Sue Basko, Lawyer For Independent Media: Music Scams

Special Note: This post is approximately music scams. Please keep in mind, there are many real, legitimate, useful music businesses that do things like advertising and management or musicians and music serves. There are numerous services that are well worth paying for, too. You should always have the contract or agreement looked over by a lawyer.

And retain in mind that no service can take the place of skill, practice over years, lessons, good devices, etc. Only a marketable skill can be promoted. I see the agreements from these scams all the right time, and lately, I am viewing many more of these. THEREFORE I want to place the word out here to warn everyone. Please do not take this as legal services.

The MAIN little bit of advice I can offer you is USUALLY DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING until you own it checked out by a lawyer who’s experienced in music rules. This is not heading to be extensive, but will just give you an idea of a few of the music scams that are out there now.

LOCATION: Most music scams that I’ve seen are located in Nashville, Tennessee, or someplace in California, usually in the LA area. But I’ve seen scams via New York City also, Texas, Georgia, Nevada, and other areas. The scams can be anywhere or can you need to be on the internet. MUSIC MANAGERS: A person flatters you as well as your music and will be offering to be your “manager,” and then asks one to sign a contract.

The contract either requests money upfront, or gets you to sign over a percentage of your potential income. In most cases, these “managers” are only wannabes. You are able to end out in a lot trouble if you signal such a contract! You will find ways I could spot these fakes, usually within a few minutes, and I do not want to give away the secrets for fear they’ll get smarter. Of course, not absolutely all manager contracts are scams, but a very significant part of them are.

The worst agreement I saw experienced terms where in fact the musicians were signing over all their house and other businesses, as well as the house and businesses of the spouses. Other management contracts don’t allow the musician an “out,” and the contract keeps renewing itself. I’ve also seen management contracts that are hazy on what the manager is going to do totally.

  • Its primacy among the manager’s duties
  • IT: Projects Delivered/On-Time
  • Uptown Clothes Boutique
  • Step 5: Start freelance writing
  • Additional IT qualifications provided by peak body, industry associations and vendors
  • Security features
  • Financial Services: $50,296 – $74,582

One particular kind of supervisor contract is only a front for a display, recording studio, creation company, or advertising company of some sort. Many of these will “feel out” how much money you have or might spend, and measure the contract accordingly. Keep in mind, there are advertising and management services that are well worth paying for, IF the ongoing services are good and IF you are a good, marketable skill.

The main defense against such a rip-off is DO NOT sign the agreement. Have any contract checked out first by a music lawyer. SONGWRITER SHOWCASES: Big in Nashville, but elsewhere also. You are thought by you will play a few songs at a club. But you make it happen and you are asked to either pay money or sign a contract, which they may call a “release. ” You went completely there to try out, so you are thought by you must signal.

You are putting your signature on a contract, giving up possession of your music usually. There are also such showcases connected up with managers, who mainly become fronts to funnel the musicians in to the showcases, for which you pay a hefty fee. Showcases usually declare to be bringing you before music industry experts. With some showcases, this holds true.