People always say that you need to invest in your career, but nobody tells you how to spend your money. We can help.
The vast majority of young musicians are building a career with limited resources. Not only do they have to balance their pursuit of music with jobs and other commitments, but they often have minimal financial resources. Every dollar matters. Musicians want to grow, but they also want to produce a good product, and sometimes, it’s unclear how to do both with a small budget.
Every career is unique, but there are many similarities. The most important of these being that songs matter above all. Without good songs that are produced well, there isn’t much you can do to build a career. You can throw money around all day, but those efforts will ultimately be in vain without quality material. Today’s listeners have zero tolerance for artists pushing poorly produced music, which is why we always recommend focusing any budget towards making the best possible product first—quality matters.
If you make the best possible recording you can afford and still have a budget, the second area we recommend artists invest in is digital advertising. Many services will do this for you, but we have found that most won’t do it well without a massive investment. The best course of action is to first participate in the multiple online training sessions for digital ads offered by companies such as Facebook, Instagram, Google, and others. These free courses will teach you everything you need to know about setting up targeted ads that deliver actual results, and from there, you can begin building a digital following.
We can go on and on about ways to invest your money, but it’s also important to note that there are many things artists waste money on that should be avoided at all costs. Those items and much more are outlined in the latest Music Biz video. Host James Shotwell will walk you through the best and worst ways to spend your money if you want to grow your career. He will also discuss the pros and cons of each investment and how your priorities may shift over time. Dig in now:
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Process sheets are the most important part of any collaboration. Do you know how they work?
The vast majority of musicians rely on their knowledge and wits, or that or their managers, to navigate the music industry. That approach is good at first, but as your level of success begins to rise it’s always smart to surround yourself with people who may be better versed in the more complicated areas of the business. For example, songwriting credits and royalties.
You don’t have to follow industry news closely to know there have been many lawsuits involving artists and their teams where disputes boil down to who gets paid and how much they get paid for a song or record. While some of those cases are the result of shady business practices, others come to pass because the people involved at the point of creation were not fully aware of how Performance Rights Organizations (or PROs) calculate payouts.
As SonicBids explains, a publishing split sheet (often simply referred to as a split sheet) is a document that states who wrote what percentage of the song(s) recorded by a band or artist. A split sheet should be created for every song you write, before ever shopping it to a third party to be published commercially.
We recognize that many artists hate to think of music as a business, but those make a career out of music do so because they treat it as a business. Take a few minutes today to learn how split sheets work to ensure you get paid what you are owed for all future creations:
Before we begin, let me just say that if you’re getting into music writing to make money you have undertaken a fool’s errand. There are far easier, much less aggravating ways to earn a few dollars, and most don’t even require you to formulate original ideas on a regular basis. Music writing is a passion project through and through, with the return rarely matching the work put in, but for those who manage to cultivate a community of dedicated readers there are ways to profit from your endeavors. You might not make it rich. In fact, I can almost promise you that will never happen, but if you work hard and prove yourself to be an upstanding industry professional there is money to be earned.
What follows are a series of tips and tricks for generating income with your music writing efforts that I have learned over the better part of the last decade. Some are obvious, others require a willingness to be honest with your readers in a way some might not be comfortable with, and still others will require a good relationship with the labels and publicists you interact with on a regular basis. I cannot tell you which will work best for you, but there is no reason you cannot try them all. Experimentation is great way to learn what does and doesn’t work for your site. Keep an open mind, be patient, and in time at least one of the following methods will help cover the numerous costs associated with being a music writer in 2015.
GOOGLE ADSENSE
Remember when I said some of these suggestions would be a bit obvious? Google Adsense has been the most reliable source of traffic based income for as long as I can remember. Anyone with a site can signup, and approval of your site usually happens within 24-hours. The return for clicks and views is incredibly low, but that is simply the state of the digital advertising market today. For those looking to dip their toes in the monetization game, this is the perfect place to start. Just don’t be surprised if it takes a long, long time to see any substantial return. Click here to learn more.
DISQUS
Disqus is a commenting system used by most music blogs operating today. The company behind the platform has developed a special program that rewards site owners with cash in exchange for comments and little a bit of ad space. This feature involves the use of a discovery box, which is a native place where your visitors finds related post on your blog or website, as well as the internet as a whole. You can set how much exposure these related posts get within your Disqus admin control, but know that you make more with increased exposure. Click here to learn more.
SPONSORED POSTS
For those who believe they are the best dealers of ad space on their site, Sponsored Posts may be the way to go. A sponsored blog post is a blog post which you are paid publish on your blog. It may be written by you or by the advertisers. It could be about anything, from a list of reason why one brand of headphones is better than another, to a preview of the most anticipated acts at a particular festival. The person buying the sponsored post will usually dictate the type of content they want to receive, but it may be on you to create the post. Every situation is different, as is the rate people are willing to pay for such placement.
In accordance with FTC regulations you should always mention that it’s a sponsored blog post, usually at the end of the post with a byline such as: “This blog post was sponsored by (sponsor name here)”
The biggest issue with sponsored posts is usually that bloggers do not know what to charge sponsors, and as a result they end up doing a lot of work for very little money. If you choose to pursue this path of monetization, know what you want going in, and make sure you have the analytics and facts needed to back up such a request.
AD NETWORKS
Ad Networks are one of the more reliable ways to generate money for your site without running the risk of having ads from companies/products you don’t know appearing on your front page. Sites enter into revenue sharing agreements with ad networks, typically allowing the network to take a sizable cut in exchange for curating and placing relevant ads on the site. Some networks deal with genres, while others deal with industries as a whole. Some of our favorite ad networks include Blast Beat and The Laugh Network.
PATREON
This may be our favorite form of monetization in existence today, if only because it does not require third party ads or content to appear on your site. Patreon is essentially a digital tip jar where readers can pledge to contribute monthly to your site’s continued existence. For as little as $2 a month anyone can become a supporter of your organization. Signup only takes a few minutes and, unlike most services Patreon does not take a single cent from your contributions. You do, however, have to pay taxes once the funds received surpasses $600 in a single year. Click here for some tips and tricks to help maximize your Patreon experience.
James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also a professional entertainment critic, covering both film and music, as well as the co-founder of Antique Records. Feel free to tell him you love or hate the article above by connecting with him on Twitter. Bonus points if you introduce yourself by sharing your favorite Simpsons character.
Here is the latest post from our friends at SonicBids.
Waiting for your music career to take off is a tough game of patience and perseverance. You’ve got fans who believe in your work and genuinely want to support you and see you succeed. Maybe you have fans like this all over the world! You might be making some revenue off of your music, but it’s not easy to make a living wage as a musician. So, when rent is due, how do you get by? Well, there are several options to make money in music. And trust me, you’ll likely have a much better time making your survival job one in the music business, as opposed to grabbing a gig you’re not at all passionate about. It will feel real and connect back to your own career as a musician, informing you on aspects of the industry you otherwise wouldn’t have known. Here are some good (and usually flexible) gigs you can make a decent amount of money doing until your music covers all the bills. Who knows – you might even discover a new passion!
1. Music journalism
As a passionate musician, chances are that you have no problem talking at length on what you like about a piece of music. Sure, you’ll have to leave most of the technical talk out of the picture and instead use more ubiquitous, journalistic language. However, it’s still an expressive, music-focused job. You may even have the chance to interview some of your favorite artists and connect with them in a way you might not have been given the opportunity to just as a musician.
Artists (for the most part) love press. While it’s not guaranteed you’ll make the big bucks right away, music journalism is a great freelance gig for any musician looking to make money in the industry. And from being on the other side of the coin, you may even learn a thing or two about how to do your own press! (Editor’s note: If you have some expertise in the music industry, you can apply to be a contributing writer for the Sonicbids blog!)
2. Music photography
This is a more refined skill set to have, but if you have experience taking and editing professional photos, you can freelance for venues, music publications, record labels, and artists. Even if you don’t have experience, it’s a skill you can likely pick up quickly with your already-in-place creative aptitude from music. Every musician needs high-quality press photos for their EPK. Find work out in your scene, and be open to collaborating in new ways with artists you like.
3. Work at your local venue(s)
Chances are, your favorite local venue needs another box office person during the busier months. Or maybe they need help with production or security. Your best bet is to try to apply during fall or spring if it’s an indoor venue, and summer if an outdoor amphitheater. You might not be doing the most interesting job in the world, but you could be working alongside national acts that come through your town, learning the ups and downs of what it takes to run a smooth show. And hey, you’ll earn some extra cash while you’re at it!
4. Teaching
This is one of the most obvious moneymaking side jobs for any musician, and chances are you’ve already done it, are doing it, or have applied to teach. Typically, it’s required that you have some type of music education degree, or at least a degree in music. But fear not, if you don’t have either, you can teach privately, or find the right studio that understands your musicality is sufficient to teach. If you teach for a studio, you might make a little less, but you’ll have a steady flow of work. On the other hand, teaching privately is where you can really start to earn more money. A combination of the two (if the studio allows you to teach outside lessons), and you’re on your way to next month’s rent! Also, teaching music really keeps you in check as a musician. Most artists find it fulfilling to see their students succeed. Music is a gift – pass it on!
5. Instrument repair
Being an instrument repairman takes a certain skill set, but you’ve likely already had experience custom-fixing your own instrument to save that expensive Sam Ash trip. If you have those inborn handyman skills, apply them to music! You might need a bit of shadowing at first, but being an instrument repair tech is a great way to make extra money. Plus, you may learn a thing or two about how to make your instrument sound even better!
6. Session or stand-in musician
You’ve got the chops and the ear – why not lend them to someone else? Being a session musician can be great freelance work. It’s competitive, sure, but once you’re in, you can prove yourself quickly. Also, being a stand-in musician for other bands is a great way to earn extra money. Maybe you’re an upright bass guru – let people hire you to join in on their shows when their guy flakes or just can’t make the part. I know that your own material is where you see yourself truly taking off, but for now, to keep your electric bill paid and still play music, consider lending your skills out to other artists who will surely appreciate them!
Sam Friedman is an electronic music producer and singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, NY. His music blends experimental ambience with indie-driven dance music. In addition to pursuing his own music, he is a New Music Editor for Unrecorded and is passionate about music journalism. Check out his music and follow him on Twitter @nerveleak.
