Building Your Career in Music: Developing A Brand and Funding Your Music from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Welcome!

Welcome to Building Your Career in Music: Developing a Brand and Funding Your Music! Before you begin the course, we will cover all the details about the course and what you'll need to know to get the most out of your experience.

Your Foundation

In this lesson we will begin to lay the foundation for who you are as an artist and a leader. We’ll discuss the importance of having a strong sense of your identity, vision, and intention and we’ll also go over how to leverage your natural skills as a musician. I’m talking about things like intuition and collaboration, and getting these assets to work for you as an entrepreneur. Finally, we’ll discuss how to become a better band leader.

Your Brand

Now that you have a strong foundation (your IVI), we’ll discuss building your brand and your fanbase. We’ll go over tips for building a presence on social media and how to connect to your fans and potential business partners on a personal level by learning how to network effectively. Finally, we’ll discuss the trend of artist-brand partnerships and why a brand partnership might be a smart move for independent artists.

Your Record

In this lesson we’ll focus on planning your recording project, whether it’s a full length album or an EP. We’ll discuss the role of the producer and the very special relationship that exists between producers and musicians. We’ll also discuss how to cast a vision for your project by choosing the right songs, feel, and instrumentation. Finally, we’ll learn how to set up a simple recording budget so you can keep track of how much your project will cost.

Your Money

The majority of this lesson will focus on planning, launching, and managing a crowdfunding campaign. Crowdfunding is a great way to gain support for your music, but running a campaign requires careful planning and preparation. We’ll also share some tips on how to turn your band into a sustainable business.

Your Career

Congratulations! You've made it through the course content and now it's time to put what you've learned into practice for your final project.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Designed for aspiring musical artists with little to no prior experience in the music industry

Led by two instructors with experience in the music industry, Leah Waldo and Elisa Smith

Covers practical strategies for developing an artist identity, leading a band, and recording an independent record

Provides insight into crowdfunding strategies to support music projects

Course curriculum is modeled on real-world experiences and features industry professional interviews

Suitable for those seeking guidance in launching their career in the music industry, particularly in the realm of country music

Reviews summary

Empowering music career development

Learners say this course offers insightful advice on building a music career. It helps you develop your brand, create a budget, fundraise, and navigate the music industry. Real-world examples from guest speakers provide practical knowledge that learners find valuable. The course is geared towards musicians and may not be suitable for those in other music roles.

Suitable for beginners in the music industry

"This is useful for those who need guidance on artist identity and vision and is new to the process of recording, collaborating, producers, setting article goals and the business side of working as an artist."

Features guest speakers from the music industry

"Leah Waldo took me on a great journey through branding, producing in a studio and crowdfunding with 'real world' guests that work in the industry!"

Provides a band leader's perspective

"As a band leader, I found this course to be helpful toward my goals as an artist."

Provides valuable information about the music industry

"Really useful advice for anyone, not just musicians."

Focused on musicians and bands

"This course is for musicians or bands and the prompts and final project focus directly on what to do as an artist."

Some assignments may not be suitable for all learners

"This course was geared towards musical artists and although I learned a lot of valuable information, some of the assignments were unnecessary for someone in my position including the final project."

Some information is outdated

"Some decent information, a lot of it is dated to the point where some of the suggested companies don’t exist."

"DO NOT, please DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME (& MONEY) IN THIS COURSE. IT'S OUTDATED"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Building Your Career in Music: Developing A Brand and Funding Your Music with these activities:

Follow tutorials on music production software

Show steps

You'll be using music production software in this course, so getting comfortable with the basics ahead of time will make you more efficient and help you learn the course material faster.

Browse courses on Music Production

Show steps

Choose one piece of music production software and stick with that for now.
Look for beginner tutorials on how to use that software on YouTube and follow along.
Don't feel discouraged if you have to repeat the tutorials or need to start over. Learning a new software will take time.

Create a playlist of your favorite songs

Show steps

Creating a playlist of your favorite songs will help you identify your musical tastes and preferences. This will be helpful when you're trying to develop your own unique sound as an artist.

Browse courses on Music Appreciation

Show steps

Choose a streaming service or app that you like.
Create a new playlist.
Add songs to your playlist that you enjoy listening to.

Write and record a demo song

Show steps

Independent musicians need to be able to write, record, and produce their own songs. Getting some practice before taking this course will strengthen your abilities and increase your confidence.

Browse courses on Songwriting

Show steps

Brainstorm ideas for a song.
Write the lyrics and melody.
Record a demo of the song using your music production software.

Five other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all eight activities

Review Music Theory For Dummies

Show steps

Reviewing the basics of music theory will improve your grasp of key musical concepts that the course assumes you know and will touch on occasionally.

View Piano & Keyboard All-in-One For Dummies (For... on Amazon

Show steps

Read the first three chapters to grasp the basics of notes, scales, and chords.
Review any chapters after that that cover topics you feel shaky on.

Volunteer at a local music venue

Show steps

Volunteering at a local music venue is a great way to get involved in the music community and meet other musicians. It's also a great way to learn about the behind-the-scenes aspects of the music industry.

Browse courses on Music Industry

Show steps

Contact local music venues and ask if they need volunteers.
Offer to help with tasks such as setting up, taking down, or working the door.
Attend the events and help out as needed.

Attend a music industry networking event

Show steps

The music industry is a close-knit community, and networking is essential for success. Attending industry events will help you connect with other musicians, producers, and industry professionals.

Browse courses on Music Industry

Show steps

Research upcoming music industry events in your area.
Prepare a brief elevator pitch about yourself and your music.
Attend the event and introduce yourself to as many people as possible.
Follow up with any contacts you make after the event.

Review The Art of Music Production by David Battino

Show steps

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the music production process, from tracking to mixing and mastering. It's a great way to learn the basics and improve your production skills.

Show steps

Read the first few chapters to get a good grounding in the basics of music production.
Focus on the chapters that cover the areas you're most interested in, such as recording, mixing, or mastering.

Contribute to an open-source music production project

Show steps

Contributing to an open-source music production project is a great way to learn about the technical side of music production and get involved in the open-source community.

Browse courses on Music Production

Show steps

Find an open-source music production project that you're interested in.
Read the project's documentation and tutorials.
Identify an area where you can contribute to the project.
Submit a pull request with your changes.

Career center

Learners who complete Building Your Career in Music: Developing A Brand and Funding Your Music will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Recording Engineer

Recording Engineers work with musicians to capture and record live performances. This course may be useful for aspiring Recording Engineers because it covers planning and recording your first independent record with the help of crowdfunding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Recording Engineer

Music Producer

A Music Producer is responsible for assisting and guiding other musicians in recording, mixing, and mastering their songs. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Producers because it discusses the role of the producer and the very special relationship that exists between producers and musicians.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Producer

Musician

Musicians perform music using a variety of instruments. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Musicians because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Musician

Songwriter

Songwriters compose music and write lyrics. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Songwriters because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Songwriter

Singer

Singers perform music using their voices. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Singers because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Singer

Artist Manager

Artist Managers work with musicians to develop and execute their careers. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Artist Managers because it covers developing your unique identity as an artist and how to lead a band all the way to planning and recording your first independent record with the help of crowdfunding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Artist Manager

Music Journalist

Music Journalists write about music for a variety of publications. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Journalists because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Journalist

Music Publicist

Music Publicists work with musicians to promote their music and manage their public image. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Publicists because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Publicist

Music Promoter

Music Promoters work with musicians to promote their music and organize concerts and other events. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Promoters because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Promoter

Music Therapist

Music Therapists use music to improve the physical, emotional, and cognitive health of their clients. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Therapists because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Therapist

Music Educator

Music Educators work with students to teach them about music and develop their musical skills. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Educators because it discusses the importance of having a strong sense of your identity, vision, and intention.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Educator

Music Librarian

Music Librarians organize and manage music collections for a variety of institutions. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Librarians because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Librarian

Music Director

Music Directors work with musicians to plan and conduct musical performances. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Directors because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Director

Music Executive

Music Executives work with musicians to develop and execute their careers. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Executives because it covers developing your unique identity as an artist and how to lead a band all the way to planning and recording your first independent record with the help of crowdfunding.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Executive

Music Industry Professional

Music Industry Professionals work in a variety of roles within the music industry. This course may be useful for current and aspiring Music Industry Professionals because it shares practical tips and strategies to help you take your first step into launching your career as a musical artist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Music Industry Professional