Ellibs book

On March 28th it is available – The 2nd Edition

News , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

On March 28th, it’s finally happening! The Art of Music Business Management – for Artists & Managers is getting its highly anticipated Second Edition. With nearly 50 additional pages, the book has been completely revised. March 28th is a wonderful day to release a book – I finally get to have a book published fairly early in the year for once.

This edition embodies the experiences I’ve gained while teaching and managing artists. Additionally, a second edition is a thrilling milestone for any author – it has already met its audience. I believe you, as the reader, will appreciate the improvements it has received. In a time when artificial intelligence is increasingly integrating into our daily lives, management must adapt accordingly. At least in some aspects.

Here’s the revised back cover as it appears on the book;

THE NEXT GENERATION OF MUSIC BUSINESS BOOKS IS HERE!

Karhumaa’s seventh book introduces artist management from an unprecedented perspective. Modern artist management can be divided into three compartments. When these are presented to you and reflected onto a transparent wall, you see things from a manager’s point of view. Through this, you’ll see the four audiences of the music industry. This is the scene, the areas of action, where all of this takes place.
This framework has been developed for today’s rapidly evolving world. It travels with you everywhere. Whatever you need to do, invest in understanding this framework and start taking action. This book teaches you how to utilize it.

Modern artist management is increasingly taking place in the digital realm and resembles screenwriting. As technology evolves, introducing new features almost daily, the management needs to adapt swiftly. This book discusses how success can be achieved in navigating this task.
The book is intended for all professionals in the industry. Management is a topic that touches all of us in one way or another. The book is particularly well-suited for educational purposes.

A manager needed to write this book. The author has three decades of experience in multiple capacities. Mika Karhumaa is a music business manager – specializing in artist management and contracts & copyright. He lectures on the subject and acts as a strategist in many industrial operations.

As already said, the book is out on March 28th. From then on, it will be available on Amazon, Google Play Books, and many other retailers – and of course, for academic use, you can find it on EBSCO and Ellibs.

The Art of Music Business Management - For Artists & Managers - 2nd Edition, 2024 - will be out on March 28th! It is then available on Amazon, Google Play Books, EBSCO, Ellibs and many other distributors.

The Art of Music Business Management – The Course

News , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

Here we are once more, preparing for the commencement of the ”Managerial and Intercession Skills in the Music Business – The Modern Fundamentals of the Industry” course at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences. The course is based on The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers book.

The course’s title itself encapsulates its core starting point. There exist specific competencies that a manager is expected to excel in, and how they navigate these competencies significantly impacts their success in the role. Importantly, this success resonates profoundly with the artist they represent, underlining the inherent interdependence between the two parties. As the saying goes, it takes two to tango, emphasizing the collaborative nature of this relationship.

Success in this domain necessitates multidimensional skills and a shared understanding between the involved parties. We operate within multiple levels of frameworks concurrently. These frameworks encompass the foundational narrative and the artist’s perspective, which this course thoroughly explores from various angles. Here’s an outline of the lecture themes and their respective contents:

  1. Digital Identity And Passive Promotion
  2. Copyright, Passive Income, And Strategies for Activation
  3. The Role of Management And Manager Contract
  4. Nurturing The Manager-Artist Relationship
  5. Active Promotion And Its Impact – The Story on Story Effect
  6. Advancement And Business Development
  7. Synchronization As A Pathway To Progress

Our course features several esteemed guests, each a professional in their respective fields. This time, our lineup includes Jennifer Pyken, Anna Turunen, Jenny Andreasson, Marilyn Reles-Lozano and Mac McIntosh.

Typically, I lead the first two lectures, establishing a foundational framework for the course. Our primary objective during this phase is to cultivate a collective understanding of the critical elements at play within this industry. When this is set up, we will invite our guests in the order that aligns with the course’s systematic arrangement. The guests have also appreciated this arrangement, as it allows them to delve directly into their specialties without any constraints or structural barriers. Consequently, the course progresses continually, preparing and ensuring the readiness for its next step – one step at a time.

Consequently, the course doesn’t merely comprise lectures or guest presentations; rather, it’s a curated journey aimed at incrementally elevating the level of engagement and expertise. Many of the case studies and examples we delve into are current and real-time. In fact, numerous productions or operations discussed in the course are either ongoing or set for release shortly, providing us with insider knowledge about the influencing factors and potential hidden motivations behind these endeavors.

The course book, ’The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers,’ is receiving a second edition this year, where these conceptual frameworks have been structured into an even clearer format.

And here we are;

The class of 2024 at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences - MANAGERIAL AND INTERMEDIATION SKILLS IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS 2B00DB69 - Teams view

Understanding Management Prerequisites – Structure

Articles , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

I am now beginning a series of writings that delve into various prerequisites. These prerequisites are like anchor points that exist independent of technological advancements. Something specific may change radically, but it doesn’t fundamentally alter anything in the big picture. This is the foremost consideration in modern music business management. Even as the operational landscape continually evolves with technological advancements, the artist’s ground needs remain largely unchanged.

Willem Dafoe has stated that it’s all about control and abandon – and finding a balance between these extremes. In the same way as in acting, that same idea applies to artist management. At the very beginning, you must have some structure to get started. Each of us managers has our own unique approach to it. What you often aim for is control, to have your ducks in a row. However, here’s a twist. As crucial as it is to attain control and put in a lot of effort into it, you must be able to abandon it in an instant if needed. Just as important it is to realize that letting go may not be final. It’s about finding a balance and being situationally aware.

The original structure and mindset don’t disappear despite this. Therefore, even if you start crafting a new works for the artist, inspired by some technological advancement, that basic structure doesn’t change. The artist still has the same ground needs. In my work, I often see how progress can rock the boat. With new revenue-generating methods emerging almost daily in the world, it’s easy to lose direction.

When approaching these prerequisites from the perspective of music business or artist management, it always entails three perspectives: that of the artist, the manager, and the current operation at hand. The million-dollar question in shaping, developing, and maintaining that structure is whose preferences take precedence, the artist’s, the artist’s narrative and goals, or the management’s expertise. This is precisely the interface where one has to contemplate letting go regularly. The possibility of it is present every second. At times, we progress by leveraging management expertise, while at other times, it’s the artist’s narrative that resolves issues.

Another noteworthy aspect is embracing all three points of interest. It’s often easy for a manager to forget themselves and focus solely on the artist and the operation. Rarely do we consider that taking care of oneself is the primary responsibility in this role. If you can’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to take care of others either. Therefore, when we talk about letting go, it can also refer to this perspective.

Conversely, when we speak of balance and balancing, it’s not about a permanent state either. It’s about how to regulate these two extremes. In an ideal scenario, we possess the ability to read the situation so well that we know in each instance the proportion in which these factors should be present. Naturally, our goal is also to avoid being in the discomfort zone for extended periods only when necessary.

This article will be complemented by the next prerequisite to consider. In it, we will discuss consistency – where control and letting go are external factors, consistency is the internal aspect of the same issue.

Among other things, these topics are discussed in one-on-one consultations, as I’ve mentioned earlier. If you feel that you need assistance with them, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can also read about this in the book – here’s the link to it.

This book talks about music business management prerequisites. You can get it on Amazon.

Teacher Info

Articles , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

If you are a music business management teacher like me and are interested in The Art of Music Business Management – For Artists & Managers book, here’s some valuable background information. Every teacher naturally values their own methods and practices, which served as a foundation when I began writing this book. I’d like to believe I have successfully crafted a book that speaks ”from one teacher to another”. That’s one objectives behind this book. Another goal was to create content that is equally beneficial for artists and meets their management needs.

The book primarily emphasizes a deep understanding of the core principles and concepts, rather than delving into numerous details. While there are examples provided, they are presented judiciously, only when necessary. This approach is deliberate in shifting focus from the conventional domains of the music business to real-world scenarios and treating them as practical case studies. You will soon grasp the significance of this approach, as it allows us to gain a genuine perspective on the role of a manager.

This innovation facilitates presentations through three pertinent dimensions: management, copyright and contracts, and intermediation. It simplifies the explanation of the shift in contemporary management priorities from the traditional mediator model to this updated and current model, founded on strategic control.

This is advantageous for the students as it provides them with a comprehensive understanding of the contemporary job description. In accordance with modern management practices, artists are no longer viewed as passive objects rather as dynamic assets. Consequently, students gain deeper insights into the strategies and current regulations that impact this field. Not all of this may be immediately apparent, but you will soon discover it!

From the artist’s perspective, we replace the term ”promotion” with the concept of ”story”. However, it is essential to clarify that the term story doesn’t refer to a traditional narrative in this context. Instead, it serves as a framework to elucidate the functional elements of the narrative – what purpose the story truly serves. This approach allows us to shift from an external perspective focused on appearances to an internal perspective, delving into the story’s content and its underlying objects.

Contracts and copyright, on the other hand, have been addressed only to the extent that is pertinent to music business management, specifically focused on the business aspects. This approach prevents the complication of the overall comprehension with excessive technical details. The book includes references to supplementary material for those who wish delve deeper into these topics.

However, there is one exception and it pertains to passive promotion. The book explains the significance of copyrights from a modern promotional standpoint, and copyrights play a pivotal role in this context.

All of the above allows ample flexibility for individuals to utilize this information as they see fit, supplementing it with additional pertinent sources, personal experiences, or examples. The provided framework for the teacher doesn’t impose on or exclude any existing frameworks. It also doesn’t preclude other methods of acquiring the same information, even if they run in parallel or overlap.

I have implemented this structure in my lectures for three years now. Our guest lecturers have greatly appreciated this setup. They have mentioned that it allows them to seamlessly integrate their experiences without any rigid structural constraints. It empowers them to discuss what they are most comfortable with while maintaining a contextual framework.

One of the most intriguing modern management tools and my favorite, passive promotion, is well explained in the book. I am one of the founders of this school of thought.

The final two chapter of the book may appear somewhat repetitive. When I teach manager students, I typically omit these sections. However, when working with artists, I’ve founded that repetition can be an effective approach. In their case, there are valid reasons to reiterate certain concepts, as they require this information for various purposes.

Another rationale behind including these two last chapters is to prepare for a potential Second Edition. These chapters contain memory traces that need to be considered when planning the update. This approach ensures that I do not overlook them.

I had mixed feelings about venturing into predicting the future developments, so I ultimately chose not to do so. Consequently, I refrained from making extensive predictions about where web3, the metaverse, or other businesses might lead us – my aim was simply to present their current existence and significance. I believe it’s wiser to allow practice to demonstrate their trajectory first. This turned out to be a right solution. The book’s conceptual framework naturally takes the future into account. This is evident now, especially with artificial intelligence – there is no immediate need for updates. In fact, in the context of passive promotion, the book is ahead of its time.

This is also a reason why the book has fewer (134) pages than average. When the necessary additional information becomes available, this book serves as a platform for its incorporation.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. As a teacher, I wish you a great lectures!

This chart will make it easier to teach - teacher's info