Do It Yourself Music Doesn't Mean Doing It Alone


There are a lot of hats indie musicians and producers wear on a daily basis. Standing still is not an option. This is a great time to be in music but you have to actively pursue opportunities.

The new music business has all the tools you need to at your fingertips. Traditional label roles, music licensing, publishing, art work, legal services and everything you need are available through technology. While the internet opens a world wide audience waiting to hear you. We have a golden opportunity to take advantage of this medium and ride the new music industry on our terms.

To me that is what the Do It Yourself movement is all about. Musicians and producers taking control of the music they create. It is about being the boss not the employee. If you need a publicist, you hire the publicist. If you need an artist for graphic design, you're going to hire the artist. Doing it yourself means that your not dealing with all these middle men taking their cut, but are partnering with the people you choose to work with.

Here is a fact. If your goal is to sign with a major label and follow that path, the only way they are going to touch you is if you are already bringing in money and having success on your own. The will look at you as a ROI (Return On Investment). If they are going to put 1 million into you they want 2 million back out. It's not about the music, it's about the math.

Now in the past the major labels were the end game because the could sell records. Right now streaming seems to be the name of the game and the only one winning on that is the label. They also fail to tell artists around 90% of the musicians they sign fail and get dropped. With those odds, it makes about zero sense to lose control of the master and give the label 90% of the sales. The idea that musicians are signing 360 deals and giving so much more to these leaches is shocking.

It's important to know though just because the tools are available to do it yourself does not mean you have to. You have the choice. There is nothing wrong with working with a label, if it's a partnership. There is nothing wrong with working with a publisher, if it's a partnership. There is nothing wrong with working with a manager, if it's a partnership.

There are a lot of great people in the music business that do care about music. People that respect artists and producers. People that don't want to rape you for every nickel and dime they can get, and people that want win/win deals where everybody succeeds. These people embrace the new music business and need artists to support them. Without great artists and music, they just can't compete.

In the new model artists have freedom. You can create the music you want, be the artist you want to be, say what you want to say and not have to sell your soul to these money grubbing bankers running the major labels. That is a great thing.

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