The Self-Promoting Musician (Music Business) [Paperback]

Peter Spellman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Music Business | Publication Date: January 1, 2000

Take charge of your career with these do-it-yourself strategies for independent music success! Peter Spellman, the Director of the Career Development Center at Berklee, gives tips on how to: write a business plan, create press kits, use the Internet to boost your career, customize your demos for maximum exposure, get better gigs and airplay, network successfully, and create the industry buzz you need to succeed. A must-read for every aspiring musician!

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Berklee Press (January 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0634006444
• ISBN-13: 978-0634006449
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,033,473 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW! This is for sure the best book I have read about making, September 9, 2000

By 

"gunharth" (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Self-Promoting Musician (Music Business) (Paperback)

Back in my Berklee days I attended a course with Peter entitled "Entrepreneurship" which opened my eyes to issues regarding both making music and doing business. It taught me that neither of these areas can exist without the other. I am still using the material and resources Peter handed out on this course and I am very excited that all this information and a lot more is now available in this excellent book.

A quick look through the pages gives you an impression of its well-organised structure and the incredible amount of resources that it contains. The book gives you an in-depth yet easily accessible look at the music industry, business planning, copyright, PR, demo production, gigs, media, radio stations, etc..... really, all you need!

As the Internet is about to change the entire music industry I am pleased that Peter devotes an entire section to this medium and how musicians use it for promotion. This is underlined by the most helpful list of books, magazines, associations and web sites I have come across.

Go, get it!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars In what century was this book written?, August 2, 2006

By 

Jeff "Snake" Greenberg "Snake" (New Orleans, LA, United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Self-Promoting Musician (Music Business) (Paperback)

I knew that this book was in trouble when the author recommended sending demos on cassette tapes rather than CDs because most people don't have CD players available. In one chapter he says it's important to use professional printers and graphic artists, and in the next say to use your PC to design and print your packages.

Virtually everything in this book is out of date. I'm not surprised, as the author teaches at Berklee College of Music. When I was a student at Berklee, I realized most of the teachers had little or no professional experience. Most had been students at the school and were hired to teach immediately upon graduation. I don't know if that's the case with this author, but it is obvious he is completely out of touch with the state of the music business today.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a no-BS education in making it., April 26, 2000

By 

"noahgoode" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Self-Promoting Musician (Music Business) (Paperback)

After reading this book, I realize what every other book on the subject was trying to say, but never really got there. Definately a MUST for anyone interested in quitting their day-job and playing full time.