When is it time to get a manager?

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Diffusion

Future Astrophysicist
Just have a few questions...

1.) What exactly does a manager do?

2.) How much are they? Average?

3.) When is it time to get one?
 
You will know when it's time to get one, they will approach you, they will take a percentage. They will get you shows, promote you through radio, television and other media, and connect you to other people in the industry who can help you out. Many get you record deals and things like that... if they are good.
 
Diffusion said:
Just have a few questions...

1.) What exactly does a manager do?

2.) How much are they? Average?

3.) When is it time to get one?

1. There are many types of music managers....it depends what the manager you get really works in. They sorta play the role of "band director." Search different music sites like getsigned.com and READ. Buy books...If you don't spend now, you won't reap the benefits later.

2. A percentage...as stated in grn's response. They will only take a percentage if they are getting you signed though...whi will usually be between 10 and 20 percent. If you arent getting signed...then be prepared to pay BIG money up front for a decent manager.

3. When you start selling out shows in your hometown a manager will find you. If they don't, THEN you can sit back and go "We're selling out clubs, why won't anyone work with us." Don't be a dick to club owners, because if they hate you...good odds are that they know managers and are gonna put in a bad word...if you get a bad word in one town....move to a new town because your f**ked.

Hope this helped you out some! Good Luck!
 
If you are spending more time out handling the business of your band than you are being a musician/band member, then it is time to consider an agent of some sort (aka manager.) The purpose of a manager is to handle the business and make the arraingements so you and your bandmates can devote your time and energy to making music. Most musicians that I've met can't balance a checkbook let alone keep up with all the complexities of keeping a band working and making money. How much to pay them? Depends on how much they do and how much (money) they are making for you, if you have to keep your day job they aren't worth much.
Think of your band as a business: You are the manufactorer, your product is your music, the manager is your sales represenative, the wholesalers are the club owners/managers, the retail buyer is your audience. If you noticed, the manager is smack in the middle of this chain, and a weak link in this chain will cause it to fail.
 
Managers can be a huge asset or a huge liability as well. If you get the oppurtunity to work with one you will find out very quickly which kind they are. I found we needed one when we had exhausted our local/national contacts trying to make everything work together. We sort of just hit a ceiling on what we could accomplish with who we knew. We were selling out shows and getting local radio play but needed to make that next step that only a manager could help us with. There is plenty of advice out there on what to look for in a manager and I would take all of it in. A soon as you have one represent you it is very hard to separate their personality/likeability from the band's in the business world. If people don't like them, they won't like you (at first) and vice/versa.

As for what they charge, it all varys but it will at least be 10%. They will also take a % off any advances and usually take a % of all shows (along with the booking agent they find you who also takes a %). You've heard of the trickle down theory of economics? Same thing applies here... Oh god don't even get me started on lawyer fees. Good Luck!
 
I actually am a manager, as well as an agent.

they are two different things. I keep seeing people saying managers are supposed to book you, but that is not normally the case.


quick rundown of they way it works. this will come from a label's perspective, but will include everything your manager should do.


ssuming a label thinks you are good enough to invest in:

the first thing a label does when it considers signing a band is how much the band/artist will tour. Will they tour if they are broke? Will they leave their jobs and girlfriends to do what it takes to make it in this shit. If the answer is yes, then the next thing they ask is who will book you. Many labels work with agents already, or have some lined up...but many good labels do not have agents that will pick up freshly signed bands (something I will do). Label owner hate doing anything like finding an agent for a band.

the manager aspect can come at different points. If you are lucky you will get one before you are signed. A manager does work to get your ass promoted in every way possible, but it takes money to make money. the less you have, the harder advertising will be. The goal of a manager is to get you signed, promoted through advertising, and a good agent.

some managers kill two birds with one stone (such as myself). Some managers are also agents, and wehn these types of managers approach a label they already have connections with, the label has less to worry about in signing them.


the myth i read on here "managers don't get paid unless you get signed." any manager that does this has no clue what they are doing. if you are spending time on promoting and helping a band gain recognition, you get paid. Time=money. a normally gets paid in this fashion 10-20% of everything you make. this includes merch, shows, signing bonus, and royalties. If a manager does not book you, he works out the deal with an agent for what his take will be. so if you sign a 20% deal and your manager finds you a better agent, he may do something like offer the agent 10% of your guarantees as compensation for him booking you. then the manager would still get 10% of the show money, and the agent would recieve the other 10%.

at a newbie level, it is very hard to book bands. much harder than dealing with large acts such as disturbed and Jay-z. realistic money you will make while touring for performances will range from $50-$300 on the usual. With a realistic average of about $125 a night until you get to the point where you are actually drawing people in the areas you are playing, then the money goes up.

as far as the whole selling out your hometown. yeah you will get approached by managers, but they are in many cases weak leeches. most good managers are not going to come to you, they already have something going on. if you start having a buzz about your groups in numerous areas, that carries a lot more weight.


i ahve seen many bands pull 400 to 500 heads in their homerown and when you put them on the road, not only can they not hack touring, their music doesn't ever really do well. difference is, in your hometown, a lot of your friends show up, and as well all know, friends will support a band even if they suck. when you are on the road, you get the truth.


I have been doing this for roughly 11 years for my bands, and in 1 year's time, I have gone from 0 signed bands to 4 nationals on my roster.


i knwo what it takes and i am open to anything, but as with labels i am very picky about anything i will work with.

i prefer hardcore scene bands, but will work with metal, and even good hip-hop.
 
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