From Art to Commerce

The odds of building and sustaining a career as an independent musician are better today than ever before. But creating great music is just the beginning. In order to succeed, you’ve got to sell it, too. That requires a skill set that doesn’t come naturally to many artists, some of whom waste thousands of dollars in expenses—and generate only frustration—because they lack the information they need to work smarter. The good news is, you can learn to think like an entrepreneur. From recording and packaging to booking gigs and marketing yourself, you can hop on the road to success, or gallop farther along if you’re already on your way, by cultivating your business acumen. That’s where this workbook comes in. A comprehensive program created by Grammy-winning producer, manager and publicist Tamara Saviano and independent artist Rod Picott, From Art to Commerce demystifies the perplexing elements of the music business and teaches the entrepreneurial skills essential to building and maintaining a healthy career. You’ll learn how to develop diverse revenue streams, control costs, maximize your music catalog and decide if and when to hire professional help. With this workbook, you’ll empower yourself with the tools and information you need to make savvy decisions and thrive as an independent music-business professional.

The odds of building and sustaining a career as an independent musician are better today than ever before. But creating great music is just the beginning. In order to succeed, you’ve got to sell it, too. That requires a skill set that doesn’t come naturally to many artists, some of whom waste thousands of dollars in expenses—and generate only frustration—because they lack the information they need to work smarter. The good news is, you can learn to think like an entrepreneur. From recording and packaging to booking gigs and marketing yourself, you can hop on the road to success, or gallop farther along if you’re already on your way, by cultivating your business acumen. That’s where this workbook comes in. A comprehensive program created by Grammy-winning producer, manager and publicist Tamara Saviano and independent artist Rod Picott, From Art to Commerce demystifies the perplexing elements of the music business and teaches the entrepreneurial skills essential to building and maintaining a healthy career. You’ll learn how to develop diverse revenue streams, control costs, maximize your music catalog and decide if and when to hire professional help. With this workbook, you’ll empower yourself with the tools and information you need to make savvy decisions and thrive as an independent music-business professional. From Art to Commerce: A Workbook for Independent Musicians contains the following sections: Music Industry Overview: Is this house made of brick or straw? As artist-entrepreneurs, you know you need to create revenue streams for yourself that extend beyond old-school music biz practices. But it’s still important to understand those practices—as well as new music industry models—so you can decide which elements might be adaptable for you. If you’re offered a record deal, publishing contract or cash from an angel investor, you need to comprehend what each might mean to your career. We give you a thorough grasp of those scenarios—and other alternatives—so you can navigate your options with confidence. So You Are An Artist: What do you want, a cookie? Declaring that you are an artist will not part the Red Sea and make things easy for you. But, defining what it means to be an artist and trusting your instincts is vital to a successful career. Songwriting & Music Publishing: Can you get my song to Taylor Swift? As soon as you’ve written your first song you have become a publisher. You will learn what that means and the simple facts about music publishing that will help you make smart choices when it comes to copyright and exploiting your catalog. Studio Recording: Can you make me sound like Elvis? Deciding where to work, how much money to spend and how to pull off recording your masterpiece can be daunting and confusing. You’ll learn how to approach recording your music to showcase the best possible version of yourself as a recording artist. Record Labels: Hey man, can I give you my demo? As the major label system collapses under its own weight, the independent artist is standing strong and steady with more opportunities than ever. Manufacturing & Distribution: Is my CD in Wal-Mart? Being indie means you oversee everything from artwork to production to distributing your product. We’ll clue you in to how it all works. Marketing: Guess what? No one is looking for you. Like it or not, you are a “brand”—and need to market yourself like one. Media, Public Relations, Radio, New Media: Huh? Learn how to submit your songs for airplay, create and distribute press releases to traditional and new media. Touring: How do I get to Carnegie Hall? No, the answer is not “practice.” It’s “connections.” That’s connections as in whom you know and connections as in planes, trains, tour buses and highway exits. We cover the ins and outs of getting there—both getting yourself gigs and getting yourself to gigs.

During the past two decades Tamara Saviano has established herself as a tireless advocate of American music and its artists. Saviano is a Grammy and Americana award winning producer and a music business consultant, artist manager, publicist and author. Saviano is an entrepreneur directing a full service creative agency serving the folk and Americana genres. She has worked with many acclaimed artists including Kris Kristofferson, Guy Clark, Ashley Monroe, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Radney Foster, Gene Watson, Gretchen Peters, Shawn Camp, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Janis Ian. As the creative force behind the company, Saviano provides complete record label and project management services, writes media and marketing materials, produces video and electronic press kits, recruits clients, manages budgets, creates and implements PR and marketing campaigns, and hires and manages staff. In 2002, Saviano raised the funds to produce the CD “Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster.” She managed the project from inception, working with co-producers to recruit artists to perform, securing donated studio time and materials, managing the manufacturing and distribution process, creating and managing the marketing and publicity campaigns, and securing educational partners. “Beautiful Dreamer” was honored with a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album. The success of “Beautiful Dreamer” allowed Saviano and her team to fund the second chapter of the New American Songbook Series, “The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson,” which was released in June of 2006. “The Bluegrass Elvises, Volume 1: Shawn Camp & Billy Burnette” followed in August, 2007 to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. In 2011, Saviano produced This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark, for Houston’s Icehouse Music. The double-CD set was honored as the Americana Album of the Year at the 2012 Americana Music Association Honors & Awards show and was a nominee for the 2012 Grammy for Best Folk Album. Saviano is currently project managing a tribute to Jackson Browne, which will be released by Austin’s Music Road Records in 2013.