Roles and Organisations in the Music Industry

Question 1

What is a venue?

Answer 1

A place. It could be small or large, inside or outside. Music venues often include pubs, clubs, bars, theatres, arenas and stadiums.

Question 2

What is a touring production?

Answer 2

A band/artist/show which tours around, playing in a different venue each night

Question 3

What is a record label

Answer 3

An organisation which makes and sells songs and develops the artists career

Question 4

What is a publishing company?

Answer 4

An organisation that collects and distributes royalties to the songwriters and organises licences for anyone who wishes to use the song

Question 5

What does the PRS do?

Answer 5

They collect money for the songwriter whenever the song is played or performed in public

Question 6

What does PRS stand for?

Answer 6

Performing Rights Society

Question 7

What does MCPS stand for?

Answer 7

Mechanical Copyright Protection Society

Question 8

What does the MCPS do?

Answer 8

They collect money for the songwriter whenever the song is reproduced eg as a CD or downloadable track

Question 9

What does MU stand for?

Answer 9

Musicians Union

Question 10

What is Equity?

Answer 10

A union which represents actors and performers

Question 11

What does BECTU do?

Answer 11

Represent people working in broadcasting, media and entertainment

Question 12

What does BECTU stand for?

Answer 12

Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematograph and Theatre Union

Question 13

What does a composer do?

Answer 13

Write and arrange music

Question 14

What does a musical director do?

Answer 14

Organise and lead rehearsals and arrange pieces

Question 15

What does a live sound technician do?

Answer 15

Set up and pack away equipment, check everything works properly, run the sound desk.

Question 16

What does a roadie do?

Answer 16

Help pack, unpack and set up equipment

Question 17

What does an artistic manager do?

Answer 17

Organise the career of the artist/band. They will book gigs, collect money, book the recording studio, communicate with the record label and publisher.

Question 18

What does PR stand for?

Answer 18

Public Relations

Question 19

What does a PR person do?

Answer 19

Manage the image of the artist/band in the media, including interviews, TV, radio and social media

Question 20

What does an agent do?

Answer 20

Find work and/or auditions for the artist/band

Question 21

What does a venue manager do?

Answer 21

Run the venue, including bookings, making improvements, hiring staff and controlling finances

Question 22

What does a studio manager do?

Answer 22

Run the studio, including bookings, making improvements, hiring staff and controlling finances

Question 23

What does a promoter do?

Answer 23

Advertise an event/product by making posters/radio/TV adverts, making sure tickets are available and discussing the target audience with the artist and their manger

Question 24

What does A&R stand for?

Answer 24

Artists and Repertoire

Question 25

What does an A&R person do?

Answer 25

Find and contract new artists/bands/songwriters for the record label. They are essentially talent scouts

Question 26

What does a producer do?

Answer 26

They work on the recorded song to edit and add effects and give a particular overall sound to the track. Avicii, Mark Ronson, will.i.am and Pharrell Williams are all famous producers

Question 27

What does a session musician do?

Answer 27

They are booked play for a specific time on a specific product eg Muse would pay a trumpeter to play on a few of their tracks which include trumpet

Question 28

What does a mastering engineer do?

Answer 28

They edit the final version of the track and make sure it works well and sounds professional

Question 29

What does a music journalist do?

Answer 29

They interview and report on people and events in the music industry on TV, radio, magazines, newspapers and social media

Question 30

What is a broadcasting company?

Answer 30

A company which communicates information to the public via TV, radio or the internet

Question 31

What is a software programmer?

Answer 31

Someone who programmes software such as apps, Logic, Sibelius, podcasts etc.