Lesson 18 of 44Music BusinessIntermediate

How to choose your accountant

With

0:59

Practical advice on choosing an accountant: meet more than one, get recommendations from your manager or peers, and pick someone you genuinely connect with.

Part of the courseMusic Business 101 for Artists44 lessons (2h 11m)

This lesson is part of the full course. 1 lesson is free to watch.

from$13/month

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Your guruImogen Heap

What's in the course

44 lessons (2h 11m) · 1 free

- 01. Meet the managers, why you need them and what they do
  2:35
- 02. Getting managed, what managers look for
  Free lesson
  4:39
- 03. The nature of the Artist-Manager relationship
  5:18
- 04. Acting professionally
  2:50
- 05. Who next? Building your team
  2:14
- 06. Typical commission for managers
  2:56
- 01. Understanding your business and its investors
  3:51
- 02. Friends and family funding
  1:55
- 03. Grant Funding
  2:41
- 04. Crowd Funding
  4:18
- 05. The Pledge Music Model
  5:01
- 06. Sponsorship and Brand Partnerships
  3:03
- 07. Debt Financing
  2:51
- 08. Equity Investment
  2:35
- 01. Accounting Basics
  1:20
- 02. Tax
  1:28
- 03. Where to find accounting advice
  1:00
- 04. How to choose your accountant
  You are here
  0:59
- 05. What counts as an allowable expense
  2:43
- 06. VAT
  2:28
- 07. Royalty Statements
  3:26
- 01. Intro what is a contract for
  5:53
- 02. Structure of a contract and how to read it
  6:28
- 03. Contract ground rules and money
  9:31
- 04. Golden rules of negotiation and jargon busting
  4:44
- 01. Introduction and the importance of having a lawyer
  1:15
- 02. Where to find a lawyer
  1:14
- 03. What to look for in a lawyer
  1:41
- 04. Fees
  1:16
- 05. When do you need a lawyer
  1:16
- 01. Negotiating Principles
  2:33
- 02. The nature of any contract or agreement
  2:13
- 03. Band Agreement
  3:22
- 04. Management Agreement
  4:54
- 05. Record Deal
  3:05
- 06. Publishing Deal
  2:46
- 01. Copyright Basics
  1:40
- 02. Types of Copyright
  2:06
- 03. Who owns what rights?
  2:17
- 04. Ancillary rights
  1:31
- 01. Being true to yourself as an artist
  3:55
- 02. Building a supportive team
  2:20
- 03. Dealing with conflict & toxic relationships
  3:17
- 04. Managing your creativity
  2:29

Lesson transcript

Guest Advice for Musicians

Consulting with Your Team:
- If you have a manager, speak to them.
- If you have a lawyer (or even if you don't), find recommendations through your manager or friends.
Recommendations:
- Aim for three names.
- It's essential never to go see just one lawyer , that's always a mistake.
Choosing the Right Lawyer:
- Meet with two or three lawyers to evaluate:
  - Their different approaches
  - Their unique characteristics
- Remember, we all have different personalities; some may resonate with you while others may not.
Finding Empathy:
- Choose someone you have a degree of empathy with.
- Be sure to ask:
  - "What are you going to do for me?"
  - "What do I need to do to make your life easier and my bills cheaper?"

Closing Thought

Assessing potential legal partners thoroughly will help you make an informed decision that fits your individual needs as a musician.

Part of the courseMusic Business 101 for Artists44 lessons (2h 11m)

This lesson is part of the full course. 1 lesson is free to watch.

from$13/month

Subscribe to Watch

Explore the course

Cancel anytime30-day refund

Your guruImogen Heap

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Meet your guru

Imogen Heap

Imogen Heap is a Grammy-winning English singer, songwriter, producer and technologist whose influence runs through two decades of pop, electronic and film music — and through much of the technology modern artists now take for granted.

Born in London in 1977 and classically trained on piano, cello and clarinet, she released her debut album 'iMegaphone' in 1998 before forming the duo Frou Frou with producer Guy Sigsworth, whose song 'Let Go' reached a global audience through the film Garden State. Her self-written, self-produced album 'Speak for Yourself' (2005) delivered 'Hide and Seek', the a cappella landmark that later powered Jason Derulo's chart-topping 'Whatcha Say' and Ariana Grande's 'Goodnight n Go', and continues to find new generations of listeners.

'Ellipse' (2009) won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical — recorded and engineered in her own home studio — and she went on to co-write and produce 'Clean' on Taylor Swift's Album of the Year-winning '1989'. She also composed the score for the stage play 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'.

A relentless innovator, Heap developed the MI.MU gestural gloves — recognised with three honorary doctorates — and founded Mycelia and The Creative Passport, initiatives building a fairer data ecosystem for artists. In 2024 she returned with 'What Have You Done to Me?', created with her AI vocal alter ego Mogen, while a viral resurgence of 'Headlock' brought her music to millions of new fans.

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