Frequently Asked Questions
Are you guys a band, or a song writing service, or what?
Yes! We make our living writing songs for artists, individuals, and even children’s television AND by playing live music. As writers and performers, we get to support our family doing the thing we love, and we’re uniquely adept at crafting songs that move crowds and setlists that tell the story of an event or venue.
I’m curious about your custom songwriting for individuals and events. What makes Story & Tune different from the other songwriting services in my Google search?
Glad you asked! Here are a few things that make us unique:
You know EXACTLY who you’re getting! Other custom songwriting companies pair you with artists from their catalogue, and you often don’t have control over who will write your song. With Story & Tune, well, we’re Ben and Karyn, and we’ll be your songwriters.
Spotify streaming - With our Sestina and Ode packages, your original song will be streamable on Spotify, as well as Pandora, Apple Music, and more. Share it with your friends, add it to your playlists, surprise your loved ones!
You are part of the process. While other sites have you fill out a questionnaire and send a finished song in a week with very little room to adjust it if you’re unhappy, we involve you in every step of the process to make sure you get a song that truly feels like YOURS. You’ll be involved all along the way, and get updates as your song develops. You ALWAYS have a say in the direction and content of your song.
We’re unapologetic about our values, and Give and Save lets you put a portion of the money you spend on your song toward a charity that’s helping make the equitable, just, anti-racist, wholly inclusive world we want to see become a reality.
Professional production - Ben’s 20 years of music production experience means you’ll get a fully mixed and mastered, radio-ready, professional quality track - no “live acoustic guitar and vocals only” limits here!
Community - when you work with Story & Tune, you’re invited into our family. We’ll be on hand to help you deliver your song to a loved one, share your story on our channels, help you dream and plan ways to make your reveal extra special, and celebrate the hell out of your story, your songwriting journey, and the joy that follows.
Undivided attention - we limit our project commitments to guarantee that you and your song get the dedication you deserve.
We make you a legit songwriter! In our Sestina and Ode packages, we’ll register 10% of the songwriter rights in your name, which entitles you to collect royalties and legally ties you to the song forever.
How long does the songwriting process take?
In general, the Story & Tune process is two weeks from your initial interview to the delivery of your song. Vinyl takes a bit longer to arrive, and it takes a few additional weeks for the song to be streamable on all platforms. In a rush? Let us know and we’ll see what we can do!
Who owns what?
Simply put, you have the right to do pretty much anything with your Story & Tune song except sell it. You can share it, save it, send it, use it on videos, spread it all over Facebook (streaming services make this especially easy!).
Story & Tune owns the composition (except your 10% at our Sestina and Ode levels) and the original recording we provide of your song. Want to make copies to give away as wedding favors? Great! Want to make copies to sell out of your trunk in the alley behind the bar at our next gig? Not great!
More information on this is available - feel free to ask us!
Are you able to create songs in other genres?
Left to our own devices, Story & Tune sounds like Johnny and June reincarnated as the Civil Wars - we’re folky and we know it. But we have a long and diverse genre history, and we’re happy to share samples of our work in pop, country, swing, or rock.
Can you write a melody for my existing lyrics?
We’re unable to provide melodies for completed lyrics. That said, if you have lyrics you’d like us to use for inspiration, we’re more than happy to work off of them to create a new song you’ll love.
Are you willing to work with me even if I don’t share your political leanings?
Absolutely! We believe everyone belongs, but think it matters to be transparent about who you’re supporting when you hire Story & Tune. We have an agenda, and we’ll be out there pushing it the rest of our lives. If you’re comfortable hiring us knowing you’re contributing to our causes, we’re here for it!
Tell me about the kitties I saw on IG!
Aw, you found them!! We have two little kitties called Jack and Diane (sing it, you know you want to!). They promise to stay far away from the booth while we work on your track. Probably.