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About the Author
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Throughout his twenty-five year career in the music business, FourFront Media & Music's Christopher Knab has shared his experience at many industry conventions and conferences, including the New Music Seminar and the Northwest Area Music Business Conference.
Knab was owner of a San Francisco music store, co-owner of the 415 Records label, and station manager at KCMU Radio in Seattle.
He currently provides a unique consultation and education service for independent musicians and record labels. His new book is entitled "Music Is Your Business".
Visit FourFront Media & Music's web site.
Send comments or questions to Christopher Knab.
© Christopher Knab
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Top 10 lists are a favorite hobby of our society. It's a fun way to keep
up the illusion of the simplicity of things in a complex world. So... why
not a Top 10 List on the subject of "Making A Living From Your Music"?
The following list highlights ten habits you should develop if you want
to make a living some day, just from your music. Remember that there
are a million ways to get to any intended destination. From my observations over the years, this list of professional habits are shared by most successful musicians who truly have what it takes to succeed in this totally unpredictable business of music.
1. Find ways to get ordinary people who love music, to love your music.
We live in a time when everybody and their sister can and does make
their own music.
That doesn't mean however that your music has what it takes for record
labels to invest their money and time developing, promoting, and
marketing that music. Try your music out on music fans like you before you solicit
opinions from A&R Rep. These talent scouts of the music business are
always following tips they hear from their street connections. But
remember, your music must truly stand out in some significant, original,
dynamic, and creative way. 95% of the independently produced CDs out
there contain regurgitated ideas that were ripped off from some other,
more gifted musicians. Prove to the industry that ordinary music fans in
your city love your music. You can find this out by giving away sample
CDs of your music on the street (with contact information included, of
course.), or by putting songs on the many internet web sites that allow
people to download new music. If people love something they let other
people know about it. So, you can find out quickly if your music has
what it takes to please the public by bringing your music to the people.
2. Play live often and don't worry (at first) about getting paid for
every gig.
You can always tell the difference between a musician who is in it for
the money, and a musician who is in it for the music. The dedicated
musician can't not play music every chance they get. Money-focused
musicians whine about the fact that they can't get club gigs that pay
anything.
If you really think that you can make your living solely as a
musician in the first three to four years of your career, you are headed
for a breakdown and disappointment. Think about it... almost every
legendary, gifted musician who has made a mark on our culture has been a
musician who struggled long and hard at their craft, and... never gave
up. Eat determination for breakfast! Go out there and play on the
streets if you have to, play at schools, fairs, festivals, do benefits
to help other people and organizations. Offer your services to non-
profits, charities, church groups, and any other companies or
organizations you can think of. Hang out at clubs, look for jamming
possibilities, or start your own jam sessions. Look around your city or
town, and you will see many places and venues where musicians can play.
As you establish yourself and more and more people show up at your
shows, the paid gigs will increase. Remember... play live, and then
after you play live, play live again - that's what musicians are supposed
to do.
3. Know your instrument inside-out.
One of the curious developments of the late 1970's was the huge increase
in garage bands, punk bands, rappers, and 'do-it yourselfers', who just
picked up an instrument, or started to sing with some friends, and 6
months later recorded a record and began to play live. Some great music,
and new directions in music, came out of that situation. But now, 30 odd
years later, the novelty of hearing amateurish thrashings has gotten a
bit dull.
Prior to the late 70's, more often than not, the music that is our heritage
was made by musicians who, from the time they took up their instrument,
worshipped at the feet of some master bluesman, jazz player, folk
legend, songwriter, or whatever. The habit of these inspired musicians
was an appetite for perfection. A need to be not just 'good enough', but
great. Why settle for less? Whatever developing stage you are at, go
beyond it, re-commit yourself to your instrument or voice. Take lessons,
or better yet, sit yourself down at your CD player and choose a favorite
guitar player's record, and listen closely to what they are playing.
then re-play it, and re-play it again. Challenge yourself to go beyond
your limitations. Who knows, maybe you will fall into some new
territory, wherein you will find yourself, your 'sound', and increase
your chance to stand out from all the mediocrity that is your
competition.
Believe it or not, record labels love to hear innovative,
accessible new sounds. Actually in their heart of hearts, that is what
they are really hoping to hear on every new demo tape, and from every
new act they go see at a live venue. You see in the business of music,
when we hear something new, original, and accessible to people, we can
then invest in you with more security, believing that if we put our
'label brand' on you, with our talents of promotion and marketing coming
to the front, then we 'have something', and your music becomes our
music, and we work together to broaden you audience appeal. It's kinda
like a partnership... something about 'Art and Commerce'... hey can work
together you know!
4. Protect your investment... register your songs for proper copyright
protection.
I never cease to be amazed how few artists are willing to spend $30 to
register their songs with the Copyright office. By the way, these folks
are often the same folks who complain about not getting paid to perform
their unknown music. All I know is that when an inventor comes up with
some new product that they think will appeal to a certain type of
customer, the first thing they do is file for a patent on their
invention. The same reaction to protecting songs should be there for any
serious songwriter. If you really intend to work hard and develop your
career as a musician who writes your own songs, don't wait too long to
take care of this simple, but essential task. If you really believe in
your unique and original music then take the time to learn the basics of
copyright protection. From the Internet to the library, there a number
of easy ways to learn what it takes to file for copyright protection. Do
it now! Go to www.BMI.com or www.ASCAP.com and follow their links on
copyright registration information.
5. Design and write your promotional materials so they stand out.
The topic of designing and writing effective promotional materials such as bios, fact sheets, cover letters and quote sheets is a lengthy one, to
say the least. As far as some tips that can help musicians promote their
careers (and contribute to their getting any deal offers), make the
promo materials as compelling and informative as possible. Take the
time to inventory any accomplishments, positive reviews, training and
awards, past sales, and live appearance highlights, and organize them
into professional written bios, etc. Having done that, time also needs to
be taken to research to whom to send the materials, and to ask each
potential recipient what type of information they would like to have
sent to them. No 'generic' kits should ever be sent out to any
'gatekeepers' in the music business.
6. Know the labels and music publishers you hope to be signed to.
If you were applying for a job with a certain company or corporation,
wouldn't you take some time to ask questions about their stability as a
business, their reputation in the industry, and the executives'
background and experience? The same is true when shopping for a record
deal. Some musicians get so excited when a certain label approaches them
with a recording contract, or a publishing company offers to sign them.
Being approached for a deal is a compliment and recognition by a label
or publisher that a musician's music is attractive to them. But, to rush
ahead without taking the time to learn a few things about them is
foolish indeed. How have they done with your particular genre of music?
What specific 'points' are they offering you? Who runs the label or
publishing company? What is their reputation in the music business? How
do you like them as people? These and other questions can be crucial in
making an unemotional decision about an arrangement that could make or
break your career.
7. Have your own 'Entertainment Law Attorney' to represent you.
The business of getting signed to any deal in the music business has
always had, has now, and will always have, the involvement of
entertainment law attorneys. No jokes will be inserted here, because any
relationship between a musician, a record label, a publisher, a
merchandiser, etc., will eventually come down to two attorneys hashing out the
contract for the musician and the respective companies. It should be
pointed out here that when all is said and done with the 'courting'
process, the musician is never present during the actual negotiations.
The musician's attorney and the music company's attorney meet, talk over
the phone, and fax their offers and counter offers amongst themselves.
This fact serves to remind you that choosing a reputable, ethical, well
respected attorney with lots of deal making experience within the music
industry is an absolute necessity for any serious musician who wishes to
fight the good fight in the legal arena.
8. Choose a well-connected and respected personal manager.
Self-management is always a valid option in the developing stages of
establishing your career as a musician. Much can be learned by taking on
the jobs of securing gigs, getting some publicity, planning tours,
dealing with personal issues that arise within the band, and schmoozing
with A&R Reps and various other label and publishing personnel. However,
there comes a time, usually when the daily tasks of doing the business
of being a band takes up too much time, and it is at this time that the
services of a good manager can be very useful. I have always felt that
if any musician or band has worked hard to establish their career, and
achieved a modicum of success, they will have a better chance to
'attract' the services of a professional, well-connected and respected
manager.
Managers who do this job for a living can only take on clients that
generate income.
Making money as a personal manager is no easy task, and many upcoming
artists forget that if any moneys are to be generated from their music,
it can takes years for the flow of that income to be reliably there. So,
as a band develops self-management, or gets help from intern/student
manager-wannabees, can help pave the road for professional management.
Over the years I have heard several horror stories about 'managers' that
approach upcoming acts and say that for X amount of dollars, they can do
such and such for the artist. No... this is not the way legit personal
managers work. Well-connected and respected personal managers get paid a
negotiated fee for their services (get it in writing) for any and all
business transactions they are responsible for (15%-25%) over a
particular contract period. No musicians should ever pay a fee to a
so-called 'manager' who will not do any work unless they are paid up
front. Flim-flam men and women still abound in this business... be
forewarned.
One of the most important jobs of a manager is to secure recording and
publishing contracts for their clients; this is why it is so essential
to choose well connected and well respected managers. The music business
is a 'relationship' business. Who know who, and who can get to know who,
and who did what successfully for who, is what this management game is
all about. Choose carefully those people who will be representing you in
any business dealings.
9. Don't take advice from anyone unless you know that they know what
they are talking about.
At the beginning of this article I stated that there are a million ways
to do something, and that these 10 tips were just my comments from years
of dealing with the business itself and musicians. Everybody has their
own list of Do's and Don'ts and the only real value they have is that
they present you with 'opinions' about what to do to get established as
a musician.
To be quite candid, the best rules in the music business comes from the
experience of building your own career; learning from your own
interactions with the gatekeepers at labels, the media, management, and
booking companies as to what is right or wrong for you. For every Do or
Don't there is an exception to a so-called 'rule'. As I reflect on the
advice I sought out and listened to over the years, the most valid tips
came from people who walked the walk, and talked the talk. If you feel
that the source you have contacted knows what they are talking about,
and has had first hand experience doing what you want to learn about,
then that is feedback that might stand up over time. Choose
carefully.
10. Musician... educate thyself! If you want a record deal, learn what a
record deal is, and learn something about the business of music.
Naive or misinformed musicians are a menace to themselves. Enough
already! Over the decades there have been countless stories of musicians
who were ripped off by their record labels and music publishing
companies. Why? Exploitation was the name of the game for a long time.
Keeping musicians in the dark was standard business practice. However,
the past has passed, and today any musicians who sign a record contract
(and learns later what he or she signed) have only themselves to blame.
Even 20 years ago, it wasn't that easy to gain access to the inner
workings of the music business. (There are more letters in the word
business than in the word music.)
Not so today. There are dozens of outstanding books available on every
conceivable topic related to the business of music. They can be found in
bookstores, libraries, and through the Internet. In addition, there are
many schools that now offer 2- 4 year programs on the business of music.
Seminars, and workshops are available on a year round basis in most
major American cities. Consultants, attorneys, and business
organizations are all around and so it is only myth, superstition,
stubbornness, and immaturity that stand in the way of any musician
making a commitment to educating themselves about the business that
exists to exploit their music.
I cannot stress how important I feel this issue is. I am here to tell
musicians, one and all, that you have been told many things about music
that you did believe. "Spend money on quality instruments and
equipment", you have done that. "Spend time and money on practicing
and rehearsing", you have done that, for the most part (see comments
above).
"Spend time and money finding the best recording studio, producer and
engineer you can", you have done that. "Spend time and money learning
all you can about the business of music", well, no one told you to do
that did they?!
It has been said about education that we don't know anything until
someone tells us. If that is true, the fault in 'not telling' musicians
that they must spend some time and money on educating themselves on
music business issues is the fault of the businessmen and women who kept
their clients uninformed. (Ignorance is bliss as far as the old guard of
music executives are concerned). But, knowledge is bliss should be the
byword for the musician of the new millennium. Please, spend some time
and money educating yourselves about the music business - a few hours
now can protect your future forever!
Copyright 2003 Christopher Knab. All rights reserved. No part of
this article may be reproduced in any form without express permission of the author.
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