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.
Here’s a jingle we did for a Honda dealership in New Jersey (keep in mind, we’re in Georgia)!
If you think a jingle is right for your business, keep reading. I’ll explain how it all works.
The easiest way to get started is our Online Jingle Builder Form. It’s simply a questionnaire that asks questions like:
What type of product or service are you marketing?
What is the age of your typical customer?
What music style identifies closely with your business and customers?
What is your slogan or catch phrase?
These are just a few, but questions like these take the guesswork out of crafting the perfect jingle for your business. If a customer calls by phone, or if we visit the customer in person, we fill in the same questionnaire based on their answers. Here’s what usually happens:
If a customer wants to move forward with their jingle, they send us a $75 deposit, usually via PayPal. We compile all of the information from the questionnaire to create lyrics.
We then record a “rough proof” of the jingle with one or two instruments and a singer. This phase allows the customer to hear our direction and make any corrections before we begin full production.
Once the rough proof is approved, we begin full production. During this process, we utilize the best musicians and singers for the job to create a miniature song.
Once we’ve completed the jingle production, we email the customer a final proof, usually a watermarked, low-resolution mp3. If any minor adjustments need to be made, they’re made and re-sent to the customer. Usually the revisions are something minor, like a vocal tweak or lyric change. We allow up to three minor revisions without any additional cost.
The customer approves the production by sending the remaining balance. We make all the various edits and release the full custom jingle package to the customer.
In most cases, we never have to meet face-to-face to create the perfect jingle for a business. Sometimes, all the correspondence is done via email. We like to think we’ve honed the process down to its simplest form. If you’d like even more information about our jingles, check out our Jingle FAQ. If you’d like to get started, visit our Jingle Builder today!
It’s time for a new Resource Roundup! So many awesome apps, gizmos, and gadgets are hitting the market that appeal to musicians. Here are a couple:
Accept Credit Cards at Gigs with your Smart Phone
Poised to revolutionize the way indie musicians do business, Square allows you to accept credit and debit cards right from your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, or Android. Simply sign up for the service by downloading the app, and they send you a card swiper attachment that plugs into the audio input of your device.
Rock Out with your Pod Out…iPod, that is.
Being a guitarist, I’ve been waiting for an app that I can use to get great guitar tones on the road and on the fly. Enter iRig by AmpliTube. The app installs on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The modeling sounds great, the interface looks great, and it’s surprisingly intuitive. There’s a small guitar interface jack that plugs into your audio input, which costs around $40. It’s not released yet, but you can preorder iRig from IK Multimedia’s website.
Guitar Toolkit
Agile Partners has released a killer iPhone app, Guitar Toolkit. This one’s a definite must-have! For about 10 bucks, the app boasts the following:
Tuner, complete with custom tunings
Metronome
Scale library
Chord Library
Chord Finder - you play the chord, Chord Finder tells you what it is
Supported instruments include 6- and 12-string guitar; 4-, 5-, and 6-string bass, banjo; mandolin, and ukulele
“Lefty Mode” for southpaw players
Have you found any cool tools recently? Comment and let us know!
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!
This post is for business and musician alike. While this post might not seem like something musicians may benefit from on the surface, the following information is something that everyone who is actively involved in selling themselves, their services, their products, or their business can learn from. It’s important to keep in mind that, if you’re a musician, you’re also a small business. You have to promote yourself just like any other business.
Businesses are often saddled with the task of having to market on little or no budget. This is the case whether you’re just starting out, or if you’re already established. Marketing is a necessity!
The video series below is designed to help you market your small business with YouTube videos, Jingles, and On-Hold Messages.
If you need help with marketing your business using Jingles or On Hold messages, or if you need a voiceover for your YouTube video, Butler Productions Multimedia can help!
Many churches prefer not to think about it, but, like it or not, a church’s music and multimedia ministry is a part of the music and entertainment industry. If music and multimedia is a commodity for day-to-day operations, you are indeed a part of the music biz.
Anyone who is in business will tell you that you must study and analyze your competition in order to survive. In music ministry, we are in competition with the secular entertainment market. In order to draw people in and engage them, our “product” (in this case, the worship experience) must offer a viable substitute to what congregants can get anywhere else. A growth-focused contemporary church’s music, video, multimedia, and visual experience must rival what people find on the radio or at a concert–relevant and “in the now”. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that worship is a concert or performance, but let’s face the facts: those things get people through your doors. Now that you’ve drawn them in, it’s the substance that’s combined with the experience that creates true relevance.
So, how can we build a vibrant and relevant music ministry? Let’s take a cue from a real-world business model, by adapting what works in the secular markets, and putting it to work to help further the Kingdom of God.
Sales and Marketing. In music ministry you’re engaged in sales and marketing. You’re basically getting someone else to “buy in” to a ministry opportunity with their time and talents. You must publicize available positions, special events, etc. If no one knows, then no one will volunteer or participate.
Human Resources. You’re also responsible for seeking the right person for the “job”. You’re saddled with the task of conducting auditions and interviews. This task is a weighty responsibility for any ministry team, because desperation to fill a given position most often results in a poor decision.
Public Relations. Your team must portray the image of your parent company, in this case, the church. This image must be exuded both inside and outside the church’s walls.
Employee Evaluation. A ministry’s responsibility is to constantly asses the work ethic, attendance, and attitude of each “employee”. Furthermore, you must assess each team member’s competency in his/her job. Are they growing and learning their instrument? Are they progressing with their musical knowledge? Can they pull their weight? Are they growing spiritually?
Legal Department. Churches all over the world break the law every week, and they don’t even know it. It’s the ministry’s moral obligation to understand intellectual property rights and the church’s legal responsibilities as it pertains to those rights. You also often deal with member contracts once players are recruited.
Maintenance and Quality Control. The ministry must supply a quality product (i.e. worship experience) each week. So, the ministry must seek out and address areas of weakness and constantly look for ways to improve.
Research and Development. Again, to compete and survive, you must analyze and learn from the competition. A ministry must learn from the most current trends and seek out ways to push forward. You must research and implement new ways to improve and become more productive. You must test ways to make your product become a viable substitute to what’s on the radio and in other entertainment.
While this is just a basic overview, there are many other parallels and lessons to draw from the business world when it comes to building a vibrant ministry team. See www.butlerproductionsmultimedia.com/seminars to bring this and similar information to your church.
Today marks two milestones. First, I turn 30 today. Second, it’s our 50th blog post!
I don’t really feel like I’m “in my thirties”. Looking back, I did achieve one of my major goals of owning my own business and working for myself while still in my twenties. I’m so blessed that I get to do what I love–making music–for a living (sometimes in my pajamas). I like being able to say that I’m an author, musician, and an entrepreneur. More than that, I love being able to help others down that same path with the MusicIsMyBiz blog, classes, seminars, and books. Life is good.
So, this marks our 50th blog post! It’s been my goal to create a place where aspiring musicians can go for information about the music business. It’s a place where teachers and business owners can learn how to use audio to improve their productivity and achieve their goals. It’s a place where churches and ministries can learn how go grow, improve, and protect themselves when it comes to music and multimedia. If you use music or audio in day-to-day activities, then MusicIsMyBiz is designed for YOU.
It’s my desire that you succeed. That’s why I’m unveiling our new book on MusicIsMyBiz.com on such a day as today. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to record and produce your own music, then I’ve put together the beginner’s guide, Recording Basics: A Beginner’s Guide to Producing Music. We’ll cover all the necessary information to get you started producing and recording music for yourself or for others.
Basic Acoustics
Digital Audio
Common Studio Equipment
Microphone Techniques
Recording Common Instruments
Microphone Types
Microphone Placement Techniques
Tracking a Live Band
Mixing Guidelines
Thinking Like a Producer
Chord Charts and Song Matrices
Musical Arranging
Audio Editing Principles
Introduction to the Mastering Process
Plus lots more…
As a bonus, you’ll receive the guide Home Recording Savvy: Tricks to Tracking Great Sounds at Home. Let’s face it, many times we can’t afford the luxury of a professional recording studio, especially when starting out. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t get great sounds, even if you’re recording at home. With this additional guide, you will learn great tips and techniques that you can apply in the home recording environment.
If you’re a budding songwriter who wants to make your own demos, or if you’re an aspiring producer who wants to work with other artists, then this book is for you. Check it out. If you don’t think the information you learn from reading this book helps to make your recording skills better, then let me know within 30 days, and I’ll give you a refund. You’ve really got nothing to lose.
Recording Basics Ebook
$19.95 Blog readers, receive a $5.00 DISCOUNT by entering the Discount Code MIMB.
I’ve been teaching a series of seminars and classes on taking your church’s music and media ministry to the next level. We start off by focusing on “keeping it legal” by acknowledging and respecting the intellectual property rights of others. This morning on the WalletPop blog, there’s an article of a teen named Lauren McCluskey, along with another girl with Mc in her surname, who raised $30,000 for the Special Olympics with a charity concert series they called the McFest. McDonalds claimed it was infringement of their “Mc” trademark. In the December issue of Recording Magazine, another teen was sued by four record labels for illegally downloading and sharing 24 songs. The verdict after two trials? Punitive damages of 1.93 MILLION dollars. It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or turn on the computer, there’s an article dealing with an infringement case. It just serves to further remind us that INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE A BIG DEAL!
If you’re a songwriter, performer, or artist, those rights are a big deal to you, too. It’s how you make a living. (See our previous posts on How to Get Paid for your Music and How to Start your Own MusicPublishing Company.) If you’re a venue, church, or broadcaster, they’re also a big deal for you, as well. Understanding the rights of others, in addition to your responsibilities pertaining to those rights, ensures that you don’t get sued (if you abide by them).
The law allows Intellectual Property owners certain EXCLUSIVE rights:
To reproduce the works
To create derivative works
To distribute the works
To perform the works
To display the works
No one else can do those things (well, legally, anyway). So, then, how does a potential music user get permission to do any of those things? Licensing. You must purchase a license in order to use the music of someone else for any reason. Each potential use requires a specific license.
To have music at your venue, club, or restaurant, you need a Performance License from a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) such as ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC.
To broadcast music on television, radio, or the internet, you also need a Performance License from a PRO.
To record someone else’s music onto a CD, for example a compilation, you need a Mechanical License, which can generally be obtained through the Harry Fox Agency and a Master Use License.
To record your performance of someone else’s music, for example a CD of cover tunes, you must also have a Mechanical License, but not a Master Use License.
To use someone else’s music on a video for broadcast, you would need a Broadcast License, a Synchronization License and a Master Use License. If it then goes on a CD or DVD for sale, you must add a Mechanical License.
Keep in mind that when you buy a CD, the ONLY thing you own is the little plastic disc and a License to listen to the music. You in no way own the music. You cannot copy, perform or distribute any of that music. Period. Well, unless you buy a license.
Since “The General” performed on American Idol, the country has been obsessed with “Pants on the Ground”. The absurdly entertaining, yet socially relevant performance has spurred everything from hats and handbags, to shirts and skivvies. There are mixes, remixes, and acoustic covers. Literally overnight, the entire world was talking about Pants on the Ground. You can’t turn log onto the internet, especially Facebook, without hearing the phrase, seeing the posted video, or seeing a link to some apparel emblazoned with the phrase. Truly, this is what it means to Go Viral.
So, what can we learn from The General when it comes to our music and marketing? With the right blend of cheese, relevance, entertainment value, and a certain endearing quality, people will talk about you. Granted, being on the highest rated and most watched television show in history, American Idol, doesn’t hurt. But, nevertheless Viral is possible.
Quite simply, if everyone is talking about something, then people can profit from it. This is precisely what we see when we log onto the internet with “Pants on the Ground”. Countless people are using his idea to make money for themselves. While you don’t necessarily want others to profit from you, the real key is to make this principle work for YOU and your music, video, or product.
Although no one can really guarantee viral status, what can we do to help get noticed?
Make it really entertaining–keep the viewer engaged.
Make it original–do something fresh or unexpected for the viewer.
Make it mindless–don’t make the viewer think too hard.
Keep it relatively short–leave the viewer wanting more.
Get a reaction–shock the viewer or make it endearing.
Make it catchy–make it memorable for the viewer.
Once you get the viewers talking and sharing, you’re over the biggest hurdle. To make viral marketing really work for you, you must have them associate the content to you or your brand. So, make sure the video has your web address and/or branding visible at some point. They’ve found your content, now make sure they know who it belongs to and how to find YOU.
Again, no one can really guarantee that their content will go viral, but keep these tips in mind when you produce your next web video or publicity campaign. Here’s a great book titled The New Rules of Marketing and PR, which goes into great detail about “Going Viral”.
If you write your own music, it’s a wise idea to start your own music publishing company. Although you can utilize another publisher when licensing your music, you can double your profit by acting as your own publisher. It’s easier than you might think.
Step 1. Select a Performer’s Rights Organization (PRO). The three major PRO’s in the US are Broadcast Music International (BMI); American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP); and Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC). These societies collect and distribute royalty payments for public performances of your music. Do a little research on each society’s websites to determine which one is right for you. You can join as a Writer, as a Publisher, or as both. It is wise to enroll as both, as it will double your potential profits from your music. Some have a nominal one-time fee, others do not.
Step 2. Once you have selected a PRO, decide on your publisher name. This should be a clever name which reflects your personality or theme of your music. If you have an existing production company or corporation, you can use this name. Most PRO’s require you to choose three names, from which they will register you with the first available name.
Step 3. After your publisher name has been cleared, check with your local city, county, or state government for any legal requirements if you intend to do business. Most likely, you will be required to procure a business license. This is also the time to determine which type of business you intend to run (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.). In most cases, a sole proprietorship is sufficient.
Step 4. Open a “Doing Business As” account (D.B.A.) with your local bank, using your publisher name issued by your PRO. This will allow you to receive royalty payments generated by your PRO.
Step 5. Finally, register ALL songs you write or compose with your PRO. If your songs are broadcast or publicly performed, you can receive royalties. However, if your songs aren’t registered, you will likely not receive any royalties, as the PRO won’t associate the songs and performances to you as a writer or publisher.
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As many of you may already know, the MusicIsMyBiz Blog also has a 
