Starting Your Career as a Musician

by Neil Tortorella

Overview

Whether you dream about becoming a rock star or a sought-after talent playing local gigs, Starting Your Career as a Musician will guide you along the path to success. Author Neil Tortorella explores the myriad opportunities in music today and details proven strategies for seeking them out. He reveals the common pitfalls and traps that are often encountered and provides aspiring musicians with time-tested advice on how to avoid them. 
Jam-packed with the practical know-how you need for success in the music business, Starting Your Career as a Musician is brought to life and made easy-to grasp through the wisdom and experiences shared by numerous working musicians. While it won’t show you how to be a better musician, this indispensable guide will teach you how to make a living with your music, promote yourself or your band, get booked, and maximize additional revenue streams.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781581159288
Publisher:	Allworth
Publication date:	03/01/2013
Series:	Starting Your Career
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Neil Tortorella has been strumming a guitar since he was thirteen. He’s also been the singer of countless songs in a few bands along the way. A well-known graphic designer, writer, and marketing consultant by day, he’s a player by night and on the occasional weekend. He’s no stranger to the ups and downs of a creative career and brings those insights to his writing. He is the author of Starting Your Career as a Freelance Web Designer (Allworth Press, 2011).

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

A Career in Music 2

The State of the Music Industry 3

What Does This Mean for the Musician? 5

Chapter 1 Defining and Creating Success as a Musician 9

There's No Magic Formula 11

SWOT Analysis and Setting Attainable Goals 13

Where Do You Fit In? 16

The Elusive Trait Called "Drive" 18

Defining Your Music 19

The Importance of Developing a Plan 20

Chapter 2 Your Musical Education 25

Formal Training or the Seat of Your Pants Method? 27

Chapter 3 Your Band's Brand and Marketing 35

What Is Branding? 35

Putting Branding into Action 38

Developing a Logo for Your Band or Solo Act 40

Your Brand Is More Than Just a Logo 41

Positioning 45

Marketing Your Band or Solo Act 47

Your Marketing/Branding Plan 49

Keeping Up Momentum 50

Chapter 4 Your Band's Website 52

Developing a Killer Website 52

Planning Your Website 54

Putting It Down on Paper 56

Do It Yourself or Hire a Designer 57

Keeping in Touch with Fans via an E-Newsletter 63

Getting Ready for Email Marketing 66

A Word about Selling Merchandise Online 69

Chapter 5 The Importance of Social Media for Musicians 71

Facebook 72

Twitter 74

You Tube 77

Podcasts 79

Reverb Nation 80

My Space 81

Social Media Tools for Artists 82

Social Media Wrap-Up 83

Chapter 6 The Future Is Now: New Opportunities for Collaboration, Promotion, Distribution, and More 84

Artists Doing It for Themselves 85

Nontraditional Physical Releases 87

Fans: Collectors versus the Capture Culture 88

Cloud-Based Services 89

Getting Your Music into Spotify, Pandora, and Other Services 90

Chapter 7 Media Relations 99

Building a Media List 99

Developing a Press Kit 102

Nurturing Media Contacts and Building Relationships 108

Crafting Quality Press Releases 108

Building Buzz 112

Media Relation Tools for Musicians 112

Chapter 8 Promoting to Radio 116

The Importance of Bar Codes 120

Radio Promotion Services 122

Chapter 9 For the Pure Songwriter 126

Where to Start 128

What's Next? 129

Song Structure 131

Actually Writing Lyrics 133

Creating and Submitting Demos 134

Selling Your Lyrics...or Not 136

Chapter 10 Merchandise Sales 140

Production Needs 143

E-commerce, Selling Online, and Selling on the Road 146

Promoting and Manning the Merch Table and Bean Counting 149

Chapter 11 Legal Issues and Your Business Team 153

Legal Structures 155

Managers and Agents 157

Agents 159

Accountants 159

Attorneys 162

Insurance Agent or Broker 165

Business Banker 166

Alternate Sources of Capital 168

When A&R Comes Calling 169

Chapter 12 Protecting Your Work 172

Understanding Copyright 173

Copyright and Work-for-Hire 176

Understanding Licensing the Rights Pie 178

Chapter 13 The Taxman 183

Obtaianing an Employer Identification Number (EIN) 187

Planning for Income Taxes 187

Tips for (Relatively) Painless Taxes 188

Self-Employment Tax 195

Sales Taxes 196

Chapter 14 Pro Advice on How to Succeed 197

Advice from the Trenches 198

A Lesson from Mick Jagger and The Rolling Stones 208

Finding Your Position in Your Fans' Heads 209

Hone Your Business Skills 210

Balancing Your Professional and Personal Lives 212

Money Management Thoughts 214

Money Management Tips 215

Plan for Retirement or Die Onstage...or in the Studio 219

A Closing Word 221

Resources 223

Books 223

Websites and Blogs for Promotion and Community 223

Social Media Communities and Tools for Musicians 224

Online Services for Musicians 224

CD Duplication and Related Services 224

Merchandise Suppliers 225

Equipment and Instruments 225

Legal Services for Musicians 225

Assorted Collection of Resources for Musicians 225

Notes 226

Index 228