So You Want To Be A Rock Star?
Or maybe you think you're ready to move past the Rock Star and Guitar Hero games, and start a band of your own for real.
My plan here is to help you along with some of the do's and don'ts that my bands have faced. I'm going to try to cover about everything you might need to know. Auditions, Practice, Public Relations, Gigging, Dealing with club owners, handling Small Venues and some other stuff, like promotional merchandise, notes on picking your equipment, copyrighting your songs, the pros and cons of unions, being in the studio, building your press kit, stuff not to forget on gig day, print copy, selling yourself to college radio, building your stage presence, keeping up with your band's expectations,and other stuff that I'm still learning as I go. Some of this you'll be hearing about as I figure out. Leave me a twitter nickname, blog address, or other social bookmark in the guestbook.
Managing Your Band 4th Edition
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 12/05/2009)
One of the most comprehensive books available covering publicity, touring, contracts, branding, marketing, trademarks, merchandising and record companies, this latest edition includes new business models for succeeding in the virtual world, and new contracts for personal management and artists releasing their own digital product. Also features an expanded chapter on business management, new artist-manager court cases, and updated industry website listings.
The General Startup Proceedure
Get this thing rolling
Some of this is going to feel unnecessary, but trust me, this is as much of a "sell yourself" game as any other business could ever be.If you want the record contract, the cold, hard truth is you have to do all of the work yourself before you will ever get recognized. And just because you can get the high score on Rock Star, doesn't mean your ready for this.
But again don't let that statement stop you! You can do this, and it may be time consuming, but it's not that hard. It's even easier if everybody gets involved and splits the internet duties and off line stuff too. Put someone in charge of certain social sites or get each of them to do an article on their opinion of a gig, then post it to a newsletter and/or blog.
Read more of this section
Running a Band As a Business
Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009)
Serious about music? Serious about making a living from music? Whether you are playing Wembley Stadium or the Kings Head, this book gives you the inside information on how to run a money-making band.
It covers choosing band members and the band name, deciding on the direction of the project, establishing the business structure, and getting the right management in place.
Once you have the framework you can start creating press interest both locally and at national music press level, we point you in the right direction. And don't forget your fans - look after them and they'll look after you.
Love it or hate it touring is a must for any band - make sure you do it right and it'll work for you. You'll also find out about merchandising, from band T shirts to tapes and CDs and we make sure you get the legalities right with a chapter on contracts - how to use them, and rip-offs - how to avoid them.
Complete with major name interviews with Kevin Nixon (Kula Shaker, Hit and Run) Gizz from Prodigy and Skunk Anansie's Ace and Rich, this is your how-to manual for band success!
The Auditions
And how not to make everyone mad
Ok, for some of us this part is easy. We already know the drummer, guitarist(s), bassist, or keyboards, so we can skip on to the next part.But for most of us, we don't have the option of the friends from school to pick from. We must resort to the awesome or crappy talent that we find on Craigslist or offline. Then we have to sort through all of that.
Read more about this section here.
Some Great Band Related Stuff
From Cafepress
Practice Makes Perfect
Practice until it bores you to tears
Ok, first, bring an mp3 player or CD player to the practice area with you. Learn to play along quietly until you have the basics of the song down. Then everyone gets their parts. This part is usually the homework part. Start a legal pad or a notepad on a computer to add the songs that you want the band to play.Read more about this in my lens on Building your Band - Better Practice Techniques.
Small Venues
Gigging to get stage presence
I think a lot of bands forget that the best way to eliminate stage fright is to perform. Performing is the pinnacle of being a musician. Experiencing first hand what people really feel about your music is what makes writing the music worthwhile in the first place.Besides that, playing live tightens the band. You will start to feel the changes in the music as they happen. You will notice and fix timing issues before they become notice able to your audience. You will start finding clever ways to enhance your music with out hurting it. You will start to find new things about your instrument that you didn't know about before. Of course, recording will do this a lot as well.
Such things will bring you to new levels of play if you treat the music right.
To hear more about this continue on to my lens on Building Your Band's Stage Presence
Most Common Mistakes in Public Relations
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/05/2009)
10 Most Common Mistakes in Public Relations.
Designed as a series for small business owners. But can be used for just about any business, including a band.
Includes a DVD.
Some Background
Just a jot about me
You didn't really come up with this idea overnight, so it isn't going to happen overnight. I'm not kidding here, a good solid band does not just play together for the first time on the night of the gig. I don't care how long you've been playing in the studio. I personally can't stand the guys who would charge the whole night's money just to sit in on a gig. They usually need music stands and the notes on a page in front of them.That's okay if they are in the back and don't plan on being seen. But playing live is all about being impromptu and unpredictable to keep the audience's attention. That's why you should practice so much. So when something changes or goes wrong (short of throwing a breaker! hahaha) you and the band can cover the mistake professionally and make it sound like you meant it to be there.
I can count many hundreds of rearrangements we have done to originals and covers, because we liked the sound of the mistake more. False Hope's versions of Beer in Mexico or Wave on Wave sound nothing like their covered originals.
Some history about where I come from.
When I was with Torrent Waters we just wrote songs, we never had a paying venue and never actually played in public, but we got tight as we could and actually released two indie songs.
Most of my other stuff was just goofing around until I was inducted into Cedaridge, which ended up being my first time playing bass for a band. When Cedaridge disbanded, three of us were determined to not let go of it and put together False Hope.
And yes I have a guitar in my hands in this picture, I play more than just bass guitar!
Putting Together A Song List
Round out the night
What you do to the songs is important, but thinking about how you are going to tie songs together can really make you shine, or cause you to be left out in the cold during booking.
Long pauses are bad enough during your breaks, try not to pause too long between songs even if you have a great list.
You can learn more at my expanded lens on How to build a song list.
What Is A Press Kit
And why do I need one so bad?
An upcoming separate list will put all of the pieces together to create your PK, but for now here is what you will need to create your Kit.
Preferences are these days to have it in electronic form. But I say do both. Have a CD burned that offers the entire kit in pdf or in separate files. And have a kit in a form than that you can just send out to your leads in a manilla envelope. Also the files on your CD should also be handy should you need to email a club about your work.
Don't over do your kit. Target your user. Are you offering a DJ your work for an option for the local radio show? Are your sending hundreds of these copies out to colleges? Are you targeting events and festivals?
Keep a folder on your desktop with all of the following: At least two to four pictures of you. Make sure one is the equivalent of the 8 X 10 glossy. A CD of your sound. Preferably at least three original works, and maybe one cover, unless your going to be a cover band only. Your bio on a professional looking letterhead. A listing of your band members. And a business card.
Other ideas include individual head shots of each band member. A description of your music genre. Don't be cliche! This will likely end up being one of the most important things your band will endure. Don't be cliche in any of your descriptions. The best idea is to have an outside writer do a piece on you.
Also include any news coverage that you have garnered. Quotes from club owners and news clippings from a variety of sources is best. But do what you can. Because you may not have any press coverage yet. After all that is what the press kit is for.
There are other things you can do to etch your way in to someone's mind. Just be sure that you are giving them a memorable experience or memory fades, though a really well though out campaign could be etched permanently into their mind. It is entirely possible to create not only an ally in the press industry, but a fan as well. But you will have to carve yourself creatively into their minds or you will end up in the pile with the rest of the manilla envelopes and inkjet printed jewel boxes.
Creating A Buzz
In order to advance in music you need to establish a fan base by finding ways to grow the community of people passionate about your music. Together with chance and timing, building buzz has a logical path that most people can follow: the more people who know and talk about your music, the bigger the buzz. You can passively wait to be discovered or you can proactively map out a path towards what you envision as success. Two important facets of growing buzz are gigging and maintaining an online presence.
To learn more try my upcoming page on creating a buzz. I'll have it ready shortly!
Talking To Organisers And Club Owners
And Getting the Gig
Club Owners can be fickle because of all of the promises made and broken, usually in the same breath. They have certain tendencies simply because bands are a necessary evil in their minds. It's your job to make their job easier. Taking the stress off of them will increase your bookings by them, and increase word of mouth bookings as well.Now Event Organizers are a bit different. They are often plunged into a world they know nothing of. They have to come up with donors for door prizes, set up vendors, book entertainment, etc... Your band is not high on their priority list. Your PR definitely isn't either. Often they are volunteered for this stuff by someone else, because they had a successful bake sale at the church....
I have to emphasize this again, the easier you make these people's lives, the sooner you'll be playing for them for something else.
Find out more by going the my page on Getting The Gig
The Mixing Engineer's Handbook, Second Edition
Amazon Price: $23.09 (as of 12/05/2009)
Secrets of the top mixing engineers are revealed in this second edition of the bestselling Mixing Engineer's Handbook. In this edition, you will learn about the history and evolution of mixing, various mixing styles, the six elements of a mix, the rules for arrangement and how they impact your mix, where to build your mix from, and mixing tips and tricks for every genre of music. You will also learn the secrets of EQ and the "magic frequencies" along with tips and tricks for adding effects, EQ'ing reverbs, effects layering, calculating the delay time, and much more. A lot has changed in the recording industry since the last edition was published seven years ago, so the new edition provides completely updated information on tips for a loud mix, hyper-compression, mixing for Internet distribution, warning signs of an amateur mix, MP3 encoding, streaming audio, audio codecs, de-essing, gating, surround sound mixing, and more. There is also a completely new chapter on how to get the most from mixing inside your computer, as well as a new section on the bass/drum relationship and how to make this difficult part of the mix easy. The book wraps up with insightful interviews with the top engineers in the field, including George Massenburg, Allen Sides, Bruce Swedien, Elliot Scheiner, Andy Johns, Nathanial Kunkel, and several others. Join the tens of thousands of engineers who have used this book to master the art of mixing.
The Recording Engineer's Handbook
Amazon Price: $26.39 (as of 12/05/2009)
Working as a recording engineer presents challenges from every direction of your project. From using microphones to deciding on EQ settings, choosing outboard gear to understanding how, when and why to process your signal, the seemingly never-ending choices can be very confusing. Professional Audio's bestselling author Bobby Owsinski (The Mixing Engineer's Handbook, The Mastering Engineer's Handbook) takes you into the tracking process for all manner of instruments and vocals-- providing you with the knowledge and skill to make sense of the many choices you have in any given project. From acoustic to electronic instruments, mic placement to EQ settings, everything you need to know to capture professionally recorded audio tracks is in this guide.
The Gig Checklist
Yeah, here it comes
Now, don't forget... or you'll regret.There are certain amounts of preparations that still won't cover Murphy's Law. It is unavoidable. You'll hook up the crossover wrong to the subs, or you'll have an amp go haywire and you'll need to rewire to another amp. Do you have a back up plan if you fry an amp or a channel on your board? Make sure you don't forget your cords either!
More here.
14 Qualities of Successful Musicians, Songwriters, and Music Business Professionals
Amazon Price: $10.49 (as of 12/05/2009)
Regardless of your position within the music industry, this audio book will change your mindset when it comes to running your music business.
A few of the things you'll learn...
- Killer Time-Saving Tactics Most People Never Use
- The Biggest Mistake Industry People Make
- How to Use Competition to Sell More Music
- Why Being Bold Will Increase Your Income
- The Real Reason Major Labels Fail...and Why You Won't
- The Most Effective Way to Find Interns, Band Members, and Employees
Does The Word Union Mean Anything To You?
What a musician's union could mean for a career in music
Unions have always been valuable when it came to keeping a constant in pay and benefits. AFM offers several programs, from contract negotiation, insurance, referrals, and even web hosting and auction services specifically tailored to musicians in the business.
What does that mean to you?
Well, are you thinking about making a career of music?
There is an extensive network of musicians who will teach new comers new techniques. So the ability to learn from super talented musicians is a plus.
They can guide you through the legalities of the film or recording industry. And when the proper contract have been filed they can help you collect your damages in case of default.
They have the strength of numbers. Which can be important in getting someone like the RIAA or even Congress to listen to you over an issue.
Insurance? Sure. Quality health programs, insurance for your instruments. And a couple like AFM even offer a pension-styled program to help with retirement.
And you also have a bargaining chip if you are still underage. If you carry a card, you may still not be able to drink, but you can play in establishments in many cases.
All of this and you may be wondering why I haven't signed up yet.
There are strings attached.
The contract you sign to get your card, gives them an awful lot of control over your career. They can pull your card from a venue if they have had another band in the union have problems.
They possibly could have the right to tell you when to have rehearsals and tell you which venues to take or not.
They could make you hire agents and such. They may also not own your copyrights but they could take some of your rights to selling your music from you.
Bottom line?
Make sure you read your contract. Pay the extra money to have a lawyer look over it. Deal with unions the way you would a record label.
Don't go in blind because they may have seen you coming...
Running Your Rock Band: Rehearsing, Financing, Touring, Succeeding
Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009)
This how-to book for would-be rockers covers all the dos and don'ts of forming a band: from the initial phase of putting together a group and rehearsing through finding an agent and booking gigs, touring and life on the road, and the final push for a record contract. 25 photos.
Merchandising And Your Band
It's about the merchandise, man
Just a quick note about your merchandise.I have always set up my shops on Cafepress but sometimes you need a local shop. Just make sure you shop around. Don't take your first t-shirt company.
The more you keep your design's color count down, the cheaper the t-shirt costs will be.
The added benefit? When you photocopy your fliers, a simple logo design, copies better, unless you can photoshop and do a manga style screen technique.
Simplicity is the design of the day, but make sure you have a design that will hold up for brand recognition. Yeah, some more advertising jargon, but if your going to make it to the next level, you have to sell your product.
Also, don't forget all of the other stuff. Stickers, window vinyl, badges, koosies, ringtones, USB thumb drives with a couple of unofficial songs that they won't get anywhere but your gig. Lots of ideas out there. Play around with some of them.
There will be a new lens upcoming on the subject of mechandise soon. I will show you some killer ideas, as well as the age old, time tested winners.
Complete Color Index
Amazon Price: $29.70 (as of 12/05/2009)
With over 2600 color combinations, this set is all you'll need for solutions to your color problems! It contains the original best-selling Color Index and Color Index 2, and together they comprise the most comprehensive color-selection tool out there. Providing multiple palette possibilities for every project, this complete collection is an indispensable tool for designers, illustrators, photographers, crafters, fine artists and others.
Each color palette includes a swatch, an example of the colors used in a design, and accurate CMYK and RGB formulas, making it easy for you to find appropriate colors and implement them immediately. The palettes in Color Index are divided into categories based on the moods they evoke, while the palettes in Color Index 2 are based on color families. No matter your preferred method for searching, you'll be able to easily reference hundreds of hues at a glance.
Offline Public Relations
Getting your name out there
The best way to get your name out there is to play. And just like any other niche type business, fans something your audience really like about you. Which means, ask around. Get opinions. Mingle on your breaks. That is also a great way to make sure you are sounding OK. They will tell you.
Of course, anyone who has any constructive comments, positive or not, they need a way to get hold of you so they can be more in depth with their critique over the phone, or over a coffee.
Everybody thinks that radio airplay is the way to go. Welll.... OK, yeah, you could go that way, and there's some nostalgia in that, and it could work. You might get bumped in by a few morning shows or a local talent late nighter, but to get added to the scores of singles and requests that are already filling the trash bins of the program manager's back alley, well, that just isn't my goal.
Yeah, False Hope could get some airplay, but we need to make bigger waves first. The trick is to get the radio stations to look for you.
A street team, and even a co-op street team with another band, can be a huge asset. Friends and family are the obvious first contacts, but look past that. You will pick up fans along the way. Anyone who pushes for your music to a radio station, is a plus. Get ten or more and the radio station will pay attention. A hundred requests for your latest upload to myspace, will really get the ball rolling.
Get your street team to push for any new releases. Have release parties to announce them. Which goes back to the backyard BBQ idea, and is a perfect excuse to have a block party that the band can play for.
While I'm on that, I'd like to take a step back and mention that it is important to listen to neighbors too. Don't annoy them too much. They can be constructive if not pushed. You might be surprised at the number of people who have some band stories to share, even just concerts they've been to. Don't turn off that opportunity for a fresh idea for your genre! That single mom that lives next to you may hate country music, but would love it if you could do a Beyonce cover.
Also, you know your single mother neighbor has to be at work at 3 AM, don't stay cranked until 9:00 PM. Work out something with her. Let her know that you are interested in keeping rehearsals from pestering her, especially since you already know that she doesn't like your genre. Use the after amplifier time to do some writing or recording, or brainstorm about the band's next direction.
Also, back a couple of steps, about the co-op street team? Co-op with another band. Don't be afraid to share the stage with another band. The pay may not be as good by the time you pay out to both bands but the diversity will have a positive effect, most generally. Many event organizers would be happy to find out that they could get a group that had their own opening band. And would possibly pop the extra few dollars to aquire both groups. And you could swap opening for them as well.
Tour:Smart: And Break the Band
Amazon Price: $19.77 (as of 12/05/2009)
From packing the right equipment to keeping enough gas in the tank to get home, every aspect of making a successful tour with a band is addressed in this comprehensive guide. More than 100 luminaries and leading organizations from the world of touring-among them Chris Connelly, Henry Rollins, the House of Blues, and the Vans Warped Tour, as well as club owners, tour managers, and even sex advisors-provide handy insider know-how along with insight on mistakes commonly made by novice bands. Chapters address the nitty-gritty of touring, with instructions on how to secure venues and publicity, how to stay healthy on the road, and how to keep the budget in the black. Loaded with hundreds of years' worth of collective hands-on experience from those steeped in the music business, this is a must-have resource for creating an unforgettable tour.
Equipment Considerations
How to buy what you need, not what you want
But, do you really need that PRS with Seymore Duncans? Or that Marshall stack? Or that brand new Tama kit? Those Neil Peart signature cymbals?
The new Mackie board with 60 channels, 999 virtual channel, dual midi sequencer, dual quad core Mac driven, fully selectable 31 band quasi-parametric shelving EQ, 16 bus aux, 18 sub-channel, 60 effect twin engine, XLR preamp, dual insert, with hard drive recorder? (OK exaggeration there, with something like that who needs a band?)
No.
But, buyer beware of used equipment. Definitely, be careful of Ebay and Craigslist. Pawnshops are at least local and usually give you the opportunity to test it out first, but be aware that old equipment can be easily touched up, and practically as soon as it is moved it can jar what ever was touched up, loose. Craigslist can be local, and actually so can Ebay, but like I said watch the used stuff.
My advice, well, I can tech all of my own stuff. I always buy used. But I know what to look for, and smell for. I don't buy anything tube. Tubes are unpredictable in the trailer. Also, don't buy some antique something that you are going to be afraid to scratch or break a knob off of. Unless you have the money for road cases up front. I still don't. And your guitar will get knocked over, it will get scratched, don't get mad at a fan who wants to plink around after the show and breaks a string. Your strap will pop off. You will drop it. At least once, I guarantee it.
Another thing to look for: don't just jump through the Zoom hoop either. They have some killer stuff, but use that stuff in the studio, not on the road. Find metal cased stomp boxes that can handle getting thrown around in the trailer, tripped over on stage, etc.
Cords. Yeah, cords. You will go through them like crazy. Don't buy cheap, but don't go over board either. Those solid 24 karat gold and platinum wound high end cables don't last that much longer than a good quality generic cord when you are jumping around and twisting it into knots then stepping on it all night.
Wireless is awesome, but much more pricey than some replacement cords. And you will be shelling out a small fortune in batteries. Then if you don't get a good wireless system, you will be injecting noise into your sound system. But for the initial cost of good cords versus a good wireless, I would go for the wireless for just a little bit more.
To read more check out my growing page on Buyng Equipment For Your Band
You've Got A Friend In The 'Biz: A Practical Guide To The Music Industry For Musicians & Aspiring Representatives
Amazon Price: $24.95 (as of 12/05/2009)
Author Michael Wood has been described as "the hardest working man in show business". He has been called one of the "most connected people in today's music industry". Everything from touring North America to voting on the Grammy Awards to now being a professor at one of the largest colleges in Canada, Michael has tried to take everything he has learned along the way and help aspiring musicians and music executives to reach their goals. On top of sharing his experiences and ideas, he has called upon some of his "friends in the 'biz" to share their stories and help point you in the right direction. People such as Casey Kasem, Ruth McCartney (Paul McCartney's sister), JT The Brick (Fox Sports Radio), Don Kronberg (worked with Jerry Seinfeld, Martina McBride), Dale Penner (Producer, Nickelback), Shawn Mullins (Grammy Award winning songwriter) and many more have all participated to make this book a down to earth, unpretentious and humorous guide to the music industry. The back of the book contains contacts in the industry and an opportunity to contact Michael directly to receive hundreds of more contacts making this the most interactive music industry book between writer and reader on the market today.
Online Public Relations
Maximize your online potential with these sites and this how to:
The thing is, get about four to six going (one or two per member is good) at different sites and work the friends that you earn there. You need a central place like a blog or a website that your members can collaborate on for compiling information, then take their perspective on that information to their own sites. Then - and here's the trick - link to each others sites.
When you cross link then go to other listing sites like Digg and Stumbleupon and link to your sites. The more links you cross, the more the search engines will notice.
The search engines also like frequently updated pages. If they spider to your site and see new info, you will get re-indexed which pushes you closer to the top.
Also, don't be afraid to have a few links to send people to other sites. Click outs are important to your ranking as well.
All of this is important if you are fighting another band for a namesake. If you come before them in a google search, guess who's website will be visited?
But then this isn't just about the search engines. Yeah, they need to find you, but give them something to look at.
Keep them from having to scroll around on your pages. Build your heavy content pages to have a hook (yeah, like writing a song) on the front of your site. The part of the page that pops up on the very first page that they come to. They call it the Golden Triangle of website design.
People will see the top header, an image, and some headline type of information. Make sure it's something that will keep them reading the rest of the page. It's that important! And if they click out without reading the rest of the page, they have already made an imprint about you. If they see your information somewhere else, say on a marquee at a venue, they are more likely to stop, because they have already begun the process of "knowing" who you are. That "knowing" often turns into curiosity. Curiosity becomes habit, habit makes fans. Good fans become the wealth of all bands, as then you get the best kind of advertising, "FREE, word-of-mouth advertising!"
Now for more band presence on the web, this one is actually a no-brainer. Flickr and YouTube are your friends, upload regularly!
Pics of new equipment, some pics of the guys together, home vids, produced videos, pics from throwaway cameras from a gig, Portraits. Anything.
Then send messages out to all of your listeners to look for it.
Several bands have helped publicity by turning this kind of exposure into an online treasure hunt. Planting clues eventually leads to a secret music download or a coupon for a new tee-shirt design. Or even a free back stage pass. Or maybe a night out with the band. Or a sit in, during rehearsal or even at a show.
Why not have your name at Wikipedia? I haven't done this as of yet, but it's no harder than working up your own page, or blog. And it adds a new link or set of links to your site or blog. Why not have a page for each of your members, past and present.
There will be more ideas when I jump into producing the sister lens to this segment.
Music Law: How to Run Your Band's Business
Amazon Price: $27.07 (as of 12/05/2009)
Some musicians recoil at the thought that their band is a business. They believe that their music is their art, and don't want to sully it with commerce. That's all well and good--but wouldn't you give up your day job if you had the chance? Music Law can help you see your band as a business and turn it into a successful one. Musician and attorney Richard Stim has filled this useful book with helpful advice on solving disputes between band members, dealing with lawyers, managers, and record companies, and even the increasingly important matter of sample clearance. The advice is extremely thorough; for example, the chapter on band names includes information on researching your band's name to ensure it isn't already in use, what happens if two bands have the same name, and even how to register your band's name and logo. Because he advises getting all agreements in writing, Stim has provided dozens of sample agreement forms, both as blank hard copies in the book and as templates on the enclosed disk. Throughout the book, Stim provides important legal advice, all translated from stilted legalese into simple English. Both big and little names get into these difficulties sometimes; the book is peppered with cautionary tales of real musicians and their legal squabbles. Music Law can help you avoid such pitfalls and get your band's business running smoothly--so you might be able to quit that day job, after all. --C.B. Delaney
Writing And Copyright
Making sure you protect your songs
I will soon be pushing this to another large area that will likely turn into a lens on it's own.
I have a lot of information to organize as we are in the middle of copywriting some of our songs at this moment.
Twit Me!
Come on follow me on Twitter
- aka Twitter
- 0 followers
- 0 following
-
- Ok we have crowdage now. and they love us even with a blown amp & a guitar player with a broken hand
-
- Ok playin to crickets here guys. wheres the #Fayetteville crowd when you need em?
-
- Come on out after the Bellamy Brothers guys. we'll still be here
-
- Just did Not Like You Did for soundcheck. sounded just like the cd. until the left amp started cutting out!
-
- We're setting up. skip on by the casino and come out to Petes
Music Copyright for the New Millenium
Amazon Price: $26.39 (as of 12/05/2009)
The 21st century promises to be the greatest period of growth in musical expression the world has ever known, as new technologies have made it easier and less costly to produce and distribute creative works on a worldwide basis. Copyright law and the ownership of intellectual property will continue to be the lifeblood of the music industry and the source from which the income of musicians will be derived. This book will give you a thorough understanding of copyright law as it applies specifically to music. In an easy-to-understand style, it explains the relevant provisions of U.S. copyright law and demonstrates how they are used in the music industry. From the Statute of Anne in the early 18th century to recent lawsuits against MP3-swapping services, this is the most comprehensive guide to music copyright ever created.David J. Moser is an entertainment attorney who primarily represents music industry clients. He is also a professor in the Recording Industry program at Middle Tennessee State University, where he teaches courses in copyright law and music publishing. In addition, Moser has written articles on entertainment law for numerous publications, including Billboard and Entertainment Law and Finance. He lives in Nashville and is a member of the Copyright Society of the United States, the Tennessee Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.
In The Studio
How to act and what to expect
First, the two directions you can go:Studio time and full production.
or
Self recording and send the master off to be edited.
Both are a considerable expense.
To build your own studio:
False Hope is actually recording in my parents garage! Until my studio is built of course. We record on my brother's OpenLabs NEKO. If you don't know what a NEKO is then maybe this direction isn't for you.
But the very least you will need is a big computer with lots of memory and hard drive space. Then some research and play testing at a local music store (Guitar Center is a good choice usually) to choose whether you can use SONAR or VEGAS or ACID, or any of the hundreds of other programs capable of doing what you need. Audacity is a cross platform program that is currently freeware available for download and even has an MP3 convertor. Make sure you can wrap your mind around the program. Get one with features you need, not a bunch of fluffy toys that you may never use. The fuller your C: drive's registry, the slower the computer moves. Don't clog it with junk. In fact, I would recommend only basic necessities on the hard drive. Build a computer specifically for recording. A PC can be done (I am a Linux nut) but I would recommend a Mac because of ease of start up. Especially if you have never used recording software before, and possibly if you are fairly good at it as well. Also never use the computer for anything but recording! Don't get a virus or malware on your band's computer! Once you have it set up, why risk it? Don't download anything that you don't need. Don't clog up your hot rodded computer's registry with games! If fact, once it is set up, don't even let your recording computer online. That way you won't have to slow it down with a firewall or antivirus.
Now if you are headed to a studio, you are paying by the hour, so be well versed on your music. The closer you are to playing the whole thing live note for note, the faster you will be in the studio.
The pros of using a studio? They have the microphones you need. The space, the engineer, the equipment, to give you the sound you want. Be sure to tell them your expectations if you can describe it. The closer you can get to what you want, the fewer takes you will have to pay for. They will have you hooked up and running happily before you know it. In fact, they may spoil you to having someone run your sound.
The pros of home recording: No time limit, you may write on the fly, you can record to your own expectations.
The cons of studio recording? It may unfortunately be that it will be cheaper to hire musicians and have them play the music, rather than have your whole band go to LA or Nashville or New York or London. You are under the thumb of the fader chaser - you may not have say so over headroom levels and effect levels, and you may not be getting the EQ settings you are used to hearing. But that can be a positive too... A new ear can show you something about your tone that might surprise you.
The cons of Home Recording: Might not have the equipment and microphones you may need for a good recording. There is a huge learning curve, especially when starting to use processors, compressors, expanders, EQ, and De-essers for the first time. Your mic placement may not work right the first few times.
Be prepared to spend money for late nights both ways. Be ready with your music both ways.
I will have more as I get time!
Profiting from Your Music and Sound Project Studio
Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009)
PROFITING FROM YOUR MUSIC AND SOUND PROJECT STUDIO provides the definitive approach to establishing, promoting, managing, and succeeding with a professional music and sound project studio. Based on interviews with dozens of studio owners, meticulous research into the burgeoning field, and Jeffrey P. Fisher's fifteen-plus years' experience working in the industry, this indispensable resource delivers proven advice based on the real world of project studio recording.
This invaluable reference tool tells you how to
* evaluate the market to better plan and promote your products and services
* tap into new moneymaking markets
* use the Internet for long-distance collaboration
* learn to create high-impact promotional material
* develop the proper mental attitude to carry out your vision
Producing
The polish that sells your song
I have run worship sound for better than 15 years and am second generation. I have recorded other bands. I have written and recorded my own stuff. I have played on recordings. I have never mastered a CD.
But
(and this is key to enhancing your band)
Find people who know what they are doing and make friends with them. They may not give their service to you for free, but they can offer advice.
I now have a friend, simply because of my activity here on Squidoo and Twitter, that does online mastering.
And willduke says that there are 3 pitfalls to mastering. He calls them dangers but not to be scared of them.
Number one is Bias. You can never have too many objective ears!
Number two is Risk. You are turning over your work to someone else for the final step!
Number three is Quality. You are turning this work over to someone who may rush through it because they have too many irons in the fire!
I highly suggest going to him for more on this subject! The Three Dangers Of Mastering
How to Build A Small Budget Recording Studio From Scratch : With 12 Tested Designs (TAB Mastering Electronics Series)
Amazon Price: $16.47 (as of 12/05/2009)
* 12 proven designs for building inexpensive, yet effective, audio studios
* Covers basic acoustic theory, construction materials, and applied design
* New chapters on blueprint reading and electrical wiring and grounding methods, expanded coverage of materials and construction methods
Touring In Country
Colleges, Venues and the like
Entertainment.
They don't care what they hire to offer the students a break. Jugglers, mimes, cute monkeys, poetry readings... You have to get their attention. They probably won't even listen to a demo CD. Chances are they will look at cost, and how creative your flier is. Similar, but probably worse than Event Coordinators.
One more time, you are selling yourself.
They book these things early. Like six months in advance. Keep that in mind!
Also, while you are on the road, check out area venues. Especially if you have a professional looking rig. Even a cheap bus fixed up right says "hey, we rock! come and see us live!"
And I'm not talking about a Prevost or Golden Eagle here either. A simple transit bus will suffice and could be fixed up for under 10 grand.
Now call around to some of the towns on your way to and from the event or gig
There is going to be an entire lens up coming on the stuff I'm digging up for you guys! Stay tuned!
The Touring Musician: A Small-Business Approach to Booking Your Band on the Road
Amazon Price: $13.22 (as of 12/05/2009)
The Touring Musician helps performers at all levels of experience to take control of their careers. Packed with practical information, this invaluable handbook guides musicians in applying sound business practices to band travel by evaluating assets, creating an action plan, researching, negotiating, and booking venues, arranging transportation and lodgings, managing personal and tour finances, and getting publicity. The Touring Musician includes: Point-by-point advice about how to set up a small business Eleven sample worksheets and checklists, in a ready-to-photocopy format, that will help keep you and your information organized Samples of the major types of legal documents involved in booking a band A step-by-step chapter showing you how to book and route a sample tour, including five calendars and five budgets Plus solid advice about how to research your venue contacts, negotiate gigs and fees, manage your band finances, coordinate your promotional activities, and much, much more
Foreign Tours
I know some good examples
The trick is very similar to getting gigs and the touring tricks for the country you are already in.
Get the attention of the indie outlets and potential fans in the country you wish to tour in. This could be as simple as gathering several friends together and getting about three bands to hop a plane with you, or as difficult as getting a record label to send you.
I don't have much personal advice but I will be add things that am told at a later date! stay tuned!
Concert Tour Production Management
Amazon Price: $41.85 (as of 12/05/2009)
Concert Tour Production Management deals with the business of production and sets out guidelines to follow in order to literally get the show on the road. Concert Tour Production Management provides the basic information to manage the production for a touring concert from start to finish in the most effective and efficient way possible.
Beginning with an introduction to the touring concert, explaining who's who on the road, the author guides you through a tour setup using a realistic itinerary that visits different types of venues using the production manager's checklists. He also covers the role of the local promoter's production manager and how to manage a crew. The appendices provide some basic electrical formulae, a performance contract, a technical rider, a production checklist to suit most situations, and several forms to help expedite routine tasks.
All you need to know about concert touring by an industry expert.
Appendices provide industry standard forms and information.
Only book dedicated to production management for concert tours.
Sponsorship
Getting someone else to pay for your toys
Now brainstorm about all of your local stores and services. Who can you help through a targeted ad on your Tee-shirts? Who will benefit by giving you a guitar case full of strings? Who will help you out for printing a small ad on the back side of your band business card? Who could be raising an eyebrow by having that eighteen foot banner with your band name printed with their logo at the bottom? Who thinks they could spend some advertising budget on a new bass drum head (or heads) with the band name and the business logo on them. Who could be helped out by buying koosies with the band name on them? Who would just love to have a special gobo made to go in your lighting system that projects their ad on the dance floor in exchange for buying the fancy light and controller in the first place?
Who?
Who can you help out by mentioning their name as a sponsor at least in your Press Releases? Your blogs? Your Website? Your Twitter/MySpace/FaceBook/Plurk campaigns?
On the flip side of that same coin, who could use the revenue raising possibilities of having a band donate their time for playing for a good cause?
False Hope and Cedaridge both played for Toys For Tots, a cancer awareness biker benefit, small town fund raisers for community buildings, and a fund raiser biker run for the local high school band boosters (which was cool because Shannon is a former member of the same high school band). We were turned down by WalMart for wanting to do a benefit for the Katrina victims. So it won't always work, but who is it going to hurt to ask?
In some cases, you will be able to ask the industrial entities as well. There are many manufacturers who give away promotional products. Some donate products to be raffled or auctioned for the benefit.
Then there is trade shows. My employer holds one of the largest trade shows in the south for the plumbing, electric, and HVAC industries. Once every two years. They don't have a band. Of course you won't be playing while the vendors are showing their wares. You won't be playing music during the break-out sessions and classes. But we had two days, that they had a lunch break that a good band could have entertained for a few minutes to take everyone's mind off the show for a bit, to refocus back on the show once they had eaten. It doesn't hurt to ask, even though I know they will very likely say no. What about the corporate parties they probably have? Or other functions like grand openings of new stores? Check with all of the corporates in your area.
More very soon!
Sponsorship Seeker's Toolkit Third Edition
Amazon Price: $21.75 (as of 12/05/2009)
This is a how-to guide to getting funding by speaking to organizations in corporate language -- using the right tools to open the money box. It also ensures the sponsor gets value return for their investment. The two savvy authors walk you through every step of the process and provide checklists and templates for planning, proposals, and presentations, backed up by the diskett that comes with the book. The beauty of this book is that strategies for obtaining sponsorship by providing competitive benefits have been built into the instructions for structuring, negotiating, and managing a sponsorship proposal. Whether you represent a small local group or a large non-profit organization, this toolkit will equip you to achieve your funding goals. -- Vive Magazine, Spring 1999
Keeping Up With The Expectations Of Your New Band
Staying ahead without drowning
If you have taken on the responsibility of running the band on your own, you have some important issues to handle. None the least of which is to stay in top form yourself.Then you have to keep marketing at the forefront of everything else, combined with the need to keep the others happy. This isn't a job for someone with an ego, or anyone with a heart problem.
What has to be managed within the ranks also weights heavy on whatever role you fulfill on-stage as well as off-stage. Then you might have to write material, draw the art, keep the books, buy the trailer, buy light bulbs for the 35 par56 cans you just bought at the garage sale. Fix the Hartke bass head that you have running your subs....
This is not a job for the weak minded either. Or a drunk. If you can't keep your head straight, you won't go very far on your own.
Like?
Well like an instance that just reared it's head at us just this week. False Hope is a fairly new band and it takes a lot of time to establish a word-of-mouth name. We are looking to break into a new market for us that is just off campus for the University of Arkansas, an entertainment district known as Dickson Street. Dickson Street is the location of one of the largest Bikes-Blues-and-BBQ type venues in a several state area every summer. We are starting small at a new restaurant a little ways from there, but could still be considered part of the corridor. We were supposed to be scheduled for the 13th of March. Our lead player John, is going out of the country on the 16th. We do our confirmation call on the 4th, only to find out that she had mistakenly wrote our name on the 20th, and now has booked the 13th for someone else. Nothing can be done about her schedule, if we want to build our name, we have to play. The show must go on. John can't change his large investment to leave the US without penalties. He has to leave.
What would you do?
We called up several of our friends that we met in our audition stage, (remember what I told about this?) and they pointed us in several possible directions, but even at that none could make our rehearsal schedule. We shook hands and retained names and numbers for later, now more than before.
We have decided to continue with a handicap of being a four piece. Our song list will have to change. Some leads can not be done now. Our practices for the next few rehearsals will have to contend with being fluffier to make up for the hole in our sound that some of our patrons that will be there, will be missing.
The form of being able to handle this on your own depends on you keeping a cool enough head to calm the panic of your band mates. And the promoter/club owner. We are a collective band, so we make these decisions semi democratically. Each of us has a high regard that one of us can make a decision without consulting the others in a crisis. If you have this kind of synergy that is ideal! We handled the entire thing in just a few hours, without causing the owner to panic about having to find another band on such short notice.
She will probably remember that later.
On top of that, there is keeping your own instrument in shape; be it guitar, drums, or voice. Then booking, then recording, then videos, and don't forget the internet, which could be a full time job in and of itself.
For more on this more in depth approach to maintaining your band, Try out this lens.
Running Your Rock Band: Rehearsing, Financing, Touring, Succeeding
Amazon Price: (as of 12/05/2009)
This how-to book for would-be rockers covers all the dos and don'ts of forming a band: from the initial phase of putting together a group and rehearsing through finding an agent and booking gigs, touring and life on the road, and the final push for a record contract. 25 photos.
Thumbs up or down?
-
Reply
- ftuley ftuley Jun 17, 2009 @ 8:01 pm
- Nicely done lens; I'll look forward to seeing more! 5 stars.
-
Reply
- keithyoung keithyoung Mar 27, 2009 @ 6:28 pm
- Brilliant lens man!! Comprehensive info for anyone in this line of work/hobby!! Well done...impressed!
-
Reply
- Tipi Tipi Feb 26, 2009 @ 10:26 am
- Great informational lens. There's a lot more to being in a band than just being in a band. :))
-
Reply
- bdkz bdkz Feb 22, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
- Very cool lens!
-
Reply
- PaulHassing PaulHassing Feb 17, 2009 @ 8:43 pm
- Very impressive lens! Comprehensive & authoritative. I had to do many of these tasks for my old band (Fluffy's Chain) about 12 years ago & the advice in these pages really rings true. Nice work! P. :)
- Load More
About the Author
Now if your have read this far, Thanks! Spaciba! Aregato! *bow, bow, kiss feet, bow, bow*ANYWAY...
If you want to know anything else about me head over to my lensography
Also one of my promotional tools for this page:
Click here, to promote your business, website or blog for FREE.
Index
- The General Startup Proceedure
- The Auditions
- Some Great Band Related Stuff
- Practice Makes Perfect
- Small Venues
- Some Background
- Putting Together A Song List
- What Is A Press Kit
- Creating A Buzz
- Talking To Organisers And Club Owners
- The Gig Checklist
- Does The Word Union Mean Anything To You?
- Merchandising And Your Band
- Offline Public Relations
- Equipment Considerations
- Online Public Relations
- Writing And Copyright
- Twit Me!
- In The Studio
- Producing
- Touring In Country
- Foreign Tours
- Sponsorship
- Keeping Up With The Expectations Of Your New Band
- Thumbs up or down?
- About the Author
by sirkeystone
Explore related pages
The Song is Over by The Who - Lyrics, MP3s & Videos- Short, Sweet, and rocking are the best way's to describe The Song Is Over by the...
Nickleback: Rockstar - Lyrics and Video- I'm through with standing in line to clubs I'll never get in It's like the botto...
Jason Wade's Amazing Hair- Long hair, short hair and even bleached hair. What will Lifehouse's lead singer/...
Keep Up With The Expectations Of Your Band- If you have taken on the responsibility of running the band on your own, you hav...
Do It Your Self Musician. (Yup... you can make money at this)- Your music is WORTH something. So stop giving it away!! Here is wher...
Indie Music Marketing & Promotion Tips- This lens is filled with music marketing tips and self-promotion ideas for indep...
