How Do I Pay For It? Strategies to finance your album.

How do I pay for it? Strategies for recording an album.

As the music business continues to figure out what it is, new fresh ideas are coming from unexpected places that can breath new life into this career called performing musician. Some better minds than mine are showing us new ways to finance our recording project.

A little history. In the past a performing artist or band would pitch themselves to record label through an agent or manager for the much coveted album deal. For the most part, those days are gone. What has developed through the efforts of many resourceful minds is the idea of funding your album through your fan base. This will demonstrate to why developing your fan base is so critical to achieving your goal of being a performing musician.

So, how do you develop a fan base? Well this list of things is not exhaustive. The point here is to start the brainstorming Hopefully this will get you started and perhaps you will come up with better ideas. At every concert it is good to have someone to collect email addresses. Make sure that you get the persons okay to add them to your contact list. As you the list builds invite them to join your fan club. I have seen artists who create a separate web page as a fan site. This happens after you have set up your website. Create a blog that you can use to drive traffic to your web page. Decide on a price to join the fan page. Try $50 a year and $75 for 2 years. This is how you can finance your recording sessions and post production. As an incentive to join, you promise a limited edition copy of your album or EP. Your fans want to be a part of the creative process so it is a natural fit. You might also schedule a live streaming opportunity for your fans while you are in the studio. They can see you in the creative process first hand. You can do the math. Your fans can give you a very substantial budget for your recording.

Another strategy would be for your fans to fund your project after they have signed up after they have paid to be members of the fan club. Using something like “Go Fund Me” to generate the funds needed to pay for your recording.

Fans love the idea of getting content that is exclusive to them. Brian Epstein, the manager for The Beatles, published a monthly magazine and a special Christmas greeting every year. What you get for your effort is a core fan base who will, by word of mouth, increase attendance at your concerts. These are your super fans. Offer them free tickets to your show. They tell their friends about your concerts when you come to town. This will also grow your fan base.

I think this is enough to start a conversation on ways to generate the funds needed to record. Any other ideas that you have found, that have worked for you would be greatly appreciated. These idea exchanges will help all of us to make Northern Colorado a music mecca.

-Adrian Yañez