Introduction For some, being in a band is one of the most rewarding experiences a musician can have. There's nothing like a well-oiled musical group playing together in tight rhythm and burning it up. It can be an even greater experience if everyone likes each other and has fun together. Some bands begin to feel like a family. But it can also be a challenging endeavor at times and the more information you have on your side the happier your experience will be. During the early years of my musical development, I was very curious about the business of music. I wasn't interested in studying business per se. I just wanted to know in general how everything worked. I didn't understand promotions or publicity or what managers and agents did. I was curious about how performances were booked, how to write a song and what goes on during a recording session. I was hungry for knowledge. I wanted to understand the entire process even if in a very general sense - an overview version, but there were very few sources in those days to learn such things. I'd read magazines and articles and that helped somewhat, but it was just bits and pieces here and there. I wanted a book that was written by an experienced musician who could give me an overall snapshot of how to run a band. Many of my early bands were disasters because we didn't know what the heck we were doing business wise. We were playing our instruments and making some good music, but we had no idea how to connect all the dots. As the years went by I found a book or two that covered the entire music industry from A to Z. They seemed to be written by scholars or lawyers and were very dry reading and it was hard to stay interested in them. I wasn't looking for a sterile technical manual with complicated terms and language. I wanted a book like the one you are now holding - easy to read, straight to the point and in plain English written by a working musician who's been in the trenches. Mind, Body and Spirit For this book I also wanted to talk about the connection between mind, body and spirit and how it all comes together when we play music and create art. I believe that music comes from a very special place in our spirit. Whatever it is that makes us who we are and make us unique from everyone else - that is the place where we create and it's a subject we rarely cover when speaking about working in a band. No matter our culture, nationality, race or musical discipline, we all have a spiritual connection to music and it's creation. Whether you believe in God or not we all have a fire that burns in our consciousness that drives us to create art and music. I hope readers will explore this topic and see how meditation and quiet time can enhance their skills and overall temperament. There are personal skills and disciplines needed when a musician decides to become a professional. I hope this book will give you some things to think about and to consider as you navigate the confusing waters of professional entertainment. Goals and visualization, belief in yourself and the need for everyone to find their passion, these are things we don't always associate with musical development. Etiquette and good work ethics are seldom covered when talking about music, but without good skills in these areas a musician may be doomed before he or she even begins. Who is this book for? It was my intention to create a simple, easy to read book for budding musicians and songwriters who are considering a career in music. This book covers some of the basic fundamentals needed in order to work in the music industry at any level. In my forty-plus years working in and around music, I've been fortunate to see the music industry from many different perspectives. With this experience, I hope to give you some solid advice and tools that will help you reach your idea of success and give you the confidence needed to make well-informed decisions. I would like to see this book used as a guide for young musicians just starting their first group and hope they will carry it in their gig bags and refer to it at band meetings and rehearsals. It is not my intention to map out a career path for you here in this book. This is not a comprehensive look at the world of music and is not intended to be a complete study of the music business, but more of a porthole for beginners and to help them look at the possibilities of where to start their journey. It is also my hope that experienced musicians will be able to use some of this information as well. Even veteran musicians might find bits and pieces throughout this book that will help them on their own journey. Sometimes we need a new viewpoint or a nudge into a new direction to help jump-start a sluggish career. But you don't have to be a musician to enjoy this book either In fact, I invite people who live with musicians and the people who love musicians to read this book too, in hopes that it will give you more insight on how the business of music operates. If you have a musician in your life, you might find some of this information helpful in understanding your loved one's passion and the journey that they're on. Attention - Disclaimer! This book will not make you a star! Only you can do that! But maybe some of this information will stick with you and help you when you're navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of this thing called "The Music Industry". Although most of the information contained in this book is essential to your success, there is no guarantee that it will happen for you simply by purchasing this book or any other. You will have to be dedicated to the process. And I have compiled some ways to help you through that process here in this book. Enclosed are some basic methods that have served thousands of musicians before you. I will show you how to organize your practice and rehearsal sessions for optimum productivity. I have some basic ideas for booking gigs and creating a promotional package that will get attention. It is my intention to explain the basic information needed in order to have a fun, creative and successful experience in music. You won't find comprehensive lists with phone numbers and web sites in this book. Those things change all the time and current information can be researched very easily online. The few web sites and addresses I have included are merely starting points for more extensive research. I will also try to refrain from using brand association and name recognition. I'm not going to recommend what types of instruments to buy or what kind of computer programs to use. These are things you should research and learn through experimentation in order to find what works for you. But I will help you in some discussion and thoughts on what I have witnessed and have experienced myself. Any reference to product brands, organizations, clubs and associations, songwriters and performers are used merely as a point of reference from my experience and perspective only. I do not claim to be a visionary or even a big mover and shaker in the music world. But I do have the experience to help give you a lift up and get you started in the right direction. There are many aspects of the music business that transcend time and musical styles and continue to be solid guidelines. There will be many references of older, analog and pre-computer terms and usages that can be easily transposed into digital terms and uses. The techniques and skills used during the last fifty years of music are still mostly valid and are still used today. People are still people and some things never go out of style. Much of the information here can translate into other fields of work and study as well. Most of this stuff is just plain, common sense. There are a couple of "soap box" moments within this book and I apologize now if this puts anyone off. Music and the people who create it are very dear to me. I can't help but speak out on their behalf. I wish to help not only musicians, but the world I live in too. This book is my contribution to anyone wanting to make the world a better place. I hope you find inspiration here! It's all up to you You will need to do the work involved in order to become the musician you envision for yourself. Even for the hobbyist, this book can help you become a better musician and may even help some people discover things about themselves that they hadn't thought about before. This book is written with love, friendship and camaraderie to all of those who are in our line of work and who are looking for some words of experience and wisdom that have often times (for me) been learned the hard way. I do not posses any certificates or degrees. I only have my lifetime of experiences and the many years of studying music through periodicals, books, videos, cable and TV, radio, school, music lessons and playing on stage and recording since 1973 as well as the various day jobs I've held. Areas to begin your quest for further knowledge: - Library of Congress Department of Copyrights - Songwriters Guild of America - Musicians Unions - ASCAP - BMI - SESAC - Book Stores - The Public Library - The World Wide Web Don't forget to seek higher education through middle school, high school, music schools, and universities. Community collages are an excellent way to further your knowledge at a...
