Learn about ASCAP Member Access and speak to an ASCAP Member Services representative. This is also where you can pick up your registration bag and drop your business card to be eligible for the sponsor giveaways during the EXPO.
As the world's leading performing rights organization and strongest advocate for music creators, ASCAP is at the center of the sweeping changes affecting the music industry. You don't want to miss this opening session, in which ASCAP's President and Chairman Paul Williams, ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento and ASCAP Executive Vice President of Membership Randy Grimmett will provide an update on the "state of the union" of ASCAP, the choices you have for future career success and making the most of your EXPO experience. You’ll get a deeper understanding of what ASCAP is doing on your behalf, and how ASCAP’s role fits into the wider music industry climate.
Are you releasing a cover song? Wondering if you need a license? Confused as to how to get one? Getting a license means supporting your fellow artists and the music community at large! Join Harry Fox Agency's John Raso as he explains the how, what and why of obtaining a license for a cover song and shows how easy (and economical) it is to get one using Songfile, HFA's online licensing tool.
The last decade has seen an explosion of independent music used in film, TV and new media projects. Syncing your music to picture is undoubtedly a lucrative income stream and a great promotional tool, but for many music creators, the paths to licensing success are unclear. How do you get your music from point A to point B? Who are the creative gatekeepers? What are they looking for? What new licensing opportunities are there in internet programming, and how do you make money in that arena? Our distinguished panel of music supervisors and licensing experts will answer these questions and many more.
Playing live remains a vital way of getting your music to the masses. But just like every part of your music career, there’s plenty of practical knowledge to pick up and potential pitfalls to avoid on your path to touring success. Our panel of live music industry pros and touring artists will share the secrets of the art and business of touring, from the importance of merch to dealing with promoters to tour van etiquette.
These leading songwriters and composers hail from all different points on the musical spectrum. Yet whether they made their name through writing smash radio singles, the score to a major box office hit or a Tony-winning musical, they have all faced challenges, overcome obstacles, made sacrifices, experienced breakthroughs and reaped rewards as they built real lives in music. Discover the common threads that connect all music creators together and gain valuable insight from these artists, who will share the unvarnished truth behind their success.
From performing to session gigs, cross-genre collaborations to musical theatre, today’s concert music creator has opportunities far beyond the composer’s desk or the conductor’s podium. On this enlightening panel, you’ll hear about the diverse careers of four of the foremost (and busiest!) composers and conductors active in the field. They’ll provide advice and inspiration for anyone looking to have a fulfilling career in concert music.
In this “always online” world, the barriers to growing your career have been replaced with a host of new tools to reach fans all over the globe. With this great freedom comes a great responsibility: musicians now have to put down their instruments and put on their marketing and business hats to have success. These leaders from both the business and creative sides of music will provide practical advice on how to make the most of new marketing platforms, distribute your recordings, build loyal fans through social networks and monetize your music along the way.
Tired of playing the same ol’ live circuit? Think your melodies might fit better with lyrics in a different language? Sail into the uncharted waters of foreign markets with our panel of internationally successful songwriters and industry experts from outside the US. These folks know what it takes to make it in other countries, and they’ll share it all – everything from collaborating with a foreigner to how live audiences respond differently in other parts of the globe.
As dance culture has infiltrated pop music, we’ve seen the DJ emerge from behind the turntables to become an essential part of the songwriting team. Our panelists are all respected DJs who have gained significant acclaim as producers, songwriters and remixers in recent years. They’ll examine the changing role of the DJ by talking about how they moved from the club to the charts, and offer attendees pointers on how they can do the same.
One-on-One Sessions, which have sold out early each year, provide attendees an opportunity to meet with a songwriter/composer, music publisher, online marketing executive, record company executive, Film/TV music executive, music attorney or ASCAP executive. The 15-minute session will be a mix of career advice and/or song critiques.
There are no openings or waiting list spots available.
Learn about ASCAP Member Access and speak to an ASCAP Member Services representative. This is also where you can pick up your registration bag and drop your business card to be eligible for the sponsor giveaways during the EXPO.
Though there are now more paths than ever to publishing success, major music publishers still play a huge role in developing songwriters into hitmakers and propelling their songs to the charts. This panel of executives, representing the heavy hitters of the music publishing world, will discuss how they find new talent and the role of the major music publisher in this rapidly changing music environment. You’ll emerge with a deeper understanding of how publishers operate day-to-day and what they look for in a prospective songwriter.
Whether you just co-wrote your first song or you’re a veteran hitmaker in a long term publishing deal, being aware of your legal rights and responsibilities is an important part of a successful career in music. Our panel of music law experts are devoting their entire session to answering your questions about publishing deals, co-writes, clearing samples and anything else you might want to know about putting your “legal” house in order. Come prepared with questions – our panelists will have the answers!
In today's do-it-yourself world, there are more opportunities for the aspiring musician than ever before. But what isn’t always clear is how to finance your projects and effectively protect your assets. We have the tools to produce our own music, but how do we pay for them? We can market directly to our fans, but how do we analyze and improve our business models? Your success is dependent on the tools of your creativity, but how can you afford to protect them? This panel explores real world solutions for sourcing and protecting the physical and financial assets that every music professional now needs.
175 attendees who signed up for the Lunch Roundtables will meet with four different panelists in small group settings. This event sold out five months in advance!
There are no openings or waiting list spots available.
Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Desmond Child has written massive, worldwide hits for Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, Aerosmith, Bonnie Tyler, KISS, Ricky Martin, Cher, Meat Loaf and countless others. More than 30 years after landing his first major cut, Child is as in-demand as ever – and he’s only grown more versatile. But as anyone that attended one of his master classes at last year’s EXPO can attest, there is much more to what Child does than simply writing great songs. In this provocative master session, Child and his longtime friend and collaborator Darrell Brown – himself a veteran songwriter with numerous #1 pop and country hits under his belt – will discuss the personal, emotional and spiritual dimensions of songwriting in a town hall-style setting.
We’re raffling off gear, products and services from our generous EXPO sponsors! To enter the drawing, just drop your business card into the box at the ASCAP EXPO Boutique or The ASCAP Room. Remember, you must be in the Grand Ballroom when we call your name if you want to win - don’t miss your chance to walk away with some great prizes!
Learn about ASCAP Member Access and speak to an ASCAP Member Services representative. This is also where you can pick up your registration bag and drop your business card to be eligible for the sponsor giveaways during the EXPO.
As the music landscape continues to undergo dramatic changes, it’s more important than ever to understand the policy issues that affect you and your livelihood. ASCAP President Paul Williams is a veteran of numerous trips to Washington D.C. on behalf of ASCAP members. In this informative forum, Williams will speak with U.S. Congressman Howard Berman of Los Angeles and Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement John Morton - two of Washington’s most prominent advocates for effective copyright protection - about what they’re doing to protect your intellectual property rights. Joined by ASCAP CEO John LoFrumento, they will discuss legislative, law enforcement, international and other recent policy developments that involve the creative community, and what you can do to get involved.
In recent years, we’ve seen an influx of successful songwriters becoming successful publishers by developing their own stables of up-and-coming songwriters. Why has this new phenomenon developed, how is it different from a traditional publishing arrangement, and why might it be attractive from a financial and creative perspective? Three hit ASCAP writers-turned-publishers will answer these questions and more in this provocative discussion.
SoundExchange will explain how registering (for free!) with them can earn you royalties for plays on satellite radio, Internet radio, cable TV music channels and other services that stream sound recordings. SoundExchange is a non-profit, and an important source of revenue for all artists (big and small) and labels (indie and major): they've distributed over $900 million to artists and labels so far. But thousands of artist and labels don't know they need to register, and millions in royalties haven't yet been claimed. Interactive and question-driven, this workshop will also cover need-to-know info on copyright, licensing, metadata, and legislation that will affect your career.
This session will offer live critiques of EXPO attendees’ websites. Our panelists will assess each site's design, organization, content and functionality. How does the website fit with the artist's overall online strategy, and how successfully does it achieve the artist’s goals? Our experts have worked with thousands of songwriters and musicians, from major label superstars to secluded basement composers. They are extremely knowledgeable about website best practices and deeply allergic to bad design, music that auto-starts, Flash widgets and unreadable fonts. Our panelists have been instructed to be ruthless and leave all diplomacy aside, so if you’re courageous enough to submit your website for their scrutiny, send a note to Bandzoogle’s Dave Cool: dcool@bandzoogle.com.
ASCAP writer/composer Lin-Manuel Miranda burst into the spotlight with his Tony and Grammy-winning, Pulitzer Prize-nominated musical, In the Heights. But anyone who has heard the authentic salsa and hip hop-flavored music for that Broadway smash knows that Miranda’s talents extend far beyond the realm of musical theatre. Miranda will explain how he was able to fuse his love of urban and Latin music with an appreciation for theatre and film to become the versatile writer/composer/rapper/actor that he is today. This will be an inspiring panel for anyone seeking a music career without boundaries.
Talent is only half the equation in a successful music career. You also need a solid grounding in the “business” part of the music business. Noted attorney Donald S. Passman has helped his clients navigate the industry’s choppy waters for over 30 years, and his book All You Need to Know About the Music Business remains an essential guide to understanding the biz. Passman will offer an accessible overview of how the music industry operates like only he can, from record deals to the digital sphere and everything in between. Whether you’re a total music biz newbie or just need a refresher course, this panel is for you.
Successful albums are the product of a whole team of people, not just the artist on the cover. This panel will offer an overview of how albums are put together. You’ll come out of it with a solid understanding of the role of the songwriter, publisher, A&R executive, artist and everyone else who has a hand in bringing a project from the idea stage to release day.
Just like jazz itself, producing your own jazz recordings involves both know-how and a willingness to improvise. But you don’t have to have deep pockets or decades of training to get professional quality results. ASCAP Board member George Duke and Lee Ritenour are both master jazz musicians, and they also have extensive experience as producers for their own projects and for others. These two impresarios of improv will discuss tips and techniques for producing a professional jazz recording, all by yourself.
We’re raffling off gear, products and services from our generous EXPO sponsors! To enter the drawing, just drop your business card into the box at the ASCAP EXPO Boutique or The ASCAP Room. Remember, you must be in the Grand Ballroom when we call your name if you want to win - don’t miss your chance to walk away with some great prizes!
