https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/ List of the latest topics from our public forum. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/8/so-you-want-to-become-a-recording-engineer/ In order to become a professional music recording engineer, you have to start at the bottom and work up. But in such a competitive business, how do yo...

Project studio equipment is becoming ever more affordable, and better in quality. Once it was highly unusual for anyone to have a studio at home: now it is commonplace. Only a few years ago, affordable equipment couldn't compete in terms of sound quality with pro gear: now it can be every bit as good. So why is there still such a thing as a commercial studio, a studio that is available to everyone for hire at an hourly or daily rate? Why doesn't everyone record in the comfort of their own home?

There are several answers to these questions. One might be that a project calls for a large number of musicians and you can't fit them all into your own studio. Or perhaps you need to use the acoustics of a large room to capture a better sound. These are very valid reasons and difficult to argue with. But I think there are other reasons why commercial studios, even though some might be struggling a little during the current project studio boom, will always be a valuable resource for the recording musician. The first is that a purpose-designed space is always going to be a better productivity tool than a converted bedroom. There is only so much equipment you can fit into a four-by-three-metre room, and even though you might install tie lines to another part of the house or flat that has better acoustics for recording acoustic instruments and vocals, you are always going to have to compromise between the requirements of the studio and those of everyday domestic life. If the sound leaking from your studio annoys the neighbours, you will have other worries to contend with too.

The second, and most important, justification for the continued existence of commercial studios is that they become centres of professionalism and expertise. If a studio has good equipment and good acoustics, and every other possible factor is favourable, then the best artists will want to record there and they will bring with them the best engineers and producers. Assistant engineers employed by the studio will therefore learn directly from the best possible tutors and go on to be the top engineers and producers of the future. Feedback from the studio's clients will allow the owner or manager to fine-tune the equipment provision, and other facilities, to the precise requirements of their clientèle. Compare this with the enthusiastic and talented musician who sets up a home project studio with equipment bought on the advice of a dealer and then learns how to record by the slow process of trial and error. Yes, you can get amazing results this way, and the isolation a home studio imposes can in a way encourage its own kind of creativity, but this kind of self-tuition can never beat an apprenticeship with the masters of the craft.

In this series I hope to explain how to set about becoming an engineer in a commercial studio. The things you will eventually need to know include just about everything you will read in Sound On Sound's Technique features, but what I would like to do is concentrate on the bare essentials -- the knowledge that will get you into the studio in the first place, and up and running as an effective assistant engineer before too long. The rest you will pick up along the way. You will see the engineer connect the equipment in a certain manner, then when you have some spare time you can check out your library of back issues of Sound On Sound to learn the details. And while you are learning about the equipment, most importantly, you will be learning about sound and music itself, and how to work with producers and musicians. Not everyone, however technically capable, is cut out to be a recording engineer, and being able to interact effectively with the people who actually create the music is a skill that can only be learned by doing the job.

Engineers -- Technicians Or Musicians?

I think most interested people will already have a pretty good idea of the answer to this question, but it's worth mentioning the differences between music recording engineering and other types of sound engineering and recording. The biggest difference is that the music recording engineer is much more of a musician than technician, whereas in any other type of sound engineering a solid grasp of the technical aspects of the equipment, and the systems into which it is connected, is of utmost importance. A PA engineer, for example, needs to be able to get a good sound for a band and for an audience, but you won't get very far in your PA career unless you know how to set the equipment up, and you know how to fix or work around the inevitable problems that occur. Even in a broadcast sound studio, where the equipment is permanently installed and ready for use, probably with maintenance staff on standby, the general atmosphere is technical, and the engineers spend their lunch breaks chatting about the best brand of tape for their DTRS recorders, and other fascinating topics.

In a music recording studio, all the actual recording equipment is permanently set up so the only real technical knowledge is, say, how to patch in a rented compressor. The ability to line up a 24-track analogue recorder was once considered an essential skill, but modern equipment is either maintenance-free (which means that when your hard disk fails, you junk it!), or so sophisticated that it needs specialist service attention. We could draw an analogy with a concert pianist who knows what all the 88 keys and three pedals do, but can't tune his own instrument and certainly wouldn't know how to maintain it other than to give it a quick polish every now and then. It is certainly possible to become an engineer just knowing how to operate the equipment, with little or no electronic or digital knowledge beyond that. Having said all this, however, I should add that while the ability to work effectively with the producer and musicians and get the right sounds is of paramount importance, creative recording is all about getting more out of the equipment -- possibly more than it was ever designed for. To be able to do this, and keep one step ahead of the competition, an engineer should have at least a feeling for what is going on inside the equipment, even if he or she doesn't understand what every last component or every last digit does.

Engineer Or Psychologist?

Recording is of course a technical and musical process, but it is also about dealing with people. If you don't have, or can't acquire, interpersonal skills, you'll never become a recording engineer in a commercial studio. This is potentially one of the drawbacks to the recording courses that are available, both privately and in universities and colleges of further education. Courses can teach you how to engineer, but it is almost impossible to simulate the working environment sufficiently closely to encourage the development of people skills. Recording studios, therefore, will often almost prefer to take junior staff off the street than consider applicants who may already have considerable technical knowledge and skill. This way they can be sure that a balance of skills develops gradually, and that the new starter shows sufficient respect for the other people in the studio, rather than weighing in with an 'I know it all already' attitude. And if you know nothing to start with, you will tend to pay more attention to putting the right amount of sugar in everyone's tea and coffee!

There is a common misapprehension that to work in a recording studio you have to be 'cool' in some way. Not so -- the only cool people in the studio are the artists in their shades and leather trousers. Everyone else is cool only in the sense of being unflappable in a crisis. Most of the recording studio people I have come across, including engineers, receptionists and managers, appear to be the nicest, friendliest, most outgoing people you could ever care to meet, without even the merest hint of 'attitude'. And if it's all an act, it's a good one.

Keep It Quiet!

The career of a recording engineer usually follows a pretty standard route. You will start at the bottom well away from the action, probably in reception (night reception perhaps) and the broom cupboard. Chances are that if a toilet gets blocked during the night then you'll have to clear that out too! If you are good at these basic jobs, then your studio manager will probably keep you doing them as long as possible. This might seem unfair, but if your mind is so fixed on the studio that you can't concentrate on the menial tasks, you will probably be let go. Contrary to popular opinion, it's actually quite easy to get a job in a recording studio -- if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. If the studio manager likes the look of you and you come across well in the interview, then you'll be in. But you are in only on the strictest probation, and at the first sign that you are anything less than totally willing, able and uncomplaining in the face of any task, your probation period will come to a sudden end. I have known instances where a youngster has got into a studio but hasn't liked the menial work -- or the manager -- and then left thinking that they would easily walk into another studio job. Big mistake!

After you have done night reception for six months, you might get your big break and the studio door will open for you -- to clean out the ashtrays! No, seriously, you will get into the studio and control room quite early on but at first it will be to tidy up when there are no clients around, though soon you will be tending to their tea, coffee and snack requirements. Eventually you will be allowed to sit quietly in the control room in case your assistance is needed. Keep your mouth firmly closed at all times and never draw attention to yourself by walking around the room unless it's necessary or unless at least two other people are doing so. When you are first in the control room with clients present there will be little you can do to help, and much you can do to annoy. While you are sitting quietly, remember to stay alert because the engineer could ask you to do something at any time. Gradually, you will find yourself doing more and more tasks which are directly concerned with the recording, and as you watch and learn you are on the way to becoming a competent and efficient assistant engineer.

Finally, you will come to a stage when you think you can run a session unassisted. Traditionally, there are two ways this can happen. One is where, probably in a smaller studio, the manager will let you use down time to work on your own projects. In some studios, the free use of down time is offered as an alternative to money as remuneration for your efforts! Moving up from assistant to full engineer via this route is probably the least stressful option since you have the opportunity to make a few mistakes as you progress without irritating a paying client and ruining the studio's reputation. The other way you might make the transition from assistant to engineer is via a lucky break -- when, for example, you arrive at the studio and set everything up as normal for a session, only to find that the engineer has flu and you will have to take over. This really has happened, and I reckon that sometimes it is actually planned that an assistant gets thrown into the deep end in this way, when the studio thinks that the time is right. Just like being thrown in at the deep end of the swimming pool, it is a case of sink or swim. You can't run screaming in a blind panic from the studio since that is hardly likely to help advance your career. You have to coolly and calmly recollect everything you have learned about running a session and slip with apparent ease and comfort into the engineer's chair.

You've Made It!

How will you know when you have made it as an engineer? Are you an engineer the moment you begin your first solo session? Are you an engineer when the day comes when you realise that you don't have to assist any more? Are you an engineer when you get your first credit in a CD booklet? Or are you an engineer when it says 'Occupation: Recording Engineer' on a tax demand from the Inland Revenue? Since most recording engineers work freelance, the situation where a studio manager says, "Congratulations, you've got the job" never arises. Assistant engineers seem to metamorphose gradually into engineers, but there is one defining moment when you really can say that you are a fully fledged recording engineer -- when you get a phone call and the manager of an established act says, "I've heard your work and I'd like you to engineer my act's next single". Just say yes.

Confirmation of your status will come when you get a further call, some weeks or months in the future, and a management company who already represent a number of engineers offer you their services. This means you have made it -- you haven't made it big yet, but you are in the league. What happens to your career from this point is up to you, as it always has been. There is a saying among freelance workers of all kinds that you are only as good as your last job, which means that your reputation hangs upon the success or failure of the last piece of work you did. This is true up to a point. Success breeds success, and if you are associated with a successful single, the chances are that other people will want to share in what they perceive as being partly your success -- never mind that it was a brilliant song by an established artist which wasn't recorded all that well because you had a cold and your ears were blocked. Conversely, you might have made a brilliant recording of an average song performed by a nobody which peaked at 99 in the chart and was subsequently never heard of. If success can breed success, then it is equally true that failure can breed failure, and it may not all be down to you.
Story by David Mellor]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/8/so-you-want-to-become-a-recording-engineer/ Sun, 24 Aug 2014 00:46:54 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/7/so-you-want-to-become-a-recording-engineer/ Project studio equipment is becoming ever more affordable, and better in quality. Once it was highly unusual for anyone to have a studio at home: now ...
There are several answers to these questions. One might be that a project calls for a large number of musicians and you can't fit them all into your own studio. Or perhaps you need to use the acoustics of a large room to capture a better sound. These are very valid reasons and difficult to argue with. But I think there are other reasons why commercial studios, even though some might be struggling a little during the current project studio boom, will always be a valuable resource for the recording musician. The first is that a purpose-designed space is always going to be a better productivity tool than a converted bedroom. There is only so much equipment you can fit into a four-by-three-metre room, and even though you might install tie lines to another part of the house or flat that has better acoustics for recording acoustic instruments and vocals, you are always going to have to compromise between the requirements of the studio and those of everyday domestic life. If the sound leaking from your studio annoys the neighbours, you will have other worries to contend with too.

The second, and most important, justification for the continued existence of commercial studios is that they become centres of professionalism and expertise. If a studio has good equipment and good acoustics, and every other possible factor is favourable, then the best artists will want to record there and they will bring with them the best engineers and producers. Assistant engineers employed by the studio will therefore learn directly from the best possible tutors and go on to be the top engineers and producers of the future. Feedback from the studio's clients will allow the owner or manager to fine-tune the equipment provision, and other facilities, to the precise requirements of their clientèle. Compare this with the enthusiastic and talented musician who sets up a home project studio with equipment bought on the advice of a dealer and then learns how to record by the slow process of trial and error. Yes, you can get amazing results this way, and the isolation a home studio imposes can in a way encourage its own kind of creativity, but this kind of self-tuition can never beat an apprenticeship with the masters of the craft.

In this series I hope to explain how to set about becoming an engineer in a commercial studio. The things you will eventually need to know include just about everything you will read in Sound On Sound's Technique features, but what I would like to do is concentrate on the bare essentials -- the knowledge that will get you into the studio in the first place, and up and running as an effective assistant engineer before too long. The rest you will pick up along the way. You will see the engineer connect the equipment in a certain manner, then when you have some spare time you can check out your library of back issues of Sound On Sound to learn the details. And while you are learning about the equipment, most importantly, you will be learning about sound and music itself, and how to work with producers and musicians. Not everyone, however technically capable, is cut out to be a recording engineer, and being able to interact effectively with the people who actually create the music is a skill that can only be learned by doing the job.

Engineers -- Technicians Or Musicians?

I think most interested people will already have a pretty good idea of the answer to this question, but it's worth mentioning the differences between music recording engineering and other types of sound engineering and recording. The biggest difference is that the music recording engineer is much more of a musician than technician, whereas in any other type of sound engineering a solid grasp of the technical aspects of the equipment, and the systems into which it is connected, is of utmost importance. A PA engineer, for example, needs to be able to get a good sound for a band and for an audience, but you won't get very far in your PA career unless you know how to set the equipment up, and you know how to fix or work around the inevitable problems that occur. Even in a broadcast sound studio, where the equipment is permanently installed and ready for use, probably with maintenance staff on standby, the general atmosphere is technical, and the engineers spend their lunch breaks chatting about the best brand of tape for their DTRS recorders, and other fascinating topics.

In a music recording studio, all the actual recording equipment is permanently set up so the only real technical knowledge is, say, how to patch in a rented compressor. The ability to line up a 24-track analogue recorder was once considered an essential skill, but modern equipment is either maintenance-free (which means that when your hard disk fails, you junk it!), or so sophisticated that it needs specialist service attention. We could draw an analogy with a concert pianist who knows what all the 88 keys and three pedals do, but can't tune his own instrument and certainly wouldn't know how to maintain it other than to give it a quick polish every now and then. It is certainly possible to become an engineer just knowing how to operate the equipment, with little or no electronic or digital knowledge beyond that. Having said all this, however, I should add that while the ability to work effectively with the producer and musicians and get the right sounds is of paramount importance, creative recording is all about getting more out of the equipment -- possibly more than it was ever designed for. To be able to do this, and keep one step ahead of the competition, an engineer should have at least a feeling for what is going on inside the equipment, even if he or she doesn't understand what every last component or every last digit does.

Engineer Or Psychologist?

Recording is of course a technical and musical process, but it is also about dealing with people. If you don't have, or can't acquire, interpersonal skills, you'll never become a recording engineer in a commercial studio. This is potentially one of the drawbacks to the recording courses that are available, both privately and in universities and colleges of further education. Courses can teach you how to engineer, but it is almost impossible to simulate the working environment sufficiently closely to encourage the development of people skills. Recording studios, therefore, will often almost prefer to take junior staff off the street than consider applicants who may already have considerable technical knowledge and skill. This way they can be sure that a balance of skills develops gradually, and that the new starter shows sufficient respect for the other people in the studio, rather than weighing in with an 'I know it all already' attitude. And if you know nothing to start with, you will tend to pay more attention to putting the right amount of sugar in everyone's tea and coffee!

There is a common misapprehension that to work in a recording studio you have to be 'cool' in some way. Not so -- the only cool people in the studio are the artists in their shades and leather trousers. Everyone else is cool only in the sense of being unflappable in a crisis. Most of the recording studio people I have come across, including engineers, receptionists and managers, appear to be the nicest, friendliest, most outgoing people you could ever care to meet, without even the merest hint of 'attitude'. And if it's all an act, it's a good one.

Keep It Quiet!

The career of a recording engineer usually follows a pretty standard route. You will start at the bottom well away from the action, probably in reception (night reception perhaps) and the broom cupboard. Chances are that if a toilet gets blocked during the night then you'll have to clear that out too! If you are good at these basic jobs, then your studio manager will probably keep you doing them as long as possible. This might seem unfair, but if your mind is so fixed on the studio that you can't concentrate on the menial tasks, you will probably be let go. Contrary to popular opinion, it's actually quite easy to get a job in a recording studio -- if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. If the studio manager likes the look of you and you come across well in the interview, then you'll be in. But you are in only on the strictest probation, and at the first sign that you are anything less than totally willing, able and uncomplaining in the face of any task, your probation period will come to a sudden end. I have known instances where a youngster has got into a studio but hasn't liked the menial work -- or the manager -- and then left thinking that they would easily walk into another studio job. Big mistake!

After you have done night reception for six months, you might get your big break and the studio door will open for you -- to clean out the ashtrays! No, seriously, you will get into the studio and control room quite early on but at first it will be to tidy up when there are no clients around, though soon you will be tending to their tea, coffee and snack requirements. Eventually you will be allowed to sit quietly in the control room in case your assistance is needed. Keep your mouth firmly closed at all times and never draw attention to yourself by walking around the room unless it's necessary or unless at least two other people are doing so. When you are first in the control room with clients present there will be little you can do to help, and much you can do to annoy. While you are sitting quietly, remember to stay alert because the engineer could ask you to do something at any time. Gradually, you will find yourself doing more and more tasks which are directly concerned with the recording, and as you watch and learn you are on the way to becoming a competent and efficient assistant engineer.

Finally, you will come to a stage when you think you can run a session unassisted. Traditionally, there are two ways this can happen. One is where, probably in a smaller studio, the manager will let you use down time to work on your own projects. In some studios, the free use of down time is offered as an alternative to money as remuneration for your efforts! Moving up from assistant to full engineer via this route is probably the least stressful option since you have the opportunity to make a few mistakes as you progress without irritating a paying client and ruining the studio's reputation. The other way you might make the transition from assistant to engineer is via a lucky break -- when, for example, you arrive at the studio and set everything up as normal for a session, only to find that the engineer has flu and you will have to take over. This really has happened, and I reckon that sometimes it is actually planned that an assistant gets thrown into the deep end in this way, when the studio thinks that the time is right. Just like being thrown in at the deep end of the swimming pool, it is a case of sink or swim. You can't run screaming in a blind panic from the studio since that is hardly likely to help advance your career. You have to coolly and calmly recollect everything you have learned about running a session and slip with apparent ease and comfort into the engineer's chair.

You've Made It!

How will you know when you have made it as an engineer? Are you an engineer the moment you begin your first solo session? Are you an engineer when the day comes when you realise that you don't have to assist any more? Are you an engineer when you get your first credit in a CD booklet? Or are you an engineer when it says 'Occupation: Recording Engineer' on a tax demand from the Inland Revenue? Since most recording engineers work freelance, the situation where a studio manager says, "Congratulations, you've got the job" never arises. Assistant engineers seem to metamorphose gradually into engineers, but there is one defining moment when you really can say that you are a fully fledged recording engineer -- when you get a phone call and the manager of an established act says, "I've heard your work and I'd like you to engineer my act's next single". Just say yes.

Confirmation of your status will come when you get a further call, some weeks or months in the future, and a management company who already represent a number of engineers offer you their services. This means you have made it -- you haven't made it big yet, but you are in the league. What happens to your career from this point is up to you, as it always has been. There is a saying among freelance workers of all kinds that you are only as good as your last job, which means that your reputation hangs upon the success or failure of the last piece of work you did. This is true up to a point. Success breeds success, and if you are associated with a successful single, the chances are that other people will want to share in what they perceive as being partly your success -- never mind that it was a brilliant song by an established artist which wasn't recorded all that well because you had a cold and your ears were blocked. Conversely, you might have made a brilliant recording of an average song performed by a nobody which peaked at 99 in the chart and was subsequently never heard of. If success can breed success, then it is equally true that failure can breed failure, and it may not all be down to you.
Story by David Mellor]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/7/so-you-want-to-become-a-recording-engineer/ Sun, 24 Aug 2014 00:43:10 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/6/publishing-your-music/
The most immediate advantage to controlling your own copyrights is, of course, the potential for earning more money from their use; it’s somewhat akin to selling your self-created paintings or jewelry without needing to pay commissions to agents or other middlemen. Success will still be dependent on your ability to represent yourself and your songs to the right people at the right time; as with all other aspects of the business, keeping your ears and eyes open to potential opportunities is key.

To set up your own publishing company, you will first need to affiliate your company with one of the three performing rights societies in the U.S., like BMI. (There is usually a nominal fee involved.) An important note: the societies will only agree to affiliate with you if a record is being released containing a performance of your song(s); or a motion picture, television program, or radio program is being released or broadcast using the song(s).

You will need to provide the society with three potential names for your company; the name can be as simple as your own name (e.g. “John Doe Music”), though if you’re not an established songwriter, the name may not mean anything to potential purchasers of your songs down the line.

Most insiders suggest you come up with something catchy that may be indicative of the types of songs you write. The society will then clear your company’s name; this means they will make sure your company’s name is not the same (or too similar to) an existing company. This will ensure that the monies for the use of your song will go to you and not accidentally to the similarly named company.

Assuming that you have already affiliated yourself with a performing rights society as a songwriter, you will need to affiliate with the same society as a publisher, as the societies mandate that a song’s publisher must be affiliated with the same society as the song’s writer.
If you plan on publishing other people’s songs as well as your own, you should affiliate with each of the three societies, with a different company name registered with each one. (Songwriters can only affiliate with one society at a time.) Approval from each society can take up to six weeks or more.

Once the name(s) have been cleared, you should go to your local city or town hall and obtain the forms to register a fictitious name certificate, also known as a d/b/a (which stands for “doing business as…”). You then should open an account at your bank under the new business’ name. Questions about the required d/b/a forms can usually be found at the website of the Secretary of State’s office in your state.

The next step is to register the songs you’re representing with the Copyright Office in the name of your publishing company. If you have already copyrighted the songs in your name, you will need to file the appropriate forms to transfer the copyright(s) to your publishing company.

For songs being released on recordings, or for songs that will be or have been performed in a motion picture, television program or radio program (whether or not the song is included on a standalone recording), you need to fill out both the writer’s and publisher’s clearance forms from the performing rights society involved. The forms break down what percentage to pay the songwriter and publisher, as well as where to send payments.

As with nearly anything, you should keep a copy of every form you fill out.]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/6/publishing-your-music/ Fri, 11 Jul 2014 01:01:52 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/5/so-you-want-a-record-deal/ For most musicians, scoring a major label record deal is at the top of their to-do list, and for good reason. Having one of the Big Four labels workin...
Major Label Deals - The Pros

1.

Money: Deep, deep pockets have to be at the top of any major label "pros" list. Even with major label music sales declining and the industry as a whole struggling to keep up with changes in the way people purchase and listen to music, major labels still have a huge financial advantage over just about every indie label. When your label has a lot of money, that means they'll be able to spend a lot of money promoting your record - which is exactly what you want. It also means they may be able to offer you a large advance and invest a lot in recording, touring, video shoots and other opportunities for you.
2.

Connections: Money helps open a lot of doors, and when a major label comes knocking, most media outlets are ready to let them in. Additionally, most major labels have been in the business for decades and have long established connections that help you reach your music career goals.
3.

Size: Alas, size CAN matter when it comes to record labels. Major labels are behind the vast majority of music sold, and this scale of operations can bring many advantages. First, they can get the best deals on manufacturing, advertising and other expenses since they do business in such enormous bulk - they have way more purchasing power than indie labels. Second, because of all of the artists on their roster, they can pull some pretty big strings in the media. Here's a VERY common scenario: a major label may call up a big music magazine and say, "hey, if you want to interview (insert mega selling artist), we suggest you review/feature (insert brand new, unknown label signing)." This is great for you, if you're that new label signing, because you get instant press in all of the top spots, giving you maximum exposure overnight.

Major Label Deals - The Cons

1.

Big Pond, Small Fish: A lot of major labels tend to sign a lot of musicians and throw out a lot of music, just to see what will stick. As a new signing, except in very special circumstances, you're likely to find yourself fighting for attention from the label. If you're music doesn't start sticking - read: selling - pronto - then you can find yourself with a record out that isn't getting much promotion and a label that doesn't return your phone calls.
2.

Continuity: A big part of avoiding the aforementioned "big pond, small fish" syndrome is having a big fan at the label. Usually, this is the person who signed you. However, turn over at a major label can be pretty high - especially in this day and age - and you run a high risk of waking up one day to find out that the person who loved your music is no longer working at the label. The new person who takes over your album may not be such a big fan, and suddenly, no one is too interested in making your album a priority. You can include a "key man" clause in your contract to try to avoid this, but often the bargaining power is against you when you sign a major label deal, so scoring this set up is not guaranteed.
3.

Artist Unfriendly Deals: Not every major label deal is unfriendly to the artist, but many of them are set up so that if a cashier accidentally gives you an extra dollar in change, you have to pay the label 50 cents. OK, that's an exaggeration, but many major labels want to sign artist for multi album deals that offer them very little flexibility and that hand over a lot of creative control to the label. They know all of the loopholes, they want a piece of everything, and they have better lawyers than you.
4.

The Passion Question: Many dedicated music lovers work on the major label side of the music industry. However - not everyone who works at major labels love music. You'll find a higher concentration of people who are in the business strictly for the money in major labels than you will at indie labels, and that often ends up rubbing musicians the wrong way.]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/5/so-you-want-a-record-deal/ Fri, 11 Jul 2014 00:53:54 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/4/so-you-think-your-child-could-be-a-big-music-star/
These are big qu...]]>
These are big questions without easy answers - and the biggest question is the unasked one: SHOULD you help your child break into the music industry at a young age? Here's how to go about trying to establish your child within the industry, and what you need to worry about along the way.
Get Realistic

First and foremost, you need to enter this process with a great deal of realism and pragmatism - and sharing that attitude with your child will help them develop the thick skin required to sustain a career in an entertainment field. Does your child have musical talent? Sure - after all, you think so, and everyone else says so, too - even your friend's brother, who works for a radio station, said your little one could really make it. You're good to go, right?

Now, here's the reality check. Your friends and family - even those with some relationship to the music industry - are going to be the kindest audience your child will ever face. The feedback you receive from this group isn't unbiased, no matter how much someone assures you it is. Your circle is not a fair barometer of your child's talent and preparedness for music industry life. It may sound harsh, but that is the cold reality of it all - and it's so important to keep in mind.

Instead of assuming that anyone who hears your child's music is going to bowled over and that the path to stardom will be easy, see this process as testing the waters and learning about what your child is good at and what they need to improve to reach their music dreams. A sense of entitlement will be damaging to your child's potential career - and psyche.

Also know that fantastically talented people get passed over in the music industry ALL THE TIME. Just because your child has the goods doesn't mean that everything is gravy. Luck is a tremendous factor that no one can account for. Just be mentally prepared for how tough and trying this process can be and think about how you and your child can come through it.
Get Help

Child music stars tend to fall into the pop category. Even when they are not doing pop music per se - say, a child singing sensation who performs show tunes - they are almost always churning out the kind of music that can benefit from the major label marketing machine. Young musicians thrive in a market that is tough for indies to crack since it is not really their world.

Major labels don't listen to unsolicited demos, so to get their attention, you're going to need representation. An entertainment lawyer or a manager can help you here. Those people DO listen to demos, but it can be hard to get their attention. The best way to get their ear is to use a network like Music Link Pro to make connections your child has recorded in a studio, someone at the studio may be able to put you in touch with someone who can help. Someone in your family or circle of friends might have a connection that can help. There is little substitution for word of mouth in the music industry. Try every angle you can to find some kind tie, however tenuous, to someone who can help, and go for it.

Sometimes, that angle just doesn't exist. The best thing you can do is try to tap into your local music community. Explain your situation and ask for recommendations of people they have encountered along the way. Right now, near you, someone knows someone who knows someone. Find them.

If all else fails, use the internet to find music managements companies. Also look for entertainment lawyers in your area. Cold calling a music management company can be hard, but follow their procedures for submitting music. A lawyer may be an easier contact to make. Meet a few lawyers and a few managers and see who fits and who is enthusiastic about the music. Be patient and don't jump. Finding the right person here is critical - and you WILL find the right person, provided you don't get discouraged and keep at it until something clicks. Once this team member is in place, they can help you get showcases and meetings with labels that can help you introduce your child's music to the public.
Take The Advice You Are Given

Praise is good. Critiques and advice for improvement is even better. Don't ignore the constructive criticism and advice music industry professionals give you along the way because it's not really what you want to hear. Take it. Use it. It is incredibly valuable.
Emphasize Education

Don't choose chasing a music career over your child's education - there's no guarantee that anyone will have a long lasting, sustainable music career. Many a one-time star is now working retail somewhere. In addition to their traditional schooling, make music education a priority. Encourage them to dedicate extensive time to practice. Performance standards for a child star can be taxing - they may need to be able to dance, sing, play an instrument and much more. Enroll them in appropriate classes so they can continue to develop their craft. Not only will this help them continue to grow their talents, but these classes can be good places to make this all-important connections.
Don't Throw Money at the Problem

Establishing a music career can be expensive. There's no getting around that. If you hire someone, like a manager or an entertainment attorney, there may be fees involved (especially for the attorney). There's no getting around that, either. However, what you CAN avoid is throwing money at the wrong things.

There's a cliche about the child model paying a massive amount of cash to have "pictures done" at a disreputable modeling agency that promises to land the child modeling jobs but never delivers. That same sort of scam exists around the music industry, and parents trying to turn their children into music stars are a ripe group for getting hustled. There is rarely a good reason for you to shell out to take part in a local showcase that promises "industry insiders" - showcases do exist to give A&R people and others within the industry a chance to hear new artists, but these showcases seldom have "entry fees" and are usually organized by your manager or representative - not a local booking agent charging you $500 for a few minutes on stage. Same deal with local talent shows and so on. If they're inexpensive, maybe they'll give your child a chance to get comfortable on the stage, but don't expect them to be the source of a big break - and don't spend a fortune on them.

Likewise, never pay a music industry consultant or anyone else a huge sum of money in return for "guaranteed results." You can't buy music industry stardom, and no one worth working with will make you any guarantees in the music industry. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it. Legitimate people will want a legitimate rate of pay for legitimate work. You can't write a check big enough to ensure your child will be a star. You just can't. Don't try, not matter what they try to tell you.
The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that there are no easy answers and no ONE easy path to establishing a music career for your child. The best thing you can do is adopt a realistic attitude and a lot of patience while you search for the right partner to introduce your child to major label opportunities. Along the way, encourage them to value their education and work hard to continue to nurture their musical talent. If there are open mic opportunities in your town that are age appropriate, then let your child get comfortable as a performer as you meet your local music community - these connections can help you later. Never throw money at someone for guaranteed results within the industry - you'll only be disappointed. Take graciously all feedback and advice given, and make adjustments where necessary. Last but not least, take the long view. A solid music career requires a good foundation. Now is the time to make sure you're building that. It will give you and your child much more stability down the line.]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/4/so-you-think-your-child-could-be-a-big-music-star/ Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:11:56 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/2/test/ gggggg gggggg https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/2/test/ Sun, 06 Jul 2014 02:54:36 +0000 Michael. https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/1/copyright/ ]]> ]]> https://musiclinkpro.com/index.php?do=/forum/thread/1/copyright/ Sun, 06 Jul 2014 02:49:52 +0000 Michael.