music as a business

[cgs]

So I've recently discovered that my passion is music, and I've been dabbling with the idea of teaching guitar lessons. Any music related entrepreneurs/businesses here?

[justin]

Hey cgs--this isn't quite the same thing, but I too have a passion for music (it was once stronger) and worked in the business for several years. I started out creating a music community website local to the town I went to college in. It allowed bands to advertise shows, post news, find venues to play, network with fans, and whatnot. It became quite successful, with almost 10,000 members (over 10% of the population of the entire town!) and landed me my "dream job" at the time, which was booking shows as a promotor at a large, independent venue in town. I had fun with it, but eventually grew tired of the business and moved on.

The website was never a big money maker--more like a labour of love. Come to think of it, I never made too much money booking shows, either - but it was a lot of fun!

[Michelle]

I am a singer/voice teacher in Switzerland. Just opened my own studio this month with a colleague:

A Singer's Life - Keller 48

[NFX]

This more of a hobby but I created a website where I can post tutorials and help people trying to make hip-hop music. It's very fulfilling as a hobby.

Since most of my users are younger and don't work I don't get many donations but the AdSense more than pays the cost of bandwidth and hosting.

[Kristoffer]

In my work as a cameraman/producer I often need music for corporate/commercial videos. For copyright reasons this can be a tricky field. I have found some good music on line like this site for example.

An idea for an internet based business would be to create custom made music for film/video. Have the client upload or link to a draft of their film and then you do the music for them.

[Gautam]

I've been publishing music online for 3 years now, I had my first EP out this summer but it bombed big. I didn't really make any money out of it, but at the end of the day I enjoy my music just too much to be worried about reaping financial advantages from it.

I'm concentrating presently on starting my career as a designer, once I nail that down, perhaps I can get back to music and maybe someday I might just do enough to actually establish that as a source of income.

I guess its the Undeniable Love for Music that justifies it all.

[songwriter]

Well, there's a thread called "Who runs their own business?", I want to be a musician. It's not a company but it's my business, I guess.
I have to go now, because I have to go to the recording studio for the first time, a day all the musicians seem to remind especially.

[GenkiRichard]

Hi cgs,

I started out teaching music. It was fun, paid for college and kept me on my toes skills wise. My current job also has a big music element.

If you go into the teaching, make sure you have a passion for that as well as the music. I currently take 3 music lessons ( singing, drums, DJ) and you can really tell the difference. The drum guy gets a kick out his students picking something up and finding stuff to challenge them. The DJ is a top DJ, but hasn't quite got into his teaching groove yet. And the singing guy sometimes feels he is just going through the motions and wishing he wasn't there!

So if you've got passion for music and passion for wanting to help students get that passion as well, then go for it!

Be genki,

Richard

PS NFX, what's your website? I'm a big fan of the todaysbeats.com site!

[DmitryDavydov]

Originally Posted by cgs

So I've recently discovered that my passion is music, and I've been dabbling with the idea of teaching guitar lessons. Any music related entrepreneurs/businesses here?

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[kandystand]

New member here, lover of all things motivational and also running our own music business (dance music act)..

music as a business, i suppose i see it as any other business, target markets, what do your customers want, same as if I was making mugs, thousands of competitors, I just need to figure out my target market, my USP and why mine is better than others.

I think that as a musician its easy to get hung up on the 'artistic' side of the business, and thats where many ppl fail. I would love to get a record company to give me huge wads of cash, go off to a studio lock in and record my next masterpiece, but the economy and the industry (any industry for that matter, isnt like that)

as an independent band, I know that i have to work my butt off sending out promos, releasing my records on the net through itunes and cdbaby, and doing all the stuff a record label would do if it was supporting me.

its hard, but so is any startup. but how much do you really want it.

I keep myself fired up listening to brian tracey paul mckenna, tony robbins, anything that will get me to my goal.

Hard fact is also that in the music industry you must never forget to sell sell sell your music, its easy to forget its a product...

usual swat analysis strength weakness opportunitues threats also must be focused on.

our business isnt in profit yet, but we are gaining momentum (and its taken a long long time).

drop by http://www.kandystand.com to check our act out if dance music is your thang, we think our music is actually very motivational ourselves, and when we are working out on our crosstrainer it helps us get through the session....

keep the faith, keep learning, developng and growing, you can achieve your goals, and enjoy the journey,,,,,,

Off to look at the rest of this forum as I find it very interesting

Best wishes
DJ Alodis
Kandystand