The issues faced by DIY (Do It Yourself), DTF (Direct-To-Fan), AKA indie musicians cut across both musical genre and race. Many of the sources of information for musicians today seem to come in silos delineated by genre: hip hop artists read hip hop books and blogs, and get advice primarily from hip hop industry people; jazz, rock, metal, pop and folk artists do the same. Yet we all face many of the same issues, and these sources of information repeat much of the same advice to those who want to make a career in music. When we all share our experiences, though, we see how universal it is to be a musician, no matter what type of music we make, what cultural background we are from, or what age we are.

I was reminded of this when I attended the Pacific Northwest Recording Academy’s (Grammy organization) inaugural Songwriter’s Summit this weekend at Seattle’s EMP (Experience Music Project). There were people of every age and color at the Summit, but the concerns and frustrations voiced by the attendees were nearly identical:

• How do I make a living in this crazy business that I love, but which changes under my feet every year, every week, every day?
• Where is the real money to be made in writing and recording music?
• How do I write a hit song? Then, how do I write another hit song?
• How do I rise above the noise in the music industry and get my music heard?
• How do I register and copyright my music so I can get paid?
• How does the byzantine world of music licensing work?
• Is the music business still all about relationships and who you know, or is the internet the great equalizer?
• What is a mechanical license, what does a publisher do, who is SoundExchange and why should I care?
• (and why does Rhapsody hold 30%  of their licensing revenue from streaming plays because they cannot figure out who to pay? This amazing statistic courtesy of Jon Maples, Vice President of Rhapsody Product Management)