Unit 3

Music Industry and Professional Practice

Within the music industry, there are many job roles necessary to enable an actual performance to take place. You wouldn’t think that some of them were that important or relevant to a performance but all of them relate to the artist – whether that’s promotion, merchandise, security or even just a licensing officer.

Licensing Officer

The first job role that I’m going to look at is the role of a licensing officer; for a venue to be able to give permission for a live performance, they first need a licensing officer to give permission for it to take place.

If you were in a band and you wanted to perform at a venue, you would need permission from a licensing officer in order to do so because otherwise there wouldn’t be a performance. The venue must hold a performing rights license to be able to hold live performances. If they did not have this license and let a band perform there, they could potentially be taken to court and be fined which, obviously, is not very good, both for the venue and whoever was going to play there - the band loses any potential money from ticket and merchandise sales and the venue itself could risk closure or a large fine.

Press Officer

The press officer is the person who handles promotion of a band/artist – they monitor media coverage for a band/artist, which covers print media, online and broadcast. They try to interest journalists and media outlets in not just the band’s music but also them as a person – they make the band into a brand. They also arrange adverts for the band/artist’s music and get a spokesperson to speak to the press.

An example of a press officer would be someone who speaks to companies such as Google, so they could get adverts at the start of videos on big platforms like YouTube to reach a wider audience around the world.

If a band/artist didn’t have a press officer, then when it comes to general popularity they would be relatively unknown – this means that there would be barely anyone at performances/gigs that know of the band/artist or have heard their music before.

Retailer

Retailers are the people at the entrance of a venue who sell merchandise for the band/artist (such as t shirts, hoodies, hats etc) and CDs of the bands’ music to help promote their work if people like what they hear at the actual performance/gig.

Another example of a retailer would just be music shops – places such as HMV stock CDs, t-shirts, vinyl's and more by bands to help promote them. Also, some of the money made from merchandise sales go to the band. Bigger bands will have more merchandise since they’re more popular and they have the money for promoting themselves.

If a band didn’t have a retailer, it would be much harder for them to promote/share their work because if people liked them and there weren’t any CDs or digital copies of their work it would be less likely that those people would follow what they’re doing as they would end up forgetting about them. They would also make less money if they didn’t sell t shirts or hoodies at gigs because the venue gets most of the money from ticket sales.

Tour Manager

Tour managers are the people who organise what venues a band/artist plays at on a national/international tour and how long travel times will take between venues.

An example of this would be sorting out the dates of the shows for a tour; the tour manager organises it so that there’s a gig 2/3 days in a row and then a day for rest so the band/artist isn’t constantly performing, and they don’t get tired out after the first week of the tour.

If a band didn’t have a tour manager, they would have a hard time organising venues to play at and managing the finances involved; tour managers handle the budget for a tour by deciding on ticket prices which includes accommodation, transport, sound, lighting and video equipment, etc so it would be much harder to organise the tour without someone to handle the financial, advancing and on-the-road aspects. They also wouldn’t know how to sort out tour buses (generally used for bigger artists) for a national or international tour because they wouldn’t know the travel times between venues.

Security

The security team at venues are responsible for looking after the members of the public and making sure that no one who doesn’t have authorisation enters the backstage area.

An example for security would be if a fight broke out during a performance – a member of the security staff (or multiple, depending on how serious it is) would have to work quickly to get into the crowd and break up the fight so it doesn’t interrupt the performance or ends up getting other concert-goers hurt.

If a venue didn’t have security staff, then casualties during a performance involving drunk people would be much more likely to happen and the venue wouldn’t be safe for the public or the performers as there would be no one to stop someone from going backstage or getting on the stage during a performance (or just throwing things on stage such as food or drink.)

Sound Engineer

A sound engineer is someone who mixes the sound out front during a live performance and controls the volume of the sound that goes out of the speakers.

An example of this would be making sure that the electric guitars used aren’t louder than the vocals so that the audience can actually hear what the singer is singing. A sound engineer would also make sure that the volume is safe for the crowd during a performance, so it doesn’t hurt their ears.

If a band/artist didn’t have a sound engineer, then instruments could end up either being too loud and washing out other instruments or they could end up being too quiet, so a listener could barely hear them over the vocals. This would make the gig a bad experience for a listener because what they hear could be different to how the band/artist sounded on a recorded track (despite the fact they’re going to a live performance, so it would automatically be a different experience than just listening to it in their room.)

Lighting Engineer

A lighting engineer is someone who operates the lights during a live performance and make sure the lights change on cue.

An example of this would be to control the spotlights during a performance so they focus on the lead singer or flash different colours for driving rock. They also use colour schemes – colours such as blue are used for sad songs, red and white for rock, and yellow for more up-beat or ‘pretty’ songs.

If a band/artist didn’t have a lighting engineer, then the performance would end up being less interesting and adrenaline-fueled as the visuals of a performance play a big role in getting the crowd hyped up.

Composer

The composer is the person who writes the songs performed at a gig – this can be either the artist/band or someone that they pay to write for them. If the composer is just one member of the band, they get more money from record sales than the rest of the band since they’re the one who actually wrote the song.

An example of a composer would be to write the instrumental section of a song – they decide how the song is structured and what instruments are used and when they play. Also, if it’s a song used in a major project such as a film or if it’s a song for a major artist, there would be a team of composers behind them to make sure the song is suitable for their target audience or whatever mood they’re aiming for in a movie scene.

If a band/artist didn’t have a composer, then they wouldn’t have any actual songs to play at a gig/performance so there would be no performance and, effectively, no band – they need songs to be able to play in the first place or they’ll end up becoming a generic cover band/artist. Their songs also play a part in their image so if the composer wasn’t good, the band would be reflected through the composer’s work.

Artist Management

The artist management is the team that looks after the best interests of a band/artist (in terms of their career and business – not in terms of what they should have to eat for lunch.)

An example of this would be securing a record deal – the artist management would work with the band/artist to decide which deal would be best for the band or if no deal would be better and if looking at other opportunities would be a better choice.

If a band/artist didn’t have a manager, it would be very hard for them to get record/brand deals, get their songs played on the radio or adverts, etc because they wouldn’t know where to start or who to contact to sort those things out. It would also be highly unlikely that they get any of their merchandise or CDs in stores since the manager talks to the record company to sort out both production and distribution of merchandise.

Roadie

Roadies are people that carry/lift the gear used by the band/artist in and out of a venue for a gig because there’s a lot of gear for even a 3-piece band when they perform, let alone a 5 or 6-part band.

An example of a roadie would be carrying in any amps used and the leads and also carrying in the individual parts of a drum kit, so it can be set up when inside the venue (because lord knows the band probably won’t help.) They also set things up so that there isn’t any feedback coming through the speakers used which is good for everyone’s hearing, honestly.

If there weren’t any roadies carrying in all the gear for the band, then the band/artist would have to spend a lot of time getting the gear in the venue and setting it up, so they would already be tired before they even begin performing and performing itself is exhausting. Also, unless the band make an equipment list, they’ll probably leave something like a capo or a jack-to-jack lead at home and end up having to improvise to work around it such as only having one guitarist the entire night.

Venue Manager

The venue manager is the person responsible for marketing the venue to the local community; this means that the public is aware of the venue so that when bands go there, people know that the venue actually exists, and they go to the gig.

For an example of this, a venue manager would use social media to promote the venue itself and they would advertise events that happen there such as performances or, if it’s a pub, things like quiz nights, open mic nights or deals on drinks.

The venue would struggle without a manager; they’d be practically invisible to the general public and they wouldn’t get many acts to perform there so they would lose out on the money that they could get from ticket sales and it means that the local music scene would suffer from bands having less places to perform at.

Hair/make-up artist

A hair/make-up artist does exactly what you think they would do – they apply the make-up on the performers and give them hairstyles that range from 80s punk rocker all the way through to a ‘casual’ look.

To give an example of this, imagine any performance – the lighting technicians focus spotlights on the lead singer, and while one part of a make-up artists’ job is to make them look pretty, it’s also done to make sure they don’t get swallowed by the lights and end up looking washed-up or like a ghost in any promotional pictures. Also, bigger artists will receive more make-up or hairstyles because there’s more focus on them; for smaller bands, it doesn’t matter if they look bad for a performance but for a bigger artist, a lot of attention is on them and their lives – they're constantly in the spotlight.

If there wasn’t a hair/make-up artist, the performance would end up being a catastrophe – a key part of a performance is just aesthetics, and while a band/artist may be playing pretty music, all the audience would remember is how greasy their hair looked.

With hair/make-up artists, since bands are displayed as a brand to the public, make-up companies and hair product companies will also strike up deals with big artists (such as Cheryl Cole with L’oreal) to market their products through advertisements so they receive more promotion (and so, more money). A percentage of this money will also go to the artist as they’re acting as a spokesperson for the company as well as freebies from the company for working with them, so they don’t have to pay for the luxurious items from those companies.

Anchor 1

Job Role Ideas for Personal Portfolio

Index:

Section 1 - Session Musician

Section 2 - Touring Musician

Job roles:

1. Session Musician

The first job role I’m going to look at is the role of a session musician; while you don’t necessarily need qualifications to be a session musician, the qualifications that will set you apart from others for this role include:

A Grade 6 (A-level equivalent) or above in your chosen instrument.
A BA (Hons) degree in Music Industry Practice – ACM. Requirements for this course include:
Minimum age - 18
At least 2 C's at A-level or a level 3 equivalents (such as a BTEC or UAL level 3 qualification)
A minimum grade 4/5 in GCSE English and Maths.
Another degree is a BA Music Degree from the University of Southampton - they require grade 6 theory and a grade 8 (or demonstrated equivalent) in your chosen instrument as well as a level 3 qualification.

The technical skills that would be needed for this role are:

Sight reading/the ability to read sheet music and learn songs quickly - this could be developed through online tutorials or theory lessons; however, if you already play an instrument like the piano then the skill will come just from learning pieces through the grades.
A basic knowledge of an instrument (chords, scales, arpeggios etc.) so you can play the given part in the song and add things like solos into the song (only if this hasn’t previously been sorted, especially if the songwriter doesn’t play that particular instrument). This can, again, be developed through lessons or you can buy the grade books from Rockschool, Trinity College or ABRSM - all have the different scales in them and include pieces from several different genres (for example, guitar grade 5 will have pop punk, rock, metal, jazz etc)
Knowledge of studios/technical knowledge so you don’t have to rely heavily on someone else while in the studio and you also know how to use your own equipment. To develop this you could read manuals for your own equipment (like amps and microphones) to learn how to set them up for different occasions and know the safety risks when using them.
Knowledge of different genres and arrangements so you can play for whatever gene the song is in (adaptability). This also comes from music lessons and grade books for your instrument.

The experience needed for this role would include any previous performance experience so whoever is paying you knows that you’re competent when it comes to performing songs. You would also need experience of working in a studio, so you could be trusted to work with the equipment. It’s highly unlikely that someone would employ a session musician with no experience, unless they started out by offering their services for free and then build up a good enough reputation for themselves to start being payed - to start with offering their services they could use business cards and hand them out or they could email local artists and offer them help with studio work free of charge. After doing this for a few people to build a good reputation, they could then start charging a certain amount an hour since people know that they're good and can trust that they'll do a good job on their song/album.

2. Touring Musician

The second job role I’m going to be looking at is that of a touring musician; a touring musician is like a session musician in terms of not necessarily needing qualifications to be one since most employers are more interested in their reputation and previous experience, however, to improve chances of employability in this field the qualifications needed would be:

A minimum grade 4/5 in GCSE English and Math.
A Grade 6 or above in your chosen instrument (especially for classically trained musicians)
A BMus Popular Music Performance degree from BIMM London- requirements for this course are the same as the example course for Session Musician but there's also an audition and interview required to be considered for the course.

The technical skills required to be a touring musician include:

A basic knowledge of an instrument (chords, scales, arpeggios etc.) - without this you wouldn’t be able to perform in the first place. Like a session musician, to develop this you can either pay for lessons or just pay for the grade book for your skill level and teach yourself the material.
The ability to work well in a band setting and communicate effectively with others - this comes from any general teamwork experience but it can be developed by being in a band, for example, as it would develop the communication and patience skills.
Good time management skills – on tour, the schedule will be hectic, so you need to be able to sort your day out, so you aren’t late to practice (for example). This can be developed just by sorting your own day out - creating plans and sticking to them and making sure you have enough time for everything you set out to do.

The experience needed for this role would be, like a session musician, any previous performing experience – this can either be solo or in a band as people mainly just look to see your skills as a performer. You would also need experience working in a team or a band so the person who hired you knows you can work well as part of a band instead of dragging everyone else down and not getting anything done during practices.

To get work as a touring musician, you could start out as a solo artist and do gigs/performances on your own to make a name for yourself in a local area and then start expanding by doing gigs elsewhere in the country - by doing this, you'll be able to network and meet new people in the industry who could help you to find work with other bands. This could also, again, be done by offering bands your services free of charge if they're doing a few performances and then start charging them; for example, you could charge £200 a night for whenever they need you to perform.

Full leaflet -

This is a leaflet on how to ensure safety within your work environment.

Being a musician, just like any other job, has its safety risks both within the studio and on stage.

However, almost all of these potential risks are preventable – as long as you know what they are.

The next page will be focusing on how to keep your work environment tidy and safe for the people in it.

Keeping your work environment (Studio/Practice Room/Stage) tidy:

Don’t put food or drink near any electrical equipment – this could damage any expensive equipment and also risks electrocuting you or others nearby.
When switching guitars on amps, leave the lead half out of the amp before taking it out of your guitar – this stops the amp from giving a pop when the lead is put back in so as to not damage equipment from feedback.
During rehearsals, put away any leads used when finished so people know where they are and so they don’t get damaged. This is also so people don’t hurt themselves if they come in to use that room.
Put bags and coats out of the way – these could be a trip hazard and personal items could be damaged.
Put instruments away when finished to make sure they don’t get damaged and no-one falls over them.
Make sure mic stands are set up properly so they’re stable – if they fall over, they could get damaged.
Be aware of hazards (wires and amps) on stage so you don’t fall over and hurt yourself or damage them - they’re expensive to replace.
Coil the leads so they don’t get twisted or stretched – this could damage them over time so they either don’t work properly or at all.
Make sure amps are turned off both at the wall and on the amp otherwise they won’t work properly over time.
Use cable protectors/gaffa tape for wires on stage so that no-one falls over them and no-one/nothing damages them – for example, if someone spilled water on stage, they wouldn’t get water damage.

Keeping Healthy

To keep healthy in general, vocalists shouldn’t have dairy before a performance – this increases the amount of phlegm/mucus produced in your throat, so you’d end up coughing a lot. For example, if Lady Gaga performed after having dairy, whenever she tried to belt out higher notes, she’d have a coughing fit.
You need to look after your mental health as a performer otherwise you could end up getting too much anxiety over performing or just think that there’s no point/have no energy or motivation to go on stage.
You need to keep in shape as a performer (especially vocalists) so you can easily move around on stage without getting tired out by the second song.
Vocalists should always warm-up before going on stage, so they don’t hurt their throats.
Don’t drink too much alcohol before going on stage – this affects vision and how fast brain signals are carried to muscles so if you had a song with a lot of chord changes, you wouldn’t be able to keep up. Also, you could throw up on stage which doesn’t look good for anyone.
Vocalists also shouldn’t smoke because this affects breath control – you can’t breathe as deep (lung capacity) - and overall voice quality.
You also need to get proper sleep – if you don’t then while performing, you might yawn while singing or be sluggish when moving around. Also, it could end up with physical effects – you could make yourself ill from stress or get stress related illnesses (which can be potentially fatal).
Wear earplugs – it's loud on stage and the damage to your ears over time could result in permanent hearing loss.
Don’t over-exert yourself on or off stage; you could end up with repetitive strain injury (RSI) which, mainly for instrumentalists, would only be worsened when they perform so they would have to take a break for a while.
Have a balanced diet (general health) - part of keeping in shape so you don’t look sluggish or tired.
Drink warm honey and lemon or warm water – muscle function in your throat can be inhibited my cold water (muscles constrict) so have warm water instead.

Unit 3

Full leaflet -

For reflective diary, see Unit 1.