vanblah

Well, the problem with live performance is the same as anything else ... money. I will completely discount cover bands for my post.

How does an unknown artist with no financial backer get CONSISTENT gigs in small venues? If you are a "fringe" artist (ie. not an artist that does mainstream-sounding music) then your chances are slim.

Bar owners want people to show up and drink; they could really care less about the band--despite what they might say. The owner may actually be a big music fan ... and LOVE your band but if the audience doesn't resond ... well. I've watched venue owners kick bands out of the club because the music they were playing did not excite the crowd or worse actually angered or frightened the crowd.

If the venue is not a bar ... maybe a skatepark or **gasp** a REAL music venue ... then you have a better chance; but if you're doing something the kids don't like (such as experimental or jazz) then 1) you may be asked to leave and 2) you won't be asked back.

Consistent gigging is the key. You want to come back to the same town and HOPEFULLY the same venue so that the one or two or five fans that you made your first time will bring one or two friends with them.

Most music venue owners want mid-level bands to perform ... not unknown bands. Since they aren't making as much money on drinks they have to sell tickets. An unknown is not going to sell tickets.

If you are writing contemporary classical then it's actually EASIER to get a grant or some sort of funding (easy is relative though). All you have to do is fill out the paperwork and say the right things. Align yourself with a college or school. Try that in a rock band.

Back to touring in bars, which is where most musical acts are going to fit. You said that they should be given pianos. I remember when most bars actually had pianos ... and kept them in tune. They had working P.A. systems, too. Now, when I book a gig, the first thing I have to ask is: do they have a P.A. If they don't then we have to work out an agreement where I supply the P.A. What kind of horse-shit is that? How am I supposed to run sound AND play keyboards and sing at the same time? It can be done, sure, but it's less than ideal. If a bar owner wants live music the bar owner should invest in a P.A.

It's an uphill battle for any unknown act ... whether it's a bar band or a non-commercial experimental group. Rising gas prices ... apathy from listeners ... reluctant venue owners. Of course, things are slightly better in the UK and OZ ... but not much. At least the listeners haven't been as brainwashed by mass media. On the upside, the hipster syndrome is kind of dying out. You know, saying a band sucks before you've even heard of them because you don't want to look uncool for maybe liking a band that someone else doesn't.

Not true. You CAN copyright the performance (form PA) and the recording (form SR); it doesn't have to be scored. In fact, you should always register both. I found this out after scoring all of the music for Chess Club's first recording. I had a question about drum parts: would they need to be scored, too? So I called the copyright office and was told that a recording would be sufficient; there was no need for a score. I did send in a basic chord structure just to be safe. You could do this after the performance; just transcribe the recording. Also, Creative Commons is getting a lot of flack right now because the language in their limited use copyright is so vague.

Copyright doesn't guarantee that you will make money. You have to register (as a PUBLISHING HOUSE) with a royalty house (ASCAP, BMI, SECAM) to get any kind of mechanical or publishing royalties.

All copyright does is make the claim that you are the owner of a certain performance if it is ever contested in court. The copyright office won't make sure you get paid for any performance or sale of the CD.