The music scene is full of urban music (and other genres) producers that love to sample. Sampling can be considered an art in itself. I don't necessarily agree but what I can say is that using someone else's creation to create your own is like wearing someone else's clothes when you have your own. The mindset, to me, is I want to look as good as you do or better than you did with the same stuff you got. I honestly have no problem with a person that samples. I really didn't care to do it myself. I may have sampled 3 or 4 classic songs in my life as an urban music producer. Even then, I didn't care to do it.

This is a basic primer to much of the new music industry's business model as well as what you need to do to copyright and publish your music the right way. This is by no means an exhaustive knowledge base. Its designed to give you as an artist, musician, songwriter, or composer, as basic foundation that you should build upon. SEEK KNOWLEDGE AND USE WHAT YOU LEARN!! 

Setting The Stage

I'd like to consider myself a big fish in a little pond of guppies. Not big in terms of cash flow, and not extremely big in experience, but knowledge is what grows my fins and tail bigger than the guppies. It can seem prideful and arrogant to say.

I used to be one of those artists that claimed to know everything, but knew nothing past the brown on my skin and the notes in my head. Once I started meeting people in the industry, I soaked in any knowledge they gave up. It took time for me to get what some were saying, but it wasn't what they were saying, it was the questions that I asked.

I mean for crying out loud, if you're going to be in the business of music, then you need to know the business! That's like saying you want to open a store, stock the store, and make money off the sale of your products without actually knowing how to run your business. That's like saying you want a girlfriend without actually attempting to get a girlfriend, then when you do get her, you do nothing to understand her or keep her happy. You just completely ignore what makes the relationship work, yet you want all the benefits of a good relationship. 

It doesn't make sense and it's an recipe for disaster. Do you know how many incredibly talented artists that made it into the majors yet never went anywhere because they didn't know how to handle their business? Even more, how about the artists that actually got signed but who's projects or careers never saw the light of day? What about the artists that start on their way, create incredible music, then they get handed some bogus deal from a nobody who claims they're going to make them a star? I could run on and on about these situations in question form but I suggest that you use the power of the search engine and find out the statistics on how many artists start down the road of a glorious music career only to never truly make it because THEY DIDN'T KNOW THE BUSINESS.


So stop reading, go ahead and search...this article will still be here when you get back...