Musician’s Guide to Band Partnerships & Legal Issues

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Welcome to the "Musician's Guide" Series!
This series is pulled directly from the courses I've created for my university position in Music Business. All of these courses are designed for the everyday musician - amateur or professional - who has little or no knowledge on the topic, but wants to master it.
This class is all about Band Partnerships and Legal Issues. In other words: How bands (and any musical collaboration) work together. In this class, I'll give you a template for a typical agreement between band members, and walk you through what everything means.

It is ideal for anyone who is in a band or wants to start a band. Especially:

  • Musicians: If you are making music with other people, you need to understand your rights and come to some understandings.
  • Producers: If you are producing for other musicians, you should have them under contract. In this class, I'll walk you through the entire contract, and give you a template to use.
  • Curious Minds: Anyone interested in how bands operate is invited to be a part of this class.

We will start by talking through what bands "have." That is more than just the PA that they bought together - it is also all their intellectual property - like songs, albums, any recordings, the band name, logos, flyers, and more. Then we will look at a typical band agreement (I'll give you a copy to use with your own band), and I'll walk you through every step of the agreement so you fully understand what is being asked.
The goal of this class is for you to understand how bands work together, and how to keep from suing each other once you start making money!

Software:
This course is NOT specific to any DAW program.

Genre:
The recording studio has no genre - so all are welcome here.
Topics Covered:

  • Band Agreements (Contracts)
  • Real Property Bands Own
  • Intellectual Property Bands Own
  • Copyrights and Trademarks
  • Operating Agreements
  • Right to Use the Band Identity
  • Publishing
  • Email Lists, Social Media Accounts, and Contacts
  • Firing a Band Member
  • Adding a Band Member
  • Valuation of a Band
  • Financing a Band
  • Taking Out Loans
  • Investors and Bands
  • Splitting Profits
  • Splitting Losses
  • Breaking Up The Band
  • And much, much more!

Course Outline

  • Introduction & Overview
    • Introduction
    • What We are Covering Here
    • Tools You Will Need for This Class
    • Disclaimer: I Am Not A Lawyer
  • What is a Band Partnership?
    • What Bands Have
    • What Can Go Wrong
    • The Band as a Business
    • Operating Agreements
    • Example Template
    • [DOWNLOAD] Band Partnership File
  • Property
    • Real Property Issues
    • Intellectual Property Issues
    • Outside Collaborations
    • Right to Use the Band Identity
    • Publishing
    • Email Lists, Social Media Accounts, and Contacts
  • Changes in Members
    • Firing a Band Member
    • What They Are Entitled To
    • Adding a Band Member
    • Valuation of the Band
  • Leaving Members and Recording Agreements
    • Obligation to Record
  • Financing
    • Bootstrapping Finances
    • Money from Members
    • Outside Financing: Investors
    • Outside Financing: Loans
    • Accounting, Accounts, and Audits
  • Other Agreement Provisions
    • Profits and Losses
    • Meeting and Voting
    • Breaking Up The Band
    • Arbitration
    • The Answer Is In The Agreement
  • Wrap Up
    • What Comes Next?
    • Thanks for Watching!
  • Open All · Close All

Course Information

Estimated Time: 2 Hours

Categories: ,

Course Instructor

Jay Allen Author

J. Anthony Allen is an Ableton Certified Trainer, and a PhD in Music Composition and master of Electronic Sounds. His music has been heard internationally in film, radio, video games, and industrial sound, as well as the concert hall and theater. He currently is an adjunct professor of composition at the University of St. Thomas, and is the CEO and co-founder of Slam Academy in Minneapolis.

 

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Introduction & Overview

Introduction
What We are Covering Here
Tools You Will Need for This Class
Disclaimer: I Am Not A Lawyer

What is a Band Partnership?

What Bands Have
What Can Go Wrong
The Band as a Business
Operating Agreements
Example Template
[DOWNLOAD] Band Partnership File

Property

Real Property Issues
Intellectual Property Issues
Outside Collaborations
Right to Use the Band Identity
Publishing
Email Lists, Social Media Accounts, and Contacts

Changes in Members

Firing a Band Member
What They Are Entitled To
Adding a Band Member
Valuation of the Band

Leaving Members and Recording Agreements

Obligation to Record

Financing

Bootstrapping Finances
Money from Members
Outside Financing: Investors
Outside Financing: Loans
Accounting, Accounts, and Audits

Other Agreement Provisions

Profits and Losses
Meeting and Voting
Breaking Up The Band
Arbitration
The Answer Is In The Agreement

Wrap Up

What Comes Next?
Thanks for Watching!

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