Learn the Music Business in Glasgow
January 31st to February 2nd 2018


Introducing Music Business School ‘Shorts’: a series of 3-day courses covering the essentials of the music business.

Our first MBS Short course takes place at the offices of the Scottish Music Centre
City Halls,Candleriggs
Glasgow G1 1NQ.

 January 31st, February 1st and February 2nd, 2018.

This three-day course covers a range of topics and equips you with a broad overview that all music business practitioners must have today.

Read on to discover the content we are covering, or click “book now” to secure your ticket now.

Book Now

Day One – Current Trends in Media & Technology (January 31st)

Identifying new trends in media including: Spotify, Social Media, YouTube, and new models of press and PR – click here to see full overview for day one.


Day Two – New Deals For Music (February 1st)


Music deals are constantly evolving – learn how label services deals work, as well as licensing, distribution and contracts – click here to see a full overview for day two.

Day Three – The Band as a Business (February 2nd)

The how, why and when of establishing yourself as a business and accessing funding to grow your music career – click here to see a full overview for day three.


Expert Guest Speakers

All Music Business School courses draw on the expert knowledge of a wide range of guest speakers, all of whom have worked in the industry for a number of years. The Glasgow Short Course is no exception and includes a wide range of skilled music business practitioners. Click here to see a full list of guest speakers.

Day One – January 31st
Day one of Music Business School Glasgow includes:

9.30: Steve Melhuish MB School. 

Start, Intro to today’s lectures

10.00-11.30:  Sam Taylor, POP.

Spotify Master Class – learn how Spotify works, including playlisting, profile pages and Spotify for Artists Analytics

11.30-13.00: Federico BB, London School of Sound. 

Digital & Social Media – craft your social media strategy, with an overview of key platforms, and how you can tie everything together into a coherent digital strategy.

13.00-13.30: Lunch 

13.30-14.30: Kate Hendry, Absolute Label Services. 

Label Services – the “new music business” is increasingly based on label services deals rather than traditional record label deals. Learn what label services mean and what you should be asking for.

14.30-17.00: Funding Panel

14.30-14.50: Joe Frankland, PRSF.

14.50-15.20: Gennaro Castaldo, BPI.

15.20-15.40: Joe Danher, HMUK.

15.40-16.00: Jonathan Robinson, Music Tank.

16.00-16.30: Jessie Scoullar, WicksteedWorks. 

16.30-17.00: Q&A

Day one wraps up with a Funding Panel comprising representatives of BPI, PRS Foundation, Help Musicians UK, WicksteedWorks and Music Tank. Attendees from the course will have the opportunity to pitch to these funders and gain valuable feedback on their ideas – as well as potentially securing funding for their onward plans.

Day Two – February 1st

9.30-10.00: Steve Melhuish MB School. 

Overview of today’s lectures

10.00-11.30: Lance Phillips, Sheridans.

Contracts – contracts play a fundamental part in the music business. Learn how to read a contract, what to look for and when to get a lawyer involved!

11.30-13.00: Saul Galpern, Nude Records & Lance Phillips, Sheridans. 

Licensing & Current Deals – the world of licensing is complex, and having a clear understand of how this critical part of the music business works is key to discovering opportunities. Learn from leading practitioners, and get to grips with licensing and the deals landscape.

13.00-14.00: Lunch

14.00-15.00: Joe Porn, Music Glue.

15.00-16.00: Jenni Cochrane, AEI.

Digital Distribution & Self Releasing – over the past decade the entry barriers to release music have become much lower. Understand how digital distribution works, the deals on offer, and what distributors do – and don’t – do at different levels.

Ticketing & Merch – Direct to Fan is generating significant revenue for many artists – driven by ticket and merch sales. Learn from leading Direct to Fan companies about how to sell direct and how this fits into your overall artist business.

16.00-17.00: Jess Nash, Budde Music. 

Synch & Copyright – One of the growing revenue streams in music, synch (the use of music in TV, film, advertising and gaming) is a specialised practice. Learn how to make yourself “synch-ready”, the opportunities out there, and what sort of money you can make when your music is used.

Day Three – February 2nd

9.30-10.00: Steve Melhuish MB School.

Overview of today’s lectures

10.00-11.00: Harry Leckstein, Tileyard Education.

11.00-11.30 :Elle Halley Photography. 

Identifying key revenue streams – in any business, understanding where your money is going to come from is paramount. The music industry is complex, and identifying key revenue streams for your specific music business means you can focus on what matters and ignore distractions. Learning the music landscape and identifying key revenue streams early on means you won’t waste time – and money – pursuing things that won’t benefit you.

11.30-13.00: John Saunderson, Notting Hill Music.

Songwriting teams and Producers – Today the average hit record in 2017 had 4-5 songwriters/producers, some have more. How did we get to this position and how can you be a part of the extremely rewarding enterprise called songwriting.

13.00-13.30: Lunch.

13.30-15.00: Andy Inglis, 5000 Live.

Tour Management, Venue Management, The International Festival Market – grassroots venues closures, which festival Live Nation just bought, update on the state of the live business today.

15.00-16.00: Pete Bott, Sound Advice LLP.

Setting yourself up as a business – while music might seem glamorous, having a solid business structure in place is the thing that separates professionals from amateurs. Whether you’re dealing with bandmates, looking for management, or raising money from funders, having a clearly defined business structure in place – and a business plan to match – is critically important. Learn how to make your music into a business, legal structures to protect yourself, and how to get to grips with the admin involved in running a music-based business.

16.00-17.00: Steve Melhuish, Pete Bott, Jonathan Robinson, Andy Inglis.

Day three wraps up with a Social Media Debate comprising representatives of the music industry.

19.00-22.30

Born to Be Wide event, which will be held in Citizen M – all MB School students welcome. The topic is preparing for industry events and there will be a social session afterward with opportunities for networking.

Guest Speakers for Music Business School Glasgow include:

Plus more just confirmed

Music Tank, Jonathan Robinson
London School of Sound, Federico BB
Absolute Label Services, Kate Hendry
Budde Music Sync Specialists, Jess Nash

Just added to our Funding Panel on 31st Jessie Scoullar,Wicksteedworks www.wicksteedworks.com

Help Musicians UK is offering an exclusive discount for this event if you sign up before the end of December. If you’ve been given a code for discounted tickets by HMUK please click “Enter Promotional Code” to redeem the offer.

Last minute offer up to 26th January £199 only 5 tickets left at this price

For further information contact [email protected]