BUSINESS GUIDE
FOR STARTING MUSICIANS
HOW TO FINANCE YOUR DREAMS
WITHOUT SELLING YOUR SOUL
SEE ALSO OUR OTHER GUIDES Home Video Creation Guide Home Recording Guide
Modern technology and the internet have
made it a very exciting time to be a musician.
It is now easier than ever to record, distribute, and gain a fan base for
your music using online resources.
Where the major record labels once had all the power,
now a musician can take the control of their musical career into their own
hands.
Below is a work in progress of online and
technology resources for the modern musician.
These are all free unless otherwise noted.
Note: Underground Web World does not
endorse and does not have any financial connection
to any of the services or products offered below.
This information is presented purely as a service to our readers.
FUNDRAISING SITES
If you can build up a fan base interested in your work, they may also be interested in funding your work.
Indiegogo
Kickstarter
Top Ten Fundraising Sites
BUSINESS RESOURCES
As a musician, it's essential to treat your work as a
business.
Here are some business resources to get started:
Sole Proprietorship or LLC?- Two things worth looking into when looking
into the business aspects of your career are
Sole Proprietorships and Limited Liability Companies. Both offer different
advantages and disadvantages.
This article helps define and decide what works best for you as a musician.
Information on LLC's
Information on Sole Proprietorships
LinkedIn Online business
network used to connect with professionals.
DISTRIBUTION AND SALES
(Note: Some of these do require payment or percentage of
royalties)
These are online services that distribute your music to
customers.
No record company or warehouses of stock required, the internet is an
infinite marketplace.
STREAMING SERVICES (PAID AND FREE)
iHeartRadio
Pandora
Soundcloud
Tidal
SERVICES SPECIALIZING IN MUSIC SALES
FOR INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS
CD Baby
Bandcamp
TuneCore
Songcast
ONLINE COMMUNITIES
Online music communities are a great way to expand an artist's fan base.
These websites allow you to upload and stream your music,
along with supporting, communicating with, and discovering other
musicians.
This is one of the most effective ways of online marketing.
GUIDES
Indie Band Survival
Guide
Tunecore guides
Resources to Find Other Musicians
Booking Resources
Indie On The Move
Indie Booker
Book list (able to be purchased online)
Indie Band Survival Guide
All You Need to Know About the Music Business
Tour Smart
UWW Guides for Musicians
Home Video Creation Guide Home
Recording Guide Blogs