RSSDo the math
Apr 27
Merch, Music contracts, donald passman, royalties No Comments
Exclaim! – Measures and Scales
I hope most of you have already read this by now. If not, then start picking up Exclaim! In fact, if you see a free publication related to music, you should be reading it. When you’re on tour, make sure to pick-up the local weeklies just to get an idea of who plays where, where to buy music, what people are talking about, etc… Plus, you’ll get contacts for the publication to use for the next tour stop there.
Alright, back to the topic at hand: sales. Unless you’re going the completely pure and altruistic route of simply wanting your music to be heard and expecting nothing back in return except the smiles of your fans, you need to learn how to do the numbers. The article from Exclaim! is a little more in the medium to large-sized band category in terms of record contracts, distro, etc… but it is something you should have an understanding of at any level.
For a better idea of all of this, and so much more, I highly recommend All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman. I read the book a few years ago, and I think I’m due to pick up the new edition. It should be one of your bibles, and if you’re in a band it should be required reading for the whole group.
In an ideal world, you can make a living as a musician. In the real world, you should know how to make as much money from your night “job” as you do bussing tables at the diner in the day.
