
How to... Make a recording
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In How to... Make a recording industry experts take you through the complete cycle of creating an audio recording
The How to… series builds on the practical industry advice on offer at our The Empowered Musician events, highlighting the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in your music career. If you're already an ISM member, you can log in and access the full guides.
The guides include:
In How to... Become a music workshop leader, Maria Thomas, Founder and Artistic Director of The Music Workshop Company provides an overview of some of the common workshop settings that you could work in before looking at the considerations you need to make prior to starting out as a workshop leader including training, marketing yourself, contracts and statutory requirements. The guide also contains guidance on how to approach teaching.
As a new graduate, experienced performer, or music teacher if you are thinking of ways to diversify your income or find a new career that you can embark on with music at its heart then this guide is for you.
'[Getting your music online] is the easy bit. The real challenge is getting people to listen to your music, instead of the tens of millions of tracks available on each platform.'
'In addition to taking care care of the strategy, business and logistics of your career, your Artist Manager will be your counsellor, cheerleader and most trusted advisor'
In most areas of musical activity, musicians provide their services on a self-employed freelance basis, whether as a performing musician, teacher, recording artist, writer or producer. This means that generally speaking, they all operate under some form of service contract.
Service contracts can take many forms, ranging from something that is essentially a simple invoice with some additional terms and conditions, to a highly complex and lengthy agreement, such as a recording or publishing contract.
The main matters covered by a service contract are: the definition of the service and how long it will go on for; fee and payment conditions; and what happens when things go wrong (such as how the right to sue for damages, or the right to end the contract, might be triggered). On some level, all music contracts will also deal with ownership and control of copyrights and performers’ rights.
It is vital to have matters confirmed and agreed with clients or professional partners, whatever the situation. If left undecided, they can give rise to bitter and expensive arguments after the event.
Although in some circumstances contracts have been found to exist where the terms have not been written down, the ISM always recommends that you provide your services under a written contract. This resource introduces some basic tools to aid you in your negotiations. At the same time, remember that the ISM legal team is always here to support its members and offers drafting and negotiating contracts as a free service.
Reading the contract
Let us assume that you have been given a contract to sign. The first step is to block out some time in your diary to read through it thoroughly. Never allow yourself to be rushed or bullied into signing on the spot, or by the next day. Unless it’s a standard one-page contract (such as a recording session release form) and you feel experienced enough to check it quickly, you have every right to insist on taking your time. If you have not been given enough time then that is the other side’s problem, not yours. If you’re at all unsure you can refer it to a lawyer, for example one of the ISM in-house legal advisors.
Bear in mind that recording, publishing and management contracts should always contain a clause in which the artist confirms that they have taken independent legal advice in relation to the contract; and this will often be at the other side’s expense. It’s in the other side’s interest to do this – otherwise, the artist could later have the contract voided (‘set aside’ in legalese) on the basis that they were made to sign it under ‘undue influence’. No producer, publisher or manager wants to risk an expensive mistake like that.
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In How to... Make a recording industry experts take you through the complete cycle of creating an audio recording
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How to... Teach adult learners looks at how you can adapt your teaching practice and business to support adults who want to learn music.
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How to... Begin teaching music: An overview to the profession looks at how to break into teaching, looking at the various educational settings and helping you decide who and where to teach.
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How to... Begin teaching music: A practical guide looks at the practical steps necessary to begin teaching and how to set up a private teaching practice
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Written by Empowered Musician panellist and music industry expert Chris Cooke from CMU.
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Written by Jessie Scoullar from marketing specialists Wicksteed Works.
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Written by Empowered Musician partner and global artist management firm IMG Artists.
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Specialist advice from George Vass (Presteigne Festival) and David Jones (Serious) on how to play at festivals. Includes a guide to preparing a technical rider.
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In this downloadable advice pack exclusive to ISM members, Victoria Barrett of VLT LEGAL offers advice on how to read, understand and negotiate a music contract.