Meet The Middleman

Artist and Repertoire. What exactly is the role of an A&R? A lot of people tell me they have a great ear for music. They know a hit when they hear one and all that best kept secret jargon. That is cool but do you understand what all is really necessary to become proper with that particular title. The A&R brings the artist to executives who have the power to get the check cut. The A&R are multi talented and sometimes musicians themselves. They have to interpret the artist vision and help craft their songs. Rather if your hands on or just guiding, the role has to be fulfilled to make the project a success. Either you can make someone the next biggest icon or the next disaster. A lot of people tell me they have a great ear for music but can you deliever results?

A & R Department Responsibilities may include some or all of the following:

• Locating bands, songwriters, and musicians for their record label


• Negotiating contracts for a band or artist


• Finding producers for recording the band


• Locating recording engineers


• Scheduling time to record the band


• Locating songs for a band from music publishers with whom they have relationships


• Listen to demos from bands

A&R Reps from major or larger record companies usually only listen to solicited demo submissions from musicians. A solicited submission is one that a music company only accepts from known or honorable contacts with whom they've networked in the past. Smaller record labels may accept both solicited and unsolicited (anyone can send demo) demo submissions. A great resource to tell what record companies accept unsolicited and solicited submissions are the Songwriter's Market books. They give you information on what record companies may need with a demo submission and how to submit your band demos.

Simply put strengthen your netwerk and you will be able to make it happen. There is nothing like masterminding a project and reaping the fruits of your labor. The man behind the scenes getting the C.R.E.A.M(cash money).