How to make money from performing!
Okay, so on this blog post you’re going to understand how to get paid when you perform your music live and/or any other capacity. The main thing to understand is that there are music unions and performance rights organizations and this is what happens.
Let’s say there’s a bar or club that you perform in, in order for the club to legally play music of signed or unsigned artists, they have to pay a general licensing fee to either ASCAP, BMI or whatever music union or any other royalty collection agency. So, let’s say a Jay-Z song is playing, they have to pay in advance ASCAP or BMI a licensing fee. Then, in turn, once they play the music, the music is reported to BMI or ASCAP and then Jay-Z’s manager or the record label will track that performance and based off how many times that record was spun in that club, then he will get a check based off of that.
So, the only difference between a person in the mainstream or a local or underground artist is they might not have the luxury of having it automatically reported. So, let’s say you do a show at a club or a venue, it’s your responsibility to report to ASCAP or BMI, whatever agency that your song was publically performed. Now, this public performance, it doesn’t necessarily have to be you physically performing a song it can be your song playing on the radio or in a club. So, it is your responsibility as an unsigned artist to report all of your performances.
Once you report your performances, you’ll get a check. Whether you’ll get a physical check or a direct deposit, depends on how you set up your account. The main thing is, when you sign up for this with BMI or ASCAP, you have to register the specific song that you’re going to be performing. You have to register your set list and then every time you perform that set list or individual song, you’re supposed to go into the computer and physically put what songs that were performed. That’s all you have to do.
So far as a performing artist, I’ve gotten no less than $3 per song. It might not seem like much, but imagine how much it costs for you when you actually press together a CD. When you press together a CD, you’re selling ten to fifteen songs for $10 and that, depending on how many songs you have, that doesn’t equate. You’re actually worth more when you’re performing these songs live, individually. I’ve also gotten as much as $6 or $7 per song, so imagine that. One song $6 versus a collection of twenty songs and you’re barely getting $10 or $15.
So, go to ASCAP, BMI or whatever performance society, organization or trade union you’re a part of and do the research. That’s the tip for the day from Venomous Production, I’ll see you next blog.
