When and How to Seek Representation From an Artist Manager For Your Music

CC by Anne-Sophie Leens of Apartment Studios – Da BO$$

I just watched 10 minutes of an 18 minute video blog from an artist who is seeking a personal (music) manager. He says he hasn’t gotten ahead like he should, since he has not had a manager – and this future manager needs to make him a priority client, yet he doesn’t say anything about his own success or what he is doing that needs management.  I turned it off. I had heard it all before.

On a weekly basis, I get up to 20 myspace friend add-requests from artists who say “I need a manager. Listen to my music.” I hit “deny” almost every time. I meet artists all the time who want a manager because they want the manager to “take us to the next level” or “hook me up with labels” or “get me shows.”

Enough is enough. They all are singing the same tune.

Artists – if you seek a manager and don’t fully understand artist management, are not sure what your needs are and don’t know how to go about properly introducing yourself to a prospective manager, this article is for you. So that artist managers like me won’t turn off your video blogs, deny you on myspace, and duck out of sight in a networking situation.

UNDERSTANDING ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Incredibly, so many artists who seek management actually have no idea what it is. They just know that the manager is their ticket to greater success.

Managers help guide the artist’s career towards the accomplishment of established goals. Managers are an integral part in finding new ways for an artist to effectively compete in the marketplace. The artist manager is involved in establishing, promoting and sustaining the artist’s career in conjunction with the efforts of the artist. But managers do a varying degree of this as their is no industry standard.

QUALIFYING

The first step is qualifying yourself (the artist). Qualifying yourself means sizing your (music artist) self up.

What are your accomplishments? Have you finished a demo, including mixing and mastering and manufacturing it or are you in the initial stages of recording? Have you been performing live? Have you sold songs on iTunes or had radio play? Do you have a buzz with press? What is noteworthy about you?

Do not start bragging you are the hottest, best so&so to hit the streets, because to us managers that means nothing, if you have nothing concrete to back it up with. You need real, measurable progress that we can back-check. There should be some momentum to your career before you seek management; that is, something to manage.

This doesn’t mean you have to be wildly successful yet, but you should be able to articulate clearly and directly what you have achieved in your career so far and also be able to articulate what goals you have for your career growth and development.

 After you qualify yourself, you also need to qualify the manager you seek. Just getting “a manager” should not be the goal. Managers tend to be connected better in certain regions, and also many focus their work within a particular genre. Time to find out who fellow artists are represented by.

---

What is your least favorite aspect with regards to managing an artist?

Sometimes it can get stressful trying to coordinate a handful of things at once, especially while working with highly creative people if there are certain deadlines to meet. But the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Like, I work pretty long hours, which is something most people see as a bad thing, but I’m just constantly excited and never want to stop.

Source: MusicBoxPete Blog: Interview w/ Ethan Schiff, Artist Manager

www.music-box-pete.net7/31/12

Interview w/ Ethan Schiff, Artist Manager. Hey everyone! Back again with an all new interview in my ongoing series. This time around, I'll take you behind the scenes and give you a perspective from the management side of the …

---

Do research on these managers. Do they have good reputations? If so, ask for a meeting with them, explaining your success and why you seek representation from this particular manager. There are many good managers out there, but there are just as many unqualified, unprofessional managers, too. I realize so many acts write me because they see “manager,” but know nothing else about me – including the genres I work with or the state I work in. Knowing who you are pursuing is a critical first step.

NEEDS

When you did your self-analyzation, you should have identified your strengths and your weaknesses. It will be imperative for you to be able to articulate what needs you have beyond the broken record of the your desire to get to “the next level.”

Managers have different strengths (some have great experience developing an act, some have industry ears and can help you pick a song, and some have strengths in touring,…). So by identifying what you need, you can get closer to finding a manager who is the right fit.

Many hungry artists think their success rests in some manager’s rolodex and they seek this person out for one reason only – to get access to the manager’s connections in the business.

A good manager will, in fact, have a large contact list of qualified professionals. But as managers, we guard these contacts like precious gems. The manager must have a strong belief in the artist’s future success before he/she would be willing to set up meetings and engage their colleagues about you.

A better focus for you to have is to start with self-management or have a friend assist you in the business parts of your career. Work on your artistry and your popularity (fans online and offline). Seasoned managers keep their eyes and ears open to who’s next and if you are creating a lot of buzz (selling out shows, selling CDs independently, thousands of hits on YouTube, etc.), that manager will find you.

Another option is to seek a management consultation which will allow you to tip-toe into a working relationship with the manager. Sometimes managers will be willing to consult you on a project-by-project basis and that way you have some business support why you audition for the manager and they audition for you to see if it’s a right fit.

RECIPROCAL

The best management relationship is built on trust and respect. If the manager truly believes in the artist’s talent and the artist completely trusts the guidance of the manager, it can be a very rewarding relationship. Both parties should work equally hard. Remember, managers are paid a commission of the artist’s income. So, if you have no income coming in yet, make an offer to pay for the managers time in a different way (like hourly or by project), until some income is generated. Make that be the first benchmark, for you both to achieve together, finding income streams for the artist and their music.

So to recap:

• Identify your strengths & weaknesses and qualify yourself.
• Be able to clearly articulate who you are and what success you have had.
• Learn what artist managers do.
• Consider self-management while you build your fan base.
• Have something to manage before approaching a manager! Identify what your needs are.
• Research managers to approach that work in your genre of music and have good reputations.
• Build trust and respect with the manager before demanding they open their rolodex, and come up with a fair way to pay the manager for their services.

These few things will set you apart from the zillion other artists out there aimlessly reaching out to “a manager” in cyberspace. And hopefully help you start a mutually rewarding relationship to further your career.

Kerry Fiero is an Artist Manager, Director of the San Francisco Chapter of NARIP (National Association of Record Industry Professionals) and an adjunct professor at San Francisco State University teaching Music Artist Management and Music Marketing. Her company is Strive Management. —- Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kerry_Fiero

Artist Manager Related Items For Sale

[phpbay]Artist Manager, 5, “”, “”[/phpbay] [phpbay]music Manager, 10, “”, “”[/phpbay]

Artist Management – Artist Managers Role

Berkleemusic’s instructor George Howard interviews the former personal manager of the multi-platinum band Boston Jeff Dorenfeld about the role of artist managers.

Find More Artist Articles

Artist Manager

The Artist Manager – Finding Representation From Artist Supervisor For Your Music

I just watched ten minutes of an 18 minute video clip blog from an artist who is searching for a personal (music) manager. He says he hasn’t gotten ahead like he really should because he has not had a supervisor- and this long term manager wants to make him a precedence consumer, yet he doesn’t say something about his very own achievement or what he is undertaking that requirements management.  I turned it off. I had heard it all before.

Weekly, I get up to twenty myspace buddy add-requests from artists who say “I want a supervisor. Pay attention to my music.

” I hit “deny” practically each time. I meet artists all the time who want a manager, simply because they want the manager to “take us to the next level” or “hook me up with labels” or “get me shows.” They all are singing the exact same tune.

Artists – if you look for a manager and don’t totally comprehend artist management, are not sure what your wants are and don’t know how to go about correctly introducing yourself to a potential manager, this write-up is for you.

ARTIST MANAGEMENT

Unbelievably, many artists who look for management actually have no idea what it is. They just know that the supervisor is their ticket to larger success. Managers guild the artist in the direction of accomplishing their established ambitions. Managers are an integral component in obtaining new ways for an artist to successfully compete in the marketplace. The artist supervisor is involved in establishing, marketing and sustaining the artist’s occupation in conjunction with the efforts of the artist. But managers do this their own way – there is no marketplace standard.

QUALIFYING

The 1st step is qualifying oneself (the artist). Qualifying by yourself implies sizing your (music artist) self up. What are your accomplishments? Have you finished a demo, which includes mixing and mastering and manufacturing it or are you in the first levels of recording? Have you been executing well? Have you sold songs on iTunes or had radio play? Do you have a buzz with press? What is noteworthy about you?

Do not begin bragging you are the hottest, best so&so to hit the streets… To managers that signifies practically nothing, if you have practically nothing concrete to back again it up with. You require actual, measurable progress that we can back up. There really should be some momentum to your profession, before you seek out management. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to be wildly profitable , but you need to be ready to articulate what you have accomplished in your occupation so far and also be ready to state what ambitions you have for your occupation development and advancement.

 Right after you qualify by yourself, you also need to qualify the manager you seek out. Just obtaining “a manager” really should not be the objective. Managers tend to be better in specific regions, and most operate inside a particular genre.

Check out who fellow artists are represented by. Study these managers. Do they have excellent reputations? If so, ask for a meeting with them explaining your achievement and why you look for representation from this specific manager. There are several excellent managers out there, but there are unqualified, unprofessional managers as well. Figuring out who you are pursuing is a crucial 1st step.

Desires

When you did your self-analyzation, you ought to have recognized your strengths and your weaknesses. It will be essential for you to be ready to articulate what demands you have beyond your wish to get to “the following level.”

Managers have diverse strengths (some have wonderful expertise establishing an act, some have marketplace “ears” and can help you choose a tune, and some have strengths in touring, etc.) By identifying what you need to have, you can get nearer to obtaining a supervisor who is the proper fit.

Quite a few hungry artists feel their accomplishment rests in some manager’s rolodex and they seek out this man or woman out for one reason only- to get access to the manager’s connections in the organization. A great manager will, in truth, have a massive checklist of qualified experts. But as managers, we guard these contacts like treasured gems. The manager need to have a powerful belief in the artist’s long run achievement prior to he/she setting up conferences and engage their colleagues about you.

A much better focus for you is to get started with self-management or have a pal assist you in the company parts of your profession. Operate on your artistry and your recognition (followers on the net and offline). Seasoned managers have their eyes and ears open to who’s up and coming and if you are producing a lot of buzz (selling out shows, selling CDs independently, 1000’s of hits on YouTube, and many others signs). That supervisor will locate you.

Another option is to seek out a management consultation which will allow you to tip-toe into a working relationship with the manager. Sometimes managers will be prepared to talk to you on a challenge-by-undertaking basis and that way you have some organization help why you audition for the supervisor and they audition for you to see if it’s a correct match.

RECIPROCAL

The best management – business relationship is built on trust and respect. If the manager truly believes in the artist’s talent and the artist totally trusts the advice of the manager, it can be a really gratifying business relationship. The two parties ought to function equally well.

Recall, managers are paid a commission of the artist’s income. So, if you have no earnings coming in consider this option, spend for the manager’s time in a another way (like hourly or by the mission), until eventually some earnings are produced. Make that be the initial benchmark, for you each to obtain together, to discover earnings streams for the artist and their music.

So to recap:

• Determine your strengths & weaknesses and qualify your self.
• Be able to articulate who you are and what good results you have had.
• Discover what artist managers do.
• Think about self-management whilst you construct your fan base.
• Have something to handle just before approaching a manager! Determine what your requirements are.
• Study managers and find those that perform in your genre of music and have great reputations.
• Build trust and respect with the manager before demanding they open their rolodex, and sey up with a honest way to pay the supervisor for their work.

These handful of factors will set you apart from the zillion other artists out there aimlessly reaching out to “a manager” in cyberspace. And hopefully aid you in finding a mutually gratifying relationship to build your profession. More info of Music Artist Management

Adminstrator

Article from articlesbase.com

Find More Artist Articles

[phpbay]Artist Manager, 5, “”, “”[/phpbay]

In search of Artist Manager – Finding Representation From Artist Supervisor For Your Music related articles from the blogosphere…

Emily White: The Case FOR Artist Management – hypebot

This post is by Emily White of Whitesmith Entertainment. Robin Davey’s point is that the music business is changing constantly and rapidly. The old school management ideology IS over, which is why our 2-year old artist management …

Publish Date: 02/09/2011 7:21

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/02/the-case-for-artist-management.html

The Case Against Artist Management – hypebot

This post is by Robin Davey of The Hoax and The Bastard Fairies. Interview. Managers don’t know more than you about the music business. They may know more people in the business, but it doesn’t mean they know more about…

Publish Date: 02/07/2011 8:00

http://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/02/the-case-against-artist-management.html

Selecting the wrong artist manager – a sad story | Giglog – Gigsby …

Xavier M. Frascogna, JR and H. Lee Hetherington tell the true sad story of a rock band that fell for the promises of a con artist and ended their promising career.

Publish Date: 02/07/2011 6:30

http://giglog.gigsby.com/selecting-the-wrong-artist-manager-a-sad-story/

Artist Management – Artist Managers Role

Berkleemusic’s instructor George Howard interviews the former personal manager of the multi-platinum band Boston Jeff Dorenfeld about the role of artist managers.

Possibly related posts:

• Related posts on Artist
• Best Makeup Tips from Best Make-Up Artist | Special Collection of …

• Related posts on Find
• Use The Internet To Find Lower Auto Insurance Rates Online …
• Free Online Mechanic » How To Find An Auto Repair Shop You Can …