Customer Reviews

The Self-Promoting Musician (Music Business)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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!

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Virtually everything in this book is out of date.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.

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.

Finally a book about the music business for everyone.If you know nothing about the business or if you are a music biz professional you will benefit from reading this book. Mr.Spellman has gift for telling it how it is, and that's actually what you get from this book. If you want to progress in your career as a musician, read it....

As a freelance Drummer/Percussionist, 'The Self-Promoting Musician' has been a great motivator to further explore my networking skills. In addition to covering just about every aspect of promoting a band or artist in the music business, Mr. Spellman lists a vast amount of reference materials, both in-print and on-line.

When I was looking for a reference of this type there were 13 positive reviews and one negative, and I should have listened to that one still small voice. I was also perhaps swayed by the presence of David Franz as a contributing editor. He wrote a definitive Pro-Tools book that I love and use extensively.

It's not that there is not some potentially useful information in this book, it is that the business changes so rapidly that it is hopelessly out of date. However, even if this book were updated I think it misses the mark. Perhaps it is too general and tries to address all independent situations and genres, and therefore falls short of the information I really want to know about my situation and genre, or any genre for that matter. In any case, it is not the comprehensive reference I had hoped for when I bought it.

I bought "How to Be Your Own Booking Agent" by Jeri Goldstein after I bought this one, and I wish I'd bought it first. Perhaps the saying, "Those that can, do. Those that can't, teach.", applies here.

I found this book (The Self Promoting Musician) to be inundated with a lot of useful information and advice on self promotion. Scenarios and situations that I've never considered are touched upon within its pages. Also, it's the most expansive book I've ever read on the current route that the music industry is taking...which was very indepth and eye-opening for me.

I also attended Berklee College of Music (where the author works), and while I was a student, I found it to be the most challenging and innovative musical experience I'd ever had. I also found that the teachers there are some of the best in the world and most importantly, the music industry. I'm sorry that Mr. Greenberg disagrees

I did this class when I was at Berklee. At the time, it seemed to be the most useless class of all. I wanted to play, write, and make music! It didn't take me to long to realize how important in my career was to learn how to promote myself. Whether as a performer, as a writer or as a teachers all the information taught at that class has become part of my daily routine as a musician. I realize how important it is for a musician to comprehend that writing and playing great music it's not enough. You need to make your music get to the public. It is a wonderful idea to get this class together as book. Now anyone can access this information. It doesn't matter what area in the music industry you want to work with, you should read this book as soon as possible. It has opened my mind to small things I can do to make my life as musician the success I have always dreamed of.

My grand daughter needed this for college. While I know nothing about the book she says it was exactly what she needed.I do not now have the book so I can't comment on the content. She tells me if you are "into music" and you are even remotely thinking about going out on your own, buy this book.Wish I could help more.

I'm from Brazil, and i bought this book for general guidance on what to do on certain situations... i thought it wouldn't have in-deep explanations about the international music markets... but it does. All the rules and solutions apply here. It's a great aquisition for any musician out there, anywhere in the world, who has the will but is stuck in the day-to-day life of being an artist nowadays.