The Artist
Who is the top-selling artist(s) of all-time?
The Beatles
What does a songwriter do?
Songwriters are responsible for the lyrics and melody in a song.
They often collaborate with producers, other songwriters and artists
Many songwriters are also producers, artists or all 3.
Name 4 responsibilities a producer can have.
Artist development
Creative vision
Instrumental and vocal arrangement
Musical contributions (instrumental & vocal)
Recording engineering
Mixing and mastering oversight
Beatmaking
Songwriting
What does an engineer do?
Records sound using microphones, audio interfaces and other gear like preamps, EQ’s and compressor
Manages signal flow in the recording studio
Understands microphone types (dynamic, condenser, ribbon) and placement techniques
How many people were involved in the making of "Texas Hold Em" by Beyonce?
18
Name 3 ways artists make money.
Sales and Streaming
Social Media
Concerts & Tours
Royalties
Sync Licencing
Merch
Brand Deals/Product Endorsements
Side Hustles
What are royalties?
Royalties are payments made to the copyright owners of music when it is used, performed, reproduced or distributed.
Name 4 producers we discussed in class.
George Martin, Joe Meek, Sylvia Massy, Quincy Jones, Tokimonsta, Timbaland, Dan Nigro
Explain analog vs. digital recording.
Analog: Purely analog recording involves physical gear (consoles & hardware) and recording directly to physical media like tape & vinyl
Digital: Digital recording involves audio interfaces used to convert microphone signals into digital signals and stores audio as .wav or .mp3 files, accessed in a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
Descrbe part of Mirakill's content strategy.
Impactful text-based prompts, continuously promoting the same song for a long time and the big one..
faceless accounts!
What is an advance and how does it work?
An advance is a sum of money given to an artist when signing a record deal. Advances can range from thousands to millions of dollars.
All advances are recoupable, meaning the record label must make that money back before the artist will make any additional money.
Name 3 types of royalties.
Sync Royalties, Mechanical Royalties, Performance Royalties.
What are producer points?
A percentage of revenue a producer earns from an artist’s album sales, streaming, and licensing of the sound recording (master)
Typically, producers get 1-5 points (or 1-5% of an album’s revenue)
Points are negotiated in contracts before production begins
If a producer is also a songwriter, they earn separate publishing royalties from songwriting splits.
Producer points are paid AFTER advances are recouped
What was Les Paul's biggest contribution to the audio industry?
Developed the first 8-track recorder to record multiple musicians at once.
Enabled and inspired modern recording techniques.
What is phantom power?
48v of power that travels through the mic cable. Used to power condenser microphones.
What are the pros and cons of being an independent artist?
PROs: Complete creative and musical control, ownership of music, closer connection to fans, higher potential to earn $$
CONs: limited budget and resources, limited time, having to wear many different hats with no guaranteed success
What is a music publisher and what is the advantage to having one?
Companies that own and control the copyright of song compositions
Usually have more connections & money and do the heavy lifting to ensure songs get exposure
Responsible for promotion, placements, licencing and distribution and payment
Publishers can get songwriters into rooms with other writers and producers, songwriting camps and secure syncs & artist cuts for songwriters.
Like record deals, publishing deals involve recoupable advances and require exclusivity
How do producer production fees work?
Fees paid up front to producers for work on a song or album
Producer fees are guaranteed income while points are not
Residual points can be negotiated, but not common for smaller producers
Producer fees range from $0-$1 million+
What are 3 types of microphones?
Dynamic, Condenser & Ribbon
Who was Les Paul's wife?
Mary Ford, and she contributed vocals to his iconic recordings.
PROs: budget, industry connections, playlisting, prestige, marketing, dedicated team
CONs: loss of ownership & creative control, low royalties and strict recoupment, complex contracts with little flexibility, risk of being “shelved”
Explain how the copyright works for a song composition.
Song compositions include melody and lyrics, not the song recording. The copyright is controlled by songwriters and publishers with a default 50/50 split.
Explain how copyright works for a sound recording.
Copyright for a sound recording includes the master recording of a song, not the melody and lyrics. The copyright is controlled by record labels, artists and producers.
Explain the signal flow on a mixing console.
Preamp (Preamplifier): used to increase the gain (volume) of microphone signal for a louder recording level
Compressor: Used to control the dynamics of a signal and reduce the range between loud and soft
EQ (Equalization): Used to control the frequencies of a signal
Sends (Aux Sends/Buses): route a duplicate signal to effects without changing the original
Pan: determines where the signal sits in the stereo field (left-right)
Mute/Solo: temporarily silences or isolates a signal
Fader: controls the output volume level of a signal
Name the 6 career paths in the music industry.
Artist & Creator, Recording & Production, Music Business, Sync & Scoring, Startup & Tech, Education Nonprofit & Therapeutic