Re: [Harp-L] Reality check?

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Good comments - I'd be curious to find out how the diversified avenues  
actually add to the artist's bottom line and if it is enough to make up for  larger 
lost or diminished revenues - for example, a poster revued the Jason  Ricci 
gig on a Thur night at a blues club in Jacksonville that drew a crowd of  about 
4 people. Certainly if this is being duplicated across the country, there  
will be a lot less paying gigs for these artists as the club owner will quickly  
total up cost paid for entertainment (usually a minimum of $100/man for these 
 acts) minus the 4 paying customers (ticket at the door and/or drinks/food  
consumed) equals big loss in revenue for the night.
 
As to on line lessons, telephone lessons, customized work, I've found that,  
while you may pick up some new students via the internet or customizing jobs, 
it  doesn't sustain itself (new students taking a lesson or two and then 
vanishing -  custom harmonica ordered but not constantly renewable orders from each 
 individual).
 
What are the hard cold bottom line numbers?
 
Myself, I'm working my gourmet food business and trying to swim upstream  
against negative economic factors - luckily, in hard times, people do turn to  
comfort foods and everyone has to eat, so there is a lot of promise for me as  
long as I don't get in my own way and screw it up (as I've had a history of  
doing). The music and teaching I do is more for fun and a little extra spending  
money than anything really substantial these days, as opposed to two years 
ago  when the gigs were about 7/month each paying $100 and I could count on it.
 
 
In a message dated 11/24/2008 9:55:54 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
mmolino54@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:

Jason  Ricci, and Adam Gussow (to name some of the more successful ones I've 
seen)  whole new audiences in addition to paying students, purchases of 
customized  harps, income from downloaded music, etc. I bring this up only because 
it  illustrates an example of diverse revenue streams (live gigs, CD sales, 
online  sales, lessons--in person & online, customized work, etc.). I think  
demanding times, especially for musicians, are forcing them to diversify their  
offerings bringing in income from several avenues instead of one big one. It  
does seem like an even bigger period of transition for musicians, especially  
with an instrument like the harmonica, which doesn't typically lead to fame  and 
fortune

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