Jersey Shore Musicians Podcast
Although the sun has been holding out on us, summer is drawing near, meaning entertainment will soon double and so will this very news magazine as we usher in Section Two, the arts and entertainment section. That, and Sound Waves has not been taken down by the Swifties, so things are looking good.
Last weekend, I was invited onto the Jersey Shore Musicians Podcast to talk all things Sound Waves and beyond. JSMP is a podcast for Jersey Shore musicians by Jersey Shore musicians, and features discussions as well as live performances, designed to shine a light on our local music scene one show at a time.
That episode drops on all streaming platforms July 1. Find it on jsmp.podbean.com.
A recurring theme discussed on our episode was how musicians can advocate for themselves (because who else is going to do it?), which lends itself well to the column. Since last week’s review was criticized by one reader as “writing for millionaires,” I decided to dedicate this week’s issue to our working-class musicians, without whom those millionaires would go un-entertained.
While most of these skills can apply to anyone, especially those who are self-employed, there are very few guidelines given to performers, which forces them to learn by trial and error. So here are a few ways artists can elevate their businesses in a sustainable and uncompromising way.
Ty Mares in the studio, investing in his craft.
Lay out rates and terms in a formal agreement. Let’s jump right into the nitty-gritty. As artists, of course this is something most of us are averse to, but it’s necessary.
When contacted to play a private party or a major public performance, do not be afraid to discuss terms. Most fellow musicians are happy to share advice on this, and all are welcome to write in with questions.
Too many artists feel the need to maintain a buddy-buddy connection with clients so as not to risk losing fans. Don’t forget these people are looking to hire someone to perform a service, and they’ll move right on to the next musician, if necessary. Taking a professional tone straightaway will be worthwhile for all involved.
Furthermore, as much as we’d take care of our loved ones, a true friend would not expect free or cheap services from someone they love and respect. We should be supporting each other.
Write up a professional email template and have someone proofread it prior to using it. State rates and terms as if they are standard – they are.
Things that should be outlined in an agreement include performance date, time, location and, most importantly, rates.
Having a good handle on rates means charging what the performance is worth. Chat with industry friends and settle on a rate before entering into a negotiation with a prospective client. Make sure to account for total event time, commute time, location changes, parking, setup and sound check, special requests, etc.
It is strongly recommended to take a non-refundable deposit in order to hold a date on the calendar. This incentivizes the customer to take the agreement seriously. Do not make the mistake of holding a date and then losing out on a gig when the event is canceled last minute.
Spoken agreements will not protect an artist from being taken advantage of when they expected to make a certain rate to play for two hours, and their time gets dragged out for three additional hours over the course of an unorganized party. It unfortunately happens all the time. Having a purchaser sign an agreement to have music for a specific time frame protects a performer from being haggled the day of the event.
Many will find most questions warranting discussion never even crossed the mind of the event host. For example, if they’re hiring an artist for a wedding ceremony and cocktail hour, but the ceremony is on the beach … do they have access to power? Do they have a means to transport gear up there? Also, did they allow enough time between the ceremony and cocktail hour for the musician to realistically perform in both places? These are questions a client will be happy someone else thought to ask. Trust me.
To reiterate an earlier point, clients don’t want to think about rates, either. It’s better to provide them with a clear path to the next steps they need to take, and what it will cost them. They’ll know they’re getting their money’s worth when it’s clear the performer has thought through their event from start to finish.
Don’t email sensitive information. This is something that happens far too often. Venues and booking agents will send tax forms via email and ask musicians to just fill it out and send it back digitally. Unless they’re using some kind of encrypted software (they likely are not), this is a surefire way to have one’s identity stolen. The risk is really not worth the convenience. Fill out a hard copy and snail-mail or physically submit the paperwork. At the end of the year, kindly request to have documents mailed.
Don’t undersell with lowball rates to secure work. Certainly, new-to-the-scene musicians may charge less while they learn the ropes, and that makes perfect sense. They will scale up as they dial in their performance. Still, too many artists do themselves, and their peers, a disservice by continuing to offer up a crazy low rate two years into the game. Some people charge less because it’s their second income stream, or maybe they feel they don’t deserve it. If people have come out and are enjoying the music, it’s worth at least the standard.
Why is this a problem? Because dozens of full-timers actually pay their mortgages with this income. While everyone could be making a better living together, it takes only a handful of experienced players playing for below the standard to drive the value down for the whole scene.
Take reasonable breaks between sets. Sure, a couple of sour apples have given a bad rap to musicians as lazy freeloaders who milk breaks. Fighting that stereotype has actually created the inverse, yet equally negative, behavior among hard-working musicians, such that they take inadequate breaks, or none at all.
Often, a musician will spend their already short break making rounds of the club to thank friends and fans for coming. Work more rest into that ratio. Taking 15 or 20 minutes to stretch, drink water and rest vocal cords following a straight hour of playing music is more than reasonable, especially for artists who play five to seven nights a week.
Four-hour gigs are not sustainable for solo performers. While on the topic of breaks, it bears mentioning that four-hour gigs were meant for full bands. Solo musicians playing and singing for four straight hours are sure to lose their voice in a week’s time. That’s not to say four-hour gigs should be entirely done away with. They serve as extra time for newer musicians, who don’t yet have a full schedule, to hone their skills.
Invest in the business. No one likes to think of their music as business, but without putting time, effort and money back into the craft, it does not improve. That requires more than simply writing, learning or practicing new material.
Set money aside every few months to have equipment serviced or upgraded. Get a setup and replace the speaker that’s been rattling. Get a looper pedal and add another layer of sound to the performance.
Build a website and/or an electronic press kit, and keep it up to date. If writing doesn’t come easily, hire someone to write or, at the very least, proofread and edit the website. Once the website is live, make sure it’s up to date and includes updated links to streaming services, social media and press coverage. For most artists, this is 100% of their advertising, so invest wisely.
After all, work-related expenses are tax write-offs! The money is on its way out either way, so why not spend it on creating the best performance possible? When the sound is finally hitting just right, invest some more money in studio time and share it with the world.
My hope this week is that some of these suggestions motivate even one musician to take a step they’ve been waiting to take for a while, but maybe just needed the permission. Go forth and conquer. As always, questions, comments and ideas are always welcome.
