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Get
a Record Deal by Impressing A&Rs By: Ty Cohen So, you
want to know how
to get a record deal, right? Well, there are two options
that you have. Option number one is sit back and wait
for it to happen, not recommended. Option two is the one
I hope you choose—get out there and get noticed. In the
music industry, there are people referred to as A&R and
those are the people who you want to grab the attention
of. First, let me give you a little background into A&R.
Artist and Repertoire is the part of the record
company that is involved in scouting for talent. They
are basically the middle man between you and the record
label, your first step to getting a record
deal. A&R also handles the task of negotiating contracts,
scheduling your recording sessions and find people such
as songwriters record producers. Now you know who these
guys are and how crucial it is that you meet them in order
to get a record
deal! The next step is to start promoting yourself
and/or your band. You need to try to set up gigs at reputable
places or events. Do some research or call around and
find out where these guys are known to make an appearance.
Some good places to find a list of these reps are The
Musicians Atlas, Pollstar Record Company Roster and the
A&R Registry. They do charge a fee but it is worth the
money. Another way to grab the attention of these guys
is to play them your demo. Your demo has to be great because
sometimes they will only listen to the first 15 to 20
seconds of it to see if they are interested. Put your
best stuff on there and make sure it is a clean cut recording
with immaculate sound quality. Besides stalking A&R guys,
you can simply invite them to your gig. Make sure the
performance you invite them to is at a pretty happening
place. Don’t invite them to some hole in the wall dump
that nobody attends. The whole idea is that you are trying
to impress them so you will have a fighting chance at
impressing the record
company. I know you want to know how
to get a record deal so remember, A&R guys are notoriously
tough so make sure you have a specific idea in mind of
what you want out of this. Have your “stuff” together
before you even think about contacting these guys. Be
professional and courteous at all times, even if you are
turned down. Do this because you never know when your
music may end up in the hands of the same guys at a later
date. Also, your music may not work for one record
company but you may be referred to another. You just
never know what may happen so make sure you have a respectable
and professional reputation that precedes you. About the
author: Ty Cohen, the online music industry's most recognizable
voice is the former owner of a successful independent
record label, current owner of Platinum Millennium publishing
and nation-wide music industry seminar speaker and panelist.
He is also the author and creator of over 40 best-selling
music business books, reports, courses, audio products
and other music industry "How to" resources, that have
helped tens of thousands of individuals like you to successfully
find their way in the music business. Visit EZRecordDeal.com
for more on How
to Get a Record Deal. |
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