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Summary: Essential Legal Reference... ! ! !
Review: Performing, Promoting and Producing music is one thing. Music Law is another - - and when you're not a million dollar record company but just another guy trying to make and promote music, and you can't afford $200.00 an hour for *multiple* legal consultations, you might be at a disadvantage, especially when you're dealing with slicksters who do. This book for long has been one of the few serious resources available to individuals who need to really understand "the industry" and the laws relating to you and it (including how to protect your own work and performances as well as making agreements with other people, and not infringing copyright law.) About 5 years ago it underwent a major make over to deal with the digital revolution and other chages in the industry (including the Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998) and now even has a CD rom with plenty of printable legal documents, including 23 sample agreements. The book might not have any cute picures and rock and roll stories, but if you need a serious understanding about everything fo contracts, agreements, performing rights, protecting ideas and titles, agents and managers, various legislation and so on and so forth, this is an essential work of reference. It is defitely *not* just another "Cheesy Wannabe Pop Star Magazine Presents : How To Get Your Demo Heatf and Become a Big and Groovy Recording Artist" type book, nor is it written in such legalese, that you need a lawyer to disencipher it... it is basically the definitive reference manual for any individual involved or getting involved in the music industry to have on hand.
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Summary: Attention Hip Hop Entrepreneurs:Necessary as a resource!
Review: Success is about having the right information and then knowing how to and actually applying it! This is one of the books we recommend highly in our Hip Hop Entrepreneur Bookshelf on our website! It's not a "how to", but for those who want the facts about the details of contracts, publishing, royalties, etc. you can't be in the industry and NOT have this in your library.. --Walt Goodridge, President Hip Hop Entrepreneur Association (Walt is also author of Rap: This Game of Exposure and, The Game of Artist Management, The Hip Hop Entrepreneur Lists of Exposure, The Niche Market Report, and other success tools for the Hip Hop Entrepreneur)
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Summary: Not the Best Resource on the Music Business Anymore
Review: This book is a drag: its old fashioned, long-winded and tedious -there are much better books on the market that tell it like it REALLY is. Besides, it is not a very breezy read compared to a lot of other treatises out there on this topic - I won't name and names, but several other authors are much more up to date and write a more enjoyable read about the business side of the music business.
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Summary: Excellent Book.....A must have!
Review: This book is the book of all books. If you want to better understand the business of music buy this book!!
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Summary: an important book for understanding the music business
Review: This Business of Music is a very important and comprehensive book to aid one in understanding the music industry. However, I would recommend using the book merely to gain a strong knowledge of the history of the music business, and then to follow up by reading related magazines and journals, since things are rapidly changing. My other advice would be for anyone reading This Business of Music to understand that it is a history and that the reader should keep an open mind to creative, alternate business models that fully take advantage of modern technology. I realize that This Business of Music is updated periodically, but it still seems to be the case that the technology and the norms change more rapidly than the time between revision and distribution.
NOTE: I accidentally rated 3 stars, when I meant to rate five, but the system, for some reason, does not allow me to edit my rating.
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Summary: REQUIRED READING FOR ANYONE IN THE BUSINESS
Review: This is a fantastic book which covers all the essential ground in the music business. The authors have clearly laid out the isues and forces that are shaping the industry, as well as the nitty gritty details about doing business in the music world. This book is helpful to anyone who is an artist themselves, or works with artists as a manager, record exec, or publisher. Run out and get this book now!
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Summary: A Good Reference Guide, but...
Review: This is a great book to have on your shelf when you need to look something up. And it's important that all upcoming artists and music business people understand the concept... But, so much of this doesn't apply to the average band/songwriter in his day-to-day existence. That's not saying that it shouldn't be handled, but don't get too caught up in the academic stuff that this book concentrates on.
Rating:
Summary: reasonably useful
Review: This is a reasonably useful book for the novice providing he doesn't make it his only book resource and remembers that most of what he needs to know he will learn by getting involved in the business itself, not by reading books. (He should remember also that he needs to know how to play. For that I can do no better than recommend PENTATONIC SCALES FOR THE JAZZ-ROCK KEYBOARDIST by Jeff Burns.)
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Summary: College Text Quality
Review: Very informative, reads like a college textbook. This book could be used to teach courses. Well worth the money, and will keep you reading for awhile. If you have interest as to how everything works in the business aspects of the music business, this book is for you. I've interned at a few music companies, and this book teaches you everything that I've learned in 2 years all in one book. Again, you won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent.
Review: Very,very professional and useful.
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