Why Being a Musician Makes You a Businessman .

Chris Thayer Band; photo by Mike Ingram

Like it or not, being a musician is also about being a businessman. The real choice is you going to be a good businessman or a bad businessman? Are you a charity? Either way, you offer a service in exchange for…what? Money? Recognition? The chance to sell your music? Heck, some of you pay to perform!

Respect Yourself

I’m not going to tell you what kind of business to run, but I can tell you that how you run your band, be it as a solo artist, duo, or full fledges 12 member orchestra, will impact you and your future as an artist. We operate in one of the only business models that people will demand you offer your services for free, all the time. Ask a lawyer to represent you for free and see what response you get. My point is that if your performance is top notch, you should not be doing it for free.You need to stand up for  yourself as a musician and realize you have real value.

The Art Of Negotiation

Just think about all of the expenses you put into your craft…how much return are you getting on your investment? If it’s not financially rewarding, you need to ask yourself why. Have you negotiated the terms with the proprietor of the joint you’re playing at? If not you should be otherwise your need are not being considered.

The art of negotiation is essential when booking gigs. Effective negotiation means that everybody walks away satisfied and everyone’s needs are considered. Your financial concerns are addressed and the club owner’s venue is filled with enough paying customers to make the deal worth his while. Enjoy the process, and work with the other party, not against him, but don’t be afraid to walk away from a gig if your needs are not being met. If you feel like you've been taken advantage of, you have.

Require Adequate Compensation

As a performer myself, I don’t always get paid, but there are still terms to negotiate. Do I get complementary items? Will I get good exposure? These are important considerations. As a solo artist or a duo it’s easier to be compensated; getting a choice spot at the downtown coffee shop on a busy night can translate into a wider audience and even sales if you have merch with you. Getting a bigger mailing list will give you a wider audience to promote to and a chance to build loyal fans, which in turn will turn into profits, if you do your job and follow up with them so sometimes there are benefits for playing free as a new artists, as I've mentioned before.

Ancillary Theorem; Photo by mike Ingram

As a band, now your needs are more complicated. You have 4 or 5 egos with desires and needs that need to be considered now. A good place to start is by first taking stock of what the band requires as individuals and how that will form the needs of the band. What are your ultimate goals with the band?

Every decision you make form this point on needs to consider that long term goal. If it is not furthering that goal, it is hindering it.

For instance, say the local dive bar wants you to play, for free, no drinks. Is it going to help you advance your career? Is that he kind of venue that values talent or are they trying to move drinks with your talent and not compensate you for it? Moreover, are their enough patrons in that bar to broaden the fan base you’re looking for or is that going to set up a dangerous pattern of you playing endless shitty bars with no payoff? Don’t get caught in that trap. These are places you need to avoid. Again, do not be afraid to say no to a gig if there is nothing in it for you. 

Maintain A Healthy Sense Of Self Worth

Again, I can’t tell you what you should value as a band or as a solo artist, only that you need to value yourself enough to demand compensation for your hard work and personal expenses. If you don’t, you will establish yourself as a performer who works for free and can be used by venue owners without reward. There are far too many of you that are far too comfortable being in that position.

Have some respect for yourself, and have some respect for fellow musicians because the more gigs you play for free, the more you hurt the chances of the more serious performers who need to get paid. As a businessman, or entrepreneur if you prefer, you need to decide how you are going to conduct yourself professionally and how your conduct affects others in your profession if you want to be taken seriously.