I received an email from a reader asking questions about the viability of live music for food service venues in today’s economy. Is live music really a smart business decision for restaurant/club owners? How can a musician make him/herself more attractive to owners? Here are my thoughts:
Choosing Wisely
In my personal opinion, choosing the right band for a venue is a vital business decision on the part of a restaurant/club owner. Every venue has its own clientele, so the entertainment needs to be tailored specifically to fit that clientele. First and foremost, the entertainment is there (in the owner’s mind) for one reason only: to keep their customers happy and present. The longer a customer stays, the more he/she is likely to purchase. I don’t have the information here, but I’ve read studies on that very topic (how much longer a customer stays with music vs. without, etc.). That attitude can become somewhat off-putting to potential musicians. However, a good entertainer knows that his/her job is to entertain. An entertainer has two bosses: the owner and the patrons. Offend either one, and you no longer have a job!
“Licensing is like Paying Twice for Music”
Perhaps the most confusing issue to owners is that of music performance licenses. I’ve run into too many club owners that try to make their musicians pay for their own licensing. Club owners need to understand that they must pay a blanket performance license (i.e. “royalties”) from Performance Rights Organizations (ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC in the United States or SOCAN in Canada). Copyright law only grants the right to perform music to the copyright holder. If a person doesn’t own the copyright to a song, then he can’t legally perform it without a license. One restaurant owner was so misguided as to refuse to allow me to play at his establishment because I’m a member of ASCAP, and that he did not allow licensed music to be played in his restaurant! [I know, right?! Let's just say he's not in business anymore.]
The confusion comes when club owners feel like they’re “paying twice” (i.e. paying to be able to have music performed, and paying for someone to perform it). That’s a valid concern; however, it’s just another cost of doing business. For example, most establishments sell alcohol. They have to pay not only for the alcohol they serve to their customers, but they also pay for a pouring license to serve it. The situation is almost identical. The problem lies in that people don’t understand how ownership of music works. In fact, where I live, restaurants must pay not only for the band, but also for a PRO license AND for an entertainment license from the local county government if there’s dancing–3 payouts to have live music!
That said, if an owner tries the illegal and unethical practice of trying to make entertainment “pay for their own license”, I usually run away as fast as I can. Those business owners are seriously misinformed or are unethical in their dealings. Either way, it rarely works out well in the end!
Live vs. “Piped-in” Music
Is there’s more money to be made in playing live music vs. piped-in music (muzak, DMX, etc.)? There’s money in both. Canned is better than nothing, according to studies, for keeping patrons at an establishment longer. Again, it depends on your establishment and your clientele. As a patron, I’m always willing to stay longer if there’s live music. In fact, I plan on it. I can’t say that everyone else is like me in that respect, but I’m sure most people are willing to stay longer for live entertainment.
As for where food service venue operators are in respect to hiring entertainment, most search for the cheapest alternative they can find, hence the rise of karaoke. Not only Karaoke entertaining for patrons, but it’s cheaper on the venue. A venue may pay a live band $600, while a KJ (Karaoke Jockey) may only charge $200. Being both a musician and a KJ, as a band member, I may make $100 for the night. I would be doubling that income as a KJ. Similarly, that’s the appeal of solo musicians like a guitarist/vocalist or a pianist/vocalist. The venue pays less than a band, the musicians make more solo than with a band, the customers are entertained, and everyone goes home happy at the end of the night.
Play it Smart (read: It’s Not About You!)
As a musician, keep in mind that you are not playing for yourself. It may benefit you to perform, but you are truly there to make the venue owner money. You make the owner money by keeping his customers there and entertained, happily buying more drinks and food. If you can do that, then you may play there again.
As many of you may already know, the MusicIsMyBiz Blog also has a Facebook page. In addition to alerts when there’s new blog post or article, I also interject some “Quick Thoughts of the Day”. Some are inspirational. Some are educational. Some are simply probing questions to get you thinking. I thought it would be fun to post these here on the blog as an archive of sorts.
February 2, 2010
Thought of the day: “Lack of preparation clouds your purpose.”
February 4, 2010
Self-Reflection Question of the Day: “What’s holding you back from reaching your full potential?”
February 13, 2010
Tip for the day: Remember to spend time honing your craft. Great production work doesn’t make up for bad playing or songwriting. A pig in a dress is still a pig!
February 23, 2010
Success is your own fault! You never grow until you learn to take responsibility for your successes and your failures.
March 5, 2010
While having “a good voice and a dream” is a starting point, make no mistake; the music business isn’t at all easy. What else you got?
March 18. 2010
Thought for the day: Never assume you have arrived. You can always strive to be better. The moment you stop pushing forward is the moment you appear to be moving backward to those who are committed to forging ahead!
March 26, 2010
Don’t be disappointed when someone declines your services because they “aren’t cheap”. This just means that their needs don’t match the value of your services. Your talent, expertise, and time are valuable!
April 15, 2010
Quick thought for the day: There’s a distinct difference between the roles of manager and booking agent. Your manager should understand the workings of the music industry. He should know where “the money” comes from in music, where it goes, and how to protect yourself. If he doesn’t, he shouldn’t be your manager.
April 16, 2010
Remember that anyone who has a vested interest in your success by helping you succeed will want a return on their investment. It’s only fair, and it’s how the music biz works. If someone helps you to succeed, then he shares in your success. He’ll also have incentive to work harder for you.
April 23, 2010
Quick thought for the day: If you’re thinking about “breaking into the biz”, learn as much as you can FIRST. You don’t become a doctor without going to med school. You don’t become an auto mechanic without learning how to work on cars. So, what makes someone think they can become a songwriter or artist without lear…ning the craft AND business?
If you haven’t yet become a fan (now “like”), go ahead and do it now by going to www.facebook.com/MusicIsMyBiz! Then tell all your Facebook friends.
Do you have any Quick Thoughts you’d like to share? Post yours in in the comments section!
A while back, I wrote about my efforts to make my home studio more ergonomic and my workspace more organized. Today, I want to take that concept one step further and talk about informational organization.
Right now I’m teaching a recording class at a local college, and the students’ task is to produce a song demo for a songwriter. So far, I’ve noticed the old notion that musicians are the least organized people on the face of the planet. What’s worse, is that I find that I, myself, fall into that same category when it comes to producing a project. It seems that I have to force myself to do the small organizational tasks that ultimately help increase productivity in the end.
So, I’m going to share a few organizational necessities with you guys (and gals) to help you on your next recording session. I wrote about some of these in my book, Recording Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Music, but I feel it important to go into a little detail on the blog as well.
Recording Budget
The recording budget is perhaps the most important guide in a recording project. Even if it’s a small project, a budget helps you stay on track with how much you’re spending and where the money is going. Having a detailed budget form helps you to see certain expenses that you may not have thought of, like equipment cartage or album art.
Song Arrangement Matrix
When you’ve written a song, it’s a good idea to know what your arrangement will be for that particular song before you start recording. NEVER jump into recording a song without spending a decent amount of time fleshing out your arrangement. At the very least, decide when certain instruments play or drop out. Use a song arrangement matrix, which is essentially a grid that has blocks for each song section by instrument. Shade in each section (verse, chorus, bridge, etc.) which gets played by each instrument.
Track Sheets
Track sheets are vitally important to a recording session. We’re all tempted to think that we’ll remember every detail of a recording session, like which channel is Johnny’s guitar and which one is Bill’s, or that flub the bassist made in measure 149, but the truth is we simply forget those things. It may be weeks before a song gets edited after a session. Track sheets help you keep track of those important details.
Recording Session Checklist
It happens to us all. We drive an hour and a half to the studio only to realize that we’ve forgotten our [insert vitally important item here]. Use a checklist to make sure you have all the essentials and extras that you want to have handy. Include the even the littlest things like picks, sticks, strings, batteries, and a camera.
Equipment Inventory
Similar to the checklist, be sure to make an inventory of each piece of gear that you take to the studio. Not only will you see what you need (or what you may be missing) before you leave for the studio, it will ensure you keep track of what you must take with you from the studio. After an exhaustive eight-hour session, you might not be as alert, so check your equipment against your inventory to make sure you leave with everything.
Check this out!
After falling victim to a few of the aforementioned pitfalls, and after seeing my students do the same, I’ve created package of all these necessities called The Recording Session Toolkit. Now you can have easy access to budget forms, track sheets, song arrangement matrices, checklists, and inventories all in one place. I’ve done the work for you. Simply fill them out and put them in your project notebook. I’ve even included a handy studio prep guide to help you and your band get the most mileage out of your recording studio time. Try it out. Download it before your next recording session. I guarantee it will help you get the most out of your recording project!
Here lately, I’ve been busy recording and consulting young bands, aspiring songwriters, and singers who are eager to “break into the music business”. Besides being fairly talented, they all have one thing in common: they all have absolutely NO idea how the music industry works.
As with most of us who make music for a living, many of them think their music is the greatest thing since sliced bread. The problem lies that they’re then unwilling to take advice on how to make their music better (read: more competitive). They wrote their “baby” in a moment of inspiration. It’s gold. That’s that. This attitude is not only amateurish, but it’s childish as well. Now, I’m not saying that much of their music isn’t good, but the music business is inundated with artists, bands, and songwriters who are “just good”. To compete, you must be great. Your music must be great. Your image must be great.
Study! Before you decide to dive into the shark infested waters of the music biz, you have to know exactly what you’re getting into so you won’t get eaten alive. Okay, I exaggerate a bit. Just not much. Before you expect to have any success in anything, be it business, science, technology, medicine, etc., you must understand your particular field inside and out. That’s exactly why people seeking any particular career path go to college. Education makes sure you’re at least somewhat prepared for entering your career. Music is no different.
Know your rights. Learn how copyrights work and where your money comes from as a writer or artist. Horror stories abound of bands and artists who were taken advantage of because they were ignorant of income opportunities, or, worse yet, they signed away those rights in shady contracts.
Educate yourself on contracts. Always consult an attorney before you sign anything, but at least help yourself by being familiar with contractual “norms” and how to read them. Know that contracts are a give-and-take type of thing. You likely wont get exactly what you want out of the deal, but know that the other party should be giving up certain things as well. It’s all about compromise.
Be prepared for failure. Say this with me: “No one owes me anything.” One more time. Good, now say it a thousand more times so that it sticks. Chances are you will knock on a hundred proverbial doors before someone lets you in. You may not even be let in. Your demos WILL sit on someone’s desk (if they even make it to the desk) amid a sea of SeaDs CDs from other people. They may not get listened to. If someone likes your music, you may get a call (which could be months, or even years, down the road). Just don’t expect them to call you back if they don’t like it. They’re just too busy for that. In the Music Biz, generally no news is bad news.
It ain’t about you. I could make you say this one a thousand times, too. Unless you just rub someone the wrong way, a rejection is not personal. It’s purely a business decision. After all, we’re all participating in the music business, right? There are scores of reasons why you may face rejection. Your songwriting or singing skills may not be strong enough yet. You may not fit their image. They may already have artists on their roster that are just like you. Once you start to work with music on a professional level, music ceases to be about art and becomes a commodity. Your music and your image is solely used to make money for someone else. Then, if they make money, you can reap some of the benefits of their success. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that “you’re gonna get yours before they get theirs.” Remember, until you are making money for someone else, you have no leverage over them.
Talent can only carry you so far. You may be a fabulously talented singer or band, but if you don’t take responsibility for your own successes (or failures), then you can never expect to make it in the music industry. Your manager can’t do it for you. Your agent can’t do it for you. Your label can’t do it for you. All of these are avenues to help you succeed. In fact, don’t even go to them first. Learn to be successful without these other people, and your potential for greater success is much higher. If you’re successful on your own, these people will take notice and come to you. Then, if you feel they will help you to succeed further, make use of them. Remember, those who help you succeed are seeking their own success as well.
I don’t say any of this to scare any of you away from the music business. I am, on the other hand, saying it to scare some sense into you. Educate yourself. Prepare. Take responsibility for your successes and failures. While having “a good voice and a dream” is a good starting point, make no mistake; the music business isn’t at all easy. What else you got?
Have you ever thought that giving your music away for free will help to actually increase sales? It’s true. On top of that, and perhaps more importantly, it will help to solidify fan loyalty.
In truth, no matter how hard we try to keep online music thieves from ripping our music, some persistent pirate is bound to find a way. Whether by way of P2P filesharing, rips of streams, or YouTube videos, someone is going to find a way to get something for nothing. Why not preempt them by offering music for free?
Free music adds value. It seems a bit counter-intuitive to think that giving something away will actually add value to your music, but it in fact does just that. Primarily, it’s a gesture of good will to your fans. It’s an outward sign that you care about your fans. If you include other goodies, such as album art, and ID3 tags, then they’re actually getting a better (and safer) deal than from a P2P software.
Free music is a portal. It serves to bring potential customers, both new and previous buyers, to your site. It helps to generate interest in or, at the very least, awareness of, your music. Many a band encouraged piracy in the form of bootlegging in order to create a buzz about their music in their early years.
Limited-time freebies create a sense of urgency. By only offering portions of your catalog for a short window of opportunity, you’re creating urgency in the mind of your potential customers. This can be a valuable tool for several reasons. You can use it to create an awareness fast. You can bring in an influx of visitors to your site, which is good coupled with other sales opportunities.
Here’s an example. AfterEdmund, a surprisingly savvy yet incredibly talented Christian rock act, is working on their sophomore album. To get a buzz going, for one week, they blasted their various social media network presences (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube) with details on a free download of one of the new singles. After then, the offer disappeared. Doing so not only helped to pull fans to their website, but it also built interest and anticipation for the new album. These guys are a great study on self-marketing and -promotion. Keep an eye out for MusicIsMyBiz’s interview with AfterEdmund, coming up soon. In the meantime, check out their debut album, Hello.
Have you offered your music for free? What were your results? Comment and share your thoughts.
Anyone familiar with ProBlogger.net is familiar with Darren Rowse’s “Speedlinking”. Every so often, he’ll post a collection of useful links. Here’s the first one for MusicIsMyBiz. I shall call it “Resource Round-Up”.
In our last post, I gave you the Secrets to NOT Getting Booked for a Gig. Today I ran across a post on Bob Baker’s Music Promotion Blog that I would be completely remiss if I didn’t share with you all.
It’s a humorous take on the practices that keep bands and musicians in failure mode. Shamefully, I can say that I’ve been guilty of a few of these myself in the past. I still struggle with a couple in particular.
You’ve seen the tips on how to get booked for a gig. But I bet you haven’t seen the secrets of how to NOT get booked (or booked again) by a club or venue. Here are seven sure-fire ways to ensure that you won’t get a call to perform:
1.) Don’t give them a complete press kit. Venues and club owners want to know what they’re getting when they book you. While CDs are a given, most venues would like to see a bio, press clips, or fact sheet.
2.) Don’t put your contact info on everything. Press kits get misplaced and separated from CDs. If the venue loves your music and wants to book you, but your contact info isn’t on your demo, then you can bet you won’t get the call back.
3.) Don’t follow up. Club owners get busy. After all, they do have a business to run. If you don’t get called back after a reasonable time, it may not always be because they don’t like you. They may not have gotten around to listening to the demo, or they may have forgotten to get in touch with you. Out of sight, sometimes really is out of mind. So not following up with leads may just make you lose that gig.
4.) Don’t start on time. Fashionably late doesn’t exist when it comes to gigs. Similarly, taking breaks that are too frequent or too long are deal-breakers. Crowds get antsy. Owners get antsy. Keep them waiting, and you likely won’t get hired back.
5.) Don’t fill the venue. Club owners really don’t care about your music. They care about filling their establishment with PAYING patrons. They want to sell enough food and drinks to cover your band and make a profit for the night. Playing to an empty club definitely won’t get you hired again.
6.) Don’t cater to the audience. Even though your adoring fans show up to support you, not everyone in the audience is there to see your band. Some people just like the establishment. Make that crowd react negatively with your music, volume, or antics, and you won’t play there again.
7.) Advertise other gigs on nights that compete with the current venue. You’ve got a gig tomorrow night at a competing club across town? Great! Your fans need to know it, but do it discretely. Announcing that gig on the microphone tells a club that you’re stealing their crowd. That’s bad business. Do it and you won’t be asked back.
What other tactics can you think of that ruin your chances of getting booked?
I often struggle with the balance between my Creative Brain and my Business Brain. While one would think I gravitate to my creative side, there are times, like recently, when I find myself hanging out in business mode and generally being uncreative. While trying to motivate myself, I ran across an article on the Music Biz Academy that I found quite interesting, The Creative You and the Business You. While I don’t typically do link posts on the MusicIsMyBiz blog, I would like to pass this along to you guys.
No matter what your particular niche is when it comes to music, the ultimate goal is to make a living doing what you love. Making a living from music requires more than just talent. It requires dedication, drive, perseverance, and a burning desire to succeed. Unfortunately, most musicians’ brains cease to function once they cross the threshold from creating art to running a business. It’s a delicate balancing act, but music is still a business. So, we must learn from the business world?
Create a Business Plan. A business plan can range from simple to complex, but they merely function to keep us on task. They clearly define our business structure, who is in charge, and how decisions are made. They serve to define our goals, especially fiscally, and helps to identify how to reach them. It helps you in your search for funding, and helps lenders know how you intend to pay them back. Your local small business administration can help you to develop your plan. There’s even software to help with the task of creating a business plan.
Create a Marketing Plan. A business plan is not enough to succeed. You need to know how you will get your music, products, or services to the masses. That requires a marketing plan. These help you to know what avenues you will use to advertise your products or services, create budgets, and build your brand.
Build a Team. No man is an island. Only few people can perform every single duty when it comes to running a successful business. Even fewer of those people keep their sanity. So, develop a team of people who can help you succeed. It’s difficult, but don’t be afraid to Recruit fans to help you promote. Outsource tasks like printing, cd duplication, photography, or graphic design (even more so if the tasks aren’t your strong suit). Hire a bookkeeper and tax professional. Even hire a roadie and recruit someone to work your merchandise table–vital if you want to preserve your strength for gigs! Outsourcing to trusted professionals only serves to help you maintain a professional appearance, which is crucial in business.
Keep the Books. If you’re making money from your music (or anything for that matter), you can bet Uncle Sam wants his share. On the up side, though, being in business affords you certain tax deductions of business expenses. Be sure to keep up with all of your income and expenses. It’s not enough just to write them down; you MUST be able to show proof in order to receive your deduction. So, keep your receipts, log your mileage for business-related trips (including odometer readings and purposes for the trip), and organize your income and expenditures. Intuit’s Quicken Home and Business edition is a great way to stay organized, but it’s always a good idea to consult a tax professional for preparation and general advice.
Focus on Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty. Keeping your fans happy (and coming back again and again) is what will keep food on your table. Engage them. Show some interest in them as people and not just as numbers or dollar signs. Foster their trust and loyalty and then the sales will follow. Here’s a related post on building a loyal fanbase.
These are just some simple guidelines to help you succeed with your own music business endeavors. Comment and tell us what helps you succeed!
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As many of you may already know, the MusicIsMyBiz Blog also has a 
You’ve seen the tips on how to get booked for a gig. But I bet you haven’t seen the secrets of how to NOT get booked (or booked again) by a club or venue. Here are seven sure-fire ways to ensure that you won’t get a call to perform: