Music Business

January 27, 2023
Music Business

What skills do you need for A&R?: 5 Rules

What skills do you need for A&R?

skills

What skills do you need for A&R?

The music industry is a cutthroat business. If you’re not on top of your game, you’ll find yourself behind the curve. So what skills do you need to be successful as an A&R? In this post, we’ll look at some of the most important qualities, plus how they relate to your career in music:

 

Analytical skills.

Analytical skills are the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on information. These skills can be developed over time through experience and training. Analytical skills can also be used in a variety of situations, such as in business, government, and education. Analytical skills are important because they allow people to make decisions based on facts rather than emotions. They can also help people learn new things by breaking down complex concepts into manageable parts.

 

Business skills.

You should be able to understand the business and its dynamics, negotiate with artists and their managers, negotiate with music publishers, negotiate with music producers (if you’re at a label), and so on. This is where most people’s minds go blank when considering A&R jobs—they don’t know what it means to be a good negotiator or how to actually do it. For example: how do you negotiate with an artist? Do you tell them what they should get paid? Or maybe let them dictate terms based on market value? The answer is somewhere in between those two extremes. In general, there are three types of negotiation tactics that can help:

    • Soft power—convincing others through your own charisma and personality (i.e., charm).
    • Hard power—convincing others through threats or other forms of coercion (i.e., “don’t say no or I’ll kill this kitten!”).
    • Win-win scenarios—creating mutually beneficial outcomes where both sides win (i.e., “I won’t kill this kitten if you sign”).

The best negotiators use all three of these tactics, but generally focus on soft power in the beginning, hard power for difficult situations, and win-win scenarios to close out deals.

 

Communication skills.

If you’re an A&R person, you’ll need to talk to a lot of people. You’ll be talking about things like how certain songs feel, what your vision is for the album, and how much money the band needs to make it through the recording process (it’s more than they think). The ability to communicate effectively with others is crucial for any job in music but it’s especially important for A&R. When someone tells you that you should sign a band because their new single is “a little bit punk,” you should be able to understand what that means. You also need to be able to convey your own thoughts and ideas clearly so others can act on them appropriately and so everyone knows what’s going on at all times!

 

Creative skills.

So, you want to be an A&R person. Great! You’re about to embark on a journey of excitement and discovery. But before you begin your journey, there are some things you should know:

    • What do we mean by ‘A&R’?

When people talk about being an A&R person, they’re referring to the job of identifying and developing new talent for a record company. An A&R professional will listen to the music submitted by artists or their managers, then decide whether or not it’s good enough to be released through their label. They’ll also sign producers in order to produce tracks for these acts. In short, they’re responsible for finding the next big thing in music whether that’s an artist who can sing well and write songs or someone who has an amazing studio setup with killer beats (like Max Martin).

    • Why does this matter? Because it shows that there are creative skills involved in the job! Otherwise known as ‘being creative’, this skill involves having ideas that haven’t been thought of yet – which means doing research into what other companies have done before so they don’t repeat any mistakes.”

But that’s not all: A&R professionals also need to be able to run a business, because they have to make sure their acts are being paid properly and that they’re making enough money for everyone involved. This means having an understanding of contracts, royalties, and licensing and knowing how to use them effectively in order to get what you want.

 

Decision-making skills.

Let’s face it: you’re not going to be doing much listening if you can’t hear anything. This is where your hearing comes in, and we mean both the literal sense of hearing and the figurative sense as well. So, having good ears is important for an A&R person but so are good eyes.

You’ll need to make quick decisions based on what you see and hear and those decisions must always lead to success. It’s not just about making a record; it’s also about signing talent (or deciding against signing them) so that your label can continue operating smoothly and profitably.

 

Multitasking skills.

The best A&Rs are able to multitask and switch between projects quickly and efficiently. They know how to stay focused on the task at hand, so they don’t get distracted by emails or calls from other people in their office. They also have a good sense of time management, so they can prioritize tasks effectively. This comes in handy when you’re dealing with multiple artists who all want your attention at the same time which is one reason why being an A&R is such a tough job!

 

Networking skills.

Networking is a skill that can be learned. And it’s a skill that is incredibly important to the A&R job. You need to have the ability to network with people, because depending on your role at the label, you may be in charge of finding new artists or employees for your company.

There are many different ways networking can help you in your day-to-day work as an A&R rep:

    • You might be working with artists who have managers or agents who are connected in other industries such as film and television. If they like their client’s music, they may recommend them for another project, which could lead to more exposure and opportunities for that artist.
    • If you’re running a record label yourself and want to sign an artist but don’t want them as part of your roster yet (maybe because they’re not ready yet), then it would benefit you greatly if one of their connections was willing to give some feedback about what improvements could be made before signing them onto the team full time!

 

Organizational skills.

Organizational skills are a huge part of being an A&R person. If you don’t understand the importance of organization, then you can’t be successful as an A&R person. The organization is about time management and prioritizing tasks; it’s also about setting goals, which is just as important as prioritizing tasks because without goals, how will you know where to start? And finally, the organization is about being efficient in your work so that when someone comes to ask you what happened to that project they gave you three weeks ago which they haven’t seen yet you don’t have to say “I forgot.”

 

People management and negotiating skills.

People management and negotiating skills are a must for every A&R rep. You’re not just in charge of signing new artists you also have to work with them, helping them grow as artists and working together to figure out what songs will be on their albums. And that means working with lots of different personalities without losing your cool or getting frustrated. You may also have to negotiate with labels and other A&R reps about who gets the best songs from an artist, who gets the first chance at signing them, etc., so you need to be able to handle these situations calmly and professionally while still getting what you want out of it.

The bottom line: being an A&R rep is all about people management, whether it comes down to making sure everyone on your team has everything they need (or want) or negotiating with artists over contracts and song choices.

 

You need good business and analytical skills for A&R in Nigeria

You need good business and analytical skills for A&R in Nigeria.

    • Analytical skills: The ability to analyze data and recognize patterns, trends and relationships between variables is crucial. In this position, you will be required to make strategic decisions based on market research reports and other information
    • Business skills: You need excellent organizational abilities with the ability to prioritize tasks according to deadlines; excellent problem-solving abilities; patience when addressing problems; strong interpersonal skills (especially with people who will be meeting their needs); communication skills (verbal and written), including listening attentively in order to understand customer needs; conflict resolution techniques when dealing with difficult situations at work or at home; time management skills because many projects require your immediate attention if they are not completed within the designated time frame then there’s a risk of losing customers, especially in an industry where competition is very high so having these qualities means less stress on yourself as well as others around you which leads us into…

 

Conclusion

A&R is a very competitive business and it is not for the faint-hearted. You need to have all of these skills if you want to succeed in this industry. In this article, we discussed some of the most important skills that you need for A&R in Nigeria. If you have any questions about A&R or about how to become an A&R, feel free to ask us in the comment section below! We will try our best to answer them as soon as possible

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January 27, 2023
A&R

What does an A&R scout do?

The A&R scout is a record label employee who is responsible for finding and signing new talent to the label. This can be a very exciting job, but it’s also hard work because you’re constantly searching for new music and sometimes the best stuff isn’t easy to find!

What is an A&R scout?

An A&R scout is someone who works with artists and their music, helping them create and promote their work. The first part of their title “Artist and Repertoire” is an old term for record labels but still has relevance today.

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The job of the A&R scout is to find new talent, including singers, songwriters, producers, artists in other mediums, etc. An A&R scout might also help sign up existing bands or solo acts that already have a following among fans but need help getting off the ground with record labels.

The A&R scout’s job doesn’t end there! They’ll also be responsible for finding songs that could become hits on radio stations or at clubs across the country and they’ll get paid to do this because they’re so good at what they do!

 

How to become an A&R scout

To become an A&R scout, you should be musically talented and have a good ear for music. In addition, you must possess good communication skills and can work with others. An A&R scout will spend most of their time listening to music and talking about new artists or songs with other people in the industry. They will also need to know how different genres of music fit into the industry as a whole so that they can figure out which artists might be right for different types of projects.

 

An A&R scouts duties

A&R scouts are responsible for identifying, developing, and signing new artists. A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire, which means they work to find new talent and then create that artist so they can be signed to a record label. In addition to finding new talent, an A&R scout may also help manage the careers of established artists after they are signed by a record company. They often act as a sounding board for their artists, offering feedback on song ideas or helping them decide what direction their album should take in terms of sound or theme.

A&R scouts have many duties when it comes to promoting their acts:

    • Helping with songwriting sessions (for example)
    • Coordinating studio time with producers/engineers
    • Scheduling concerts & tours

 

The position of an A&R inspector

An A&R inspector is a person who inspects goods and services to ensure they meet certain standards. They may also be called quality controllers or inspectors. Their job is to make sure that the quality of products or services is accurate and consistent across all manufacturing plants, including food production and processing plants, pharmaceutical companies, clothing manufacturers, laboratories and more.

 

There are several qualifications you must hold to become an A&R inspector:

    • You must have strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail
    • You should have good organizational skills as well as good communication skills with both customers and coworkers
    • A bachelor’s degree in engineering or business administration would be preferred but not required

 

Record Label A&R Scout Responsibilities

An A&R scout is responsible for finding new talent, both in the music and entertainment industry. They are also responsible for discovering new producers, writers, artists, managers, and labels who might have the potential to make it big in a certain genre of music.

A&R scouts are often responsible for scouting talent at live shows or watching them online. They will then submit demos or CDs of their work to the record label’s office where they will be reviewed by other members of staff before being passed onto legal teams who check that all rights are clear so there’s no copyright infringement taking place.

 

An A&R Executive Scout’s Responsibilities

The A&R executive is responsible for finding and developing new talent, as well as the music side of a label. These responsibilities include:

    • Signing new artists to the label
    • Developing the artists on their roster

 

The A&R scout’s duties are very similar to that of an independent music scout, but with one important difference: An independent scout can sign artists who are not signed to any labels at all. When you’re working with a major label like Mavin Records, there’s no need for anyone else’s approval you have complete control over everything related to your job title.

 

Mainstream Music A&R Scout Responsibilities

An A&R scout is responsible for finding new talent and signing them to a record label. They also help to develop the talent they find. An A&R scout works with artists to write and record songs, as well as promote their music.

Some of the responsibilities of an A&R scout include:

    • Meeting with prospective artists in person or over the phone to discuss their music
    • Reviewing demo recordings from potential recruits and listening for areas of improvement
    • Interviewing artists about their musical background, prior experiences, goals for their career, etc., and preparing this information in writing
    • Selecting which demos and performers are going to be sent on tour with established bands

 

The role of a label executive (A&R) in a record company

As an A&R executive, you are responsible for the following:

    • Signing and developing new talent
    • Marketing and promoting the label’s artists
    • Developing the label’s catalogue of songs

 

Hire good music talent for your new album, or mixtape project, or book your next show with A&R DUTY.

If you need to find the right music talent for your new album, or mixtape project with A&R DUTY. We have a large pool of talented music artists who can fit into any genre of music.

We take pride in being able to land our clients with top-notch artists/producers and video directors as well as making sure they get paid on time every time. Our track record speaks for itself; we have worked with some of Nigeria’s biggest artists including Cynthia Morgan, G-worldwide ent (Kizz Daniel), Shaydee, Dj Jimmy Jatt, and many more under the roaster of Gidioti Empire.

 

Conclusion

An A&R scout is a person who works for a record label or publishing company and finds new talent for the company. They look at the music and decide if it is good enough to be recorded on an album or mixtape. There are many different types of scouts out there, but they all have one thing in common: They want to find the next big thing!

 

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

How do I submit my music to labels?

When you’re trying to get your music heard by labels, there are plenty of things you can do to stand out from the crowd. You could try sending them a personalized email or even calling the label manager on the phone to introduce yourself. But how do you know what will work best? Well, there’s only one way: trial and error! The good news is that there are a few proven ways of making yourself stand out from the crowd and helping their job easier and they’re all fairly easy once you’ve got used to doing them regularly.

Many labels receive a high volume of submissions, so it may take them a while to respond.

Many labels receive a high volume of submissions, so it may take them a while to respond. It is important to remember that A&R teams are almost always very busy people who have many responsibilities. As such, they may not be able to respond immediately and may not respond at all if they do not think your music fits their label’s needs at the time you submit it.

If you know an A&R representative personally or have worked with them before, then try submitting your song directly via email rather than using our system…

 

You’re unlikely to hear back if you just email the label to the MP3.

In order to be considered, you will need to send them the link to your music. This can be done by email or through a service like SoundCloud, or Spotify. If you don’t include a link, they won’t know what you’re talking about and they won’t be able to listen to it!

 

Get your music on Spotify and iTunes.

You need to be on Spotify and iTunes. If you’re not on those platforms, then it’s unlikely for anyone to hear your music. There are exceptions, but they are extremely rare and require an extreme amount of luck or connections at the label level that most artists don’t have. You also need to have your music on other streaming services as well as stores like Amazon or CD Baby so people can buy it if they want physical copies (physical copies still sell). If someone wants to buy your album from iTunes or Amazon but can’t because your album isn’t there yet, you’ll lose out on more sales than just the ones who would’ve bought digital versions through those stores.

 

Don’t just message the label with a SoundCloud link and hope they listen.

When sending a music submission to a label, it’s important not to simply message the label with your SoundCloud link and hope they listen. You should have a dedicated page for your music, with links to all your social media accounts and all of your releases there as well. If you don’t have a website, you can use Bandcamp or another similar platform that has an embeddable player so people can listen directly from the page.

The best way to submit music is through a custom email address made just for the purpose of submitting tracks from unsigned artists. This email should include all relevant information about yourself (links to previous releases), links to streaming services where fans can listen (Spotify/Apple Music, etc.), and any other places where fans might hear it like YouTube/SoundCloud/etc., and any other relevant information like what genre(s) it falls into or any notable features on albums, etc., as well as anything else they might need in order fully understand what they’re listening too before making a decision on whether or not it’s right for them at this time.”

 

When you submit your music, make sure you have all the necessary copyright info in place.

While you’re submitting your music to labels, it’s important to make sure you have all the important copyright information in place. The first thing a label wants to know about your song is who wrote and recorded it, so make sure that’s clear. Make sure their name is included on every track and that it matches up with their website or social media profile.

Most importantly, make sure there’s no confusion about when you wrote your song or when it was released. Many artists include incorrect dates on their releases because they don’t know better or don’t care enough (or both). This can be confusing for both listeners and labels alike, so be sure not to leave off any crucial details like this one!

 

Have a dedicated page or website for your music, with links to your social media and all your music in one place.

You’ve got to have a dedicated page or website for your music, with links to your social media and all your music in one place. Make sure it’s easy to find and link directly back to any kind of social media you want (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook). Also, make sure this is the same URL that people can send out via email when they want other people to hear your track.

 

The better you can make yourself stand out from the crowd and help their job, the more likely they are to notice you.

The better you can make yourself stand out from the crowd and help their job, the more likely they are to notice you.

Here is a list of things that will help your chances:

    • Have a dedicated page or website for your music. This doesn’t have to be fancy (in fact, it’s better if it isn’t), but having everything in one place makes it much easier for labels to find and listen to your music. If people can’t find it easily, then not only does this increase the likelihood that they won’t listen to your music (which means you’ve wasted time) but also decreases its chance of being discovered by others who might want to sign you! A link should be included on all social media accounts too so that everyone involved knows where they can find everything related to their career at any given time without having multiple tabs open on their browser windows while trying not to miss anything important happening within those pages’ feeds.* Don’t just message labels with Soundcloud links; make sure all links point towards one page on your website or blog where everything lives together neatly organized under one roof.* Get some good recordings on Spotify and iTunes – It’s really hard for someone new off of Soundcloud alone because sound quality matters!

 

Conclusion

Remember, this is your music. You are the one who should be proud of it, not the label. So don’t just submit to a label because they have good feedback on SoundCloud or because they’re huge. Start by sending them only your best tracks and see what happens from there. Don’t forget that most labels want to work with artists who can promote themselves too; if you don’t have any social media profiles set up yet then get started on those today!

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

5 Possible way you can pitch a song to an artist?

How do you pitch a song to an artist?

It’s never been easier to get your music heard by a wide audience. Thousands of websites and apps can help you share your songs with other musicians, fans, and industry professionals. But the best way to connect with an artist is still through one-on-one communication. If you’re looking for tips on how to make that happen, read on!

pitch

How do you pitch a song to an artist?

Catch them live

The best way to get a song to an artist is by catching them live. They can be performing at a show, festival, gig, awards ceremony, event, or concert. Just be sure that you’re there when they are performing and make sure they notice your song. Here’s how:

    • Watch their show from the front row so that they can’t miss you
    • Put together an amazing performance of your song (make sure it has great lyrics and melody)
    • Make sure everyone in the crowd is singing along with your words because then it will look like everyone loves the music
    • Play loud enough for everyone in the audience to hear so no one misses out on hearing what wonderful songs you have written

Play your song for them at a studio

The first way to pitch a song to an artist is by playing it for them in a studio. While this is the best method, it’s not always possible because some artists work out of home studios or private studios that don’t allow outsiders to enter. If you’re lucky enough to get invited into the studio while working on new material, make sure you play your song only after they’ve had time to finish their current project.

If you can’t get into their recording space, try playing your music at another location where they usually hang out: bars/clubs (but not if they’re performing), hotels (but not if they’re staying there), parks, and other public places where people might be hanging out listening to live music.

 

Please send it to their A&R, manager, or producer

    • Please send it to their A&R, manager, or producer.
    • If you’ve got a song that you think is perfect for an artist and you want them to hear it, send it in the same way as if you were pitching it to a record label or publisher: private message on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, email, letter or text message (if the artist has previously given you their number). But don’t just send the song directly to their publicist or manager – they’ll likely pass it on anyway.
    • If a musician doesn’t have an A&R team yet but has already started building up some buzz through live shows/social media etc., then sending your track over might be better than trying to pitch it directly to them. It’s easy enough for anyone with an internet connection these days so there should be no excuse not to at least give this method of reaching out a shot!

 

Get in touch through the artist’s social media

If you have a song you think would be great for an artist, contact them through their social media. In the age of social media, it should be easy to find out how to get in touch with an artist through Instagram or Twitter. You can then send them a link to your song and see if they like it! Don’t be afraid most artists are happy when fans reach out with their music. Some artists even welcome submissions from aspiring producers looking for a chance at working together (I know I did).

Just remember that not everyone is going to respond in fact, most won’t respond at all! That’s okay though; just keep trying until you find someone who loves your music as much as you do!

 

Make sure your song is good

You’ve heard the saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” That’s true in so many respects, but especially when it comes to getting your music recorded by an artist. You need to make sure your song is good and that you’re pitching the right song to the right artist.

For example, I recently wrote a song called “Haunting” which my friend Jayme King wanted to record on her upcoming album. I sent her a copy of the demo (the recording of my voice singing over acoustic guitar) and she liked it! She said she wanted to change some lyrics here and there as well as add some harmonies in certain places. When I asked if she wanted me there when she recorded it, her response was no because she didn’t want any distractions from me being on set; however, if any changes after recording needed input from me then I would be welcome back at Studio B Studios anytime!

Conclusion

If you want to pitch your song to an artist, you need to be creative. This can mean doing things like sending them a demo or playing it live at their shows. Don’t forget that social media is also a great way of getting in touch with the right people!

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