Tag: Career Building
What Else You Got?
by claybutlermusic on Mar.05, 2010, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
Here lately, I’ve been busy recording and consulting young bands, aspiring songwriters, and singers who are eager to “break into the music business”. Besides being fairly talented, they all have one thing in common: they all have absolutely NO idea how the music industry works.
As with most of us who make music for a living, many of them think their music is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The problem lies that they’re then unwilling to take advice on how to make their music better (read: more competitive). They wrote their “baby” in a moment of inspiration. It’s gold. That’s that. This attitude is not only amateurish, but it’s childish as well. Now, I’m not saying that much of their music isn’t good, but the music business is inundated with artists, bands, and songwriters who are “just good”. To compete, you must be great. Your music must be great. Your image must be great.
Study! Before you decide to dive into the shark infested waters of the music biz, you have to know exactly what you’re getting into so you won’t get eaten alive. Okay, I exaggerate a bit. Just not much. Before you expect to have any success in anything, be it business, science, technology, medicine, etc., you must understand your particular field inside and out. That’s exactly why people seeking any particular career path go to college. Education makes sure you’re at least somewhat prepared for entering your career. Music is no different.
Know your rights. Learn how copyrights work and where your money comes from as a writer or artist. Horror stories abound of bands and artists who were taken advantage of because they were ignorant of income opportunities, or, worse yet, they signed away those rights in shady contracts.
Educate yourself on contracts. Always consult an attorney before you sign anything, but at least help yourself by being familiar with contractual “norms” and how to read them. Know that contracts are a give-and-take type of thing. You likely wont get exactly what you want out of the deal, but know that the other party should be giving up certain things as well. It’s all about compromise.
Be prepared for failure. Say this with me: “No one owes me anything.” One more time. Good, now say it a thousand more times so that it sticks. Chances are you will knock on a hundred proverbial doors before someone lets you in. You may not even be let in. Your demos WILL sit on someone’s desk (if they even make it to the desk) amid a sea of SeaDs CDs from other people. They may not get listened to. If someone likes your music, you may get a call (which could be months, or even years, down the road). Just don’t expect them to call you back if they don’t like it. They’re just too busy for that. In the Music Biz, generally no news is bad news.
It ain’t about you. I could make you say this one a thousand times, too. Unless you just rub someone the wrong way, a rejection is not personal. It’s purely a business decision. After all, we’re all participating in the music business, right? There are scores of reasons why you may face rejection. Your songwriting or singing skills may not be strong enough yet. You may not fit their image. They may already have artists on their roster that are just like you. Once you start to work with music on a professional level, music ceases to be about art and becomes a commodity. Your music and your image is solely used to make money for someone else. Then, if they make money, you can reap some of the benefits of their success. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that “you’re gonna get yours before they get theirs.” Remember, until you are making money for someone else, you have no leverage over them.
Talent can only carry you so far. You may be a fabulously talented singer or band, but if you don’t take responsibility for your own successes (or failures), then you can never expect to make it in the music industry. Your manager can’t do it for you. Your agent can’t do it for you. Your label can’t do it for you. All of these are avenues to help you succeed. In fact, don’t even go to them first. Learn to be successful without these other people, and your potential for greater success is much higher. If you’re successful on your own, these people will take notice and come to you. Then, if you feel they will help you to succeed further, make use of them. Remember, those who help you succeed are seeking their own success as well.
I don’t say any of this to scare any of you away from the music business. I am, on the other hand, saying it to scare some sense into you. Educate yourself. Prepare. Take responsibility for your successes and failures. While having “a good voice and a dream” is a good starting point, make no mistake; the music business isn’t at all easy. What else you got?
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7 Ways to Destroy Your Music Career
by claybutlermusic on Feb.10, 2010, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
In our last post, I gave you the Secrets to NOT Getting Booked for a Gig. Today I ran across a post on Bob Baker’s Music Promotion Blog that I would be completely remiss if I didn’t share with you all.
7 Ways to Destroy Your Music Career
It’s a humorous take on the practices that keep bands and musicians in failure mode. Shamefully, I can say that I’ve been guilty of a few of these myself in the past. I still struggle with a couple in particular.
How many of these have you been guilty of?
Balancing your Creative Musical Mind with your Business Mind
by claybutlermusic on Feb.05, 2010, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
I often struggle with the balance between my Creative Brain and my Business Brain. While one would think I gravitate to my creative side, there are times, like recently, when I find myself hanging out in business mode and generally being uncreative. While trying to motivate myself, I ran across an article on the Music Biz Academy that I found quite interesting, The Creative You and the Business You. While I don’t typically do link posts on the MusicIsMyBiz blog, I would like to pass this along to you guys.
You can view the blog here http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/creativeyou.htm
Here are some related posts from the MusicIsMyBiz blog:
Music Is Your Business. Is Business Good?
by claybutlermusic on Jan.29, 2010, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
No matter what your particular niche is when it comes to music, the ultimate goal is to make a living doing what you love. Making a living from music requires more than just talent. It requires dedication, drive, perseverance, and a burning desire to succeed. Unfortunately, most musicians’ brains cease to function once they cross the threshold from creating art to running a business. It’s a delicate balancing act, but music is still a business. So, we must learn from the business world?
Create a Business Plan. A business plan can range from simple to complex, but they merely function to keep us on task. They clearly define our business structure, who is in charge, and how decisions are made. They serve to define our goals, especially fiscally, and helps to identify how to reach them. It helps you in your search for funding, and helps lenders know how you intend to pay them back. Your local small business administration can help you to develop your plan. There’s even software to help with the task of creating a business plan.
Create a Marketing Plan. A business plan is not enough to succeed. You need to know how you will get your music, products, or services to the masses. That requires a marketing plan. These help you to know what avenues you will use to advertise your products or services, create budgets, and build your brand.
Build a Team. No man is an island. Only few people can perform every single duty when it comes to running a successful business. Even fewer of those people keep their sanity. So, develop a team of people who can help you succeed. It’s difficult, but don’t be afraid to Recruit fans to help you promote. Outsource tasks like printing, cd duplication, photography, or graphic design (even more so if the tasks aren’t your strong suit). Hire a bookkeeper and tax professional. Even hire a roadie and recruit someone to work your merchandise table–vital if you want to preserve your strength for gigs! Outsourcing to trusted professionals only serves to help you maintain a professional appearance, which is crucial in business.
Keep the Books. If you’re making money from your music (or anything for that matter), you can bet Uncle Sam wants his share. On the up side, though, being in business affords you certain tax deductions of business expenses. Be sure to keep up with all of your income and expenses. It’s not enough just to write them down; you MUST be able to show proof in order to receive your deduction. So, keep your receipts, log your mileage for business-related trips (including odometer readings and purposes for the trip), and organize your income and expenditures. Intuit’s Quicken Home and Business edition is a great way to stay organized, but it’s always a good idea to consult a tax professional for preparation and general advice.
Focus on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. Keeping your fans happy (and coming back again and again) is what will keep food on your table. Engage them. Show some interest in them as people and not just as numbers or dollar signs. Foster their trust and loyalty and then the sales will follow. Here’s a related post on building a loyal fanbase.
These are just some simple guidelines to help you succeed with your own music business endeavors. Comment and tell us what helps you succeed!
Career Resolutions for a New Year
by claybutlermusic on Dec.23, 2009, under Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
With the close of another year comes new resolve for the next. It’s a time to take stock of the year’s successes and failures–an oft painful time–and plans to grow and prosper in the coming year. This time is critical for those of us who are in business for ourselves. Whether you’re already self-employed, just getting started, or considering starting your own business, resolutions should be a daily occurrence, not just once a year.
We all know that New Year’s Resolutions don’t stick. By the end of January, they’re practically forgotten. You’ve heard me say before, “do one thing every day to further your career.” Similarly, if you have ONLY ONE resolution this year, make it this: Find new resolve DAILY! This is my new motivation moving forward.
With that mantra in mind, here are some of my goals. Hopefully the will inspire you or give you new ideas for 2010.
- Find new resolve every day.
- Do at least one thing each day to further my musical career.
- Find ways more opportunities to create residual, passive income.
- Significantly expand my catalog of intellectual property.
- Build more relationships with meaningful industry contacts.
- Build relationships with related services outside my specialty.
- Find new ways to increase productivity.
These are just a few of the goals that have been on the top of my list for 2010. What are your goals and resolutions for the new year? Comment and let us know.
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to you all!
Are You Leaving Money on the Table by Not Having a Table?
by claybutlermusic on Aug.19, 2009, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
An odd question, right? But as a band, you may be missing out on money-making opportunities from your live show by not having a table–a merchandise table.
There’s more to the music industry than just music. Much of the music industry is also in your image as a band, and, perhaps more importantly, how marketable that image is. Extending beyond CD sales, a band has other lucrative avenues to explore. Here are a few examples:
- CD’s
- Glossy photos for autographs
- Posters
- Stickers and decals
- Buttons and pins
- T-Shirts
- Hats
Taking the merch booth one step further, it’s also a hub of post-show activity. It’s a place to meet and greet your adoring fans, sign autographs, take pictures, etc. It can also act as in information kiosk, where you include a sign-up sheet for your mailing list, order forms for other merch, registrations for contests and drawings, flyers, bios, and so on. The ideas and opportunities to solidify fans and make more money with a merch booth are virtually limitless.
As a general rule of thumb, always negotiate with a venue to have a merchandise table or booth on-site when you play. This rule is particularly significant if you are playing for free. Most venues, clubs, or events won’t mind if you have a table, but beware of the ones that won’t allow you to have one. They’re making money off of you for virtually nothing in return, and that’s always a shady deal.
So, in closing, don’t forget to set up your merchandise booth at your gigs. They can be a real income booster for your gigs. In fact, there were times when my old band would make as much (or more) from merchandise than our performance fee. Double your money is always a great deal!
Life’s Rules of Assumptions Still Apply in Songwriting
by claybutlermusic on Aug.11, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
We’ve all heard what assumptions do to you and me, but as songwriters, we sometimes seem to forget that old, familiar adage. In this post, we’re going to discuss how assumptions find their way into our songs and how to get rid of them.
Many beginning songwriters write solely based on emotion. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing entirely, but it does pose a few hurdles that must be overcome before a song will see any kind of broader success beyond friends and family.
Emotion is a great tool. It allows us to connect with the lyrics we write in an intimate way. However, as we’re writing, we’re privy to inside knowledge that the general listener is not. We have feelings about situations, people, and circumstances that influence our emotions as we write, but chances are that your audience will not. We are able to fill in gaps in our song’s story, whereas a stranger cannot. The key, then, is to break the assumptions in our lyrics to be able to connect with our general audience. Don’t assume that your audience knows the details and back story. This information needs to be provided to them in a creative way in order for the song to make sense. Then it has a chance to connect with the audience on a deeper level.
Writing based on emotion, then, without providing back story, has a way of sounding ambiguous or vague. While those lyrics can sound poetic, don’t fall into the trap of saying, “the listener can draw their own conclusions as to the song’s meaning.” This assumption is unfair to the listener, who inherently wants to understand what you meant to say in your song. If a listener walks away scratching his head, searching for meaning after hearing your song, you just wasted 3.5 minutes of his or her life. And that’s not very nice. So, how then do we start to break the assumption making habit?
The Self Test
As you write, put yourself in the position of a general listener. As you review your lyrics, ask yourself if a total stranger, one that didn’t know the details of the events behind the song, could connect with the song. Would they “get it”? If you can answer yes to this question, then you have more of a chance of the song gaining broader appeal.
The Public Test
When you get feedback on your song, it’s always a good idea to look outside your close circle of friends and family. I know that is difficult to do and that we want to share our creations with those who will love what we do unconditionally, but therein lies the problem. Even if our song is less than good our family and friends will still like it. They will like what you do because they like you. They may even know the circumstances behind the song, so they can fill in the gaps that your lyrics may leave. A total stranger, however, won’t know those intimate details. The true test is making those listeners, the ones who aren’t privy to the back story, connect with your lyrics.
Songwriting takes a lot of practice. Writers go through countless songs before they may get an artist to cut just one. Breaking assumptions is one step toward finding success or recognition as a songwriter. Here are a couple of great books on songwriting that I’ve found invaluable to developing my songwriting craft:
Happy 4th of July, and Some Recommended Reading
by claybutlermusic on Jul.04, 2009, under Career Building, Music Theory, Recording, Uncategorized
I’m taking a bit of a break from the norm this weekend to be with family and friends, so I’m not going to post anything lengthy. However, as I reflect on the freedoms that I enjoy as a U.S. citizen, primarily the right to education and the freedom to be able to pursue my goals and dreams, I’m reminded that I return to my role as college professor this coming week. I’m teaching another quarter on Music Production and Introductory Music Theory–basically a class on how to be a producer.
The class has some required reading, and I wanted to share that book with all of you. The Art of Producing is one of the definitive books on how to become a music producer. It’s incredibly thorough, yet easy to understand. It covers everything from basic music theory, planning and organization, budgeting, musical composition and arranging techniques, and mixing. I refer to the book time and again as a refresher, and I recommend it to all my students who want to produce music as a career (their own or for others). Now I recommend it to you to!
Enjoy your holiday!
Where to Find Jobs in the Music Industry
by claybutlermusic on Jun.30, 2009, under Career Building, Uncategorized
After yesterday’s post on Job Ideas in the Field of Audio and Music, I got a facebook message asking, “where do I go to find jobs in the music industry?” So, I thought I would follow up the last post with a post on just that topic!
I make a living by playing the musical field, so to speak. I’m not necessarily a jack-of-all-trades, but I am open to various income opportunities that may be available to me. To get to that point really took a shift in my mindset. When I was younger, I had no idea where to begin. I had a music degree; I had started my own business. I thought, somehow, the world would beat a path to my door simply because I was there. But nobody came knocking. After shaking off the sinking feeling of failure and depression, I decided that my approach had to change.
The biggest door-opening step for me was when I stopped thinking about potential employers needing me and wanting to throw money at me “just because I’m awesome”, and began treating my business, services, and goods as a way to meet someone else’s need. I learned quickly that people aren’t going to pay you just for being who you are; they are going to pay you for what you can do for them. If what you can do for them is meet their need, then you’re in business.
So, now, here I am trying to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s going on in my musical community. I’m constantly asking what needs are present and assessing how I can fill those needs. Keeping your focus in your client/customer/employer will help build their trust and loyalty. They’ll keep coming back, and they’ll tell others about you.
Now, let’s see how we can build those relationships. There are great online communities, job boards, and tip sites to get you started.
Taxi.com
I’ve found TAXI to be one of the most valuable opportunities, not only for getting paid for my music, but also for networking and growing in my craft. They have THE best annual music conference, which is free to members. It’s really a community atmosphere, and there are opportunities to meet great contacts everywhere you look. I can’t recommend it enough.
Studiotraxx.com
Studiotraxx is a community of session players who do remote recording sessions. Songwriters contact you to play/sing/produce/mix for their song. Then you record and send them the track in the comfort of your own studio. You can also “bid” for jobs on their job board. It’s currently free to be a member, but they do take a commission.
Gigfinder.com
Gigfinder had its beginnings as a classifieds-style job board. Now it has grown into a full-blown, vibrant community of musicians and other creative professionals. It’s a place to post employment opportunities, plug your services, and connect with other professionals.
us.music-jobs.com
Music Jobs USA is also a great community of music professionals. You can sign up as a jobseeker, employer, or as a band. They have a job board, forum, blog, and a “media center” where you can post demos.
Filmmmusic.net
The Film Music Network offers a job posting board for producers, films, production music libraries looking for music or composers. Members (and in some cases, non-members) can submit demos directly to the music seeker. It’s also a great resource for news related to the film music industry.
Entertainmentcareers.net
Entertainmentcareers.net is also job board with listings for virtually any job in the entertainment industry.
These are just a handful of options that I’ve found useful. You’ll find, though, that once you make some connections in the industry, that people’s networking circles overlap. That’s one of those really cool “small world” moments. I got hooked up a Los Angeles music supervisor/publisher over lunch at the Taxi Road Rally conference, which has started working friendship. Earlier this year, I sang a demo for a songwriter on Studiotraxx. Turns out that he’s also a writer for that same LA publisher!
Here are some great books for making money in the music business:
Feel free to comment with any questions or with your useful ideas and resources!
Business IS Personal: Building a Loyal Fanbase
by claybutlermusic on Jun.26, 2009, under Band Management, Career Building, Marketing & Promotion, Uncategorized
Whoever said “it’s not personal, it’s business,” didn’t live in the Web 2.0 generation. Web 2.0 is changing the face of the internet. It’s also changing the face of the way we do business–the way we ALL do business–from big corporations to the independent musician. It has expanded the fishbowl society to include not only celebrities, but to also include you and me. Now, people are taking an interest in the personal lives of others, and many people embrace that concern and garnered attention.
How does the fishbowl society affect you as an independent musician or band? Quite simply, the more you let fans into your personal life, then the more those fans feel intimately connected with you. That “intimacy” serves to increase the loyalty of your fan base. Fans want to know that they are more than just a CD or a concert ticket; they want to feel like you care about them as much as they care about you. After all, as cliche as it sounds, if it wasn’t for the fans, musicians would be out of a job. Not to say that CD sales and concert tickets aren’t how we as musicians make a living; however, the more you can connect with them on a personal level, the more likely they are to want to buy your albums or attend your shows. Now, let’s explore some ways to build fan loyalty:
Blogging
Fans what to know what you’re up to. They want to know that you’re real people with real lives. One way to let them into your world is with blogging. Given the number of bands on MySpace, I’m surprised by how few of them use the blog feaure. If you’re on tour, consider a “road journal” where you tell about your shows or interesting things that you do or see on your tour. If you’re recording a new album, blog about your the recording process or about the songs. Understandably, we all lead busy lives, so microblogging is a great choice. These allow you to post short status updates and links. Facebook has taken a turn toward microblogging its status updates. Sites like Twitter allow you to post updates from your cell phone via text message. Above all, encourage your fans to participate with their comments.
Meet & Greet
Fans also want to know you’re approachable. After each show, be sure to hang out at your merchandise table for a meet and greet session with the fans. Take time to sign CDs and pose for pictures. At least shake hands and treat them like real people. There’s nothing more tragic than seeing a loyal, adoring fan get snubbed by an artist or band.
Giveaways
Fans want to know you care. Don’t be afraid to give something away for nothing. In truth, you are getting something in return: you’re building loyalty. Offer a free CD or concert ticket to people to sign up for your mailing list. Post it on your blog or website as well as on your mailing list. This will encourage more fans to visit and participate.
These are just a few ideas. Feel free to drop a comment with your own!
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