This course shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist. We’ll cover everything from developing your unique identity as an artist and how to lead a band all the way to planning and recording your first independent record with the help of crowdfunding.
The course curriculum is modeled from the real-world experience of Leah Waldo (also known as the emerging country artist, Elisa Smith) and features interviews with industry executives, artists, producers, and engineers — all designed to help you navigate the music industry.
This course is part of the Music Business Specialization
Building Your Career in Music: Developing A Brand and Funding Your Music
Offered By
About this Course
4.6
93 ratings
What you will learn
Describe and discuss your identity, vision, and intention and identify strategies to balance the management of the band and the creation of the music
Develop your musical brand, build and leverage a network of industry professionals, and discuss the benefits of partnering with other brands
Develop a vision for a recording project and engage in a professional conversation with producers
Plan, design, and launch a crowdfunding campaign
Skills you will gain
Music businessMarketingCrowdfundingSocial MediaNetworking
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week
11 hour to complete
Welcome!
Welcome to Building Your Career in Music: Developing a Brand and Funding Your Music! Before you begin the course, we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.
1 video (Total 2 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
4 readings
How This Course Works10m
Earn a Certificate for this Course10m
Connect with Your Classmates10m
A Note from Your Teaching Assistant10m
1 practice exercise
What do you hope to accomplish?8m
2 hours to complete
Your Foundation
In this lesson, we will begin to lay the foundation for who you are as an artist and a leader. We'll discuss the importance of having a strong sense of your identity, vision, and intention and we'll also how leverage your natural skills as a musician, like intuition and collaboration, to work for you as an entrepreneur. Finally, we'll discuss how to become a better band leader.
4 videos (Total 39 min), 3 readings, 1 quiz
4 videos
Developing Your Identity, Vision, and Intention14m
Musicianship = Entrepreneurship12m
How to Become a More Effective Band Leader10m
3 readings
Overcoming An Internal Struggle10m
About Your Instructor: Leah (a.k.a. Elisa Smith)10m
Case Study: Elisa Smith's IVI10m
1 practice exercise
Case Study: Elisa Smith's IVI20m
Week
21 hour to complete
Your Brand
Now that you have a strong foundation (your IVI), we'll discuss building your brand and your fanbase. We'll go over tips for building a presence on social media and how to connect to your fans and potential business partners on a personal level by learning how to network effectively. Finally, we'll discuss the trend of artist-brand partnerships and why a brand partnership might be a smart move for independent artists.
4 videos (Total 31 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
4 videos
Building Your Fanbase9m
The Art of Networking5m
Partnering With Brands14m
1 reading
Using Brand Names in Your Songwriting10m
1 practice exercise
Case Study: Brand Partnerships20m
Week
31 hour to complete
Your Record
In this lesson, we'll focus on planning your recording project, whether it's a full length album or an EP. We'll discuss the role of the producer and the very special relationship that exists between producers and musicians. We'll also discuss how to cast a vision for your project by choosing the right songs, feel, and instrumentation. Finally, we'll learn how to set up a simple recording budget so you can keep track how much your project will cost.
5 videos (Total 46 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
5 videos
Choosing The Right Producer11m
Establishing A Vision and Intention for Your Record9m
Setting Up a Simple Recording Budget13m
Case Study: Do You Need A Producer?10m
2 readings
The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship10m
Recording In the Studio10m
1 practice exercise
Case Study: Do You Need A Producer?16m
Week
41 hour to complete
Your Money
The majority of this lesson will focus on planning, launching, and managing a crowdfunding campaign. Crowdfunding is a great way to gain support for your music, but running a campaign requires careful planning and preparation. We'll also share a some tips on how to turn your band into a sustainable business.
5 videos (Total 31 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
5 videos
5 Tips for Turning Your Band into a Business2m
Crowdfunding: Pre Launch6m
Crowdfunding: Post Launch6m
Case Study: Successful Crowdfunding14m
2 readings
10 Tips for Running a Successful Crowdfunding Campaign10m
Reviewing Rench's Crowdfunding Campaign10m
1 practice exercise
Case Study: Successful Crowdfunding20m
1 hour to complete
Your Career
Congratulations! You've made it through the course content and now it's time to put what you've learned into practice for your final project.
1 video (Total 1 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz
1 video
1 reading
Launching Your Career10m
4.6
14 Reviews80%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
25%
got a pay increase or promotion
Top Reviews
Are you missing pieces in your music business understanding? Eliza does a fantastic job of breaking it down to simple concepts, and connecting it all to your dream.
Leah Waldo is such a powerful woman and a smart teacher, I learnt so much from this course! Thank you!
Instructor
Leah Waldo
Course AuthorBerklee Online
About Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music is through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than half a century, the college has evolved to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. Berklee serves distance learners worldwide through its award-winning online extension school, Berklee Online.
About the Music Business Specialization
This specialization will give you the knowledge, both theoretical and practical, to launch your career in the music business as an artist, manager, agent, and/or producer. You will begin with Music Business Foundations, which provides a broad overview of the music business, including a history of the industry as well as the various roles that exist and how they relate to one another. You will learn how record contracts are structured as well as a basic overview of copyright law. From there, you will complete Navigating the Music Business, designed for both musical artists and those who wish to work with artists. This course will help you identify the unique elements of artist identity and provide you with the practical business know-how you’ll need to build a fanbase and successfully run a crowdfunding campaign. Next, you will complete Copyright Law in the Music Business, which gets to the heart of compensation and revenue in the music business. You will have the opportunity to unpack high-profile copyright law cases involving world-renowned artists, gaining a better understanding of how to leverage the law to their benefit. Finally, you will complete Creativity and Entrepreneurship, in which you’ll learn what it takes to be an effective entrepreneur in the music business, learning skills that are essential for thriving in an ever-changing industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
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