Before I started this post, my plan was to write a continuation, from my first post "Business before music." As I stated in my first "Business before music" post, I didn't have a "Music business plan," but I decided to change this post to an example of why I want a "music business plan" in place.Just like most original songwriting musicians. Writing songs in the beginning was the priority. "It's the only thing you think that's important, when it comes to playing music".
As I blissfully continued with my part in the writing and arranging department, I would present new material to the singer for us to work on. We usually had a verbal 50% agreement on all/most of the songs.
Who wrote what?
For the most part, I did the music and the singer did the lyrics. I would also pen some songs myself, and they would be added to our list of increasing songs. All songs were still regarded, as a verbal [50%] agreement. I was happy with that because "I was guitarist in a band ". Sound familiar?
Later on, I found myself writing more songs on my own and my friend would come to my place and he would add some lyrics to my songs that were either missing a line or maybe a verse. Again, this was no problem, the idea was to complete a song, so we could play them.
I was eventually, writing more songs from start to finish, on my own. This felt like a natural progression for me and something I felt I needed to do, as I was enjoying the freedom and the expansion of writing songs, without having to involve other people in the writing process. "Selfish I know, but constant growth as a musician was becoming a vital ingredient in my musical makeup, at that time."
Selling your music
Finally I arrived where I could put a price on a song and sell it. That's when things got exciting for me. I spent some time working out, what will be my first release. Once I decided, I then went ahead and put my first song on the market through "Band-camp" for $1 per download.
Now it's time to get to what this post, is all about, and why a "business music plan" is so important to everyone who is, or will become involved in the process of writing songs for your band, or songs you write on your own.
I will focus the rest of this post on the song I had originally released "name withheld".
Apra/amcos
After about one week I realized I hadn't divided the song into a [% ratio] between my friend, who had contributed to the song and myself. I decided to pull the song from sale, and I contacted him r/e to working out a fair [% split] of the song between us. I then decided to go through our back catalog of songs that we had written, and started dividing them up as well, so we can register them with Apra/Amcos.[Australasian Performing Right Association.]
At this stage, all is going in a positive direction. We have discussed registering our songs and that is still on the cards with no issues. We haven't made any more progress since our original discussion. But we do live in different states and we are both busy people. We are determined to have our songs registered, when we can get the proper paper work done and agreed to by both parties. We realize though, that this going to take some time for us.
Write it on paper
Make sure all agreements are written down on paper and signed by everyone involved in the writing of a song. This will save a lot of stress for everyone down the track if you ever start making money from your music.
In the meantime, I have my 100% owned, original material that I can find avenues to sell without having to work out agreements with friends, co writers and contributors. This is very important to me as I can continue to push myself and promote my music, that helps me with my musical growth, without having to sort out agreements that should of been done years ago.
That's why it is so important to have a "music business plan" in action from the beginning. Once you start writing songs in a band or have friends contributing to your songs. You need to seek out an agreement per song as they're written, with each co-writer or contributor, agreeing to there share of the split. This allows you then to, play your songs when and where you wish, as everyone has agreed to the terms of the [% ratio,] of your/those songs.
Working out a [% ratio]
We worked out a basic [% ratio]of [50%each, 70%-30%, and 85%-15%,] with the flexibility to add or take away [5%] here or there depending on the input and influence someone has towards, the development of a song.
The main message is to set up some [% ratio] guidelines for everyone in your band to follow and agree to, and be flexible with those guidelines, as songwriting scenarios can change and develop.
How many great songs, will we never get to hear because a [% ratio] agreement had never been sorted out between band members, co-writers or contributors, and the ongoing squabble of ownership rages on for years and years, and sometimes in court?
Cheers and good luck.
Darryl Steele.
http://howtostartasong.com/
http://readyforjammin.com/ [beginners guitar lessons]
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