10/10 Helpful Tips To Move Your Music Career Forward.

Grand day aSa! If you made it this far I genuinely appreciate you for taking the time to read this all the way to this point! You're a W for that and I hope you somehow get a big bag of money for being awesome. This is the tenth and final helpful tip to consider on your music career journey. Tip ten is to Understand The Royalties Generated From Licensing your music.

Explanation

Not understanding licensing royalties is like going to work every day and not knowing how the job will pay you. When you own your music, people have to obtain a license to use your music and will pay a fee based on the way in which they use your music.

Consideration

Royalties can be confusing and complicated but I will do my best to make this easy to understand. There are a few ways you earn money from the use of your music (assuming you own the copyright to the music).

• Mechanical License – Needed when someone wants to make copies of your songs or use the song. For example, if I start an online music store and I want to sell your music in my store. I’m going to need a mechanical license from you in order to sell your music in my online music store for digital download, just like iTunes. So, every time I sell a copy of your music in my store, I have to pay you. But I don’t pay you, I pay an organization that collects the money on your behalf. That organization is called The Harry Fox Agency. That’s a summary of the mechanical license.

• Performance License – Needed when someone wants to play your music for other people. For example, if I started a streaming service and I want to let people stream your music in my streaming service, I need a performance license from you in order for me to legally make your music available for streaming on my platform, just like Spotify. I have to pay you a royalty, but I don’t pay you; I pay an organization that collects the money on your behalf. You’ve probably already heard of them ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC. That’s a summary of the performance license.

• Synchronization License – or sync license is needed when an entity, like a corporation, movie studio, or advertising agency wants to use your song to be ‘synchronized’ to a video. For example, think about some of the songs you hear in movies, TV shows, commercials, and video games. The companies that produce those had to get a sync license to use the music you hear in the content. They typically would pay a flat fee for the sync license. That’s a summary of the synchronization License.

9/10 Helpful Tips To Move Your Music Career Forward.

What's gucci aSa! Yo, it's been fun but we're almost there!!! This is the ninth of 10 helpful tips to consider on your music career journey. Tip number nine is to Learn The Positions on Your Team

Explanation

You are most likely doing most, if not all of the work yourself. That's not a bad way to start off. Knowing how to do everything makes it easier to know what you're looking for when hiring someone else to take over the tasks.

Consideration

Here is a list of some positions and tasks you should consider learning about.

· Manager – Business Strategy & Career Development

· Booking Agent – Pitching for gigs and performances

· Certified Public Accountant (CPA) – Financial planning and taxation

· Publicist – Generate Publicity by organizing interviews, press, and tours

· Marketing Strategist – Conduct market research and develop plans to create awareness

· Publisher – Manage and seek licensing opportunities

· Entertainment Attorney/ Legal Advisor – Manage and register intellectual property including trademarks, copyrights, and likeness.

Keep in mind these positions do not have to be held by one single person. It’s not a bad idea to have as many people in each position as you can financially manage. I personally suggest starting with a manager that actually has knowledge of the entertainment business.

8/10 Helpful Tips To Move Your Music Career Forward.

What's poppin aSa! Real Glinton here again and this is the eighth of 10 helpful tips to consider on your music career journey. Tip number eight is to Build & Maintain An Online Presence

Explanation

What I mean by online presence is taking control of your google panel. If someone discovers you, they most likely will google your name for more information about you.

Consideration

Consider creating a website even if you aren't selling anything. Write about yourself on your own website so that google has a place to pull information about you from. Also consider having an account on all major social media platforms with matching names, even if you're not very active.

Needless to say, having an online presence is beneficial in many ways, but if you're just not a camera person, here are a few very important things to consider.

1. Write a professional bio and detailed description of what you want people who are discovering you for the first time to know about you and your music.

2. Invest in a professional photographer to get professional photos for your bio, website, and social media pages.

3. Consider hiring someone to manage and grow the page with you.

4. Go live in the studio and just be yourself. You don’t even have to look at the camera.

5. Follow fans of similar artists (Some of them will follow you back).

6. Message your new followers and respond to likes and comments (let them know you appreciate them).

7. Take some time and go like a post from your follower’s page. It’s easy and it’s free to get their attention and it builds a stronger connection and more engaged fan base.