© Copyright 2005 - Robert Mark Pryor
Texas Musician's Association -TMA

THE MANAGEMENT ROLE IN THE MUSICIAN'S ORGANIZATION

A) WHY DOES A MUSICIAN NEED TO LEARN FUNDAMENTAL MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES?
In music, like any field, there is the creative professional and there are the "players" who supports the musician's efforts also known as the known as the entourage. To draw a parallel, if you look at your sports professionals, how many times do you see young individuals be offered huge contracts? In many cases, they are right out of high school and have had no formal management training. They are then completely dependent on the honesty and integrity of a manager or agent. I'm not saying that for a musician a manager is necessarily a bad idea, but when you hire any type of support service or individual, you MUST know enough about what they will be doing for you so avoid being taken by less then credible individuals. How "hands' on" you get regarding management of your support services depends largely on your situation, i.e., solo performer verses band, your knowledge of the service they are providing, etc. Your own unique situation will determine if you will micro or macro manage your agent, manager or other folks, which are hired by you to provide a service.

B) YOU MUST BE ABLE TO MANAGE YOURSELF AND YOUR AFFAIRS
You're the musician; you create and perform the music. Why do you need to "manage" yourself and deal with administrative matters? If you subscribe to this theory, you may as well paint a "bull's eye on your back", because any unscrupulous individual who wants to prosper from your talent will see you coming a "mile away". Before you make the excuse, and yes it is an excuse such as" I don't have time, I'm writing music, putting sets together, doing the arrangement, and have my own recording studio at home. "Remember that YOU are responsible for management of your own time and your affairs. By affairs, we mean the daily routine of preparing your press kit, your advertisement, trying to get gigs, and keeping the books when you are fortunate enough to get paid. You either have to do this yourself or hire someone to do it. In either case, you have to know what's going on.

C) IN CASES OF BANDS, YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE AND MOTIVATE OTHERS.
If you are the leader of a band, management responsibilities are an area that you need to be proficient in. Not only do you have the creative challenge of performing as an individual, depending on your structure you may have a number of other things to worry about. Some of these could be, arrangement of music, production, booking, record keeping, etc. One of the most important attributes you must have is to be a" people person". What does that mean? Many things. It is the ability to give clear and concise instructions. It is the ability to gain confidence and respect from the other members of the band by obtaining input from them on creative matters. It is the ability to function as a "team builder"; that is getting the other members to cooperate and function as a team in all band related issues. It is the ability to be able to resolve the normal conflicts and differences of opinion, which inevitably come up when human beings are involved. It is the ability to encourage band members when they need the motivation. It is the ability to make the difficult decisions such as disciplining or actually removing a band member whose behavior is detrimental to the group for various reasons. Are you having fun yet??

D) YOU MUST BE ABLE TO MANAGE SUPPORT COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS BOOKING AGENTS, LIVE SOUND PERSONNEL, AND OTHER ASSISTANT'S VITAL TO YOUR CAREER.
By now you are thinking, why do I have to know all this nonsense? Isn't that what a manager or agent is for? The answer to that question is yes and no. Yes, the manager or agent serves at your pleasure, however in order to properly evaluate their performance and continuing value to you, you must have a clear idea of what you want them to achieve in support of your goals, what they are traditionally supposed to do in their role, and have a way of evaluating their progress.

E) WHY CAN'T I JUST HIRE A MANAGER IN ORDER TO TAKE CARE OF ALL MANAGERIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MATTERS?
·When is a manager necessary?
- First off, a manager can serve a number of important tasks for the musician. He or she can assist the musician in obtaining bookings and negotiate with the agency or club to get the best financial situation for the entertainer. They can also act as an advisor in areas such as production, song arrangement, and creative input when required. They can also assist you in your financial planning, contract reviews, and other administrative matters. This will free you up to create the best entertainment product possible. As far as determining when a manger is necessary is a very important decision by the musician. Obviously all of what a manager does can be done by an enterprising musician. You as the musician or bandleader must determine if you have the time and the expertise to act as a manger and an entertainer.