A weekly series of workshops focusing on your music business career, Crescendo is designed for both new artists and veteran independent musicians looking for an update on changes and new developments in the music business. The series launches Tuesday, October 5 with a free session Copyright and Contracts for Musicians. Presented by musician and music business professional Lou Hill and attorney Bri Whetstone, Copyright and Contracts for Musicians addresses, the first workshop will focus on:

• What copyright protects.
• The importance of registration.
• The difference between published and unpublished works.
• The registration process and new significant changes.
• Standard contracts and why you need them.
• Plus your questions!

Tuesday, October 5th 5:30 to 7:30pm CT
New Orleans Jazz Museum
400 Esplanade Ave.

This first session of Crescendo is free, but please RSVP. 

Crescendo runs weekly with seven sessions from October 5-November 16th, and addresses issues such as intellectual property, publishing, sampling, recording contracts, working with record labels, promoting your music, working with festivals and more. Full schedule here.

Artists can pick and choose the sessions they want to attend, or buy a season pass for all 7 sessions.

Upcoming workshops:

Tuesday October 12: Publishing and Publishing Revenue Streams

• What publishing is – musical composition copyright and what is covered by this
• What rights are included in music composition copyright
• Common revenue streams from publishing
• Publishing Companies & what they do
• Basic Terms of Publishing Deals
• How to use someone else’s publishing rights (for a film/TV synch, or for sampling)

Tuesday October 19: Working with Labels, Master Recordings and Record Deals.

• What masters are – sound recording copyright and what is covered by this
• What rights are included in sound recording copyright
• Common revenue streams from masters
• Record Labels & what they do
• Basic Terms of Record Deals
• How to use someone else’s master rights (for a film/TV synch, or for sampling)

Tuesday October 26: Streaming Royalties and Performing Rights Organizations.

• Royalties Derived from the Public Performance Right (“Performance Royalties”)
• Publishing – full public performance right (conventional formats + internet streaming)
• PROs: what they are, who they are, how to sign up and register works,
• Royalties Derived from the Reproduction & Distribution Rights)
• Sales of physical copies and digital downloads
• Music Modernization Act

Tuesday November 2: Music Contracts, Band Agreements, and Trademarks

• Contracts: band agreement, session musicians work for hire, venue agreements
• Pre-Release paperwork
• Contracts: co-writer agreements and/or split sheets
• Common band/artist business models
• Trademarks and controlling your image
• Management: when’s the “right time” to get a manager

Tuesday November 9: Running your Band Like a Business. Guest presenters Greg Schatz, Andrew Woodruff of French Quarter Festivals Inc.

• Marketing/branding & live performance:
• Booking tours
• Merchandise
• Working with Festivals

Tuesday, November 16: Releasing, Pitching, and Monetizing Your Music.

• Releasing Your Music as an Independent Artist
• Pitching Your Music to Record Labels & Publishers:
• Monetizing Your Music, After It’s Released.

Full info and link to attend can be found at ellanola.org.