Never have a limit on your income

Those are all great ideas, and your readers would be well advised to open the minds to the possibilities that are available these days. Your first three brainstorms are exactly how I make a living... spot on, mate!

Haven't played a gig in years... probably over a decade. Mailbox money rules. In fact, it's the de facto retirement plan for myself and staff composers at my company, The Burst Collective.

The money you can make in performance royalties is staggering - but a very wise man once told me I'd never make any money in that end of the business until I decided that's what I was going to do, and that alone. Once there was that focus, the clarity of spirit and confirmation from the universe has been absolutely fantastic.

It is definitely interesting to watch my girlfriend building her skin care business... one of those "in person, hands on" businesses you mention. The differences in how we approach planning our futures are quite stark.

As for the other ideas you're inviting, I'd say there are possibly additional ways to monetize an artist's online presence - as opposed to merely selling access to an portion of your site, you could sell advertising or sponsorships if your traffic was sizeable (or niched just right, too).

Thinking of all the times I heard well-meaning speakers at very important conferences say that the future of the music business is selling merch.

But I don't want merch! I don't want t-shirts, not even by my favorite artists in the world. I want the music! Just the music, thanks. Nothing else.

I don't need to watch the performers stare at their hands on stage. Don't need to crowd into a room with thousands of other people just to hear it.

I just want the music.

And I'm happy to pay for it if I love it.

You can write a blog.

And put ads on your blog.

If you don't want to tarnish your artist cred by putting ads into your artist blog, then start a separate site that's dedicated to chronicling how you are "making it" with your music, with more of "today this is what I learned about music business" or "learn from my mistakes, don't do this" type tone.

I suppose Derek, you don't feel the need to monetize your blog, huh?

ari

> I suppose Derek, you don’t feel the need to monetize your blog, huh?

No way. No commercial intentions, here.

Multiple bands? Works for a lot of the 80s hair metal guys. There are about 5 versions of Ratt on tour at any given time.

And, if you're Gene Simmons, you just dress people up like your character and have 5-6 versions of Kiss touring, without anybody even knowing... ;)

Seriously, good advice. There are only so many hours in the day and you can only play so much.

But...unlike somebody who gives massages for a living, and can only do one person at a time, there ARE ways for musicians to reach more people, or at least make more money, with the same work. Bigger venues, higher ticket prices, etc.

With that said, it's always a smart idea to have multiple streams of income. You never know when one of them is going to go away...

Remember mp3.com? How many bands quit their jobs when mp3.com started handing out money for giving away music? It was great while it lasted, but more of a "money maker" than a real business.

And Ebay just stopped selling "digital delivery" products. There are plenty of folks, not unlike musicians, who were making a good living doing this, but are now scrambling for another way to deliver their goods.

Fax blasting, spam, K-Mart, etc... I could go on and on about how things in business change, so "hours for dollars" or not, it's always good to think ahead and branch out.

CD Baby is actually a perfect example of this. Physical CDs are not what they used to be, so CD Baby has added digital options. And knowing Derek, I'm sure that's only the beginning.

To add to your list, Derek, any kind of merch is good. I know guys selling more t-shirts than they do CDs. Avril sells more ringtones than singles.

The problem I see with a lot of acts is they feel they have to make a living selling music. That is really shortsighted.

What should happen is what I refer to as "Gas Station Marketing." You get people in with the gas, but the real money is made on cigarettes, beer, porno mags, and candy.

Dear Derek;

I'm so happy you posted this. I don't believe in the " Give your music away and sell your mugs and shirts." Although that thought is strongly supported by some "experts". And, yes, it even works without concerts.

We started Blue Star in 1985. Released 10 Cds as an artist. We also created a huge amount of library tracks that are published all over the world. We are a happy, excited users of CdBaby!! that has enabled us to deliver music to our fans worldwide. A little story: In 1991 we made the music for a meditation - book bestseller. Of course they made a video, too. And last year they republished the thing on dvd. Each time we earned, because we didn't give our rights away. So it is all about rights.

This is what all those marketers dream about - Passive income!

Oh - we just started to play live again last year. A few concerts only, as a counterpoint to all the studio work. It's fun and exciting. But we wouldn't like to carry our favorite instruments ( including a big hammond C3 and leslie) to the venues 50 times a year.

See also my little blog .

Thank you for being a real music fan, Derek!

Just because music is free doesn't mean people want to pay more money for a T-shirt.

Just because music is free doesn't mean people will spend extra money to see a show.

Make ringtones

Make your website your virtual merch booth

Sell other peoples merch for a percentage

Book other bands

Sponsorships and endorsements

Reduce expenses

Invest your profits

Begging

As much as I hope with everything in me that people will always pay to support quality artists (musical or other), it is definitely an interesting time to be in this business.

I recently posted about embracing the giveaway/it's-all-promo mentality, but will certainly admit it's not an easy path to follow. I just think it's a reality... startups are competing against staggering odds, and until you have an audience willing to give you their hard earned money it makes sense to me to use the technologies available to get your music to as many people as possible.

Maybe that's the difference. Hmmmm.... keep the free distro as digital, and offer physical product with extra features, artwork, tickets, memberships, whatever, for sale. People that find out about you through free channels will hopefully like what they hear and move on to support you and your musical efforts. That makes some sense.

Argh. No easy answer, to be sure. People have to figure out the best path forward for their own unique situations, I'd say.

Thanks for the feedback.

Michael : the challenge is to make sure the money-making things are actually making music. (So "make ringtones" is good, but "book other bands" is not making music anymore.)

Don't do what I did : accidently let selling music and running a website take over my life full-time until I'm really not making money making music anymore.

I'm assuming you don't want that. :-)

If you give away your music for free, you will only attract CHEAP customers. We are fighting the trend. 10 years ago, people were afraid of giving out their credit card information online. Now they are more comfortable doing so. People are not used to pay for music (radio and TV is sufficient to get you the mainstream stuff) but if you are an indie artist, you really need your audience to pay for your music in order for you to make money with your music. Internet is a great tool to promote and sell your product.

To add more to Derek's list of income-earner:

*How about selling your sheet music?

*Sell your ringtones - http://makeownringtone.com/

I find music industry fascinating.

I just wish I was smarter to come up with more items to list here!!!

In my dream world, there will be plenty of good music everywhere we turn! :) no big record label factory made musicians...

I'll echo what's been mentioned about blogs. There is a lot that independent musicians can learn from pro bloggers, even beyond the standard Ad Sense income stream. Amazon affiliate programs (music-related books, similar artist CDs), downloadable PDFs of "Flagship Content" - and so on.

Since it hasn't been specifically mentioned, offering "podsafe" music is another twist that may sell a few downloads for you.

And for "stay at home musicians" who still want a way to connect with an audience, SecondLife has a fairly active contingent of "live" performance venues where you get paid and have an opportunity to sell your music. I recently attended a virtual listening party featuring some of my music that resulted in an interview, album download sales and lots of hits to my website.

The moral of all this is to think outside the box and diversify your approach to making your music a business, and as Derek says, to maximize the earning potential of the content you are creating (yep, I said content) whether you are physically present or not.

whoa... you haven't been to a live show in YEARS??? What?!?!?

This is sort of a subset of the nice list you have in this article:

Always list your new song titles with your PRO as soon as you write them.

Now in addition to my Rhapsody and Napster pay through CDbaby I'm also receiving gradually increasing FF internet pay (I think FF stands for full featured) for streams at Rhapsody and Napster.

Also, BMI (my PRO) has been paying me for some Satellite radio play on Sirius SPA73 and foreign TV usage.

So if I hadn't registered my titles into BMI, I'd have left all this money on the table (that's being made while I sleep :-)

-Steven

http://www.stevencravis.com

Watch the Zrii video at http://ageless.myzrii.com !

For some reason,

While I’m not entirely certain of how to articulate what I’m feeling, the external ponderings of this Blog entry; seems to cycle less around delivering excellent audio-experiences from the creational aspect.

I don’t know that giving the individual buyer’s many choices is all that different from what happens outside the on-line territory, but somehow, giving them the best choice would defeat all things that you won’t (or don’t) have to do altogether.

People will either prefer the music or they won’t within a few clicks – No rocket science required; but the overall transaction?

Is there a preference on this aspect?

Respectfully & Sincerely,

- Ss

leitung@sekrettscilensce.de

http://www.sekrettscilensce.com

*

admin@filmtvman.com

http://www.filmtvman.com

There all all sorts of ideas the people have. there are so many small business around that you wouldn't believe it. We advertise for lots of them and we give them a real good deal. People really can make a sick purse from a soar's ear!

I confess that the title of this post gave me pause: why *not* have a limit on your income? I mean, if you have enough income to live somewhere and survive and eat, you have enough income to appreciate the world around you and develop relationships with other human beings. So why not say, "right, sorted. Now on to the important stuff."

I guess I'd rather have strict limits on income, so that I'm not so worried about it. So I can go out there and do what I love doing, teaching music and playing music for fun and playing music for fun with other people. All the best parts of my life are completely non-commercial, and I suspect that's true for a lot of other people, too.

Derek..

Just a big thankyou for everything you and your staff have done at CD Baby..As a musican I spent years

playing in clubs and venues run by "promoters" who stipulated that you "must bring 50 people or els you wont get booked again!!"

type thing..It was a totally unnourishing environment to try to be creative..These "promoters" had no interest in what we were doing.

They just wanted money sales on the bar, and tickets..Pay to play was the deal. Finding CD baby was one of the best choices i have ever made in relation to my music. Ok, im not actually selling Physical albums, not many people do, but seeing the digital sales and the countries that people listen, is really inspiring...and pushes you on...because as musicians we dont know when to stop, when to quit..its like "heres my right arm"...I want to thank you personally Derek, and your staff, for making it possible to "get signed" by yourself, and to sell music just like the big boys...success is being able to make the music and to play it..nothing more..and if it takes off great..if not CD baby is always there to encourage and nourish..and for that alone..we thankyou.

Peter Belsten

Manchester uk

How can people expect musicians to give their music (= work) away for free?

Did Bill Gates did give away thousand of computers for free to get people interested in buying his products?

WOULD YOU TAKE ON A JOB WHERE INSTEAD OF GETTING A PAY CHECK YOU HAVE TO INVEST MONEY AND TIME AND CREATIVITY?

In New York it is exactly the opposite: The live gigs cater CD and download sales. There's no money in the "regular" performing business.

How does an indie artist get our great songs to a person (like George Strait or Celine Dion) to hear what we've written? Are there agents

for this?

I can hear George Strait singing one I wrote called

FOR THE TIME BEING (you can hear the whole song @ music at jacque.cc)

and Celine Dion singing WHAT YOU WERE BORN TO DO (listen and

be inspired . . . )

but I have no clue as to how to even get it to someone who'd

give it a listen (except you, Derek).

By the way, I have loved CD baby from the moment I signed up...

those 85 folks you have are AMAZING!

I have found that indie musicians don't venture into the other side of the business like publishing, When I am off the road from touring I teach guitar, and there are a lot of young fans who would buy a song book of my songs.There are many software programs to aid in writting your own music books to sell at your show, or you could pay some one to transcribe your music. I f you add photos like the big companys do ,you can sell it at the same price they sell at around $23.00. One fan told me to write a chap book to sell at $5.00. Although the music is free these days , who was it that said every time you see someone with a bottle of water they paid $2.00 for, think why would someone pay a premium for some thing that is free.

nice

Mike,

You're obviously a thoughtful guy, but you've made some unwarranted leaps in logic here:

>> the price of recorded music is undeniably headed down.

>> It’s cheaper to produce, distribute, and promote music.

>> How can you justify $1 a song or even $10 for a digital album?

Music's value doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the cost of production. Just because I can create music in my den doesn't mean that a dollar a song is unreasonable. That's wishful thinking on your part. The real issue here is: "what's the music worth?" If you create great music, the only people who won't be willing to pay a dollar a song are those who feel its OK to STEAL the music instead. That's a problem of conscience, not a market problem. When you combine this with the fact that there's no need to buy albums anymore, and most people just buy the songs they like...i.e., purchases are VERY narrowly targeted, my argument is only strengthened.

>> For better or worse an iPod can hold 10,0000 songs.

>> $1 x 10,0000 doesn’t scale.

Again, this is a false assumption. First of all, capacity doesn't equal demand (unless it's accompanied by a complete lack of personal taste and discernment). It's almost as if you're looking to dump on the musicians... putting the burden on them because larger storage capacity is cheap and accessible. Also, I'm not sure what exactly is on your iPod...but mine has a blend of music, video, podcasts and audiobooks. Podcasts are free, video comes from a variety of sources, audiobooks are long and take up a lot of room. So...what happens to your argument about capacity then? And that's even without mentioning the music on my iPod (a LOT of it) that was offered for free by artists who give away a cut or two in exchange for some free publicity.

>> Combine that with a generation (or 2) who has grown up with the

>> concept of free music, and we’ve got some problems for the old model.

Aye, and there's the rub. Everyone wants to make excuses for the fact that people like to steal music. No, it's not possible to put the genie back in the bottle. But it's also not acceptable to defend or accomodate them, either. What IS important is to spend more time educating people on the inanity of the argument that stealing the work of others is OK. The fact is, this expectation that its OK to steal is a LEARNED BEHAVIOR. Instead, we should begin to teach young kids about the morality that holds our culture together. There will always be bad behavior. Should we jail people who steal music and movies? No, I think that's a bit extreme except in the most egregious cases (i.e., those who profit financially from their theft). But neither should we excuse them.

>> Just because consumers would pay $15 for a cd in 1995,

>> doesn’t mean that’s the the appropriate price for an album today.

>> Heck, maybe music was never meant to be monetized.

"Meant to"? Not sure what that's supposed to mean. If you want to create music as a fulltime volunteer, more power to ya. But it's foolish to say to all those with musical gifts that they have to work for free, or nearly free...just because you want to speculate that it may not have been "meant to" be a for-profit venture. Arguments like that only drive sane people away, and result in less music and lower-quality music for all of us. Many kinds of music (and the lives of the musicians who create it) do not lend themselves to live performance, touring or swag. It's insane to suggest that they don't deserve to be paid for work if they are creating music that people want.

More on this matter:

http://chuckbrown.com/music-file-sharing/index.html

I love this idea of T. Harv Eker-- to "never place a limit on your income". I was in OfficeMax a few months ago and picked up his book off the shelves and couldn't put it down. That was the one quote that I walked away with, and it follows my life transitions from a focus on live performance and daily work to writing projects, consulting, and music library productions and placements. That one sound bite has stayed with me, and it's become my litmus test for anything new career activity that I may consider. There is nothing greater than living out ALL your dreams in this lifetime!

Thanks for starting this blog, Derek! (And congratulations to you for the 10th anniversary celebration of CDBaby!)

Great post...I have a blog on a related topic here:

http://natassjanoctis.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/money-music-and-madness/

Basically that blog was inspired by certain people (other "musicians") in the "underground"/indie level who are giving away everything for free and treating those who still sell CDs / downloads as "sell-outs". Some even think taking money for live shows is "wrong".


This is not just about “stay at home musicians”.

The fact is, depending on what type of musical art you produce, you may or may not be able to even get a live show in an area which is accessible to you, so selling downloads and CDs is the only way to get your music out to those who appreciate it.

Example: an artist whose "style" is popular in certain parts of the world, but not in their local area may not be able to travel overseas for small shows, but their CD can get there.

I am encouraged by the fact that there are folks who are making music, not doing much in the way of performance, and still managing to make a buck or two. Having an outlet for product is important.

Inexpensive and easily accessible digital down loads of single tunes seems like a marketer/musician's dream come true. Not wanting necessarily (or believing it is possible) to get rich from one's creative endeavors, but wanting to get 'something' is OK, I say!

Little 'somethings' can add up.

Teach... Music, Musical Performance, Music Production, Musical Conception, Music as a Business, Music Appreciation, Songwriting...

Teaching someone else to think or make music keeps your mind and entity inside music. If students get in the way of composition, then go sell merchandise... I prefer "Symphonies of Place"... See - The Listening Book

I agree with this

i believe the 'live 360 madonna deal' has made a big culture impact

each band, each artist, is a one by one case scenario

being awesome to your fans seems to be the mojo

also consistency - not to sound like a know nothing - ani defranco and jeff tweedy, of wilco and uncle tupelo, have a lot of records out, so does 10 other really fantastic artists i can name.

but i'll you this flat out - selling t-shirts out of your Van with CD's is REALLY REALLY important

so this talk is the dreaded 'biz' rearing it's fugly noggin

milage may vary - add to taste

one more thing:

Derek, when you mentioned that the traditional BMI/ASCAP type broadcast scenario might be out the window now and that some artists exist completely successfully outside that traditional model it was breathtaking - wow the internet has come a long way

and yes, i think that is a valid point of view, but not necessarily for anyone or everyone

that fella from spinart sure took offence with that notion

and this is the whole thing i think - there's the old school elite of the old tiered (ha!) label system and then there's what CDbaby accomplished. (survive baby, survie, keep recording and gigging)

People say so much stuff off the cuff, but man, Derek you have been really consistent with making sure the 'baby' delivers day to day.

the only thing to add is this: dude the old system doesn't probably apply to you so in looking at new ideas and stuff, carefull that thinking they got is but corporate thinking - and where would you have gotten with that

the only new area is internet TV and now cell phone TV - which i brought up a while ago - it's gonna slice up hollywood - the myth that so many operate on - "i'll get work on a big project while i wait 12 years at the diner" is about to turn to "guess it was all a big cloud in the first place because anyone with a digital camera is making Doc. style programming for $2.50 a cassette"

but, Derek that's $2 per download for video content

great work if you can get it

keep up being different - and don't seek too outlandish voyeurs - instinct is 100% - and wind in the sails means ideas get done - too much success means more hiring - ask Leo Fender 27 buildings later in the year 1963 - he said he got tired of locking the doors at nite.

cheers!

It's all a mystery to me. I always thought it was a good thing to have money not be the most important thing. I have 7 CDs of my original music out and I have probably by now given away as many as I have sold. I sell them through Amazon, CDBaby, IndieRhythm, at gigs, at church bookstores, through myself, and at the benefit concerts we do for very worthy causes (next one is for Smile Train). People tell me my songs touch and change their lives. I have fabulous singers and a choir (Rainbow Peace Choir) who work with me. We do a professional job and people love what we do. I have zero funds to promote anything because what I make goes back into what I do (or to the charities or churches). So -- I'd LOVE not to have a limit on my income -- but umm -- how?

I'm a songwriter...(You've got my CD on CD Baby!)

But, I hate the performing part...I would love to just write songs for someone else...Do you have any advice on how an unknown can get songs to established recording artists? I know you are supposed to send music to publishers or managers...But, how do you get them to listen to your stuff if you are an unknown? Or, if you don't have that "right place at the right time" kind of luck?

Thanks for all you do...you're awesome...:)

learning to be organized with a purpose is harder than learning an instrument. a friend of mine pointed out the fact that i was talented, driven and certainly tenecious but where was i going? he told me to sit down set goals and make a map somewhat like a state and use your goals as the cities be it big or small. make your main goal the capitol of you map and then figure out how to get there... so i did this and i changed direction here and there but always going toward my "capitol". the other thing i learned doing this was control of my career instead of whining about pirates, bad management, agents, club owners etc. i took control of my direction and i refused to let anything get in my way. i always do something for my career everyday. i check that completed effort off the list and move to the next. in time you look back over all the things you have done and you'll be amazed on how much you have accomplished. i don't worry about what that band does or doesn't do or what that person says or does. i care about what i am doing and listen to my own intuition and i've learned to follow it. if i say i'm going to do something i write it down and commit to it right then and there...be it on a napkin, newspaper etc. i have a contract with myself and i can't break if i do i'm letting myself down. in closing thanks derek for all your help and these words of wisdom have provoked me to do more for myself! Lightnin' Willie

derek i think i shoud invite you to travel !

we could cross the sahara with an thrown away old mercedes bus(did this 3 times)drive a 750$ ford aerostar down the panamericana and more(37'000 miles with no money to start just playing,thats what i just did.)drive a given motorcycle to rumania change it with a horse and ride back(i 'd like to do).get on bikes to anywhere(do it once in a while).or sail a free old 1970' plastic sailboat around the world.(i'm shure there 'll be the time i do that)

just think of the things you would like to do if there wouldn't be money.

freezze all yor access to money and hit the road!

p.s. you came naked you will die naked!

Derek,

I'm frustrated. My latest CD for children has just won Parent's Choice Gold, and Grand Prize in the Great American Songwriting contest for one of the tunes on this CD (2 other songs won top honors, as well). I also did everything I could think of to maximize my CD Baby page -- but my CD's aren't selling AT ALL on CD Baby. WHY WHY WHY? They sell elsewhere - although not as much as I would like -- both digitally and physically. I just don't understand.

I know this is not exactly the topic of this blog, but I need some marketing help or something.

Thanks.

For shame that you haven't been to a concert in years. There are plenty of local shows to attend and lots of good local talent in your area. Yes its great to check out the cd and all that jazz, but I've bought more cd's at shows because I enjoyed the live music that was playing. I don't want people to stop playing shows and just make music to sell on the internet. Don't limit yourself on what/how you sell. Do everything you can to sell. Sell shirts/cds/crap at live shows and your online retail stores to finance your career in music.

That only works if you are a talented musician and performer. If you suck at either, I would just keep it as a hobby.

Derek,

Thanks for the e-mail that brought me to this page. I'm a working singer-songwriter in Nashville, have had some songs cut by major artists along with a couple of record deals of my own, do 80+ dates annually to support my own recording efforts and I try to keep my eyes open for opportunities to get these songs out there.

Your essays are valuable tools for any of us who are pursuing popular music as a profession. Your writings help to confirm our hunches regarding what we've thought we might be right about all along, and prompt us to consider additional concepts we otherwise would not have recognized. You're so on target when you say it ought to be fun, or we shouldn't do it.

Keep up the good work, and congratulations on your success.

Davis Raines

Any chance you could put a "donate" page into the Hostbaby template? That way you'd help us set up a way to let fans donate to our budgets, etc.

"For better or worse an iPod can hold 10,0000 songs. $1 x 10,0000 doesn’t scale. Combine that with a generation (or 2) who has grown up with the concept of free music, and we’ve got some problems for the old model."

I would reply, just because a generation thinks that music should be free doesn't mean that will support the continued creation of music by anyone other than independently-wealthy dilettantes. So if that "music should be free" generation wants to listen to albums by Donald Trump and Steve Forbes, or maybe the emo stylings of Bill Gates, terrific.

Otherwise, they better stop devaluing the product of bands they are supposedly "fans" of.

My feeling is that 15 bucks just isn't that much money for a good product, and I've never questioned the price on any CD that actually had good songs and quality packaging. What I don't like is when someone tries to give me a home-burned CD in a paper Office Max sleeve for "free", and then asks if I can spare a "donation". If you aren't going to create a quality product, don't expect anyone to pay for it.

I agree that only CHEAP people will quibble about the price of a CD from an indie band. I have had this conversation on occasion with customers who say, "oh you can make a CD for a dollar, so why is it 15 bucks?" -- and then I ask them how many songs they will write for me for a dollar, how many rehearsals they will go to for a dollar, and if I can come to where they work and ask them for freebies. That usually makes the point.

My policy -- and I do events as well as producing CDs -- is that you should always set the price high enough that you not only create "perceived" value (remember, easy girls are popular, but only until the boys get tired of them); but also that high price allows you room to create sales commissions for people who hawk for you, also allows you to do time-sensitive "discount" promotions that boost sales during slow periods, also allows you to tell people if you buy the first 2 CDs I'll give you the new one for free. There's that word, FREE. Even FREE can have value if you make it worth something, but if FREE is your starting point then you don't have a business, you have a hobby.

Hobbies are fine things. But even hobbyists should find a way to support their habit, and the way to do that is to figure out what it costs you to make something, and then make sure you "mark it up" enough to pay for the next one you want to make.

The best guys at this sort of "cash basis" thinking were the old vendors that used to work on the (now sadly departed) Maxwell Street Market in Chicago. Those guys knew exactly what it cost them for everything they had on their little table in the Market, and they knew what price to start at to get the REAL price they wanted so that at the end of the day they had nothing left to carry home and enough money in their pocket to pay their rent, buy food, and get supplies for next week's market.

And all those CDs you give away (to radio, to booking agents, to those select few lucky fans)? You figure them into the cost of the ones you sell, so you're not really giving them away, they're advertising, and built into the per-unit cost of the ones you sell.

The idea that you give away CDs to get people to come to shows was started by jam bands, and that is a unique market where the live show is a boutique product -- every show is different, because, well, it's a jam band.

And out of the thousands of jam bands out there, you probably could count on two hands the number that have made that model work. For most bands, if you can break even on merch after you count all the shirts you give away to hotties or radio people or as raffle prizes, you're doing pretty good. You NEED to make money on CDs and, if you're lucky enough, on publishing if you can manage to get your stuff pitched for commercials or soundtracks. The music is the product, and the only way to consistently monetize it is to record it and put it on CDs or sell the digitized downloads.

The fact that people will rip those CDs and "distribute" them is not justification for dropping the price, it's justification for RAISING the price.

There are old LPs I have that I bought PRIMARILY because the artwork on them was too cool not to have. A download doesn't include that element in its fully realized form, and certainly a ripped pass-along track doesn't.

Nobody says you HAVE to make money making music, but why would you assume that if people appreciate what you do that they wouldn't be willing to reimburse you for your effort?

I love the zoo and might volunteer there once a month to help out, but I certainly wouldn't work there as hard and as often as I work on music production and not expect there to be some money coming back. I agree that there is such a thing as a "pure artist" who just does what they do because the MUST, but for gosh sakes even Michelangelo had patrons (the evil Borgias) who made it possible for him to just paint.

I don't think that it's too much to ask the P2P generation to support the creation of more music by at least selectively spending their money on it.

I do think that with $4 a gallon gas sure to look quaint in a few more years, the "give away music to support live touring" model is not going to be workable much longer. (And I've been on the bad end of the "don't want to pay the cover" argument as well, so it seems there is always someone who doesn't want to pay).

Seems to me that if someone wants your music for free, they should be giving up something for free as well -- maybe a massage? hee

As a non touring live performing artist I absolutely agree. I'm not into performing live and selling CDs at shows. My focus is on songs and recordings. Let me tell you that every time I get a check in the mail from BMI for a couple of instrumental pieces I co-wrote that got placed in t.v. & film soundtracks

it puts a smile on my face. I LOVE the concept of my songs out there working for me in any capacity, 24/7/365 days a year, that will bring an income to my door without me leaving my house. Or my bed. That's a beautiful thing. Actually that's where it's at for me.

p.s.,

I'm hoping I can start getting the word out about my new release on CD Baby "Life Begins..." by being able to garner a "we recommend" nod in the new release section of the CD Baby home page.

The suspense is killin' me!

In the past two years my concentration has been on composing and I'm still

writing every day now. I 'm elated that my songs are well received and I get

so much encouragement and support from so many.

I am open to more income that would not effect my free time and limited teaching.

I have so many songs now that I want to share , but I'm always highly critical

of everything I write and play and perhaps this prevents me from really going

all out all the way.

My "ongoing " goal is to produce more and eventually record ALL of my

music for piano solo ( over 1000 works ...yikes!!! I truly am mad !)

I want my circle of influence to be effective and certainly don't want to

harm anyone along the way.

Wealth has never been my 'raison d'etre" , Power ? What would I do with that? So I just have songs .

Having people like my work is great wealth but having the green kind would

certainly be welcomed . Living a life of absolute luxury and ostentatious

extravagance may get boring after awhile.... but shucks....I could try it for a while.

wow derek.

i like 'get famous fast'. nice grooves.

i can hear that musta been some head space you were in!! mister cd baby! best of luck in your new endeavors!

Over the years I have noticed that my music merchandise sells more & more, while live concert venues, particularly festivals, are drying up because most people are staying home to be entertained (whether by CD, TV, book, magazine, DVD, computer or staring out a window). Most live music concert halls & theatres in my region of the country were at capacity 15 years ago & now roughly only a quarter full even for recognizable names. So merchandise becomes very important. I used to perform every weekend, but now focus more on merchandise.

One of the music styles that I specialize in is Renaissance and Celtic music. I have a masters degree in Art Ed. So, I thought, "Why not put my music & art together in some way?" So, to supplement my music merchandise income, I now offer Renaissance & Celtic inspired art at the CD table (& on my website, in galleries, & on-line communities). At one concert last year, over half of the audience was made up of people I knew from the visual arts community (patrons & other artists). That was a big (& pleasant) surprise! When I was a full time performer & putting all of my eggs into music, I never had that kind of audience.

It's a video world, we have passed that inflection point. So I would add:

Think about why you like certain videos, then make your own.

Sell DVDs, not just CDs and mp3s.

Promote through video sites like youtube. You can perform all over the world without leaving your house.

Give away what fans ask for, like covers of certain songs, but ask them to pay for your own music.

Learn to collaborate over the internet. The other serious people are out there to be found, and they can be anywhere in the world.

WOW! I was encouraged and motivated by what these articles of enlightenment had to say, especially the about being specific. I really enjoyed the reading and I believe I picked up some nuggets of insight. Thanks for the words of wisdom!

Wow! I can't beleive I just spent a whole lot of time reading all the responses to one simple idea... some were very useful and thoughtful, but man the main point is so easily missed sometimes!

Seriously dudes... your instrument is your key to joy - that's why you are a musician. If you don't want to play live, then why are you a musician?

Get up every morning and spend some time with your joy, honor it the way it honors you. Run scales, start improving slow to capture your mood... then 30 minutes later, start writing or reworking your tunes. You can do this with the same 1 hour EVERY DAY that you waste "promoting" your music on the computer or staring at another electronic advice. The virtual world is called virtual for a reason.

The gift was given to you, now use it. Success will be defined on the terms you choose. Enough said.

Hi Derek, I was at that very conference where the lady yelled to your face about piracy! Man o man...i too felt she was waaaay to heated up over it. I also met you briefly after that panel :) Just out of curiousity, how DO people die from pigs? Lol.. regardless, I thought it was a very poignant comment.

Derek: Thankyou for the inspiration in these essays. I am seeking ou lyric

writers for melodies/ guitar arrangements I have already composed ( although I would also be interested in writing melodies for poems already written); especially songs written in languages other than english. Any ideas?

shelleyorbach@gmail.com

Thanks. That's awesome advice.

Derek, thanks for the stupid brainstorm warning.

I am in process of doing most of these ideas... it is the work in the front end you know?

This is where I need to ask for more help.

Mykel

I hope that one day the two can go hand in hand: free music and paid for digital music.

I must admit, I have "stolen" my fair share of music. That doesn't mean that I don't continue to buy music. I can name 4 artists in the past couple years that I initially "stole" or was provided with a "stolen" copy of their disc and ended up enjoying the artist so much that I have bought their next few (or back cataloged) albums AND attended their shows! If it wasn't for the internet, I never would've heard Ben Kweller, Ryan Adams, Mason Jennings or Fountains of Wayne.

There is SOOOOO much competition musically out there now. With the economy in the rut it's in, I feel much more comfortable being able to get acquainted with an artist before I drop $10-15 on their album... or go see them live. There's always going to be jerks that steal everything (remember making mix tapes from radio broadcasts?) but if the music is good enough, you'll shine through.

This ties in more with the other blog about Pigs + Sharks, but I think the message is the same. Don't make excuses. Just keep doing your thing. I'm going to keep trying to sell discs/mp3s, keep trying to get songs licensed for TV/Film and keep on doing shows. One day it should pay off... if it's really "good enough"

YES. We must remember that what we're ALWAYS offering (and were all along) is an EXPERIENCE. We must define who our 'ideal fan' (or 'client') is, and once we do, we'll be making more money, more music, having more fun, more time, and getting to the people who want us most!

I agree with Dave Hooper that multiple streams of income are a good idea, but I have found that they have to be related streams of income to really work best. I know I'm going to misquote it, but there's an anecdote about chasing two rabbits at once, and both of them getting away, that really applies if you're too broad in your multiple pursuits. PASSION must always be first. You can filter in with other semi-passions around it (IMO).

DEREK SIVERS DESERVES AN AWARD FOR LISTENING TO US ALL. JUST WISH TO SAY THAT I HAVE GIVEN A LOT MORE THOUGHT OF WHICH DIRECTION I SHOULD BE GOING IN AFTER READING YOUR BRAINSTORM THING AND OTHER NOTES.

SO DEREK TONIGHT I HAVE DECIDED TO SEND AWAY FOUR SONGS FOR FILM/TVPURPOSES TO BEVERLY HILLS. SAW THE AD IN THE SONGWRITER MAGAZINE AND I SHALL 'DO MORE' OF WHAT I CAN DO AND LESS OF WHAT I CAN'T.

THANK YOU FOR THE INSPIRATION TO KEEP GOING. JUST AS WELL I KNOW THAT MOST MUSICIANS, SONGWRITERS ALWAYS GO THROUGH A PHASE OF GIVING UP OR CAN'T BE BOTHERED.

NOT ANY MORE!!!!!!!

SO I SHALL FOLLOW THE 'DREAM' I HAVE ALWAYS HAD OF HAVING ONE OR SOME OF MY SONGS WHICH WERE RECEIVED MOSTLY IN DREAMS SINCE THE EARLY SEVENTIES, USED FOR FILM OR TV ANYWHERE!!!

AND I HAVE LOOKED AT SOME MATERIAL I HAVE IN THE HOUSE WHICH I CAN CONVERT FROM TAPE TO CD. THIS MATERIAL WAS PUT TOGETHER IN LONDON IN 1984 AS A PRACTICE WHEN I WAS PUTTING SONGS ON TAPE FOR THE ELDERLY AT MY AUNT'S REQUEST. SO MAYBE THIS IS WHAT I SHOULD BE DOING. YOUR NOTES MADE ME THINK I WAS NOT 'DOING' ENOUGH OF WHAT I COULD DO.

AND BY THE WAY I CAN STILL MANAGE TO GIVE HEALING BUT NOT AS A BUSINESS BUT WHO KNOWS I HAVE ALWAYS WISHED TO HAVE A MUSICAL HEALING CENTRE WHERE ONE CAN SIT AND DRIFT AWAY TO MY VOICE AND MUSIC-JUST A DREAM!!!!

WHEN I WA MAKING THE MUSIC I WAS ALTERNATING ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE LECTURES WITH THE RECORDING AND ALSO HAVING TREATMENT TWICE DAILY AND WORKING TILL 5 A.M. LIKE A MADWOMAN-BUT I SPENT MOST OF THE MONEY I HAD TRAVELLING TO PARIS PAINTING AND TAKING FRIENDS UP THE EIFEILL TOWERE-MAYBE I WILL BUY IT ONE DAY-HA. HA. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU-WHATEVER IT IS AND MAY IT ALSO BE WITH ME!!

I appreciate these posts! Can anyone point me in the direction of how to get my music set up with digital distribution? I have been making music and pressing cd's for years but unfortunately have no internet/computer skills. Any advice or help at all would be big. Thanks!

Hi Derek,

I just wanted to say I think you've done an amazing and wonderful thing with CD Baby, and thank you. Thank you also for the continuing stream of excellent advice and inspiration. We haven't put all your advice to work yet, but we already feel more successful just being able to tell people we're on CD Baby and iTunes. I've been in "the business" since I started playing bass for a country band when I was 13. Now I'm (ahem) older and I work full time as an RN in a Portland hospital, but our first CD got such a good response, we're working on #2 and I may have to cut back to three days a week at the hospital. Anyway, thanks again. You're awesome.

Ya know, anytime I listen to you, Bob, or Ariel, I end up having to have my notebook next to me and writing down all these things I have to add to my to-do list that day with little cartoon light bulbs next to them. Great idea about getting fans to remix your material, and about making it easy for fans to donate. ching!

Hi Derek,

When you sent me the link to these articles, my first thought was "Wow, good for him, he is successfull, my second thought was, "Didn't we start at around the same time ?:)" and that led to how come I'm not making any money yet.. hmm. So I've been reading, and the synchronicity of what you have chosen to share with everyone myself included is unbelievable. It still remains to be seen what has been put into motion since your helping me with empowerment took effect. I'll keep you posted ! But for now. Just a thank you. All I have to repay in kind are the tunes I"m given. I hope your still enjoying them, as much as I"m enjoying spreading around Cdbaby everywhere I leave a spark of light. To beaming brightly in forward momentum always.. and easy awakening.. CHEERS

love

h

I like all of the tips. It is true that you can make money while sleeping. I don't know how many times I have waken up in the morning, check my cd sales on cdbaby and have sold a few units.

I really THANK Derek for cdbaby. My largest fan base is now Japan because of cdbaby and the Japanese Music Buying Public being able to order my cds online. I can only imagine if I would of had cdbaby in the very start of my 17 year rap career.

http://www.cdbaby.com/llove

Derek,

I have been weighing the difference between the Record label side and the Indie side. I know as far as the thinking of the label is concerned I am to old to make it in music and I am not sexy but the other way besides the Indie track is Taxi.

If I had a lot of money I could find what's known as an A or B - a promoter that would get it done - the CD selling on CD Baby played on the radio but if you join Taxi and work really hard to get a forward you can get exposure and then that will sell the CDs selling on CD Baby.

I wish there was a web site to put your music up on where listeners would hear your music. The reason they don't is because there are so many artists the listeners never listen to yours.

Today, l find my self a hopeful place,in cd baby stores where all is possible about marketing,publicities and money as time ....., but l cant forget those places in europe where l was clearly discriminated for colour, they told me that money is ment for the europeans only not for blacks like you roland jackson

Hi Frank. "Please advise."? sive.rs/get-specific

All great advices! Modern, uncomplicated and realistic to achieve.

I can't tell you how many times I've discussed this article with others. It's so applicable. Derek, you da man. Please keep writing.

i especially like...

---

(#67) Mark Easley had some great promotion ideas.. worth repeating..

"Sell DVDs, (not just CDs and mp3s.)

Promote through youtube.

Give away what fans ask for, like covers of certain songs, but ask them to pay for your own music."

---

seems like a really good direction to take..

Create a remarkable physical product that goes along with your album. Something your fans can't not have!

The "franchise your band" part do not know if it is a joke or not but it is funny ☺

As I type this the news is about escalating "outing" of powerful male sex predators. Meanwhile some of the comments here, and of course in the adjoining post, refer to piracy. I think some people have a vested interest in twisting their brains to believe whatever is convenient for them to believe.

I don't think males before puberty think that girls deserve to be exploited. I don't think a group of people chosen at random will believe in piracy as much as the pirates do.

I pick my friends for valuing honesty over comfort and convenience, which means my circle of friends includes no twisted people. That sure eases my life.

Meanwhile, Derek, I like how your list is long. Sometimes creativity is the willingness to keep going, rather than stop at the first idea. You us set a good example.

thanks for sharing your information
http://labekhandoon.com

Derek,
I see your list is gone, at the end of your post,
because...
you write to last far into "whatever decade."
Good for you.

I have little time for social media, and I never go into social archives, because the people writing it don't care about the next week, let alone the next decade.

"That which is written without effort is read without pleasure."

Please keep setting us an example in excellence.

Scalability is great

"suddenly famous" is the trickiest part

What if giving people massages is what excites me and fills me with energy? Should I still be a toy maker because it makes the most financial sense?