I taught myself 90% of the information I know about the music business. A lot of the times when people hear this they are put off and feel that I may not know what I’m talking about or like my knowledge is lacking. I used to feel the same way until I started paying for consultations from Record Label execs and found out I knew more than them or they would tell me exactly what I already knew. But still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I lacked some profound knowledge.
My music business journey started in 2012 when I decided I was going to produce an instrumental album to get placed on Pandora. I wanted my music to be protected so I sought information from a cousin who told me about Copyrighting and about registering my music with a Performance Rights Agency. (BMI, ASCAP, SESAC). I took that information and then learned how to release my music on all music platforms. For a very long time, that information was all I knew but as time went on I dug deep for information. I learned about Music Royalties and studied every type of Royalty and how to get them. I learned how the charts work and different types of charts. I learned how to get paid as an Artist and a Producer. I even learned about Contracts, Building a Record Label, and LLCs. I spent years studying on my own about the Music Business. So I want to use this Blog as an opportunity to teach my readers how to do the same. The easy way and the hard way.
The Hard Route:
Google Search: In the beginning, I tirelessly searched Google. The thing about Google is you will be taken to countless Blogs, Magazines, Videos, and even other people teaching this information. No knowledge is bad knowledge all knowledge is a learning experience. I would read different blogs and cross-reference the information. Each Blog Led me to a new Blog a lot of the information was the same but often enough I would find new information. I took notes and saved all of the information to reference on my own.
YouTube University: YouTube will teach you anything you want to know, so it’s no surprise that you can learn a lot about the Music Industry by watching videos and taking notes. You don’t have to just watch videos on a specific topic. I watch a lot of interviews of my favorite artists and if you listen past the drama and negativity or the fluff of the interview you will pick up on information on names in the industry, books, websites, and different opportunities.
Consultations: I’ve paid for many consultations. There are record labels who charge for sit-downs, and also with the use of social media I’ve come across successful managers who I’ve contacted just to have a 30 minute phone conversation and ask them to audit my Marketing Plans and I would just listen to them tell me about their journey and again I’d take notes. Don’t be afraid to contact people who are doing things you want to do and ask them questions.
Networking: Depending on the stage you are in your career there are different ways to network. Networking online is a great tool but in person is even better. There are conferences, festivals, showcases, trade shows, open mics, and many places that you can network. There are always people who will know more than you in the business so always network and support different people to build relationships.
The Easy Route:
Enroll in College: I know many will look at this suggestion like how is this easy? The reason Enrolling in college to learn about the Music Industry is easy is because you don’t have to dig for the information. If you’re going to School for Music Business or Entertainment Business they will teach you the basics of Royalties, Business, and Marketing. You also have the opportunity to network with other Music students to build relationships and learn together.
Pay for Online Courses: This is almost the same as going to school but it’s a cheaper option. Many websites pay universities to add their courses to their websites and you can pay for different tier levels. For a Monthly or Yearly Subscription, these courses are at your own pace and shorter than 2 to 4 years. It all depends on what pace you wish to go. You can choose specifically what you want to learn. Popular websites that offer these services:
My Top3 Picks for Skill-Sharing Websites
Special Reccomendation:
Purchase: All You Need to Know About the Music Business. A tell book about the Music Business. by Donald S Passman
I spent many years researching and I'm very happy with all of the knowledge I gained about the Music Business and Music Marketing. Currently, I'm enrolled in Fullsail Univerity learning all I can about Music Production while also taking Skillshare courses in Music Business. The Music Business is evolving and that will never change so my advice to you is to keep learning, keep growing, and never give up. #CymphaniSpeaks