Chord Records

Social media is the stepping stone for music marketing. Musicians who are successful have a marketing plan in place. Social media presence is just a tip and stepping stone to the over all music marketing plan.

Musicians Resources Blog has a great free ebook which consists of 96 pages of great music industry know how, and its completely free. Check out their post "Music Marketing: 20 Things You Should Know".

Another interesting book to look at would be "Music Marketing: Press, Promotion, Distribution, and Retail".

The book retails for approximately $17, its a great investment for any musician, and well worth reading, just for the industry knowledge.

The more you know about your industry, the better prepared you are to conquer it.

In most cases, music publishers will make an agreement with song writers to purchase the various copyrights  to their songs in exchange for promoting the song to the recording industry, as well as video and television entertainment venues.  They may offer a small up front advance on royalty earnings to the writer.  Most generally, the music publisher will enter this arrangement with the contracted terms that they will be entitled to a 50/50 share of any future royalties earned from the song they are promoting.  The music publisher is then responsible for promoting the song, keeping track of where the song is used and collecting the royalty payments for its use.  Once any advance money paid to the writer has been recouped, the publishing company is also responsible for disbursing the writers portion of the royalty payments to them.

Thanks to the U.S. system of copyright law, there are several venues of music publishing so your music publisher may be able to sell your song multiple times to increase earning capacity.  While there are many copyrights involved in music publishing, there are four main categories that music publishers are concerned with:  Mechanical, Print, Synchronization and Transcription.

To facilitate accounting and make it possible for your song to be used over a much wider scope, the music publisher will register your song with one of the three performing rights organizations (also called PRO's in the United States):   American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), or Society of European State Authors and Composers (SESAC).

The performing rights organizations are responsible for tracking the Mechanical copyright usage of your music in radio or television, businesses background music, night clubs or by bands performing your song at a club.  The performance royalties that are paid for this use are negotiated by the PRO's by setting up blanket contracts with the various users of your song to pay a set amount as a performance royalty and then using research combined with an algorithm to determine the most probable amount of usage for your song or music.  The publishing company  and the writer are then issued checks for their portion of the performance royalties earned by the song as was outlined when they registered with the PRO.

All other granted copyrights are controlled by the music publisher and those wishing to negotiate royalty prices for their usage must contract them through the music publisher who is paid directly and then pays the songs creator.

Establishing your own gospel record label may be easier than you ever dreamed.  The definition of a record label is an entity that records and produces media in the form of CD's or other recording formats.  When your band creates its first CD and successfully sells at least one copy, then you have become the minimalist form of a record label.  But what if you want to take the whole process a bit farther?  Following the simple advice in this article can put you in competition with the big label giants faster than you could imagine.

Choosing the right name is important, especially for a gospel record label.  Independent gospel record labels are recognized by their names and some of the more successful labels state exactly what the intent of the music produced by the label is.  One successful independent gospel record label is Redeemed Soul.  With a catchy name that drives right to the point, there is no doubt in the music fans mind about what type of music will be on the recordings of this company.  Similar independent gospel record labels like Christian Records and Bought Records have seen similar success.

Vocal chords strengthening exercises let us take good care of a very important part of our body - the vocal chords. Vocal chords are very important because it play a very important role in our lives. We use it all the time, everyday, to express ourselves' communication. Some use this as their way of living such as singers, barkers, TV or radio host, call center agents and many other occupations that makes use of the voice most of the time. Therefore, it is very important to maintain and strengthen our vocal chords.

First off, you need to use the appropriate vocal chords strengthening exercises suited to the size of your vocal chords. How do we determine the size? Thick vocal chords produces lower, richer sounding voice while thin vocal chords tends to produce higher pitched sound. The size of your vocal chords is permanent, thus what's more important is to enhance its performance through appropriate vocal chords strengthening exercises.

Vocal chord stretching is one effective vocal chord strengthening exercise. This will help improve vibration of the vocal chords when we sing or speak. The degree of vibration and the quality of the sound produce depends on degree of stretching it. Your voice power depends on how you control the tightness of your vocal chords.

Another technique is controlling the amount of air while singing. It is not enough to sing, sing and sing, music experts believed that vocal chords strengthening exercises can help a lot in order for your to sing like a pro. Air control while the vocal chords are vibrating to produce sound is one effective vocal chord strengthening exercise.

The next vocal chord strengthening exercise includes exercising also the tongue. A French scientist believed that the hypo-glossus muscle in the tongue plays a vital part to produce power in the voice and the vocal chords. To exercise the tongue muscle, you need to first relax it flat in the mouth. Then start to roll both sides towards the center of the tongue so that it creates a passage or groove in the middle. The strength of the vocal chord is believed to be influenced by this movement.

These are only the basic vocal chords strengthening exercises. There are a lot of exercises available which suit every voice range. Music experts and music trainers are always the best resources. They can assist to improve your singing or speaking voice through vocal chords strengthening exercises. In fact, you can enroll in formal classes for vocal chords exercises.

Another source are DVDs or VCDs that you can always play in your own home at your convenient time. Also, you can find some vocal chords strengthening exercises in the Internet. As said, there are a lot of ways if you really want to improve your voice. Just like the body, it needs an appropriate exercise to remain healthy. Our vocal chords need the appropriate vocal chord strengthening exercises to function efficiently.

The MP3 file is one of the most popular ways to store music on computers and portable audio players today. The main reason MP3 became popular was because it compressed large audio files into much smaller sized files and still had good sound quality. But another advantage of MP3 files is that there are many software programs available that allow you to edit the sound and remove unwanted noises like pops and scratches. Editing software can also be used to adjust the overall sound level of an audio file.

Free MP3 Music Downloads are great for new Artists and Groups who are relatively unknown. File sharing has actually made some Groups very big, and many Artists do not mind providing their Music for Free. Look on some of the big Artist's Websites, you will no doubt find some links to some Free Content. Artists don't mind giving you a glimpse at their work in the hope that you'll buy the complete Album.

The equations and algorithms used in the MP3 format are similar to that used in JPG when compressing photographs. If you notice, a JPG photo is not quite the same as that of the original. You notice some blurred or darkened parts, blotches, and some minor flaws that are too small to be noticed by the casual observer. This is the effect of file compression.

There are mp3 music download sites that offer a limited number of music downloads while others let you download unlimited number of music files. These options have totally revolutionized the way mp3 downloads are handled. These days, music download sites offer more than just music. You can find movies in just about every category, TV shows, software programs, games, and more. Go ahead and burn files to a CD or DVD and create your own music library to include all your favorites.

TidySongs is a great overall program that can help manage music fast. You won't have to painstakingly go through your digital collection and compare it to what's found online, you'll simply click a few icons, run the program and you'll have your media safe and sound. Imagine the freedom you will have when you can transfer all your music to your mp3 player and find the song you want, on the fly because the music tags or in order.

Nowadays, some music stores have taken the level of competition a bit further by offering monthly or even yearly memberships. Several offer a limited number of music MP3 downloads while others let you download unlimited number of music MP3 files. This move has totally revolutionized the way music downloads are previously handled. Needless to say, when you can access millions of music MP3 downloads for a small one-time fee, you would be downloading music online whenever you are free.

Matador is one great place to find music MP3s from popular Indie groups as well as other music genres. This site allos you to download free and totally legal music files from groups like Spoon, Stephen Malkmus, Guided By Voices and so on. All you ever need to do is to drop by at their free MP3 music online page to download the music pieces.

It is possible to use your TV as a display screen for menus and playback information. You can also download movies and pictures to watch when and where you want. Some have the capability to record and playback messages. Another amazing advantage is that you can store you music in one place and various MP3 players in the home can access the collection.

With the developments in technology today, it has been easier than ever to ditch the expensive recording studio, and record high quality music right at home. Unfortunately, many who choose to make music at home make many amateur mistakes that lower the quality of their music. Below are a couple of important tips of how to avoid the 5 most common mistakes in home recording.

 

1.) Be aware of your room- The room that you are recording will have a major effect on how your recording sounds. You will want to record in a room that does not create lots of echoes. Hint: your living room is much better than the garage.

2.) Don't overdo you mixing - many amateur recorders tend to get really crazy with the signal processing, this especially applies when it comes to the effects. Start off slow and build from there, to many effects typically annoy the general listening artist.

3.) Watch those gain levels - When you record make sure you are not recording to high or low with your gain levels. It will be much more difficult later, when mixing, to control the quality of the sound input. Typically, gain levels between 45-60% are appropriate.

4.) You are only as strong as your weakest component - Remember you will want to use or rent better quality equipment for recording. After all, how good would a Paul Reed Smith guitar sound coming out of a Crate practice amp? (the answer is not very good). Make sure your equipment can create and make the sounds you want.

5.) Tune your Instruments Perfectly - Most artists who come to you will not have any idea how important perfect tuning is. Have a high grade instrument tuner handy to make sure all your instruments are in good working order.

6.) Use that metronome - Get a metronome, or at least make sure if you are recording live drums that they have one! It is important to keep you music at a consistent tempo when recording with multiple tracks. If you do not follow the beat and tempo perfectly, it will be hard for later musicians to contribute their parts after your record yours.

7.) Have patience - When you are recording, you will want to fly through each different instrument and each different track. Recording is an art form and it takes time and patience to get everything sounding perfect. Remember you can fix a mistake once it is burned to disc. So take your time, make it perfect and enjoy yourself.

MusicProducerInfo.com is loaded with information on recording music, audio mastering, making beats or being a music producer. Take advantage of this great resource with articles, tools and recommendations to further your music production skills. Visit http://musicproducerinfo.com/home-music-recording for information.

Recording studio headphones of varying quality are available for vocalists and instrumental musicians to clearly hear themselves while they produce their best performances. In addition, recording producers need a clear reproduction of sound to be able to effectively mix recordings. But what do you need to consider before purchasing recording studio headphones?

First you need to be clear about why you need them. Do you only intend to use them to mix recordings or do you want your vocalists and musicians to hear themselves? If the headphones are for you alone then go for the best you can afford. If they are for your musician guests then ideally also provide them with great quality headphones. However, it rather depends on how much your guests are likely to mistreat the headphones and how much of your budget you are prepared to put aside to replace any broken ones. If you are on a tight budget then either buy them some less expensive headphones or encourage your guests to bring in their own recording studio headphones for their recording session.

Wireless headphones are not recommended for monitoring your recordings. Similarly noise cancelling headphones are not generally endorsed - you need to know in detail exactly what is being recorded. Also the majority of producers consider it sensible to mix using the output from monitors rather than headphones.

Any recording studio headphones you buy need to be within your overall budget. They also need to be comfortable to wear because you and your musician guests are likely to use them for long periods of time. They should be padded well so that the sound produced via the headphones does not include sounds from elsewhere. This is especially important if they are being used by a producer who is in the same room as the musicians. Similarly, performers using recording studio headphones should be able to concentrate on the sounds emitted through the headphones rather than being distracted and disturbed by other external sounds.

You should expect your headphones to provide a true, clean and flawless reproduction of sound. They should also have a good frequency range so that the bass and treble responses provide an excellent sound quality. Your headphones should be durable and light weight. An adjustable headband is also particularly convenient. Headphones can be sealed cup or open ended but sealed is generally better for recording and monitoring purposes. Whatever your decision, it is recommended that you only go to well respected manufacturers when you want to purchase recording studio headphones.

For even more information on choosing Recording Studio Headphones visit http://recordingstudiosetup.com/recording-studio-equipment/recommended-recording-studio-equipment/recording-studio-headphones

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own record label independently with no major label distribution. We'll now you can since we are in the the digital age of music. Major record companies are scrambling trying to catch up with the internet, but this leaves a great opportunity for you the music entrepreneur. Ok, so where do you start when you have decided to run your own record label?

1. Come up with a catchy name for your own record label and find an inexpensive graphic designer to design an upscale looking logo for you. Go to Google and search after other record label logos and start there. Remember this is your brand and identity for your own record label so make sure it looks professional so an artist will want to sign with you.

2. Set up your business structure for your own record label, are you going to be a LLC., Inc., or you can simply go down to your local city hall and file for a DBA license for your own record label.

3. Find a great artist with great music to represent. This can be the tricky part because like sports you can't teach speed, its the same with the music industry either you have a good ear for music or you don't. When signing an artist to your label always get an entertainment lawyer to review your contracts and make sure the artist you are signing has a great single and a great album ready to promote. I don't advise paying for studio time if your budget is low it's ideal to sign an artist with their own production capabilities so they may just hand-in their project to send to the distributor. Also, let your artist know upfront your financial situation to avoid what I call the "Daddy" syndrome many artist have. What that means is when an artist signs with your record label they now believe it is your responsibility to take care of them and all their financial needs, this is a recipe for disaster so let them know upfront your financial situation, or give them a small advance upfront and let them know this is all the label can afford to pay you until the record sells.

4. The contract, is very important and when I sign an artist I usually will put out two singles and give them a two album deal with 3 option periods. What is an "option renewal period"? An option renewal means that if the artist's music doesn't sell the way the record label wants then the label has the right to keep the artist or drop him from the label. This is important because what if the artist sells BIG and a major label wants to pull them away from you, you have those option periods this will lock in the artist, and the major label will have to negotiate with you and can't steal your artist.

5. Distribution: Distributing an artist in the old days was very expensive because a label had to pay upfront for the manufacturer to press up say 100,000 or more CDs to be shipped out to retailers before the release date. NOT ANYMORE! Everything is digital now CDs are obsolete. Usually Mp3's and wav files are sent to digital distributors like Itunes or rhapsody. You can usually find a digital distributor that will handle all this for your and pay you 90% to 100% royalties via paypal every 30 days. When doing digital distribution it usually takes 6-8 weeks for your album to reach all the digital stores so plan your release accordingly.

Alright, here's the deal. You want to get in the music marketing industry and work behind the scenes. You do not care to be an artist, but you would rather work behind all the glitz and glamour to make really honest, or really commercial, music. You will do anything and everything just to land a job at any of the popular record labels in the country. The question is: would they hire you?

The answer is: it depends. Everything depends on what you bring to the table. People like to think that the music marketing industry is all fun and games. You get to work with the most creative people; the most powerful artists; the best of the best. However, most people do not realize how much hard work goes into every single song. People do not realize that every move in the music industry is calculated. Unfortunately, even the task of hiring an employee is calculated. Why? Because, whether we accept it or not, music is a business, and everybody is broken down into an investment. What does this mean? It means, if you do not bring anything to the table, then you are not a good investment.

This is why you should start training yourself about everything there is to learn in the music industry. You must learn how to create music marketing plans, produce songs, advertise materials, create marketing tools, hype up your artists, find the right man for the job, and many other tasks. Basically, you must know ALL the ins-and-outs of the music industry. Most people think that just because they went to school and studied about music they will get hired automatically. Unfortunately, record companies need people who not only bring good music and good talent with them; they need people who are business minded and have excellent music marketing plan with them. They need people who understand that records need to sell because bills and people need to be paid and kept alive. They need people who know how to create a complete music marketing plan on one side, and then create the most beautiful song on the other. So if school does not do it for record labels, what does?

You would probably be surprised to know that internship or any previous real world experience is what record labels are looking for. In fact, this is not only true for record labels, as this is the trend across all industries in the world. Record labels will not waste time training a person who is fresh out of music school and has all the right knowledge but lacks a pulse for the business and street-smarts that applies to the industry. What they want is somebody who has real world experience; somebody who has actually gone through the rounds, who actually made transactions within the music industry. They want somebody who understand what it takes to produce music and marketing plan, somebody who has an eye for talent, somebody who can tell which person is the best fit for a job, a person who knows how to steer a musical direction, a person who knows how to facilitate the making of a music marketing plan, or a person who can sell an artist to radio stations.

Although these are taught in school, they are taught in theory. We all know that there things that cannot be taught by words or by theory and must be experienced in the real world. This is why record labels choose to invest in people who have already done it all. So again, here is the deal: until you have had some real world experience, you will not land a job. How do you find "real world" experience, search the net for sites that will team you up with other like-minded people and give you an opportunity to learn hands-on, and whip up a very good solid music marketing plan for yourself.

Eugene Sturdivant is the CEO of www.StreetDreamerZ.com, an online project oriented entrepreneurship program that gives everyone a chance in training and real-world experience in the music industry. This site offers a project-based curriculum that teaches you on starting up your own music business and making it big in the long run. This company will help you come up with the best music marketing plan that suits you and your needs.

All through the improvements that have impacted the music industry, a very important factor that has always been consistent is music for production. This usually has, and can remain, just about the most desired markets for composers as well as musicians. Music for production is very important to a production's success. Each and every film, TV show and also corporate video requires music to lift their final product... they usually have and will be always. Record labels could only get you so far, but bringing a tune in a TV show may gather its returns for a long time.

Production music libraries in many cases are requested by composers and musicians about how precisely to publish their very own music for production. An excellent library should be available to a stable circulation of fresh material from both experienced or veterans and new musicians. Who knows what undiscovered talent is waiting around in the wings! While all of us devote most time of our day online, connected to our email and the world wide web, it's very easy to deliver out an MP3 with a link to a site to browse around. Yet, a bit of work in your production can surely significantly help. Posting a demo CD featuring your very best work, with all clearly branded might have longer desk pile life than an email that's very easy to delete and tag as spam. The majority of production music libraries hold the greatest submissions on hand, generally organized by genre, for upcoming projects. Do not be blown away to listen to back from a library one year after, when they eventually comprehend they do need an album of mariachi rock music for production.

For some music libraries, composer agreements are made on a work-for-hire basis. The library will have the masters and copyrights, and will keep 100% ownership of publishing shares. But, the composer is eligible to take part in all writer performance royalties. Agreements may change among various music for production libraries, although many work on a work-for-hire basis to be able to support the type of music for production libraries as a one stop licensing shop.

Publishing indie music for production is actually a the same process. But, the management contracts differs from exclusive to non-exclusive deals, varying term period and publishing share splits. Many music supervisors, who be given a continuous stream of submitted music for production, highlight the value of exclusive agreements. It's within their greatest interest, as well as your best interest as a composer/musician/artist, to do business with just one company to try to sell your music. By doing this, all parties included are clear in terms of the prices and true ownership/representative of the music in use. You do not wish to contend against yourself and also have the music supervisor settle for a less expensive license fee. You may be losing out on well-deserved license earnings!

Thus, just what occurs when all the parties agreed and your music is used in a TV show such as Grey's Anatomy or Fringe? Hopefully you are a registered writer with either of the US Performing Rights Organizations (PROs), namely ASCAP, BMI or SESAC. These PROs are every author as well as publishers' very best friend. These people are responsible to keep sending you those royalty checks each quarter, yet most importantly, they help safeguard your rights as a composer and publisher.

Making music for production can be an extremely rewarding experience and a great profession. Having your foot in the door will not be simple, but understanding your rights and connecting with the right people will definitely bring you closer to success.

Today, there is a rather wide variety of music publishers, small and large. In reality, everyone that writes songs is a de facto music publisher if they intend their music for the public and they do not have a publishing deal. That is, if someone wants to use the music, then, at least in theory, they would come to the songwriter for permission to use the song. This would be an example of a songwriter acting as a publisher in a reactive role as the user comes to the songwriter in this case.

The primary role of a music publisher today is usually more proactive. Music publishers find users for original music and sometimes manage the usage of the music on behalf of the songwriter. Of course, songwriters can also be proactive in promoting their original work. Music publishers can be the songwriter or they can be someone who represents the songwriter in either a reactive or proactive role.

While there are many opportunities for songwriters to manage the business side of music, there are only so many hours in a day. Therefore, for some songwriters, it makes sense to find an advocate. This advocate is the music publisher who shares in the potential income for the original music in exchange for services.

Small music publishers are varied in their approach to the business. Some small music publishers are individuals who have only their personal songs. Some small music publishers may own a catalogue of music that is intended as a form of investment. This is usually music that has been recorded and continues to collect royalties. This type of music publisher wants to collect fees for their property much like a property owner collects rent for a rental property. Other small music publishers may have limited "catalogues" of music which have been assigned temporarily to them for the purpose of finding a customer willing to pay for each song. Again using the real estate analogy, this service would be like a fee based real estate leasing company.

The rights of songs are temporarily assigned to the publisher as the publisher seeks to find interested "buyers". The primary function of the assignee or publisher is to find "customers" for the owner. For assignees or publishers, there are many secondary functions which may include managing the account for the owner and/or maximizing exposure for the owner.

I think it is important at this point to distinguish between two misunderstood terms related to ownership in the music business. In particular, I want to describe the differences between an owner and an assignee. When a song is written, it is automatically copyrighted under U.S. Copyright Law and it is the property of the songwriter or songwriters. The songwriter at this point is the owner. The copyright should also be registered, which is a statement of claim to the intellectual property which is the song. This is done with an application through the U.S. Copyright Office. This copyright may be assigned to a second party at the time of registration or it may be assigned after being registered in the name of the songwriter or it may not be assigned at all. If assigned, it may be assigned to a publisher for the purpose of finding interested artists, larger publishers, commercial sponsors or labels. Therefore, the publisher becomes the assignee but the songwriter remains the owner. This arrangement is typically based on a set period of time. That is, the assignment of rights will eventually revert back to the songwriter or owner. Some publishers will pay to own a song in which the songwriter generally receives a lump sum of money in exchange for the song. In this case, the songwriter is usually entitled to no additional compensation unless otherwise stipulated in a contract.

The smaller music publishers tend to take on specialized roles to provide needed services in niche markets. These roles are expanding with the changing music industry. Small publishers now take on a variety of responsibilities that may overlap with a variety of other music professionals. There is a good reason for this. The publisher has a stake in the success of an artist so they often take an active role in the artist's development. Therefore, it is not unusual to see publishers acting as agents for the artist, for example. Agency is a service provided for the more specific purpose of maintaining a steady stream of business for a client. Good agents provide valuable services and should not necessarily be confused with a small publisher. The larger the potential income for an artist, the more specialized the roles become which is why you see big names in music with high powered agents. Agents typically maintain the amount of business and associated income of a big name artist because the big name artist doesn't have the time to manage all elements of their career at this level of success.

Big name artists also have publicists and managers, but for a new artist, many of these hats may be worn by a single interested individual. The small publisher will often take the role of agent, publicist and manager in addition to the role of publisher. In some cases, a small publisher will perform as a fee collection agent for mechanical rights as they already receive a portion of the fees that are due for usage. While some small music publishers may provide a variety of services with only a handful of clients, there are also small publishers who specialize in more limited services. They may specialize in a particular classification of music, for example. These publishers tend to have more clients as they tend to have a more limited scope of overall responsibility. Their strength lies in understanding a particular segment of the market and knowing the right people.

Most small publishers are risk takers. They attempt to select unsigned artists with maximum potential, hoping for a "break out". The reward for the small publisher is usually in the form of fees that are guaranteed by United States Copyright Law. Of course, a "break out" can also launch the career of a small publisher if there is a strong relationship with the artist founded on mutual trust. Small publishers may eventually get "squeezed out" by the more dominant players in the industry following the success of a signed artist. Contracts will eventually expire, so it is possible for a small publisher to receive their reward for the duration of work covered under the original contract, but to not receive further compensation for new material from a newly discovered artist who signs with another publisher. It is the nature of the business.

Small publishers maintain contacts with larger publishing companies, record companies, retail marketing executives, and are now using their skills to help promote independents. Some small publishers know when projects are coming up with a label, for example. They also know the type of music that interests various A&R professionals. Other small publishers may be better equipped to assist an independent artist with possible promotion opportunities through a retail store. In either case, an efficient small publisher will use contact management techniques and software to help them keep up with the necessary periodic calls. A good small publisher will follow up on every hold and make sure that a client is paid for all usage of a song.

Large music publishers may perform in the very same capacities as described above on a much larger scale. Catalogues owned by a large music publisher can be in the hundreds of thousands of songs. Large music publishers have the distinct advantage of size. They are well known among industry professionals and, as a result, have easy access to a lot of high powered folks. Large music publishers tend to also have a print media division that distributes printed materials such as sheet music. Large music publishers have other departments assigned to very specific responsibilities such as artist and repertoire or A&R personnel. Overall, the primary focus of the large music publisher is to maintain a positive bottom line through acquisitions and account management, thus it is much more of a corporate style of business.

Finally, there are many different types of music publishers, but the role continues to expand. With the emergence of independent artists and new online distribution models, the role of music publisher must change to meet new demands. It is very likely that the new small music publisher will have sufficient computer skills along with the more traditional understanding of music publishing, marketing, promotion, contact management, accounting, copyright law, negotiation, business etiquette, contract law, music business politics, and just plain old common sense.

Article distributed by permission of Del Boland and http://bluemusepublishing.com

Many artists and bands think like that, they believe that the music industry is exclusively just for them. It's natural, after all it's evident to them that they have both great music and talent, that the recording companies will automatically want to sign them up for a multi-million pound recording deal, invest in their genial work and fling open all the doors to success.

What a sweet dream.

Real life is different. The music industry is exactly that, an industry, which needs to make a profit and have guaranteed returns on its' investments.

Everybody knows that the music industry is passing through a difficult time, in financial terms. With this tightening of the financial reigns, comes change in the moment of signing up new talent.

Recording companies want and indeed need to record (it's the way they make their money to survive!), but they will only sign up artists that they believe will give them a good and fast ROI (Return Of Investment).

To be brutally honest, what is more important to a recording company is the sale of the music and not necessarily the music in itself. This evaluation is made with criterion becoming more and more rigid every day.
Recording companies take into consideration:
Bands' History - if the band has a solid background.

Bands' Fan Base - if the band has a consolidated and expressive number of followers that fill out the venue each time the band performs.

Band Concept - if the band fits into the concept of the recording company. eg. A recording company that specialises in Rap wouldn't consider recording a folk artist!

Bands' Image - if the band members are attractive and cute (in the case of Boy Bands, or Girl Bands!) or with a hardened look (in the case of Heavy Rock). The age of the band members in relation to the style of music (Younger people for Pop, mature for Romantic Ballads). If the band is easy to sell to a broader audience.

Professionalism - if the band is made up of responsible, discerning people (that's why the music needs to be well recorded at demo level!), that they are punctual, clean and good professionals in general. Also if the people can travel and pass prolonged period of time away from home.

Bands' Personality - if the band members are friendly, if they are easy to work and are prepared to do what the recording company needs and wants.

Musical Talent - if the band members have talent

really know how to play their instruments live, and will continue to create new quality material day after day for a prolonged period of time under pressure.

These examples are a few of the criterion that a recording company would take into consideration before signing up a new band or artist.

The good thing is that each one of us musicians can learn and supply what the recording companies are looking for. It's just a case of looking at the business with a wider perspective. Ask yourself, "Why would a recording company want to sign a recording contract with someone?" and "What more do I need to do to satisfy everything that the recording company is looking for?"

Steve Allen is consultant and music producer. Author of "Marketing Your Music – Success Strategies", "Personal Management in the Music Industry" and "Street Teams – Expand your Fan Base" http://www.marketingyourmusic.net

Free Music Business Contracts are the ultimate way to save money and time. They are easy to find, download and print. It just takes a few minutes to do and you have a simple yet professional document in your hand. However sometimes you have a need for a more complicated agreement. You may need this type of document for a recording deal or a long term performance deal. Sometimes there are differences in the legal interpretations of agreements when it comes to different states. Whatever the reason modifications to the original form may be necessary.

When you need to modify a Free Music Business Contract you can use these steps to help you:

·            Search and find Free Music Business Contracts: You can do this easily by using Google search. You just type in the keyword and the results will bring up a lot of websites. You will also find some websites via the Google Adsense ads on the right hand side. However these may be samples encouraging you to buy full blown agreements, so be careful and read these offers carefully. Click through on some of these links and you will find a good selection of forms. Choose the ones you need. It may be necessary to choose more than one if you have different agreements to negotiate.

·            Download and print your Free Music Business Contract : download the form to your computer and print out several copies.

·            Check the document to see if you need modifications: Once you have done this it is time to go through the document. If you or your manager is familiar with agreements you will find this easy, because you will know what to look for. Take especial care for small loopholes that the company can use to get the upper hand and possibly take you for a lot of money.

·            Hire an entertainment lawyer to check if you have missed anything in the Free Music Business Contract . Although this part will cost you some money it is worth it. Legal experts can catch things that might have been overlooked by you and your manager. They will insert clauses to favor you not the company. The money you make from the deal will more than pay for the lawyer and their valuable advice. It will still be cheaper than getting a lawyer to write up a complete agreement. Besides you will not be wasting time sifting through pages of a lengthy contract. Added to this an entertainment lawyer will also know about the local laws that can affect an agreement.

Indie is an abbreviation of the term independent. It is a global term that refers to rock artists. Such artists belong to unsigned bands or work for independent labels. Initially, indie artists use to make only rock music and they were characterized by unusual sense of fashion. However, in present days, they explore and make all sorts of music.

Right from rap, hip-hop, rock, jazz to classical, indie music artists have made a solid mark in the music industry. These artists cover a wide range of music and they have some amount of commitment to their cultural values.

The subcategories of indie music range from punk rock to different experimental music. Moreover, this is a considerable difference between one forms of indie music to another. Indie rock has more of guitar notes to it, and this music has the combination of guitar and pop music. Some indie music artists also combine distorted sound of instruments and mix it with older songs or folk songs.

Indie musicians have come with new form of indie music, post rock music. To make this music, they do not use traditional instruments, as they usually keep the musical intensity at a very high level. Therefore, post rock is a complex form of indie music.

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Indie artists promote Indie artist music through websites, radio stations, by performing in college festivals and heavily rely on mouth-to-mouth publicity. They make their own songs, music and release the records by spending their own money, or at times, they get finance from independent record companies. If indie artist music has immense potential, they become stars overnight.

As a result, major music labels approach potential Indie musicians, indie artist musicians and sign contract with them. Usually, they do extensive touring. However, at the same time, there are many Indie music artists, who have vanished after topping the charts with just one record. Some resurfaced, but were not able to revive the magic of their earlier albums and disappeared eventually.

Whatever may be the past, indie music and indie musicians continue to attract people on the dance floor, because this form of music has tremendous fan following around the globe.

Setting up a record label isn't an easy task. One of the things you have to remember is that there are thousands of people every year who have a huge interest in music, trying to set up there own record label and have little success.
The absolute most important part of a record label, the one thing is can survive without is salable artists. Many people are so caught up in making there label look trendy, with flashy websites, witty banter and fashionable image, that they totally miss the point. Your artists are without doubt the most important thing on your list.

Small independent record labels should do there absolute up most to keep there signings happy. That way when the suits from huge mega corporations like Sony and EMI come along to try and sign your now moderately successful artist for there next album, they will be less likely to risk the move. Dance music

record labels are usually slightly different as they don't usually sign there artists to sign contracts for albums. The Dance music industry revolves around singles.

One question you will have to ask yourself early in the process of setting up your label, at least in the time before your first release; is whether or not you should be a digital only label. That is for example, not to sell CD's or Vinyl but only mp3's or m4a's. While this is great for singles, the industry as a whole has found people tend not to buy the full album anymore, cherry picking the songs they've heard or like of the radio.

One for the recent changes within dance music imparticular, is the shift from vinyl to CD. With the massive lurch towards the digital age, dance music has embraced the CD deck. The majority of DJ's I know only use CD's now. They are lighter, less cumbersome and less easy to damage. However the good new to mp3 labels is the fact that is very easy to burn off a CDR full of mp3 and stick it into a Pioneer CDJ. Not many people have a vinyl cutter in the bedroom.

One of the problems with mp3's is they are far easier for people to pirate. However I believe this is not the problem that media will have you think. Some of you reading this article will remember back to when the said the cassette tape would kill the music industry. Yet here we all are still having fun listing to great music.

Unfortunately for many of you, the time maybe too late four you to start your dream carrier. It all depends on your chosen style of music. If you're a pop fan, which I'll assume most of you are not. You will never compete with the likes of EMI, so put the idea out of your head of setting up a pop label. I also think the same should be said about indie. There are plenty of independent labels out there who focus on indie music (that's how the genre got its name) who are a lot more established, and have a good reputation.

Your best bet is to build your label around a niche market, and try to embody the sound. Like what Factory Records did in the 80's in the UK.

So I'm off now to set up my afro-gabba-funktastic-trance-tro label see you on the other side.

All bands and musicians out there those starting the year with a new Music Marketing Campaign. I hope you're selling lots of CD's I do, but remember to have a back up plan for your business model; I've found it's only getting harder to sell recordings. People still want to spend money where they see creativity and are inspired, but don't limit that to your recordings.

What I'm really pushing artists to do right now is sell affiliate

products because the returns from commissions are more generous than CD's and sell better, so it only makes sense, Sell your CD too, sell whatever fans will buy basically, stay innovative. It is the basic idea of Music Marketing Campaign. Use an email newsletter as well as a blog and social network promotions to push various propositions to your fans. It's important to have many avenues open and have a variety of purchase options available so you can see what your fans are really interested in purchasing.

Kurb promotions are always happy to start with the basic online promotion, but I am interested in the email list you've already established. This is main strategy of Campaign Have you got a strategy to engage this audience, and are you thinking about what you want to happen when we start driving traffic?

We can work towards pushing the album but I think the best ways to be sure that you're connecting with that traffic is to offer some kind of free download or set up some kind of situation where the fans will want to return so that you continue to have opportunities to interact with them and sell them the album or related propositions. Basically have you got material ready for social networks blogs and newsletters? When traffic arrives on your website, myspace etc. what is the main outcome you're looking for?

Because rather than have them arrive and go away again we need to be pushing toward a specific direction for fans to act, and if we don't make that clear and straightforward we won't be able to bring them to a point of engagement where they are ready to spend money. In some music Marketing Campaigns we might want to pay attention to

how you can earn in the short term so artists can make money from music related business quickly to cover their initial investment.

This usually for me involves focusing on 1 product or service

combination that we can push at $100+ because it's much easier to sell 1 x $100 product than it is to sell 100 x $1.

But at the same time I feel you're pushing toward a earnest connection with fans, I think you've got the right attitude and appeal, which means although you need to support yourself the best path may be slowly building up those “real” connections to your fans and me helping you with technology so you can retain that intimate, personal

connected vibe with your fans while still keeping yourself viable as a professional.

It's a hard road but in the future of the music business it may be the only one. Marketing and promotions can only do so much, and connection between the fan and the artist is now essential to building a business. Getting everything for your Music Marketing Campaign in order and accentuating your artist brand now could set you up for sustaining

momentum long term. Generating income short term although is another excellent way of maintaining momentum long term! If you are interesting in Music and want to know more about it then visit us at: www.MusicMarketingManagement.com

Do you want to uncover easy to use video tips for online music marketing? Keep reading to learn how using video will boost your online music marketing campaign.
Online music marketing is the lifeline for your bands marketing efforts. In this article I will cover one overlooked but very effective way for you to boost the positive outcome of your online music marketing.

If you're not using video for your online music marketing campaign yet then it's time to start. Search engines love video. Notice how when you do a search on any specific term you will usually see at least one video clip in the top thirty of the results. Since search engines love video you need to take advantage of it and create short clips to maximize your exposure and take your online music marketing to new heights.

Online music marketing is simple to do with video. To get started do a search for "video slideshows" and you will see free, easy to use video slide show generators you can use to create a video right away. You don't need a video camera and it only takes about ten minutes to complete a video. You can then upload your video to the appropriate sites. Advertise for your bands web page, blog, C/D release, and anything else you can think of. Tag your videos with keywords that relate to your band and the genre of music you play. This will help you in the search results. This is an outstanding method to add to your music-marketing arsenal.

A second way I suggest you implement video with online music marketing is to use a video camera. With the advancement of technology it seems that almost everyone has access to a video camera considering that they can be found on phones and on still photo cameras. Remember that you only need to record clips ranging from thirty seconds to four minutes. Record interviews with yourself and band mates covering such topics as the happenings of your band and issues concerning the genre of music you play. Once again be sure to tag your video with relevant keywords.

Online music marketing has and will continue to generate more ways for you to market your music act. Try using these video techniques to achieve more exposure with online music marketing.

Many musicians don't pay enough attention to the business aspect of their career and as a result end up broke, in bankruptcy court and/or in bad deals. It is very important for a musician to take an aggressive look and active role in learning the day-to-day business of their music career.
The truth is that the music business aspect of your career is where you will need to spend the majority of your time if you want to have a successful and sustained music career in the music industry.
The most important thing you can do is to watch the bottom line and cover your bases by protecting your music. The music industry roads are littered with musician road kill. Artists who hit the "big time" but were barely living above poverty level.
A few months ago, I watched an interview with a well-known music star on a music legends show. He stated that at the beginning of his career, everything was great. He sold millions of CDs, sold out shows, and was constantly working year round, but ultimately he lost more than he ever received.
How could he have sold millions of CDs without becoming filthy rich? The explanation for how he lost money is he didn't pay close attention to the contracts he signed and who was doing what with his money. Having shrewd business acumen is crucial to your musical success.
A good way to learn how to avoid busting your music career is to watch the financial comings and goings of others who are successful in the music or entertainment business, then model your business actions after theirs.
Oprah Winfrey, Madonna, Britney Spears, Jerry Seinfeld, Dolly Parton and Mariah Carey are a few great examples of the bottom line. While you may not like one or the other, the facts are proof: They have made bank, millions of times over, and they still have that bank.
Recently I spoke with a friend Thom King of Multimediary Entertainment Marketing about artists learning the music business and the importance of knowledge. Thom has been a top executive at Clear Channel Radio as well as the head of major music industry corporations. This is what he had to say,
"There is a reason they call it this music business, because it is just that, a business. In addition, as with any business, it is critical to define each member's roles as well as the ownership of the intellectual property you are creating. You are building a business as much as you're building a band, and if you approach it that way you will be ensuring your success for years to come."
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The Music Business Is The Music Business and that really is that bottom line. This applies to all businesses especially those that involve the music industry. Whether the business is between a trusted friend, an acquaintance or someone you just met, the same rules apply.

Many musicians or music industry entrepreneurs don't pay enough attention to the business aspect of their career and as a result end up broke or in bad deals. It is a good thing there are great musician resources out there to help.

Even if we are just talking about how to promote your CD it is crucial for a musician to take an aggressive look and active role in learning the daily business of their music career. In fact, some say that the music business aspect is where you should spend the majority of your energy in order to maintain a successful career. One of the best things you can do is protect your music and all music promotional ideas that come your way.
The music business is littered with musicians and we all know who they are, who made it big but ended up with nothing. But how did this happen, you ask? Maybe they were too focused on being stars and just signed their life away. And when that happened,  everything they made went to someone else. One of the best musician resources out there is the firm understanding of music contracts and all that go with them.
It is all fine and dandy if you know how to promote your CD or have an entourage of people coming up with music promotional ideas. But do you know if you will even make any money off the sale of the CD? If so, how much? If you can’t answer these questions and you are in the music industry then you could be in serious trouble. So, before you even think about signing read your contract, have it reviewed and have a firm understanding of every single term.
So, take an active role in your music, the business of the industry and everything that goes along with it. For after all, this is your career and your life. You don’t want the people all around you running it with no knowledge of what is going on. If you do nothing else for yourself, then at least do yourself this very favor from day one before you even begin to worry about how to promote your CD
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