For this week’s blog, I decided to dedicate it towards customer satisfaction. Last Saturday, my group Mahogany Dust performed for a house warming party. One of the customer’s that purchase a CD contacted the group to let them know that her CD wasn’t working properly. This is a call that no company looks forward to receiving however, in dealing with products, there is always flukes. Mahogany Dust has not received this type of call, however MD takes pride in its reputation and customer satisfaction. Mahogany Dust offered to meet her at her time of convenience to replace the damage product. Not only did Mahogany Dust replace the damaged product, they also gave a complementary second disk of their second album and a poster at no charge for any inconveniences of receiving the damage product.
The video I chose for this week completely backs the statement above. “Your Key to Customer Satisfaction” is a video on customer satisfaction by John Tschohl, president of Service Quality and the first person to bring us the world’s first customer service training program. The idea that set itself apart in this video is “Treating your customers like Kings and Queens”. With this concept, you will have loyal people who will be your word of mouth advertising. Your customers will speak very highly of you and your service, which will create verbal recommendations anytime your type of service, is needed. Another vital resource is the book “The 48 Laws of Power” Law#5, which states “so much depends on your reputation, guard it with your life”(Greene, 1998). Your reputation is a huge apart of who and what you are and it is the mere fabric and brand that makes people recognize you. Learning how to implement great customer satisfaction in your business to use as a great tool to build your reputation and brand will lead to your path of success. Enjoy the blog this week! ~ Gigi
References:
Greene, R. (1998) The 48 Laws of Power. New York, New York. Penguin Group 1998
YouTube. (2010). Your Key to Customer Satisfaction Video 1 Service First. Retrieved December 10, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrGL2R8J0i4
Courtesy of ServiceFirstVideo.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrGL2R8J0i4
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Building a Team Without Dysfunction
For my Team Project Class we are learning to work as a team on a consulting project so I felt it best to keep the focus on team building for this blog post.
This weeks’ blog is about something very important when you decide to start a business, Team Building. Building a team without dysfunction can be the make or break decision for any future business leader. In order to become a mogul, you must know the ins and outs of team building. You must know how to select individuals that posses no threat to the team with egos and works well with others. Trust and accountability is the glue that keeps a team together. Without one or the other is the entire project lacks and the success of the team is compromised.
The video I chose for my blog post this week is from 5 min Life Videopedia by SBTV (Small Business TV) on The Top 5 Dysfunctions of Team Building. In this video Patrick Lencioni author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team discuss his book and why teams fail. Lencioni breaks down these 5 dysfunctions in detail and resolutions for each dysfunction if a team should run into such a case.
The dysfunction of inattention to results, which is the last dysfunction, was the point in this video that I relate to most in dealing with team projects that doesn’t succeed due to egos. Within a team, there is no room for egos. No one-person gets more credit than the other, such as the cliché goes, “There is no I in Team”. As long as you have persons thinking there contributions are greater than the next team member there will be conflict. I have learned, the best way to resolve this type of issue is to take a consensus on the topic needing the idea and submit a combined anonymous vote to get the best idea for the team. The success of the project is the most important part of the project itself. Without success the team leave that particular project with ill feelings and a negative outlook on team building. Enjoy the video and please give feedback on you ideas of Team Building and Conflict.
The Top 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Building
http://www.5min.com/Video/The-Top-5-Dysfunctions-of-Team-Building-132886821
This weeks’ blog is about something very important when you decide to start a business, Team Building. Building a team without dysfunction can be the make or break decision for any future business leader. In order to become a mogul, you must know the ins and outs of team building. You must know how to select individuals that posses no threat to the team with egos and works well with others. Trust and accountability is the glue that keeps a team together. Without one or the other is the entire project lacks and the success of the team is compromised.
The video I chose for my blog post this week is from 5 min Life Videopedia by SBTV (Small Business TV) on The Top 5 Dysfunctions of Team Building. In this video Patrick Lencioni author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team discuss his book and why teams fail. Lencioni breaks down these 5 dysfunctions in detail and resolutions for each dysfunction if a team should run into such a case.
The dysfunction of inattention to results, which is the last dysfunction, was the point in this video that I relate to most in dealing with team projects that doesn’t succeed due to egos. Within a team, there is no room for egos. No one-person gets more credit than the other, such as the cliché goes, “There is no I in Team”. As long as you have persons thinking there contributions are greater than the next team member there will be conflict. I have learned, the best way to resolve this type of issue is to take a consensus on the topic needing the idea and submit a combined anonymous vote to get the best idea for the team. The success of the project is the most important part of the project itself. Without success the team leave that particular project with ill feelings and a negative outlook on team building. Enjoy the video and please give feedback on you ideas of Team Building and Conflict.
The Top 5 Dysfunctions of a Team Building
http://www.5min.com/Video/The-Top-5-Dysfunctions-of-Team-Building-132886821
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Russell Simmons on Innovation and Business
This weeks’ video blog come from one of my (mental) mentors Russell Simmons from the Youtube.com courtesy of WSJDigitalNetwork channel. I have been following Russell Simmons career as a business mogul and I believe that his practices are the foundations of success. Within this video, Russell Simmons speaks on the foundations of being an innovator in life and business. “You can be anything you want to be, and you can start today”, states Simmons. God gives everyone many talents, at the end of the day, its up to the individual whether or not to use them. Russell also talked on the subject of leadership as the interviewer ask him question about changing up his leadership style as the business became larger. This video fall right in line with my class subject for this week as to being an “effective leader” and knowing your strengths and weaknesses.
The best part of this video for me was the topic of him stating that when he started most of his businesses, he started them alone. As the ideas would get bigger then people would approach the relationship of working together because they started to see his vision. I can identify with this statement, because that’s exactly where I am today. Some don’t see the vision but some people do. Russell speaks on the fact that most of his ideas (Rap, Def Comedy, Def Poetry Jam as well as the clothing line, people didn’t believe in them. As a leader, being persistent and diligent to the vision is the primary responsibility and not being afraid to fail if it doesn’t happen immediately. If no one sees it at first, they will and that’s when everyone will want to be apart of the vision realized. Enjoy the video for this week!
Gigi
Russell Simmons on Innovation and Business
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFcwQbmLso
The best part of this video for me was the topic of him stating that when he started most of his businesses, he started them alone. As the ideas would get bigger then people would approach the relationship of working together because they started to see his vision. I can identify with this statement, because that’s exactly where I am today. Some don’t see the vision but some people do. Russell speaks on the fact that most of his ideas (Rap, Def Comedy, Def Poetry Jam as well as the clothing line, people didn’t believe in them. As a leader, being persistent and diligent to the vision is the primary responsibility and not being afraid to fail if it doesn’t happen immediately. If no one sees it at first, they will and that’s when everyone will want to be apart of the vision realized. Enjoy the video for this week!
Gigi
Russell Simmons on Innovation and Business
Courtesy of The Wall Street Journal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pFcwQbmLso
Music Business 101-"Do You Really Believe What You've Heard About the Music Business?"
This weeks’ blog article comes from musicbizacademy.com. This site is one of the sites I am following as a RSS feed into my Google Reader. Musicbizacademy.com is a great site to stay updated with the evolution of the Music Business. This particular article challenges most of what we have come to know about the industry. The article is written by Christopher Knab who is also the author for "Music is Your Business" which has insight into the business of becoming a successful artist or band. Within this article, he highlights the fact that there is so much information available to artists about the industry, yet musicians are unknowledgeable about what it takes to make it in the industry. Knab believes artists are blinded by the media ability to showcase celebrities in positions of power. Aspiring artists don’t see the time and years it takes to get that celebrity to that level of success.
Knab points out actual misconceptions within the industry that uneducated artists still believe to this day. The lack of education in the past was due to the record companies withholding very important business information. Having aspirations of starting your own record label in the past meant creating a business with no information. With the Internet being such an open tool for communication and education all those secrets are out and there is no reason not to be educated on the business of music. I personally feel the reason for the lack of education is laziness. I speak to artist all the time and we talk about self-promoting, marketing within today’s music business. Some artists feel that getting other people to do the work is easier. I agree, however getting someone to do the work that has no clue of what they’re doing will lead to frustration and aggravation. The only way to make it in this business is if you educate yourself first on the business, then you get people to help you, if that’s what you think you need. This way you know what is expected and needs to be done.
Enjoy this weeks’ article!
Gigi
"Do You Really Believe What You've Heard About How the Music Business Operates"
by Christopher Knab
The history of the music business is filled with stories of musicians being misled or exploited by record labels, managers, attorneys, and other characters.
Until the early 1980s, it was difficult to find information about record label contracts, marketing strategies, publishing issues, or anything else about the inner workings of the industry.
That was then, and this is now. Today, musicians who want to learn about the business of music can find dozens of books covering every aspect of it. The Internet also has many wonderful sites to help musicians find their way around the slippery world of the music business. Just type in keywords like "music business","record labels", "music distribution", or just about any topic you want to know about... it's amazing how much free information is out there. Of course, just because its on the Internet doesn't mean the information you find is accurate... you have to learn/research who is saying what about the topic you are researching.
So why do I still meet and get e-mail from so many musicians who don’t have a clue that there are more letters in the word "business" than in the word "music?" Once again, I think so much ignorance still exists because of the power of celebrity, the thirst for success, and the escapist fun and honest fulfillment that comes with making music.
But most misguided beliefs exist because we’re exposed to a never ending flow of music. It’s on radio twenty-four hours a day. Television music channels show videos filled with exciting, escapist images. The media interviews your favorite musicians with questions that are as deep as the shallow end of a wading pool. Reviewers write articles about the latest releases and treat musicians like gods or devils, depending on the bias of the writer.
Try out this exercise and make it a new habit… look at all the non-stop entertainment that’s coming at you constantly, and see it for what it really is.
Ask yourself questions! How did that song get on the radio, who chooses what gets on the music channels, why does one CD get reviewed and another doesn’t, what factors determine who got the opening act gig on the superstar summer tour? How did that act’s website get so much attention? It’s no surprise that would-be stars see only what has succeeded, but rarely understand the inner workings of the business. So, it looks easy. Anyone can do it. That overnight sensation really did happen overnight — it couldn’t have been seven years in the making. Yeah, right.
Now let me show you some amazing statements I’ve come across over the years that show how ignorant most musicians and band members can be. They hear some things and believe them on faith, when in fact they’re hurting themselves by not knowing the business truths of the recording industry.
Here are some misconceptions I keep running across. I’ve heard these over and over.
"Copyrights? All you have to do is mail yourself a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your lyrics inside and a court of law will accept that as proof of copyright ownership"
"Man, this band I know just got two million dollars for signing with a major label. They’re rich!"
"Labels have to give you money to tour, man. It’s in every contract."
"Recoup? That just means you have to pay a label back only for what it cost them to make your record."
"Hey, if your band breaks up, you can just leave and go sign with somebody else."
"Once you’re signed to a label, they have to put your record out, or pay you a lot of money to break the contract."
The false statements above are just a small sample of the sad things I’ve heard and read from naive musicians, and really there’s no excuse for such ignorance. Look at it this way; as a musician, you’ve invested thousands of dollars in instruments and equipment. You may have paid for lessons and spent money on recording and manufacturing demos. Why not invest in learning about the business of music? Why aren’t books, consultations, workshops, seminars, conferences, or music trade magazine subscriptions as necessary to you as your other music related expenses?
Check out this fact… the men and women who run the music business got to where they are today because they asked questions and got the answers they needed as they worked their way through their various jobs. They learned what they know by attending a different kind of school than the one you may have attended; the School of Hard Knocks. The people who own the labels, record the music, publish the songs, and promote and sell music learned the business by living it. They may have gotten burned in some early deals and lost money along the way, but they took those life lessons to heart and tried not to make the same mistakes again. That’s what the School of Hard Knocks is all about… diving into the business, learning as much as you can as you grow along the way, and never forgetting the lessons you learned.
The main reason musicians were exploited in the past was because the industry kept the secrets of the business to themselves. Well, the secrets have been out for a long time now. The only reason you may have naive ideas and misguided beliefs is because you never had a music business education. Today there are many ways for musicians to educate themselves. There are music business degrees given by universities. There are countless conventions, conferences, and workshops for anyone wanting to learn the ropes. If you want to know the truth about recording contracts, publishing deals, management contracts, or anything else, take the time to learn more about the business you are a part of.
What if you start your own label and just guess what you’re supposed to do? In the past, many successful professionals who helped develop our great musical heritage did just that. But ask them if they had it to do it over — wouldn’t they have wanted to know what they know now? Wouldn’t they love to have back the money they spent foolishly, the contracts they signed ignorantly, and the deals they made without the proper information? You bet they would.
Get curious. Ask questions when you’re not sure about something. Don’t believe rumors. Learn from reliable sources because ignorance is not bliss. It’s important to educate yourself. (Just don’t go to the other extreme and become an information addict who never gets any real work done. I’ve met some folks like that, and well…don’t get me started!)
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/music_business_operates.htm
Knab points out actual misconceptions within the industry that uneducated artists still believe to this day. The lack of education in the past was due to the record companies withholding very important business information. Having aspirations of starting your own record label in the past meant creating a business with no information. With the Internet being such an open tool for communication and education all those secrets are out and there is no reason not to be educated on the business of music. I personally feel the reason for the lack of education is laziness. I speak to artist all the time and we talk about self-promoting, marketing within today’s music business. Some artists feel that getting other people to do the work is easier. I agree, however getting someone to do the work that has no clue of what they’re doing will lead to frustration and aggravation. The only way to make it in this business is if you educate yourself first on the business, then you get people to help you, if that’s what you think you need. This way you know what is expected and needs to be done.
Enjoy this weeks’ article!
Gigi
"Do You Really Believe What You've Heard About How the Music Business Operates"
by Christopher Knab
The history of the music business is filled with stories of musicians being misled or exploited by record labels, managers, attorneys, and other characters.
Until the early 1980s, it was difficult to find information about record label contracts, marketing strategies, publishing issues, or anything else about the inner workings of the industry.
That was then, and this is now. Today, musicians who want to learn about the business of music can find dozens of books covering every aspect of it. The Internet also has many wonderful sites to help musicians find their way around the slippery world of the music business. Just type in keywords like "music business","record labels", "music distribution", or just about any topic you want to know about... it's amazing how much free information is out there. Of course, just because its on the Internet doesn't mean the information you find is accurate... you have to learn/research who is saying what about the topic you are researching.
So why do I still meet and get e-mail from so many musicians who don’t have a clue that there are more letters in the word "business" than in the word "music?" Once again, I think so much ignorance still exists because of the power of celebrity, the thirst for success, and the escapist fun and honest fulfillment that comes with making music.
But most misguided beliefs exist because we’re exposed to a never ending flow of music. It’s on radio twenty-four hours a day. Television music channels show videos filled with exciting, escapist images. The media interviews your favorite musicians with questions that are as deep as the shallow end of a wading pool. Reviewers write articles about the latest releases and treat musicians like gods or devils, depending on the bias of the writer.
Try out this exercise and make it a new habit… look at all the non-stop entertainment that’s coming at you constantly, and see it for what it really is.
Ask yourself questions! How did that song get on the radio, who chooses what gets on the music channels, why does one CD get reviewed and another doesn’t, what factors determine who got the opening act gig on the superstar summer tour? How did that act’s website get so much attention? It’s no surprise that would-be stars see only what has succeeded, but rarely understand the inner workings of the business. So, it looks easy. Anyone can do it. That overnight sensation really did happen overnight — it couldn’t have been seven years in the making. Yeah, right.
Now let me show you some amazing statements I’ve come across over the years that show how ignorant most musicians and band members can be. They hear some things and believe them on faith, when in fact they’re hurting themselves by not knowing the business truths of the recording industry.
Here are some misconceptions I keep running across. I’ve heard these over and over.
"Copyrights? All you have to do is mail yourself a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your lyrics inside and a court of law will accept that as proof of copyright ownership"
"Man, this band I know just got two million dollars for signing with a major label. They’re rich!"
"Labels have to give you money to tour, man. It’s in every contract."
"Recoup? That just means you have to pay a label back only for what it cost them to make your record."
"Hey, if your band breaks up, you can just leave and go sign with somebody else."
"Once you’re signed to a label, they have to put your record out, or pay you a lot of money to break the contract."
The false statements above are just a small sample of the sad things I’ve heard and read from naive musicians, and really there’s no excuse for such ignorance. Look at it this way; as a musician, you’ve invested thousands of dollars in instruments and equipment. You may have paid for lessons and spent money on recording and manufacturing demos. Why not invest in learning about the business of music? Why aren’t books, consultations, workshops, seminars, conferences, or music trade magazine subscriptions as necessary to you as your other music related expenses?
Check out this fact… the men and women who run the music business got to where they are today because they asked questions and got the answers they needed as they worked their way through their various jobs. They learned what they know by attending a different kind of school than the one you may have attended; the School of Hard Knocks. The people who own the labels, record the music, publish the songs, and promote and sell music learned the business by living it. They may have gotten burned in some early deals and lost money along the way, but they took those life lessons to heart and tried not to make the same mistakes again. That’s what the School of Hard Knocks is all about… diving into the business, learning as much as you can as you grow along the way, and never forgetting the lessons you learned.
The main reason musicians were exploited in the past was because the industry kept the secrets of the business to themselves. Well, the secrets have been out for a long time now. The only reason you may have naive ideas and misguided beliefs is because you never had a music business education. Today there are many ways for musicians to educate themselves. There are music business degrees given by universities. There are countless conventions, conferences, and workshops for anyone wanting to learn the ropes. If you want to know the truth about recording contracts, publishing deals, management contracts, or anything else, take the time to learn more about the business you are a part of.
What if you start your own label and just guess what you’re supposed to do? In the past, many successful professionals who helped develop our great musical heritage did just that. But ask them if they had it to do it over — wouldn’t they have wanted to know what they know now? Wouldn’t they love to have back the money they spent foolishly, the contracts they signed ignorantly, and the deals they made without the proper information? You bet they would.
Get curious. Ask questions when you’re not sure about something. Don’t believe rumors. Learn from reliable sources because ignorance is not bliss. It’s important to educate yourself. (Just don’t go to the other extreme and become an information addict who never gets any real work done. I’ve met some folks like that, and well…don’t get me started!)
http://www.musicbizacademy.com/knab/articles/music_business_operates.htm
Sunday, November 7, 2010
10 Questions for Queen Latifah by Time Magazine
This video “10 Questions for Queen Latifah by Time Magazine, is a ten question interview on topics ranging from her recent CD release, her opinions on how hop-hop has change, to women of color and women period having a glass ceiling in Hollywood.
Queen Latifah, born Dana Owens, has defined the laws of branding and has excelled in the businesses of music and acting. Latifah’s work has gained her several major nominations and awards, one being a Golden Globe. When it comes to branding, Latifah landed several celebrity endorsements with CoverGirl, Pizza Hut and Jenny Craig. Not only was she the spokesperson for CoverGirl, she started her own line of cosmetics call the "Queen Collection" under CoverGirl cosmetics. Latifah acting career started in the early 1991 with “Living Single”, however it was her role in the musical “Chicago” that gained her mainstream success. She received an Academy Nomination for this role, which she is the only woman of three hip-hop artists that has ever been presented with such honors.
Queen Latifah was one of my industry experts that I chose to follow on twitter for my PLN class. I chose Queen Latifah because when I think of successful women moguls in the music industry she is the first person I think of. She is a definite role model for me being that she has been up against several obstacles being that she is full-figured and a women of color, she has still managed to pursue and conquer her many passions of life. Although the music industry is seen as a male dominated industry, this standard is starting to see a growth in women making great contributions and changes within the industry. Studying and watching the career of a successful woman such as Latifah, especially with all the many hats and roles she carry, can definitely put you on a path of achieving great success.
http://www.youtube.com/v/sAJmfZrTX14?fs=1&
Queen Latifah, born Dana Owens, has defined the laws of branding and has excelled in the businesses of music and acting. Latifah’s work has gained her several major nominations and awards, one being a Golden Globe. When it comes to branding, Latifah landed several celebrity endorsements with CoverGirl, Pizza Hut and Jenny Craig. Not only was she the spokesperson for CoverGirl, she started her own line of cosmetics call the "Queen Collection" under CoverGirl cosmetics. Latifah acting career started in the early 1991 with “Living Single”, however it was her role in the musical “Chicago” that gained her mainstream success. She received an Academy Nomination for this role, which she is the only woman of three hip-hop artists that has ever been presented with such honors.
Queen Latifah was one of my industry experts that I chose to follow on twitter for my PLN class. I chose Queen Latifah because when I think of successful women moguls in the music industry she is the first person I think of. She is a definite role model for me being that she has been up against several obstacles being that she is full-figured and a women of color, she has still managed to pursue and conquer her many passions of life. Although the music industry is seen as a male dominated industry, this standard is starting to see a growth in women making great contributions and changes within the industry. Studying and watching the career of a successful woman such as Latifah, especially with all the many hats and roles she carry, can definitely put you on a path of achieving great success.
http://www.youtube.com/v/sAJmfZrTX14?fs=1&
Music, Money and Success by Scott G - The G-Man
I ran across the MusicIndustryNewswire.com site that gives updates on current events on the music industry. This particular article "Music, Money and Success by The G-Man, discuss industry inside information on how to obtain money and success while pursuing a music career. This article was inspired by a book written by Jeffery and Todd Brabec entitled “Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business," and is a book that is recommended for every songwriter and music publisher. Being an artist as well as a songwriter, I think that this article is a great piece of information to guide you in the right direction to achieving longevity in the music business.
The book authors Todd Brabec, is industry consultant and VP and Worldwide Directory of Membership for ASCAP and Jeffery Brabec is VP of Business Affairs for Chrysalis Music Group. Their book gives you a realistic sense of just how much money can be made through licensing, while educating you on the many different variables that affect amount and payment you will receive. This book gives an extensive overview of the music industry from the perspective of experienced insiders, along with plenty of financial data and examples.
The article writer Scott G, focus on the sections of the book that should spark interest to purchase a piece of literature that is needed to know what is to be expected from the music industry as a whole. With topics such as income practical advice, Scott G focus on the Brabecs facts on basic recording contract clauses and what recording cost that should be repaid from artist’s royalties. The last topic within this article “Before you sign the contract” highlights pages 467-486 of the book to give sample contracts for the ideal standards in most often deal situations.
I haven’t read this book, however, after reading this article I do believe that it is definitely one book that should be in my music information library. Enjoy the article!
http://musicindustrynewswire.com/2010/10/01/min3321_175721.php
Music, Money and Success
by Scott G - The G-Man
published Fri, 01 Oct 2010 – 17:57:21
Music Industry Newswire COLUMN:
“Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business,” Sixth Edition, by Jeffrey Brabec & Todd Brabec (Schirmer, $24.95, 524 pages, ISBN 13: 978-0-8256-7346-7).
Brabec (Todd) is a music industry consultant and former Executive Vice President and Worldwide Director of Membership for ASCAP. Brabec (Jeffrey) is Vice President of Business Affairs for the Chrysalis Music Group and has negotiated more than 1,000 movie, television, video, new technology and advertising commercial agreements for writers, writer-recording artists and writer-producers. Both are entertainment law attorneys and graduates of the New York University School of Law.
Sources of Income
True to their subject matter, the Brabecs begin the book with a list of income sources for songwriters and music publishers. From albums to webcasts, the list includes both old and new media. There are sixty-six items on the list and they devote twenty-six pages to describing many of them, often with real-life monetary examples for you to use as a guide.
Practical Advice
If you are looking to find information you can use in your music career, you’ve come to the right place with this volume. They take a couple of pages to list the 22 “most important points in every recording contract.” Then they devote the next 50 pages to explaining them to you in plain, everyday English that we non-lawyers can easily comprehend.
There is data in this book that you really need, including facts about changes in basic record contract clauses such as “A review of what recording costs should not be recoupable from artist’s royalties,” “The sharing of some types of income on a 50/50 net basis,” and “Reasonable audit costs and interest.”
Entire chapters are devoted to such issues as sampling, music in television, music in the movies, and music in commercials. And yes, budgets are discussed. Just think about the price of the book compared to the value you will receive from reading the pages in the section titled “Negotiating the Television License for a Song.” Fortunately, that kind of important information can be found in every chapter.
Scenarios
From time to time throughout the book, the Brabecs include miniature scripts illustrating certain types of conversations songwriters or publishers will have with business people seeking licensing of their music. Not only is it entertaining to read these scenarios, it is quite instructive to study the terms, requests, offers and counter-offers in “The Phone Call from the Film Company,” “The Phone Call from the Advertising Agency,” and so forth.
New Media
While both of the Brabecs have plenty of old school experience, they are not only aware of the technological alterations that have affected the entire music business, but they fully embrace these changes and challenges.
Consider this sentence from the opening of their lengthy chapter on new media: “Internet service providers, digital rights management, podcasting, blogs, compression, downloads, wireless, streaming, subscription and non-subscription services, MP3, hyper-distribution, encryption, decryption keys, platforms, interactive music, portability, mobile devices, watermarking, fingerprinting — these words and many more form the vocabulary of the new music business.”
In the sections dealing with those topics, the Brabecs do not shy away from using firm examples, often right down to the dollars and cents results of making certain business decisions. (Or perhaps I should have gone with the pun and said “dollars and sense” results.)
Over There
Towards the end of the book is a good-sized chapter on income from foreign countries, a topic of concern to everyone making or marketing music. They provide you with an excellent perspective on subpublishing agreements as well as the importance of obtaining “at source” royalty payments (if you don’t know, look it up or buy the book). They even give you a list of fifty-eight foreign performing rights societies.
Before You Sign that Contract
On pages 467 to 486, you will find sample contracts for six of the most-often-utilized deal situations:
* Use of a song in a motion picture
* Use of a song in a television series
* Use of a song in an advertising campaign
* Digital download license
* Video game music license
* Mechanical license
Forewarned is forearmed. Reading these before you are handed a contract will enable you to familiarize yourself with some of the terminology and concepts. At the very least, looking at this material will give you a better idea of what to ask your attorney.
I could go on describing tidbits of data from such chapters as “Music, Money, Lawyers, Managers and Agents,” “Breaking into the Business” and “Guide to Music Industry Organizations,” but if you don’t want the book by now, you never will.
Article is © 2010 by John Scott G. – all rights reserved.
The book authors Todd Brabec, is industry consultant and VP and Worldwide Directory of Membership for ASCAP and Jeffery Brabec is VP of Business Affairs for Chrysalis Music Group. Their book gives you a realistic sense of just how much money can be made through licensing, while educating you on the many different variables that affect amount and payment you will receive. This book gives an extensive overview of the music industry from the perspective of experienced insiders, along with plenty of financial data and examples.
The article writer Scott G, focus on the sections of the book that should spark interest to purchase a piece of literature that is needed to know what is to be expected from the music industry as a whole. With topics such as income practical advice, Scott G focus on the Brabecs facts on basic recording contract clauses and what recording cost that should be repaid from artist’s royalties. The last topic within this article “Before you sign the contract” highlights pages 467-486 of the book to give sample contracts for the ideal standards in most often deal situations.
I haven’t read this book, however, after reading this article I do believe that it is definitely one book that should be in my music information library. Enjoy the article!
http://musicindustrynewswire.com/2010/10/01/min3321_175721.php
Music, Money and Success
by Scott G - The G-Man
published Fri, 01 Oct 2010 – 17:57:21
Music Industry Newswire COLUMN:
“Music, Money and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Business,” Sixth Edition, by Jeffrey Brabec & Todd Brabec (Schirmer, $24.95, 524 pages, ISBN 13: 978-0-8256-7346-7).
Brabec (Todd) is a music industry consultant and former Executive Vice President and Worldwide Director of Membership for ASCAP. Brabec (Jeffrey) is Vice President of Business Affairs for the Chrysalis Music Group and has negotiated more than 1,000 movie, television, video, new technology and advertising commercial agreements for writers, writer-recording artists and writer-producers. Both are entertainment law attorneys and graduates of the New York University School of Law.
Sources of Income
True to their subject matter, the Brabecs begin the book with a list of income sources for songwriters and music publishers. From albums to webcasts, the list includes both old and new media. There are sixty-six items on the list and they devote twenty-six pages to describing many of them, often with real-life monetary examples for you to use as a guide.
Practical Advice
If you are looking to find information you can use in your music career, you’ve come to the right place with this volume. They take a couple of pages to list the 22 “most important points in every recording contract.” Then they devote the next 50 pages to explaining them to you in plain, everyday English that we non-lawyers can easily comprehend.
There is data in this book that you really need, including facts about changes in basic record contract clauses such as “A review of what recording costs should not be recoupable from artist’s royalties,” “The sharing of some types of income on a 50/50 net basis,” and “Reasonable audit costs and interest.”
Entire chapters are devoted to such issues as sampling, music in television, music in the movies, and music in commercials. And yes, budgets are discussed. Just think about the price of the book compared to the value you will receive from reading the pages in the section titled “Negotiating the Television License for a Song.” Fortunately, that kind of important information can be found in every chapter.
Scenarios
From time to time throughout the book, the Brabecs include miniature scripts illustrating certain types of conversations songwriters or publishers will have with business people seeking licensing of their music. Not only is it entertaining to read these scenarios, it is quite instructive to study the terms, requests, offers and counter-offers in “The Phone Call from the Film Company,” “The Phone Call from the Advertising Agency,” and so forth.
New Media
While both of the Brabecs have plenty of old school experience, they are not only aware of the technological alterations that have affected the entire music business, but they fully embrace these changes and challenges.
Consider this sentence from the opening of their lengthy chapter on new media: “Internet service providers, digital rights management, podcasting, blogs, compression, downloads, wireless, streaming, subscription and non-subscription services, MP3, hyper-distribution, encryption, decryption keys, platforms, interactive music, portability, mobile devices, watermarking, fingerprinting — these words and many more form the vocabulary of the new music business.”
In the sections dealing with those topics, the Brabecs do not shy away from using firm examples, often right down to the dollars and cents results of making certain business decisions. (Or perhaps I should have gone with the pun and said “dollars and sense” results.)
Over There
Towards the end of the book is a good-sized chapter on income from foreign countries, a topic of concern to everyone making or marketing music. They provide you with an excellent perspective on subpublishing agreements as well as the importance of obtaining “at source” royalty payments (if you don’t know, look it up or buy the book). They even give you a list of fifty-eight foreign performing rights societies.
Before You Sign that Contract
On pages 467 to 486, you will find sample contracts for six of the most-often-utilized deal situations:
* Use of a song in a motion picture
* Use of a song in a television series
* Use of a song in an advertising campaign
* Digital download license
* Video game music license
* Mechanical license
Forewarned is forearmed. Reading these before you are handed a contract will enable you to familiarize yourself with some of the terminology and concepts. At the very least, looking at this material will give you a better idea of what to ask your attorney.
I could go on describing tidbits of data from such chapters as “Music, Money, Lawyers, Managers and Agents,” “Breaking into the Business” and “Guide to Music Industry Organizations,” but if you don’t want the book by now, you never will.
Article is © 2010 by John Scott G. – all rights reserved.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
MidemNet 2010 | Conversation with Pharrell Williams
MidemNet 2010 | Conversation with Pharrell Williams
Courtesy of MidemNet 2010
MidemNet 2010 Conversation with Pharrell Williams
Artist and über-producer Pharrell Williams took to the stage at MidemNet, for an interview conducted by Cornerstone co-CEO Rob Stone. The topics: how artists can engage their fans in the digital era, and the potential of musicians and brands joining forces. To paraphrase the N.E.R.D. song: you can't be him, he's a rock star! But what has he got to say?
He's under the weather, but still appearing. "Everybody knows how important MIDEM is to our industry," he says. Which is nice. It should also be noted at this point that he has amazing shoes on - big multi-coloured Nike snowboarding boots.
He kicked off by talking about his approach to music, and the fact that "I don't wanna repeat myself - I want to be the curator of a new experience every time somebody hears a new record... You allow different instinct to speak up and lead you."
Williams is also an entrepreneur, working with a host of brands and companies on non-music projects - everything from endorsing whiskey to investing in bicycle firms. Luckily, he says he has a team to tell him when he's in danger of overstretching himself. "It doesn't mean 'okey-doke' characters - it's people who challenge me... A good idea is literally just that until you have a good team to help you manifest and bring it to fruition." (MIDEM(Net)Blog, 2010)
MIDEM(NET)BLOG.(JANUARY 23, 2010). Conversation with Pharrell Williams. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from http://midemnetblog.typepad.com/midemnet_blog/2010/01/live-post-conversation-with-pharrell-williams.html
Courtesy of MidemNet 2010
MidemNet 2010 Conversation with Pharrell Williams
Artist and über-producer Pharrell Williams took to the stage at MidemNet, for an interview conducted by Cornerstone co-CEO Rob Stone. The topics: how artists can engage their fans in the digital era, and the potential of musicians and brands joining forces. To paraphrase the N.E.R.D. song: you can't be him, he's a rock star! But what has he got to say?
He's under the weather, but still appearing. "Everybody knows how important MIDEM is to our industry," he says. Which is nice. It should also be noted at this point that he has amazing shoes on - big multi-coloured Nike snowboarding boots.
He kicked off by talking about his approach to music, and the fact that "I don't wanna repeat myself - I want to be the curator of a new experience every time somebody hears a new record... You allow different instinct to speak up and lead you."
Williams is also an entrepreneur, working with a host of brands and companies on non-music projects - everything from endorsing whiskey to investing in bicycle firms. Luckily, he says he has a team to tell him when he's in danger of overstretching himself. "It doesn't mean 'okey-doke' characters - it's people who challenge me... A good idea is literally just that until you have a good team to help you manifest and bring it to fruition." (MIDEM(Net)Blog, 2010)
MIDEM(NET)BLOG.(JANUARY 23, 2010). Conversation with Pharrell Williams. Retrieved October 29, 2010, from http://midemnetblog.typepad.com/midemnet_blog/2010/01/live-post-conversation-with-pharrell-williams.html
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