How much do you make in this (music) business?

[AMcB]

I make my living in the music industry.

must be nice I make my living working at a school/church being a very underpaid electricion. And with recording I make about 1/100000 of what Ive spend in a year, which is like $2.

 

[MadAudio]

This thread reminds me of a lyric from a Tuxedomoon song...

Some folks go to San Tropez
Folks like us stay home and pay to play

 

[Mindset]

How come it only goes up to $30,000 or more?? I make about that much every quarter.

 

[monkie]

How come it only goes up to $30,000 or more?? I make about that much every quarter.

Wow, really? What do you do? How did you do it, man?

 

[Mindset]

I've had a record label since 2000, and have been active in music for as long as I can remember. A few commercial studios here and there, couple opening up in cali, investors, productions, etc. Currently I'm working on a new N.W.A album along with a few major events down here in TX. Red carpet events like one we are hosting in Dec opens more opprotunities for more projects & connections.

 

[UnityRecordings]

I want Mindset's job! I'm still young ya know and trying to find out where to go with my career. The IT field is good and I'm currently working in IT and going to college for it. But it's kind of like a cinderellla story (no homo!) because I wish I could find a sick job in the music business like starting a record label but it sounds so damn hard!!!

 

[Mindset]

I want Mindset's job! I'm still young ya know and trying to find out where to go with my career. The IT field is good and I'm currently working in IT and going to college for it. But it's kind of like a cinderellla story (no homo!) because I wish I could find a sick job in the music business like starting a record label but it sounds so damn hard!!!

Before working with music full time, I was active in the IT world. I believe that industry has been on the decline. Corporations have been contracting out instead of having their own IT department, which lead to whole departments & their employees being cut. BUT believe it or not, working with technology, helped myself impliment it into this industry. Really it helped reduced costs in running the label. I also have a business degree & graduated a great recording arts school here in Dallas. Much of the 'success' has to do with knowing business of course, and this particular school, Mediatech aka Dallas Sound Labs. At Mediatech, the teachers there are either active or were active in the industry. Deep in the industry that is. Mike, one of my teachers there, was founder & owner of Dragon Street Records, in which he had U2, Cheap Trick, Trippin' Daisies etc under his label, in which all of them followed to sign with major labels & became the platinum artists they are/were. James Du'maine, another teacher & also business partner, owns Du'Maine Street Productions. James himself, works VERY closely with Kanye West, Tony Williams (Kanye's close cousin), Dr Dre, Eminem, and various multi-platinum artists & producers, along with having his own band called Nuclear (his stage name is Nu-Sky). Brad, our 201 teacher for film & visuals, currently works with Paramount, but has done ADR for many of the movies you or your kids watch from Toy Story to Beverly Hills Ninja & Titanic & more. Louis, my partner in crime & business teacher @ the school, is what many call a silent investor, and "the man behind it all". Louis himself, is owner of over 30 businesses across the U.S & is very wealthy. Lou himself is VERY well connected with damn near all administratives/executives of major labels. We just put together a new company called Real Talk Pro A/V, which will be a long string of recording studios. Because of myself being co-owner, my record label became a conflict of interest. So naturally Mindset Music Group is now incorporated with Real Talk. Bringing 2 heavy hitters together. Together we have 3 commercial studios in the metroplex (1 for RT & 2 for MMG) with the intentions & plans of opening up 9 more recording studios. 2 more in the DFW metroplex, 1 in NYC, 2 in LA, 1 in San Diego, 2 in Chicago, 1 in Houston, 1 somewhere in Florida, 1 in Nashville, and 1 in Las Vegas. Mindset itself, has 1 in Montreal, CA (Bay Area) being constructed as we speak. At this point in time, with the merger, things have been very hetic. I've been hiring people left and right to take some of these tasks off my hands. It's pretty much a 20 hours a day 7 days a week type ordeal. I've been having a hard time finding time to continue to produce music & write songs. Another year into this & everything should be pretty much a o.k.

BTW. I wouldn't look into starting a record label if I was you, unless you have adequate resources. 90% of labels fail. I'm just one of those "lucky" ones...

 

[dirtyp]

Music just a few hundred bucks a year. Promotion/Production which I turned to, I managed to make around $3500 since March. Its not all music related but I havent went all out, Kinda lazy.

I found out theres more people trying to become rappers then buy music. I helped my friend open a small home studio mostly with knowledge of this board. I got a few bucks for that and still have to help the guy sometimes. I thought I was losing a client but gained a partner. I use the promotion skills and graphics which im not that good at to make my own websites. That's part of the key, myspace aint helping you much. I use myspace for backlinks and it doesnt do much. Theres plenty of people needing recording help or just guidance. I now have a larger network and a few more people to record with but the money, I only get about 10% through cds/downloads now im in a tiny market but I thought that would be my bread and butter.

 

[Twitch]

I've made money off of music for awhile now, use to do shows. Now I produce music for various companies, in the past I've done music for America's next top producer, Pizza Hut commericals, and It's always sunny in philly, BET's College Hill.. Now I'm currently in DVD tutorials, I've been working with Cakewalk/Roland in some upcoming DVD training videos. I've done one for Sonar 7 now I'm working on 8 as we speak.. I just pray to God that he continues to bless me..

 

[AndrewClaycomb]

Right now I'm only charging a little over $10 per hour to track. When mixing I'll only charge $20 or $30 total depending on how many songs I'm doing. Sometimes if I don't have anybody coming in over a weekend or a break, I'll post on craigslist with a MEGA CHEAP deal, like $70 to record over 2 or 3 days with mixing included.

I enjoy the whole process, I look at it as a hobby. I'm a full time student working towards medical school, so the money I make from the studio is purely bonus cash.

So far I've definitely spent more on gear than I've made... by a long shot

 

[Mindset]

I've made money off of music for awhile now, use to do shows. Now I produce music for various companies, in the past I've done music for America's next top producer, Pizza Hut commericals, and It's always sunny in philly, BET's College Hill.. Now I'm currently in DVD tutorials, I've been working with Cakewalk/Roland in some upcoming DVD training videos. I've done one for Sonar 7 now I'm working on 8 as we speak.. I just pray to God that he continues to bless me..

We should work together. I have some interesting projects out there.

 

[Christopher_xo]

Well,,,, when it comes to making from doing what I love, then i'm not that far from it ! by end this year I want my own recording studio and doing successful recordings for other bands, and myself !

that's my 1st new years resolution !

 

[westgate]

i started playing clarinet for pay at the age of 10 (1962) in a school based 'orchestra'. we played mainly parades, outdoor events, summers only. got paid $5 each for a few hours of 'work'. did that thru 8th grade.

then didnt play for $ again til '73 and '74 when i took up 'lectric bass and joined a band in tokyo, japan whilst in the service. played a few gigs there, mostly on u.s. bases and a few small japanese night clubs. we got anywhere from $100 to $200 per gig, split 4 ways.

out of the service 7-'74 and on to reno, nv. joined a bunch of bands, one at a time, mostly garage bands. nv is a union state. the major clubs and casino showrooms are (were in the '70s-dont know about now) union only. we played a bunch of small bars and nightclubs for not much $, maybe $200 max for 5 of us.

moved back to vermont, new hampshire in '81, joined a few rock and country bands. plenty of work around here in the '80s; $200 to $500/gig.
the county gigs sucked cuz you had to get your own lodging. most of the rock gigs were thru an agency, paid much better than the country gigs and you got a house or apt to stay in. sometimes meals to!

it's definitely a bit(h trying to make money as a performer. the vast majority of the time i had to have a day job to support my music habit. by '85 i didnt have to work a day job for about 1 1/2 years but was on the road constantly (regionally-new england=boston to montreal), no home life, too much alcohol, etc.

i 'retired' in '91 and i dont miss it at all. which makes me feel guilty. a little.

all thru my performing 'career' (late '70s and '80s) i ran a 4 track recording service, mostly remote, made a few buck from that, made a few 45 records too. they sounded good on local jukeboxes.

too bad we didnt sell millions of 'em.

 

[turboneal]

-40, 000 and counting

So far I'm about -40,000 and counting. I chose "paying debts" in the poll, but I actually don't buy anything on credit. Then again, I haven't sold anything, so there you have it.

I will probably be -100,000 or more before I start seeing any dollars going in the right direction. Hopefully my house and cars, etc will be paid off before I try to make music my full time.

If my situation was different when I was 18 I might have just bought a Gibson and a Marshall from working at walmart or something and lived on peoples couches until something started happening for me, but since I am 31, that would be a little sad to go back and do now...

good luck to everyone...

-Neal

 

[Dogbreath]

Are you talkin about actually MAKING MONEY at this stuff?????



HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA (breathe) HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[gethypedmusic]

When I made a mixtape to my best ability with poor equipment when I was 18 I probably made almost $2500 Selling them at $5 a piece here in chicago. When I came 2nd in Lyrical Skillz In 05' I won a grand.. Even though it was a $1000 best buy gift card... (Trophy Is Huge Though) I get anywhere from $200-300 A show. And I do atleast 1 show a week. I have no music to sell right now because I refuse to sell anything less than professional. If you don't look and sound professional you won't be taken as professional. Ill get back to you in 2 months when im making a couple G's off of artist.

 

[Mindset]

When I made a mixtape to my best ability with poor equipment when I was 18 I probably made almost $2500 Selling them at $5 a piece here in chicago. When I came 2nd in Lyrical Skillz In 05' I won a grand.. Even though it was a $1000 best buy gift card... (Trophy Is Huge Though) I get anywhere from $200-300 A show. And I do atleast 1 show a week. I have no music to sell right now because I refuse to sell anything less than professional. If you don't look and sound professional you won't be taken as professional. Ill get back to you in 2 months when im making a couple G's off of artist.

I started in Chicago w/ Ruckess Ent, opening up for Do or Die & Twista in '96. Mo World & camp.

 

[gethypedmusic]

I started in Chicago w/ Ruckess Ent, opening up for Do or Die & Twista in '96. Mo World & camp.

Awesome. Any new artist?

 

[Alkaline1]

I haven't made much, but I don't have the money to invest at this moment. But I do have a plan for the near. Unlike most people who feel they NEED to find a contract or a label to make some $$ from music, I feel that you need to make moves locally, and hit the streets hard on your own to feet. You got to first FIND your market and create a fanbase so people actaully demand and support your music/movement and continue to follow it, whether it starts with a small group of friends or what not. You need to get your music out there once you have a CD/Product released, you need to promote the shit out of it and push it like its your meal ticket. Our group was formed last year and had a 4 song EP released last summer and sold about 2500 CDs in less than a year, sold to most people locally and internationally as well. Its all about who you meet and how you play your cards.

 

[doulos24]

I make 10 thousand every time i do a cd on average that being said I do it whenever I feel I have a band worth my time not really in it for the money