The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Music Business

Introduction

It’s tough trying to make a buck in the music business. Heck, it’s tough trying to make a buck in any business, but the music business is particularly challenging. That’s at least partially because most musicians would rather be playing than doing business stuff.

Hey, I know how it is. You see a contract or hear somebody talking about points and percentages and you start fantasizing about playing your next big gig. But if you snooze, you lose—and in our business, that could mean giving up some big bucks. So it pays to pay attention, and to run your music like a real business.

Now not every musician needs to have Donald Trump-like business skills. If all you do is play an occasional weekend gig for grins and beer money, that’s cool. ...