Starting an independent record label, managing your own career, or trying to find information about how to move forward in the music industry can be expensive, confusing, and completely frustrating. The staff at Ill Chemistry have been consulting independent record labels, artists, engineers and producers for over 15 years. We can help guide you to the right decisions, while avoiding many costly mistakes.

The level of consulting that we offer is entirely up to you and what level of consulting YOU need to succeed.  We have learned to listen to our clients' needs, translate that information into a plan, and then show clients how to use the plan to achieve their goals. Far too many independent music consultants try to push clients in directions they do not wish to take their careers. Ill Chemistry does not offer "cookie cutter" consulting plans. We offer solutions to your unique situation.

Hiring an independent music consultant means you're taking your career into your own hands and searching out information, direction, or solutions to help propel your career or independent record label to a higher degree of success. Ill Chemistry is  highly active in the independent music community. You can find us working in studios behind a console, negotiating with distributors or consulting with an artist to help plan their next radio promo tour. In other words, we aren't chasing trends for clients....we are helping to create trends for our client!

Here are some of our most common independent artist or record label consulting services.  If you do not see what you are looking for listed here, please drop us an email to obtain additional information.

Business Plan Creation

Your business plan is your Bible. This is the single most important weapon in your arsenal.

Too many times independent record labels spend the time, effort, and cash to either write their own plan or hire someone else to do it for them - just to have it sit in a filing cabinet - never to be looked at again.

Your business plan is your map to success. It's how you get funding. It's how you get sales. It's how you conduct your business on a daily basis. Ill Chemistry does not simply write a plan; we show you how to use your plan to get ahead of your competition.

Marketing Plan Creation and Review

Simply going online and finding a free music marketing plan no longer works. Most of these plans were written in the 70's and have no measures in place for internet music marketing, social networking, or mobile phone marketing. Ill Chemistry has not only been writing music marketing plans that include these and many other "New Millennium Concepts" for quite a while, we actually are in the business of music marketing plan execution. Meaning - marketing is what Ill Chemistry does on a daily basis.  A plan is a call for action. It is not just words on paper. Having a plan without direction or consulting can be very costly.

Radio Promo Tour

A Radio Promo Tour is essential for the success of your CD release. International and national record labels, artists, and managers have known about radio promo tours for years. However, independent record labels have not started cashing in on this great marketing platform. Ill Chemistry has successfully consulted major radio promo tours for artists, labels, and performers across the country. We take an active roll with our consulting in ensuring your promo tour is a success in getting you national exposure, radio play, and CD sales. 

Record Pools

Record Pools are a great way to test a song or artist by an independent record label. Before you spend a dime trying to market a new single, you should send that single to every record pool in the world. Let them tell you if you have a hit on your hands. In most cases, if you have built a relationship with the pool, they will give you quality feedback and suggestions to make the song better, if needed. Ill Chemistry was founded by deejays. We understand the power and influence that deejays have over the industry. Whether they're spinning on radio, at the Jewish Community Center or on mixtapes the deejay is the critical element to break new records. We've spent years building and fostering relationships with record pools and deejays around the world.

We can get your music in the hands of literally thousands of DJs in less than a week's time. If you prefer the "do it yourself" method, we can consult with you and show you the ropes and help you follow through to success.

Online Marketing

Online marketing for an independent record label can be very confusing, time consuming, and costly if you don't know what you're doing or how you're doing it. The amount of new music being added to the internet on a daily basis is overwhelming. Cutting through this clutter is the key advantage Ill Chemistry consultants offer their clients. We have the know how, relationships with online DJs/Radio stations, and tip/tricks to get your music in the hands of waiting fans - faster, cheaper, and with more impact than the competition. Remember, My Space is only a small tool within the online marketing community. If your current online marketing plan only includes a "how to guide" to My Space, you need to give us a call today!

Publishing

Publishing is how you get paid on the Copyright you own for a song. You have two choices when trying to collect your publishing money. You can either set-up your own publishing company or you can sign with an established publishing company. The only real difference is this: If you sign with a publishing company you will be giving away 20-50% of your publishing money. If you set up your own publishing company you get to keep all the profit. Setting up a publishing company is easy and fairly inexpensive.  Ill Chemistry can have you up and running in no time. We can even teach you how to exploit your music to TV stations, movie houses, video game companies, and more! 

P & D Deals

Most independent record labels ask about P & D Deals. How to get them, what they are, and do they really need them, are among the top questions. P & D stands for pressing and distribution. This means a company, usually a major record label, will press (duplicate/replicate) your CD and distribute that CD to your detailed marketing region for a cut of your sales money. Ill Chemistry can help you secure a deal, negotiate a deal and help you get paid once the deal is in place. Want your music available for download WORLDWIDE with over 15 different music retailers? Hit us up, we've got you covered!!

BDS and SoundScan

Tracking sales and spins of your song is close to the top of importance in the daily life of an independent record label or artist. If you can’t track your spins how are you going to know where to concentrate your marketing efforts? If you can’t track sales how are you going to know what is working and what is not working in your detailed sales region? Ill Chemistry can get your material submitted to BDS & SoundScan, can help you understand BDS & Soundscan, help you fill out the proper paperwork, and we can even teach you what the charts really mean and what you should really pay attention to.

Music Copyright

Too many independent record labels and artists put their music out to the world without obtaining a legal copyright. The really bad thing is that it is simple and does not cost very much to protect your investment. That is exactly what copy writing a song is... protection for your investment. Ill Chemistry consultants offer free packets to teach you everything you need in order to copyright your music.

Artist Development

How many times have you gone to a show and watched a horrible performance?

How many times have you listened to a top music star do an interview and say....uh, well, you know, uh....? And how many times have you seen a television interview go horribly wrong because a music star looks at the ground or away from the camera for the entire segment?

Even the best of the best rely on artist development to ensure they deliver outstanding performances, interviews, and image. Ill Chemistry has assembled a team of artist development professionals to help you ensure you put your best foot forward no matter the situation, performance, or interview. We know the importance of "being on" or "developed"every time you step foot in the public eye. Our artist development team has choreographers, image consultants, interview pros, video studios for practice sessions, and a whole lot more to help you get ready to be in front of your future fans.

Don't think that because your favorite performer looks relaxed and unscripted that they have not been trained by an artist development specialist to look that way. Even the most "street" hip hop artists go through artist development. It is unfortunate that "image is every thing" in the business. One wrong move, interview, or image no-no can crater your career! You have to work smarter not harder at making sure you present yourself in the best way possible at all times. Our artist development team can show you simple tricks to ensure you are always presented in the best light.

Interviews can be scary. Press can twist your own, unscripted, words into meanings you never meant to say, and on-stage performances can go horribly wrong if you haven't practiced over and over until you know what, where, and how you are going to move. Artist development training can remove all of these no-nos. Most of the clients we work with have never stepped on a major stage in their life. Let us assure you, when you do, if you are not ready, you will look bad. Why? Local clubs and venues have small stages. In most cases these stages are less than 15 feet wide. But when you make it to a major stage in a major arena, you will walk onto a full 100 foot stage. Yup. If all you are prepared for is your local venue, you will look like an amateur.

Choreography does not mean you have to be NSync. You don't have to do pretty little dances and have fancy dance steps.... (unless that is your image of course) But choreography does mean you know what you are going to do and when you are going to do it every time you walk on stage. Working with a trained artist development choreographer will ensure you a perfect show each time you perform. And yes, even if you are a "hardcore" rapper, you need to know what to do. Again, it doesn't mean you have to dance. Maybe it's as simple as walking to the left side of the stage and picking out a member of the audience to sing or rap to. Or maybe it's just going back to the drummer and giving him a little nod. All this is "choreography". A well planned show simply attracts more fans. Period.

How many interviews have you done in your career up to this point? None, one, maybe two?

How many times have you practiced what you're going to say? Do you even know what you would answer to; " So, tell me (name here), what does (song here) mean to you?" If not, you had better get pen and paper out and figure it out. It will come up and if you are not ready it will bite you in the butt. Artist development prepares you for anything an interviewer can throw at you.

Image is more important than the music?? We don't really believe that, but too many folks in the press do. So you really have to take it seriously. You have to watch what you look like even if you are just running out to get the morning paper or going to get your "nails did". You never know who you might meet on the street. Our staff can help you find the true you. We can help you find a style that fits your image, personality, and desire. We have great artist development stylists that work with you, not tell you what you need.

We help develop your talent. We do not try to force you into an image you are not. Again, we sit down or have a conversation with you to determine who you are, what you do, and where you want to go before we recommend anything. We are not a "cookie cutter" business. We are a team of artist development professionals that actually care about your career and help get you where you want to go.