STANDARD COMPETENCIES:

 

 1.   Identify essential structures and opportunities in the business of music.

 2.   Demonstrate an understanding of the influences of current trends and legacy of past business practice.

 3.   Gain a working knowledge of copyrights, publishing royalties, and contracts.

 4.   Identify roles of major players: management, agent, publicist etc.

 5.   Demonstrate an understanding of recording royalties, contracts and deal structures.

 6.   Demonstrate familiarity with available career planning tools.

 7.   Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the internet and new technologies in the music business.

 8.   Demonstrate an understanding of the contrast between local music business practice and national practice.

 9.   Describe the basic theories for longevity in the music business.

 TOPICAL OUTLINE:

 

 I.      Basics:

         A.      Management (personal)

         B.      Booking Agents

         C.      Local Agents

         D.      Role of Business Manager

         E.      Role of Publicist

         F.      Role of the Producer

         G.      Role of the Music Lawyer

         H.      Role of the Independent Record Promoter

         I.      Role of the Road Manager

         J.      Role of the Concert Promoter

         K.      Role of Personnel Manager (in Classical music)

         L.      Role of Street Teams in Hip Hop

 II.     Copyrights and Publishing

         A.      How to copyright a musical works

         B.      How the copyright laws have been set up and reformed in 1976

         C.      Function of a Publishing Company.

                 1.      mechanicals

                 2.      sheet music

                 3.      musical theater

                 4.      films, TV and commercial advertising

                 5.      Internet

                 6.      reprinting

                 7.      setting up your own publishing company

         D.      Performing Rights Societies, BMI, ASCAP, SESAC

 III.    Record Companies and Record Contracts

         A.      Overview: History and current trends recording tech, distribution, contracts etc.

                 1.      Music storage: cylinder to CD to MP3 to ipod and beyond

                 2.      Distribution, piano roll to the Internet, BIG FOUR to the "Indis"

                 3.      Contracts, changes over the years, point by point analysis

                 4.      Changing role of lawyers in shopping record deals and deal points

                 5.      Advances, recoupable, indemnification clauses, controlled works clauses

                 6.      Guaranteed distribution clauses, guaranteed delivery clauses

                 7.      What every record company should have: distribution

                 8.      Marketing

         B.      Publicist

                 1.      Local and national strategies with press

                 2.      Local and national strategies with TV and radio coverage

                 3.      Local and national publicists available to hire

         C.      Radio's Independent Promoters

                 1.      Clear Channel

                 2.      Cost versus results of independent promoters

         D.      The Internet

                 1.      How to use it/what is available/what is working what is not

                 2.      Sales versus information.

         E.      Distribution:

                 1.      The future of recorded music:  Pro-tool, home studios, internet distribution, itunes

                 2.      The record store.

                 3.      Music as a product versus a service.

         F.      The Development of Career Opportunities:

                 1.      Local organizations, outlets, venues, media.

                 2.      National organizations, companies, and services.

                 3.      Strategies for the development of a music business career.