makin money with music

[rise9]

First off, I'd like to thank God for the insight he has shed on us on how things came to be, and the classifications of the 2 target markets majors look to feed with this mass frenzy of music pumpin. It puts things in perspective when you're looking for a career in this business. And for those who are, this post is for you.

I want to address the different ways artists can make money in this business, both creatively and business wise. We all gotta eat, and i don't know about you, but i wanna make money doin what i love, which is producin, makin beats, and later on run my own record label.

I'm fairly new in the biz, and i got a little education on the basics of this business, and the one thing i learned is that "the more i know, the more i realize i know nothing".

This business is very intricate, with legal implications in just about every inch u take. But we won't go there today. I would like to hear from cats in this forum, how they manage on the daily, and what ideas they have for makin a successfull career for themselves in this biz. Thats off course if thats what u want for yourself.

Some of the ideas i've been running through are:

1. Targeting artists themselves, letting them do the label bidding
2. Remixes
3. Doing tv scores
4. Getting a job in the music business, like promoting, or being a publicist, artist manager, retailer, setting up a small record shop, online media outlet
5. Creating a urban marketing company to target major corporations.
6. Creating street team to promote clubs and venues - eg. promoting again.
7. Studio time rentals - meaning u gotta have one worthy to charge
8. Artist web design
9. ...

Hit me back with some ideas. For any seasoned veterans in here, your input would be greatly valued for all us newcomers to the scene. We all gotta eat right...

 

[Haze47]

BTW I AM NOT A SEASONED VETERAN........
nice input mate, and i agree with most of the points, especially about the promotions side....My mate runs a promotions company, which as you say, does external runs and flyering as well, as a result, they are promoting their own night in the new year in Leeds (sorry, mix tape delay?) and the beauty of this is that, it gives us producers a medium for our toons to be heard on a commercial scale...my plan is to start of selling like short EPS in the club at the night, then investing that money into a 12in, you gotta be prepared to accept that you are going to have to spend at least a grand, really before you get any return on vinyl, as for everyone you sell, you are giving two away for promotional purposes. You gotta keep your ears to ground, for DJ trends, and make sure you GIVE your vinyl to the people that are popular and that are going to pull crowds. Sorry this is getting into an advice post now...

If you are preparing a demo to give to a record label, dont just send a CD, you gotta show them everything, and nothing less than a box full of stuff will do. You need you cd, obviously, vinyl if you have some printed, perhaps bring a cd of snippets of your next project. Bring band photos, production photos, any photos of you, thatr could be seen as "marketable". bring t-shirts and merchandise that you have, perhaps a recording of a live set and audience reponse, newspaper cuttings and reviews of any kind, remember any press, is good press. Be yourself and original, and dont get fobbed of with secretaries always speak to someone form A&R direct, i would say get a manager, but then nobody likes to get screwed, and screwed you will be, if you have one. You are the best person to manage your affairs, as you are the one, who knows what is best for yourself....anyways im ranting.....

Hail to the King...