, and do not plan to have any recorded music prior to the event, you can register with an Audit pass, which does not include listening sessions, but allows you to attend the panels and showcases, sit in on listening sessions, plug into the community, get inspired and educated, and connect with potential collaborators.

It is recommended (but not required) to have some type of recording to upload, even if it is a basic worktape, when you register. This is so that Jim can hear what you do and place you into the listening sessions with professionals that are the best fit for your style. While you are welcome to play the music that you submitted with your registration in your listening session, the music you sent in with your registration does not automatically get played in listening sessions - so you have up until the date of the event to prepare the track or tracks you'd like to share in your listening sessions.

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When should I register?

The earlier, the better. We offer an early bird rate the first weeks of registration, so you get a discount for registering in that window; however, the longer you wait, the listening sessions will start to fill up and there may not be availability in your desired sessions.

If you are worried that your tracks aren't ready to submit when you register, that's OKAY! You don't have to submit any music in order to register, and you can upload music for showcase or listening session consideration any time it's ready.

What exactly is a Listening Session and how does it work?

Listening Sessions are the "building blocks" of the Expo experience. These are sessions with a couple of music industry special guests at the front of the room at a table with a moderator and a speaker system which plugs into a laptop or phone. The sessions cap out at 20 attendees, and each attendee in the session gets 3 minutes to play music, and approximately 2 minutes for industry feedback (5 minutes total per attendee).

This is an incredible opportunity to get actionable feedback on your music from folks who work in the industry every day, and an opportunity to hear feedback and learn from every song in the room. Listening sessions are also a great way to connect with potential collaborators, if you hear something played by another artist in your session that resonates with you.

How do the Showcases work?

When you register, you can choose to apply for a showcase for a small additional fee. Showcase submission/application does not guarantee a showcase, as these showcases are very competitive. You can submit up to two songs for showcase consideration; you can do this when you register, or you can fill out the song upload form later if the song or songs you feel are strongest for showcase aren't ready/recorded yet when you register.

If you are selected for a showcase, you will be notified a few days in advance of the Expo. We do recommend coming ready to showcase either way if you apply, as we do have the Open Mic for those who aren't showcasing.

How do One-on-One sessions work?

One-on-One sessions are exactly what they sound like -- an opportunity for you to pitch your music and receive guidance face to face with an industry professional. These are 15-minute segments each, and an additional charge of $50. These slots are limited, first-come-first-serve and fill up quickly.

What quality of recordings do I need?

This depends on what type of music you are creating and for what purpose, and what type of feedback you are looking to receive. For country songwriting, publishers often comment that they can hear a great song regardless of the recording quality; however, in pop, there is more focus on the track production, so there can be value in bringing a track that's currently in production and looking for feedback and mix notes. For sync, it is especially important to have high quality, fully mixed and mastered tracks in order for it to be usable for a commercial production.

There has recently been a trend toward creating "reels" to showcase a range of different songs and styles in a listening sessions, and to cram in as many songs as possible into the pitch time; we do NOT recommend this, as we have received feedback from the industry professionals at our event that this makes feedback difficult when time is limited and the focus gets split between a short segment of each song.

What is the cancellation/refund policy?

If you can't make it to the Expo you registered for, call Jim and let him know, and you will receive a credit to attend a future Expo.

Where is the event held and what is the venue like?

We have two songwriter events each year. Our California expo is in Ventura at the beachfront Crowne Plaza, with a beautiful boardwalk adjacent to the hotel; we have our showcases and many of our panels in the Bayview ballroom on the top floor, which has scenic views of the ocean. Our Colorado expo is at the Omni Interlocken in Broomfield, which has scenic mountain views and a spa in the hotel; we have our showcases and many of our panels in the ballroom. At both events, the listening sessions, and some of our panels, are held in the hotel conference rooms. Both hotels feature restaurants and bars inside the hotel, and we recommend taking full advantage of the connection opportunities with fellow attendees in these spaces.

Should I stay at the hotel?

We highly recommend staying at the hotel and taking advantage of the special group rate they offer to our attendees. Because the event schedule is packed quite full, you will want to have a place to retreat back to your room right on site when you need a quick break, a quiet space to be able to have a cowriting session with a fellow attendee should the opportunity arise, and our attendees have found that it makes a big difference in their overall experience to be able to stay in one place once they arrive, rather than coming and going.

If you're looking to find a roommate for the Expo, we recommend posting and connecting with fellow attendees in the Durango Songwriters Expo Facebook group.

Are there informal jams, co-writing, or late-night events?

Absolutely! After each showcase, we have an Open Mic that goes until 11pm. Many times, attendees who connect and want to write together will either write/jam in hotel rooms or find a spot outside. Both of the hotels have fire pits where jam sessions spontaneously erupt routinely.

How should I get ready and what should I bring?

Bring your best self and your best songs! Bringing one song in the absolute best form you can, is the most important thing to prepare.

You'll need a device to play it from as well, a laptop is encouraged because it makes plug-in for listening sessions especially simple to go out a headphone jack. You can also bring your phone or tablet, but we do encourage bringing (and testing) your own dongle if you plan to play from a device that doesn't have a headphone jack.

It's also a great idea to bring your instrument if you play one - even if you're not planning to perform, this will come in handy for jam sessions, co-writing, or solo writing if you feel inspired. Some people bring mobile recording setups, but that is certainly not a requirement.

Also, don't forget your swimsuit! (Yes, for both events - the Omni in Colorado has a hot tub)

How can I make the most of the Expo and what happens after?

What you make of the Expo and what happens after is entirely up to you. We recommend exchanging contact information and staying in touch with people you connect with at the Expo. We have seen so many lifelong friendships, productive collaborations, and business relationships flourish as a result of this event - this happens when the relationships are nurtured and followed-up on, so find your people and follow up!

We also have a Durango Songwriters Expo Facebook community, we recommend joining to stay in touch with fellow attendees

Where songs meet their future

How to Get Registered

The Durango Difference

Personalized connections

Honest feedback

Curated showcases that matter

Career-empowering knowledge

An interview with the director

Celebrating 30 years of turning songs into careers

Your expo questions, answered

Let’s Get Connected

Call Jim Attebery

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