When Songs Mean Business

Today's episode is an edit from the first class in my new course, Understanding Money in Music. In this episode, you'll hear my story, the data that got me interested in studying the business of music, and you'll hear me dissecting a bunch of problems that I encounter when I'm working closely with musicians on their businesses and taxes. In this episode I begin to explain the four different industries in the music business and why a musician's tax return is more complicated than a lot of other businesses. You'll hear from a few of my students, and stay tuned at the end for a guided meditation on leadership.

On today's episode of When Songs Mean Business, Steph and her guest Clare Maloney sit down to copyright Clare's new album, Daybreaker. What happened during this episode was challenging, confusing, and by the end of it, very empowering. Like Clare says here, there's something really special about stamping your name on a piece of intellectual property.

Welcome to Season 2 of When Songs Mean Business! 

On today's episode I am chatting with Andy Reed, a recording engineer, producer, singer, songwriter, and musician from Bay City, MI. He owns and operates his own recording studio called Reed Recording Company. Throughout his 24 year career, Andy has worked with hundreds of artists as a touring musician and in the recording studio, including a couple of my favorites, Brendan Benson and The Verve Pipe. Andy explains the different ways to mic, track, and record things, what a producer can bring to an incomplete song, how artists can evolve to sound different on every album, and how to relax into your creativity. We discuss his entrepreneurial journey over the past 16 years, what it's like to have a studio at home, and of course, what he's been listening to lately. I loved this conversation and I hope you do too.

Please give us a follow on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for video versions and clips of these episodes, and as always feel free to email me with questions, links are in the show notes. 

Today's episode is a masterclass in copyright law and protecting your music assets. I'm chatting with attorney Cynthia Katz, and she is a wealth of knowledge on how the system works, and what you need to do to protect yourself. If you're writing original music, getting hired for sessions, writing songs, or playing covers, you need to hear this episode. 

How to Reach Cynthia: 

Today I'm talking to professional musician turned financial planner. Justin Powell.  Justin is a classically trained musician who discovered rock music and went on to perform with some of the best musicians in the improvisational jam band rock scene. He was a core member of The Mantras for many years, helping them run their festival. and he's also very active in the Asheville music scene, setting up cool events like the Soul Jazz jam and playing with Blue Bop, a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones tribute band. Justin and I talk about entrepreneurship, planning festivals, being alcohol-free, tips on how to control anxiety, financial management, songwriting, and even more.

** This episode is dedicated to the memory of Kofi Burbridge. As you'll hear in the episode, Kofi gave Justin a piece of advice that changed the course of his life, and without him, this podcast episode wouldn't be here. Kofi was an absolutely brilliant musician who played with more soul than the stage could handle. I have so many fond memories of dancing barefoot in the field of a festival while Kofi poured it all out on stage. To honor his legacy, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi created the Kofi Burbridge Music Matters Fund in partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation to increase access to instruments and music programs for thousands of youth across the country. 

To support this cause, please click here: 

Today I am chatting with Rasha Shaker, a music marketing professional living in Nashville. Rasha has worked with brands, bands, music festivals, venues and more to design strategic marketing plans, and she's currently pursuing an MBA in Music Business at MTSU. She has helped a touring artist generate over a million dollars in sales, and she lead a marketing campaign with a 14x return on ad spend. But as impressive as these things are, she's so much more than that. 

As is usually the case with my podcast, we ended up talking about the human stuff - fitting in to a complicated world when you're neuro-divergent, VR and music in the metaverse, race and gender diversity in country music, and much more. Rasha is an incredibly bright mind with a huge heart for empathy and I strongly encourage everyone to hear what she has to say about neurodiversity in music and making room for people with disabilities at your table.

As always, feel free to reach out via email if you want to chat about any topics in this episode. 

Key Moments: 

02:48 - Neuro-diversity, what does that mean? 

09:34 - Calling out microaggressions and flight vs fight vs freeze

17:13 - Passion for music meets passion for diversity inclusion

24:07 - People can exist in these spaces and it doesn't need to threaten your identity.

36:19 - VR as a technology that helps people with disabilities enjoy music

42:50 - What Rasha's been listening to lately (with an interlude - Ode to Lady Gaga)

57:14 - Why companies should hire neuro-diverse individuals to solve their problems

1:01:32 - Turn yourself up to 11 and be unapologetic

Follow Rasha: 

Today's episode is so full of incredible production and recording and songwriting information from my friend Jake Rye. Jake owns a recording studio in Michigan called Social Recording Company and was a member of the Grammy nominated band Sanctus Real for several years. We talk about his path into music and all the things he learned along the way, from being in a publishing deal to self-employment, parenthood, and much more. Buckle in - this is a long one and there's a lot of good stuff in the back half of the episode, so try to stick around till the end.

Key Moments: 

2:30 - The grow-up story

14:30 - 150 shows a year

19:41 - Losing a pub deal: "it was like we never existed"

25:27 - I never thought I'd have a basement studio but I love it

27:49 - Jake's songwriting process

39:00 - Inspiration comes whenever it wants to

51:00 - What tracks to include in a demo

58:15 - Audio recording is a process of stacking bricks

1:04:30 - Thom Yorke didn't use auto-tune

1:14:21 - Listening to a final mix

1:26:08 - Sync licensing - the money is in advertising

1:29:55 - You don't have to change who you are to be successful

How to Reach Jake: 

Personal website: https://www.jakeryemix.com/

Studio website: https://socialrecordingcompany.com/

How to Reach Us:

Today i'm talking to Senaida Ng, a Toronto native who is studying music at NYU. Senaida is a sound architect, creative entrepreneur and futurist. Through her work as a conscious artist and thinker, she explores the intersection between art and emerging technologies. Classically-trained in piano, she has performed at prestigious concert halls and music festivals across North America including Carnegie Hall and has won multiple national and international music competitions. She currently attends the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU where she founded the Gender Equality in Music Club and is a DJ on WNYU 89.1 FM. She is the founder and CEO of MiSynth, a music-tech startup revolutionizing music creation with the brain. SENAIDA has released two EPs and is currently working on her first full-length NFT album, The Nothing In Between.

Today's episode is about marketing and how you can use your authentic story to create a really tight knit community of fans who buy everything you put out. Connecting with your fans on a deeper level means being vulnerable about the things you've learned, the mistakes you've made, and how you've changed throughout your life. For the first time, I share parts of my story that lead me to where I am today. Music marketing starts with vulnerability, so click play on this episode if you want to learn how to be more open with your fans or clients while building your business. 

Key moments: 

04:58 - The magic in the human element

07:25 - Examples of authentic storytelling

12:34 - The bad things that happen to you do not define you

20:42 - Storytelling on stage and in songwriting

25:14 - Using your story to build your fanbase - the 1000 True Fans Theory

29:23 - How to use a digital marketing funnel in music

35:44 - Creating customer avatars for your 1000 true fans

Resources from this episode: 

Brene Brown Ted Talk on The Power of Vulnerability: https://youtu.be/iCvmsMzlF7o

Cyper PR - How to Identify Your Ideal Fan: https://www.cyberprmusic.com/ultimate-fan/

The Marketing Funnel: https://stephbelcher.com/marketing-funnel

How to Reach Us: 

Today i'm talking to Judeanne Armenti. Judeanne is a 20-year veteran of the music business who has worked in ticketing, finance, and administration at multiple live music promoters on the east coast. During the pandemic, Judeanne started a company called JA Creatives Consulting, where she educates creatives about basic accounting and finance, as well as counseling them on music business practices. Her goal is to dispel the myth that creative people aren't good with math, money, or business. I love this mission so much and it's something I try to teach as well. Judeanne and I both believe that ALL creatives have the skills to navigate the intersection of art and commerce. Judeanne says that with just a bit of knowledge, careers and lifestyles can be improved. All that stands in the way is mindset and practice.

Key Moments: 

04:37 - The Box Office: hub of the venue

13:29 - Judeanne's favorite show ever

16:28 - The myth of the starving artist

23:21 - Taking care of your finances is like learning an instrument

25:55 - Income vs profit and professional or hobby?

30:46 - Doubling your fanbase again and again

35:59 - The musician's musician

38:05 - Using numbers to negotiate your door deals

42:48 - Pricing and selling merch at gigs

54:14 - Judeanne's first musical loves

1:01:00 - How to work with Judeanne

Follow Judeanne: 

Today's conversation is fun and full of laughter and joy. My guest is Erin McLendon, a songwriter and vocalist from Nashville who runs a studio called Music on the Move. Erin is an absolute joy, and our conversation is all about REAL LIFE.

Stick around till the end of the episode to hear Erin's single, Shakin in my boots, and check out the show notes below for more info on how to follow Erin. 

Erin McLendon is a walking, talking poster child for “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.” She believes in love, magic, frolic and play, and she dreams BIG. Her Americana style combines her many musical influences (everywhere from Reba to Queen to Lin Manuel Miranda!) with her wit & wisdom earned by years of honing her artistry in Nashville. In 2020, she launched Music on The Move Studios, with business partner & bandmate Caitie Thompson. The company combines their love of music education and championing the independent female artist through an all-female live concert series, a podcast Paradox Jukebox, and virtual music education studio.

Socials:

Today's episode features a lovely business-centric conversation with Ashley Maietta, a singer and songwriter from Los Angeles. Ashley works in artist management, A&R and publishing, and she has a wealth of knowledge on artist development and marketing for emerging musicians. 

You'll hear us chatting about songwriting and artist development, including her songwriting process, co-writing with others, how to be vulnerable and authentic in a songwriting session, the importance of publishing deals, her involvement with Lullaby Club on Clubhouse, and so much more.

Key moments: 

05:20 - Starting with dancing 

07:35 - What it's like working for a boutique publishing and management company

10:09 - What A&R even means these days

15:36 - Addiction, songwriting, and vulnerability

22:44 - Ashley's songwriting process (with advice from Max Martin)

26:00 - The Triangle of Strengths in a co-writing session

33:06 - 70% Familiar, 30% weird

38:50 - JP Saxe and Lullaby Club

44:20 - Keeping tabs on NFTs and Web3

48:20 - When to sign a publishing deal

Part 1 of 2 - Dutcher Snedeker is a full-time professional musician, working as a keyboardist, session musician, freelance writer, and podcast host on the west side of Michigan. Playing dozens of weddings a year and gigging with a handful of touring bands, Dutcher stays busy and has a lot of spinning plates. In this episode, Dutcher and Steph discuss pricing strategies, creating boundaries around how much you earn, how to raise your rates and you'll hear how to use your own free copy of the Musician's Pricing Workbook. 

On today's episode, Steph is talking with one of her DIME coworkers, Nate Winn. Nate's a versatile drummer and band leader who got his masters in jazz drumming from Berklee College of Music. We dive deep into his story, starting with high school band and his challenges as a late bloomer. He talks about his experience with the Civic Jazz Orchestra in Detroit, and what it was like to audition and play with the legendary jazz band leader Marcus Belgrave. They talk about some huge sacrifices Nate had to make while working toward his dream, and the different mentors who helped him along the way.

Songs mentioned in the episode include: 

Nutville - Horace Silver Quintet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfRSOBqHyPo

Vodville/Drum Solo - Jeff Tain Watts: https://youtu.be/fPpciCh4i0Q

Black Current Jam - Robert Hurst: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNYAuPq-sUNKZtIT0desdQR0rWxK28ZBB

2020 Vision - Jesse Palter: https://youtu.be/Az43uMHwp9c

Standard Time Vol 1 - Wynton Marsalis: https://youtu.be/cDjFy_FZgBc

Children of the Light - Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, & Brian Blade: https://youtu.be/TO5zPbf0SJw

Sensuality - Demetrius Nabors: https://youtu.be/ZPvcFuJ5bRU

Fireball - Tim Bowman: https://youtu.be/oUCRlLw3omQ

This episode dives into Steph's story and her process for establishing and refining the core values that drive her business. You'll hear a little of Steph's self-employment story and her own core values, and some examples of how other music creators are using their core values to create businesses that work for them, not against them. 

Today's episode is Day 2 of our Level Up your Business Workshop from January 2022. In this workshop we are talking about the things we did during the pandemic that helped us keep our businesses afloat or helped us stay in touch with our humanity, and we also start to talk about the things we are going to leave behind as we move into 2022. We dive into pricing strategies for gigs, get a great tutorial on the technology needed for a successful live stream, and share stories from several overworked musicians who are vowing to slow down in this new year. 

What's working for musicians now? In this episode, Steph talks to more than a dozen different musicians and industry reps about strategies they've been using to get ahead. This networking event connected people from Las Vegas, New Zealand, NYC, Michigan, and more. 

As the talent buyer for Audiotree Presents, Nate Dorough is on the forefront of upcoming talent. A collector of music, from bootlegs to tapes to live shows, Nate listens to it all. 

Creator / host of the Here For Now podcast. Vice President of the Michigan Independent Venue and Promoter Association (MIVPA).  Creator of @MichSongs.  Supporter of Michigan music and creativity.  Proud husband, father.  Collector of cassettes and LEGOs.

Get to know everyone's favorite Michigan promoter. 

Key Moments: 

3:19 - The sound of opening a cassette tape

12:42 - The magic of listening parties

19:18 - But *does* Nate listen to music? 

It started with Prince. Sabrina was 7 years old, listening to the "Prince" album when she fell in love with the music that played on the record player. She knew then that she wanted to work in music. 

As a multi-passionate entrepreneur, Sabrina currently operates as General Manager and business partner to 2x Grammy award winning music producer/artist Denaun "Mr. Porter" Porter and their production companies Mr. Porter Production Group & Planit Dope. She also provides marketing and project management services through her business, Earth Tones Enterprises.

Throughout more than 20 years of professional experience, she has climbed the ladder from the ground up in the business, operating in various marketing and sales roles, ending her tenure with the "majors" as a Radio Promotions Manager for Columbia Records. This also included time at BMG and the now defunct "SonyBMG".

Sabrina was also contracted by Paisley Park to develop and execute grassroots promotional plans for Prince projects & tour support. Talk about full circle! She has been instrumental in helping to launch many of the biggest careers in music, of all genres, as well as cool indie artists as Label Manager for Original 1265 Records - owned by the Detroit Institute of Music Education (DIME). She was also employed by ASCAP as an Area Licensing Manager, working on behalf of songwriters around the country. 

As a one-woman juggling act, Sabrina passionately elevates and celebrates the beauty, fun and sometimes quirkiness of womanhood, via her women's lifestyle brand "I. Am. Drama" via her budding small business, the Drama Queen Company.  She is definitely a Jill of all trades!

To connect with Sabrina: https://www.instagram.com/earthtonesent/

Follow When Songs Mean Business on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whensongsmeanbusiness