What's your stage?

I survive my performance last night and even received a great complement (secondhand). Bob Turner a well known local musician though that my song, Here I Am, "was great!" That made my night and possibly my year.

Later I reflected on a comment I heard from another songwriter, Larry, about "writing songs for the venue." For example, is the song for an open stage at a noisy bar or for an attentive group like at Swallow Hill. At a bar, the lyrics probably won't even get noticed. For an attentive audience, you have the opportunity to paint a story. Each "stage" requires a different song. . Here I Am is the perfect song for an open stage and to a crowd of musicians. However, it wasn't designed for a CD.

This doesn't meant that you can't tailor the same song for different stages, but thinking about the "stage" first can help you better reach your audience.