WingsOfAnAngel
Banned
ill o.g.
Battle Points: 3
This post is written from an artist's point of view, but it won't hurt label owners to read this either. This initial post shall by no means try to be a comprehensive guide to the music business, let alone a formal presentation, and some points will be rather non-elaborate.
I also know that not all the terminology I use will be official and the most spot-on, but I hope you will get my point.
**When you give your music to a label, it's always healthy to try to get an overview of how much music the label has to release before they can release your music. That, with the overall release rate of the label, might give you some clue as to when and how soon your music might come out.
Ask the label for a rough schedule and about when your release might possibly surface.
In the music industry, it's pretty much a rule that everything WILL get delayed and that a label can't give you a sharp answer, but even a rough figure is better than "Umm I don't know, we'll see after those 25 twelves which will take some time...".
It's not wise to give your music to a label that has signed a massive pile of music and which has no resources to release it all.
**Find out about the distribution of the music; ask the label. Today, every man and their dogs can have a record label. But not everyone can get is a decent distribution.
A distributor takes takes care of providing the shops with music. So, make sure that the label you are giving your music to has a good distribution deal: u don't want to sign your music to a label that can't get your music out there.
**Get a contract. It's for your own good.
It's so easy to loosely agree on the release and things relating to it on AIM/MSN or in emails - but that may not protect you very well (Still, save your conversations about releasing your music!! You never know: some day, you may think, "Shit, I should've kept that convo to prove that label owner that he said that...").
In the contract, it's fair to cover the following things:
1) What you will get paid - if anything - and when. IF you are promised an advance (not every label pays an advance!), MAKE SURE that that will be mentioned in the contract. It's sad but true that there are labels out there that promise to you an advance but then fail to pay it to you due to money shortage or out of pure wackness. It's very fair to have the contract state that you shall get paid [amount X] by [date X] or else, the ownership of the track reverts back to you, because else, the payment can be left hanging forever. However, many labels are small and the label owners are paying for everything from their own pocket so they may not be able to tell you exactly when they can pay you; still, try to get a rough estimation.
2) When the music should come out. It's not uncommon to have in the contract a clause that says that the track should come out by [date X] or else, the ownership reverts back to you AND you can keep the advance. It's just a fair compensation for letting a label sit on your track, letting it get old.
3) The royalties. Simply, if you agree that - after everything's been recouped - you will split the profit, make sure that you deal with that matter in the contract. And you should never be ashamed for asking a label for statements of sales so u know how many have been sold etc. The royalty rates do vary - make sure the contract has clear numbers for your rates. There are different royalty rates for licensing etc.
4) The ownership of the track(s). Some labels want to own your music completely, but some will let you own the track. It's good to deal with this matter in the contract so you won't have to argue about it afterwards. Some ownerships last for a few years, some more, some less.
**Look out for small prints in contracts and try to understand every point in it. After you have signed a contract, you have agreed on everything that it says. How seriously a label would react to you violating things agreed on in a contract is, of course, a different matter, but it is good to understand and be aware of everything that the contract states.
If there are points you don't understand, ask people with more experience - and it is not uncommon to have legal experts read the contract: in that case, you can at least be sure they make sure that a label is not trying to screw you.
**Don't give the music to a label in a full quality until you know it's safe.
I know this sounds very cynical, but this point is here for a reason.
For example, if you have been promised an advance you should get before your music gets released, do NOT give the tracks to the label IN FULL QUALITY that could be used for cutting a vinyl UNTIL you have been paid what you've been promised. Again, there have been shady cases where the vinyl has been cut and sent to shops while the artist hasn't got shit in spite of a promise - naturally, this is only possible if the label has a full quality wav or a 320kbps mp3 that he can use for cutting a plate.
Any label head can judge a quality of a track well enough from a 128/160kbps mp3 in terms of whether he wants to sign it or not.
**Sample issues.
Uncleared samples, 'nuff said...
Still, it might be wise to speak a few words with the label about some "hot" samples. In general, the bigger the release and the more exposure it will enjoy, the riskier it is to use uncleared samples. Usually, it's the job of the label to try to clear the samples if you agree that they need to be cleared - but it is fair to mention about the samples, of course.
**A few points about effectiveness etc.
Be punctual/effective/sharp with your actions.
No-one wants to work with an artist or a label that you cannot trust. It's good manners to follow deadlines that you have mutually agreed on: deliver the masters well on time, and you should expect a payment on time.
An impression that you are a nice person to work with and effective at your actions is very valuable when it comes to co-operating.
Keep in touch. Nothing's more annoying than an artist or a label that you have to send 16 emails to just to get an answer. And if things look like they're gonna get delayed, let those, who deserve to know, know, and you will leave a nice impression.
Being upfront and honest rocks so hard, and being a person who never tells the others about his/her changing plans, delaying release dates, fucked-up payments etc sucks so much.
GOOD LUCK!
I also know that not all the terminology I use will be official and the most spot-on, but I hope you will get my point.
**When you give your music to a label, it's always healthy to try to get an overview of how much music the label has to release before they can release your music. That, with the overall release rate of the label, might give you some clue as to when and how soon your music might come out.
Ask the label for a rough schedule and about when your release might possibly surface.
In the music industry, it's pretty much a rule that everything WILL get delayed and that a label can't give you a sharp answer, but even a rough figure is better than "Umm I don't know, we'll see after those 25 twelves which will take some time...".
It's not wise to give your music to a label that has signed a massive pile of music and which has no resources to release it all.
**Find out about the distribution of the music; ask the label. Today, every man and their dogs can have a record label. But not everyone can get is a decent distribution.
A distributor takes takes care of providing the shops with music. So, make sure that the label you are giving your music to has a good distribution deal: u don't want to sign your music to a label that can't get your music out there.
**Get a contract. It's for your own good.
It's so easy to loosely agree on the release and things relating to it on AIM/MSN or in emails - but that may not protect you very well (Still, save your conversations about releasing your music!! You never know: some day, you may think, "Shit, I should've kept that convo to prove that label owner that he said that...").
In the contract, it's fair to cover the following things:
1) What you will get paid - if anything - and when. IF you are promised an advance (not every label pays an advance!), MAKE SURE that that will be mentioned in the contract. It's sad but true that there are labels out there that promise to you an advance but then fail to pay it to you due to money shortage or out of pure wackness. It's very fair to have the contract state that you shall get paid [amount X] by [date X] or else, the ownership of the track reverts back to you, because else, the payment can be left hanging forever. However, many labels are small and the label owners are paying for everything from their own pocket so they may not be able to tell you exactly when they can pay you; still, try to get a rough estimation.
2) When the music should come out. It's not uncommon to have in the contract a clause that says that the track should come out by [date X] or else, the ownership reverts back to you AND you can keep the advance. It's just a fair compensation for letting a label sit on your track, letting it get old.
3) The royalties. Simply, if you agree that - after everything's been recouped - you will split the profit, make sure that you deal with that matter in the contract. And you should never be ashamed for asking a label for statements of sales so u know how many have been sold etc. The royalty rates do vary - make sure the contract has clear numbers for your rates. There are different royalty rates for licensing etc.
4) The ownership of the track(s). Some labels want to own your music completely, but some will let you own the track. It's good to deal with this matter in the contract so you won't have to argue about it afterwards. Some ownerships last for a few years, some more, some less.
**Look out for small prints in contracts and try to understand every point in it. After you have signed a contract, you have agreed on everything that it says. How seriously a label would react to you violating things agreed on in a contract is, of course, a different matter, but it is good to understand and be aware of everything that the contract states.
If there are points you don't understand, ask people with more experience - and it is not uncommon to have legal experts read the contract: in that case, you can at least be sure they make sure that a label is not trying to screw you.
**Don't give the music to a label in a full quality until you know it's safe.
I know this sounds very cynical, but this point is here for a reason.
For example, if you have been promised an advance you should get before your music gets released, do NOT give the tracks to the label IN FULL QUALITY that could be used for cutting a vinyl UNTIL you have been paid what you've been promised. Again, there have been shady cases where the vinyl has been cut and sent to shops while the artist hasn't got shit in spite of a promise - naturally, this is only possible if the label has a full quality wav or a 320kbps mp3 that he can use for cutting a plate.
Any label head can judge a quality of a track well enough from a 128/160kbps mp3 in terms of whether he wants to sign it or not.
**Sample issues.
Uncleared samples, 'nuff said...
Still, it might be wise to speak a few words with the label about some "hot" samples. In general, the bigger the release and the more exposure it will enjoy, the riskier it is to use uncleared samples. Usually, it's the job of the label to try to clear the samples if you agree that they need to be cleared - but it is fair to mention about the samples, of course.
**A few points about effectiveness etc.
Be punctual/effective/sharp with your actions.
No-one wants to work with an artist or a label that you cannot trust. It's good manners to follow deadlines that you have mutually agreed on: deliver the masters well on time, and you should expect a payment on time.
An impression that you are a nice person to work with and effective at your actions is very valuable when it comes to co-operating.
Keep in touch. Nothing's more annoying than an artist or a label that you have to send 16 emails to just to get an answer. And if things look like they're gonna get delayed, let those, who deserve to know, know, and you will leave a nice impression.
Being upfront and honest rocks so hard, and being a person who never tells the others about his/her changing plans, delaying release dates, fucked-up payments etc sucks so much.
GOOD LUCK!