FAIR 312 - DIY Music Business

The music business has undergone staggering changes in recent years. Funding, production, promotion and distribution have become largely the artist’s responsibility. While this has democratized music making in exciting ways, it has also placed new responsibilities on the musician. This course will begin with an examination of the traditional aspects of the music business, such as copyright, royalties, distribution, licensing, publishing and record contracts. We will follow that with an extensive study of the new DIY music business. We will look at the practical methods required by today’s musician, including engaging with listeners, creating an effective online presence, self-promotion, and successful methods for releasing music (i.e. singles/EPs/LPs; physical vs. digital media formats). We will also examine the complex social and artistic issues that are a result of the changes in the music business, such as the value society places on music and musicians in the digital age, and the strain placed on the creative process as a result of self-production and promotion. Throughout the quarter, we will perform case studies of current artists, analyzing successful, notable and creative techniques currently being used in the music business. S/U grading.

Prerequisites & Notes: FAIR 201A; FAIR 203A with concurrency; or instructor permission.
Credits: 5
Grade Mode: S/U