Oath Of The Indie Musician – Part 1: Declaration

Part 1: Declaration  |  Part 2: Plans & Goals  |  Part 3: Skilled & Receptive

Part 4: Self Initiative | Part 5: Niche  |  Part 6: Critique

Part 7: Colleagues  |  Part 8: Fans | Part 9: Community

Part 10: Positive Environment  |  Part 11: Help Yourself By Helping Others  | Part 12: Pay It Forward

I am an indie musician, this is my livelihood.

It’s easy to say, but do you really know what it means? The key word in this statement is obviously – livelihood.

live·li·hood (noun) ˈlīvlēˌho͝od -  A means of securing the necessities of life.

Does your music provide you with “a means of securing the necessities of life?”  If not, what will it take to get you there?

Many have asked, “Why is this the first line of The Oath? Don’t I have to complete all or most of the lessons contained within this e-book before making that statement?”

Simply put, this is your motivational trigger – use it. Write it down, print it out, take a picture, or save it to your desktop. Whatever it is that you do to make things readily accessible. Place it where it can easily be seen, and read it every day.

Let me point out that simply making this statement will not be sufficient. As with any profession, there are certain personal, professional, and legal obligations that must be satisfied before seeking a career in the music industry.

Other than making great music and turning out amazing live performances, I highly suggest that you familiarize yourself with certain aspects of the business side of things.

I know, the word “business” scares the shit out of most artists, but “business” and “livelihood” are linked to one another. As an independent musician, you are an entrepreneur. Therefore, you will need to get your business ducks in a row before moving on.

A huge part of building a music career is taking ownership and protecting your rights. This includes registering copyrights (for music & logo art) and a trademark for your band name. It also means establishing yourself (and/or band) as a business entity. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary or complicated as you may have been led to believe, but it does require a little effort on your part.

You can find copyright information at the United States Copyright Office and trademark information at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Make an effort to look into both of these yourself, as involving a lawyer or using an online filing service can easily double or triple your costs.

Regarding business start up, you may consider checking with your local Small Business Administration (SBA), as well as your city hall, county clerk, or county tax assessor. The IRS also provides business start up information, including a collection of links to each State Agency.

Not to completely overwhelm you at this point, but there are additional steps you may want to take to ensure complete ownership and control. Becoming your own publishing company, as well as your own record label (and signing yourself and/or your band to both) carries some worthwhile benefits.

Furthermore, if you’re in a band, I highly suggest that you have a “Band Partnership Agreement” in place. This is a legally binding document outlining how the members, as a whole, and individually, will conduct business. It also covers ownership issues, money splits, hiring and firing members, songwriter credits, and much more.

“But we are all friends here.” Nope, put it in writing now to avoid possible conflicts later. Even if nothing goes wrong, this agreement will be one more thing that makes your band look, and be professional.

Note: For more information on these subjects, I highly suggest reading Before You Sign With Anyone [Everything you need to do to be prepared for anything you want to do in the music business] by David J. Spangenberg (a/k/a Professor Pooch).

Download TAKE THE OATH: A Practical Pocket Guide For The Career Indie Musician NOW!