Contracts with Artists By: Ty Cohen When learning how to start a record label, you are going to come across the business side and contracts. In your contract with your artist, the main thing to consider is what you are going to commit to do for them. Also, you want to define what you want them to give in return. For example, you may be able to offer a commitment as to how many singles or albums you will release and when. You may also want to explain how much you can spend on recording and promoting their records. Lastly, you define what sort of royalty, which is the percentage of the sales or the profits, you will pay them. While exploring how to start a record label and write contract you will discover that in return you may want the artist to commit to recording exclusively for your company for a certain period and producing an agreed amount of material - amount to produce. Also they need to assign you the rights to their recordings and do an agreed amount of promotional work. The absolute basics of a simple agreement would set out how profits are going to be split between artist and record company. Or you can split them equally between business partners or the members of a band. For example, you could agree to recoup all the money spent on the recording and split any profits after that equally. This will all be learned throughtout the process of how to start an independent record label. At least coming to a simple arrangement like this and making a written record of it will put into place a contract, so that every body knows where they stand on this basic point.With more complex agreements, you will probably require an artist contract to make it enforceable. You should also advise your artist to take their own independent legal advice on the contract. Some music industry professionals would recommend you use a specialist media or entertainment lawyer to draw this up for you but others would agree that you could do this on your own with proper guidance. Learning how to start a record label doesn't have to be an impossible feat and learning about contracts doesn't have to be either! About the Author: Ty Cohen, the online music industry's most recognizable voice is the former owner of a successful independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing and nation-wide music industry seminar speaker and panelist. He is also the author and creator of over 40 best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products and other music industry "How to" resources, that have helped tens of thousands of individuals like you to successfully find their way in the music business. Visit http://www.musiccontracts101.com/cmd.php?Clk=2417128 for more information on how to start an independent record label, how to start a record label and how to start and run your own record label.

It's Not What You Know but Who You Know By: Ty Cohen Many people are under the impression when deciding how to start an independent record label that they need a large amount of experience and education about the music industry. Although this is not a bad thing, networking seems to play an even larger role in this industry. As the old saying goes, "It's not what you know, it’s who you know." In this music biz this seems to ring true a thousand times over. When deciding how to start and run your own record label , this is the thing you need to keep in mind. As I said before, the key is networking. Networking is basically the act of making contacts as far as around the world if you can. But keep in mind when meeting people that it isn't always just about business. You don't want to become someone whose only goal in conversation is develop a contact. In other words, always view situations by thinking about the other person's perspective. When meeting an important person, ask yourself a few important questions. An example would be, "If you were this person, how would you like to be approached?" Also take into account how many people they hand their card out to everyday, and how to increase your chances of being noticed. When networking, be brief in the beginning of the conversation. Let them know exactly what they need to know about yourself and the label you have begun. After a brief introduction, the conversation could last for hours, but even if it doesn't, it is better to have said the important factors instead of wasting their time and yours. It is very important to never underestimate the power and importance of the assistance of a lower-level person. Sometimes the best way to get a hold of the person you want to reach is by developing a relationship with their assistants. They are the closest connection you have with the person you are trying to reach. Keep in mind, assistant can help immensely by making sure that your information is given more priority on the boss's desk than others. With all this said, I hope you understand the importance of networking when working on how to start an independent record label. These are some great tips on doing just this and I hope you keep them in mind as you learn how to start and run your own record label . About the Author: Ty Cohen, the online music industry's most recognizable voice is the former owner of a successful independent record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing and nation-wide music industry seminar speaker and panelist. He is also the author and creator of over 40 best-selling music business books, reports, courses, audio products and other music industry "How to" resources, that have helped tens of thousands of individuals like you to successfully find their way in the music business. Visit http://www.musiccontracts101.com/cmd.php?Clk=2417129 for more information on how to start an independent record label, how to start a record label and how to start and run your own record label.