Check it out...
Here is a great article that I recently came across that I really,
truly believe that you need to read.
What caught my eye about this article is the fact that I recently
spoke to one of my clients about a week ago and he had become the victim
of one of the types of music scams that this article talks about...
Take a look, you'll be glad that you took the two minutes needed to
do so!
The article starts here
***********************************
If you are an inspiring musician or songwriter, you have probably
seen ads claiming to make you a star... for a fee. The truth is that
making your way into the music industry is difficult, and many
scamers have taken created what seems to be the perfect break-in
opportunity. If you have doubts whether an opportunity is
legitimate, there are red flags to look out for.
#1- Be skeptical if you are contacted directly. There are lots of
great artists out there who are sending demos and working hard to
get a label or agent to notice them. If the only thing you have
done is put some samples on your MySpace page and still receive a
letter from an "agent," be suspicious. Pay attention to the wording
of the letter or email and look for specific details, such as names
of songs, that show the person is talking about you, rather than
sending out a mass email.
#2- Be wary of ads promising you a music career if you pay them.
"Nobody can guarantee success", not matter how talented you are.
Legitimate companies will evaluate your work and only offer you a
contract after you have proven you are good. This means you
shouldn't have to pay before you are evaluated.
#3- Use resources like The Industry Yellow Pages over at
http://www.TheIndustryYellowPages.com to find and research
recording studios before you step in and make sure you know exactly
what you're getting for your money. References are especially
important, as they show that the company has had satisfied
customers in the past. If you are given references, contact these
people directly, but also look online to whether they have any real
presence in the music industry.
#4- Use companies such as Taxi, CD Baby or Ty Cohen's Music
Marketing Extreme Program to promote your work. CD Baby will allow
you to sell your already-produced CDs and help you reach potential
record companies through their website. Taxi will guide you through
the whole process, including forwarding your work to companies,
critiques and both online and direct listings and Ty Cohen's Music
Marketing Extreme program will get you mass visibility online on a
global scale. All three resources offer tips and organize free
conferences to help aspiring musicians (see Resources below).
Don't assume that paying for something equals scam. In fact,
aspiring musicians often shell out money to pay for studios to
record demos or produce their own CDs. This is acceptable as long
as you know what you're getting.
(Note from Ty: For some of the best music business success
resources check out
http://www.MusicContracts101.com and
http://www.TheUltimateRecordLabel.com )
I hope this article has enlightened you and been a benefit, stay
tuned for the next one, coming soon!
Ty Cohen
Your Music Biz Coach!
http://www.MusicContracts101.com 
Return to Archive
