Making Money With Your Music

[Bob Baker]

Yes, music is art. And yes, you should create music even if you never made a cent from it. But there's nothing wrong with profiting from your talents and musical gifts. In fact, you have every right to!

But steady revenue eludes many musicians. I believe it's because many of them buy into the myth of the "starving artist." So, let's help our musical brethren and brethrettes overcome this obstacle.

How do you make money with music? What's the best way to get financially rewarded for the quality music you create? What questions do you have about cash flow that others may be able to help you with?

[Alun Parry]

There is a popular book in the UK that comes out each year. It's called The Unsigned Guide. It's for unsigned artists and its focus is to be a resource for everyone who is unsigned to help them get signed. I think the live music scene is largely geared up for this.

I think when we think of the money issue perhaps we need to focus on creating our own The Unpaid Guide, where we acknowledge our aim is to get paid not to get signed.

I'm sure it'd push us in different directions.

[Chris Fuller]

Yeah,

I'm not interested at all in getting "signed". To me that feels far from artistic vindication. It's more about the direct, 1 to 1 relationship with a person in the audience.

Chris

[Bob Baker]

I couldn't agree with Chris more. The "Unsigned" Guide? Sounds demeaning. They should have just called it "The Losers Guide to Music" :-)

I suggest taking the "Un" out of any such title and instead call it "The Musicians Prosperity Manual" or something. Focus on what you *want* ... NOT on what you don't want.

Alun, I think that's what you meant to begin with. We're just articulating it in a more empowering way.

Bob

[Alun Parry]

Yep, I was.

I was just using their language and their assumption about our objectives, and twisting it around.

Al 8-)

[Alun Parry]

bob

this is the one thread that seems very sparse. my guess is that many of us don't know. i can tell you how to make money with someone else's music. but making money with MY music? hmmm thats a tricky one.

nobody here seems to have any answers and nor do i.

can you start us off maybe?

al

[Alun Parry]

How about we brainstorm some revenue stream ideas then. Might get this all important thread growing

Things that can earn money in the music industry, even if dribs and drabs

* payment for live gigs (hahahahahhaa - yes i know but it happens now and then!)
* running your own live gigs
* promoting music nights
* doing cover gigs
* advertising eg google ads on your web or blog page
* recordings (though just as likely to lose money as i tend to view them as a promo to get fans in the first place)

any other ideas to add to the list?