What You Need to Know About Insurance for Musicians

You know what's sad and troubling - the fact that your gear is vulnerable, and your life as a musician is not as safe and secure as you thought it to be. Yes, your gear can be stolen, and your instrument can be damaged.

If you are a traveling musician, you would know how every travel is like a silent prayer. You wish your instrument is safe in the cabin, and nothing happens that damages it. The documentation you need to make sure your travel is easy and smooth, the whole carrying it forward, and the prayers make your life as a traveling musician difficult.

With no extra money to spend you depend on your homeowner's insurance. Does it actually cover your travel and the gear costs during travel?

Not all homeowner's insurance includes coverage for the gear, especially during travel. In fact, if you were to check the homeowner's insurance, you would find that most of them cover your instrument only at your home, the primary business place. Move the instrument out of your home, and you are really not sure how to pay for all the damages.

How can you get over this issue and make sure you don't face losses when traveling with your gear?

Replacement or cash
If you own a super specialized gear, you might want it replaced and get another that is quite similar. This means you would want to include the replacement in your insurance cover. However, this also means adding more money to the premium you are about to pay.

If you own a very normal instrument, then you can actually invest in a cost-effective insurance, which will cover the basic cost of buying a second hand instrument. If you don't want to replace it, then you can check with the insurance provider about the cash value for the instrument you own. You will need to dig a little deeper into the replacement vs cash when investing in insurance.

List your coverage
When it comes to investing in insurance for musicians, you should ideally list the gear you own and try to estimate the approximate value of the gear. Make sure you estimate the true worth of the gear as of today. Compare it with the original price of the gear.

Your gear might include items that are no longer manufactured today, and you might want to estimate the value of replacing it. The homeowner's insurance may not cover all your needs or even the true value of the gear you own. You may need a simple insurance that covers your gear needs and insures them.

Travel and more
The insurance will make traveling with your gear easy for you. in case your gear gets damaged or stolen, the insurance will take care. In fact, it is a great deal for musicians as they won't have to spend money the gear replacement or repair. It will also help you get an instrument on rent if something goes wrong. The insurance will also cover your payday in case you are ill and unable to attend the concert you have traveled for.

A good insurance can be quite a deal for you!

Get Affordable and High Value Music Insurance Online with a Few Clicks

Music insurance is a necessity in every musician's life. However, most simply ignore it or are ignorant about it. It is only when something happens to their instrument or their compositions that they realize the importance of an instrument insurance.

Here are some of the common questions that we have been asked regarding the music insurance. We will, through these questions, talk of the importance of this insurance, and how you can purchase it online.

Wouldn't the home owner's insurance cover everything?
Most musicians own the home owner's insurance and believe they do not require a insurance for their music instrument or gear. Not every home owner's insurance covers the gear that you have bought. In fact, most often the instrument may or may not be covered. For most insurance companies, this is probably a business that you operate from home. If you are thinking of owning nothing beyond the home owner's insurance, consider re-reading all the inclusions of the insurance. If it does not cover repairs of the instrument or replacement costs, you might want to think again and invest in a proper insurance.

What is the true value of the music gear I own?
When it comes to insuring your instrument, it is important you know what the true value of your instrument is. When you visit an insurance provider, they may not be able to value your instrument, given they are not musicians in real. Without the proper valuation, you cannot identify the premium you should be paying for your instrument. Make sure you consult someone who is an expert with music instruments and understands their true value. That will make your valuation easy.

Will the insurance cover travel?
There are instances where you would be traveling as part of your career, carrying your gear with you. As a musician, you are always worried about your instrument's well-being, which is why you need to be assured by the insurance company. The insurance will make sure your travel is smooth and worry free. If, during the travel, the instrument gets damaged, then the insurance will cover the repair costs. In case, your instrument is stolen and needs to be replaced, the insurance will help you with the replacement cost too. In fact, the insurance will also help you with the rental cost and place and make sure you don't face troubles when playing the instrument at your gig.

Is it expensive?
If you are willing to pay a little to save your pockets from being dented in the future, the insurance is not that expensive. You will need to make the right choice, have a budget in place, and choose the right inclusions for your insurance

• Research on the providers. There are plenty available in the market. Only a few actually provide you with what you need.

• Set a budget for the insurance. Make sure you don't go beyond the set budget

• Check for the reviews and ratings provided for the providers. Make a list of all those who are rated high and provide the insurance features that you are looking for

• Finally, have a face-to-face with them to know how they help you with the right solution

Few Questions About Guitar and Acoustic Guitar Insurance

As a newbie to learning guitar, you obviously have a few questions. Acoustic guitar produces some of the best sounds and is indeed the best choice for learning guitar. However, you would struggle with picking up the guitar if you are not sure if it is quite the help or not. Here are some of the common questions asked by people who are about to start learning the instrument and the answers to these common questions.

Is there an age to learn guitar?
Most people want to know if they are too old or too young to learn the guitar. Good news for them, there is no age limit to learning the instrument, if you are keen to learn it. You should be passionate and should want to learn the instrument, and that should be enough to get started.

The brain definitely responds differently with age, and the learning abilities are slowed down but, you should not give up even then.

Is an instructor important?
The second important question is whether you need a guitar teacher to complete your guitar lessons. We would say yes. It helps to learn better and effectively. The teacher would be able to plan out your lessons according to your ability and will make sure you learn without injuring yourself. They would even help you with how to hold the guitar properly and make sure you know the technicalities associated with acoustic guitar. However, if you don’t want to invest in a teacher, you can always opt for the DIY lessons and other videos available on the Internet. They will help you too.

Do the fingers hurt when playing?
If you have just started playing the guitar, chances are your fingers will hurt. This holds true specifically for the acoustic guitar. It will take sometime for the fingers to get used to the guitar and build callouses that will make playing easier. The callouses too, last for a while before your skin goes back to being soft again.

How many hours should I practice per day?
It depends on the kind of progress you want to make at the end of the lessons. For significant progress, you should ideally spend at least 10-20 mins everyday. If you practice daily and perfectly, you might be able to achieve the consistency and quality you aim for.

Is theory important?
Well, theory has its own importance. Though it is not necessary to learn the guitar, it is very essential if you want to write songs or compose your own music. It would do you good if you learn theory as a start to learning guitar.

Should I own a guitar?
We suggest having your own acoustic guitar can help you with the practice sessions, and achieve your goal. However, it is important to support the guitar with acoustic guitar insurance. That will help you keep the guitar in check, maintain it and sustain it for a longer time. Research the providers available for the guitar insurance and choose the one who offers the best deal.

Top Benefits of Having Musical Instrument Insurance

Musical instruments come in great variety, both in terms of the sounds they orchestrate as well as the material used to construct the instrument. When you talk about the string instrument, they produce a rich bass sound as against the reed instrument, which produces a deeper sound. Together they make the orchestra sound fancy indeed.

However, caring for these instruments differs in many ways. You don't conduct the same maintenance procedure when caring for a string instrument as you would for a reed or other type of instrument. The dust cleaning and moisture protection standards and methods differ too with the type of instrument. However, the one thing that does not seem to change with the instrument type or sound is the need for musical instrument insurance. You need it irrespective of the type, color and other aspects of the instrument. It protects your instrument from being bogged down by troublemakers or by instances of the accident.

So, here are a few reasons why your instrument needs an insurance

• Regular servicing is an important aspect of maintaining your instrument condition. This can be achieved only if you are in a servicing contract with your instrument provider. If not, the instrument insurance will get you a servicing contract, if you have added that as a necessary inclusion, and it will help maintain the good health of your instrument. The insurance not only helps you find a good service provider but also makes sure you have a good deal in terms of money from them.

• When your instrument is stolen, half your heart is broken because it was dear to you but, the other half is due to the fact that you will need to replace it with your own money. Where will you get the money to buy a new instrument, with the amount of other piling expenses? In fact, if you have bought an expensive one, and are still paying the EMIs for the same, it becomes tougher for you to find a good deal. An insurance will manage the situation for you. You will receive partial replacement fund from the provider, making it easy on your pockets

• What if you are traveling and the instrument is damaged on the way. You are not only supposed to get the instrument repaired but also find one on rent in the meantime. If you are in the new city, where you know nothing about the landmarks and have no one to turn to, you will need an insurance provider. They will give you details on the best places to rent your instrument from, and also offer the repair providers. You will not only save your performance day but also manage to get a good deal on both the rent and repair of the instrument.

• Finally, if you have a no-show at the concert or, the concert does not take place, the musical instrument insurance will also provide you with the money that you lose as a payday or as liability for the no-show.

Things You Should Know About Music Studios in New York

Music studios in New York are pretty reputable for the kind of business they generate and the overall profitability. However, when you are an aspiring music studio entrepreneur, there are quite a few things that you may want to keep in mind before getting started with a music studio of your own. The first thing being what all do you need to get started with a music studio of your own. Secondly, how much is it likely to cost operating a music studio, and are you funded enough. Finally, what all inclusions should you have in your music studio insurance. When you are set with all three, you are ready for the music studio.

Let's start with what all you need to start your own recording studio

• A valid reason to begin with. Do you know why you want to operate a music studio, and do you believe it is a good enough reason? If yes, then that should be your starting point. If you are a DJ, and you have all the resources to start your own studio, then that is a good reason. But, if you are a day musician, and you just want to record your own songs, then signing a contract with a studio should be good enough for you. Make sure the reason is solid

• Where do you plan to operate the recording studio from? This question will help you get foot with the recording studio business. It is important for you to choose an ideal location for the studio. Most recording studios in New York have a viable profit owing to the location advantage. If you miss out on a good location that will help the musicians in many ways, you may lose out on the profits as well. The location that works for the studio is somewhere secluded and in peace

• Now, comes the most difficult part- the actual building of the studio. It is where you will need to place all your resources. You will need to invest in expensive gear and materials. If something, you may also want to reinvent the place you are planning to live in. This would involve redecorating the place, holding a few paint boxes etc. If you don't want to spend a lot of money, you could buy second hand gear that works well, and use some hand at creativity and paint the place yourself

• How does the market for music studios work? When you are research, make sure you are doing it well. It is important for you to acknowledge and hire a few resources. Pay them less or even hire them for free just to understand the market. This would get you better profits in the long run

Budgeting is an important consideration

• The gear you purchase

• The place you have rented

• The cost of redecorating the place

Finally, comes the music studio insurance. It is important to invest in a decent coverage. Choose a provider who can help you with the coverage and cover all your insurance needs with a good solution.

How Event Liability Insurance Will Help You as a Musician?

As a musician, an event is a major deal for you to showcase your talent. If you get the chance to perform at a place which is good for publicity, make sure you grab the chance immediately. However, having a good opportunity is not enough. You need to work your way through to make sure your only chance turns out to be good for you. The compositions that you are planning to play on the day of the event should be rehearsed, and you should choose them well too. If you want to spend some time planning, it is a good idea.

It does not end with rehearsing; choosing the way you look for the day is as important as the other things. You will need to put in a lot of work towards making the show work. While working on the show, it is important you invest in event liability insurance. It is the lifeline for a musician performing at the events. How? It protects their assets and makes sure the liabilities don’t hurt them hard. Let’s take a look at the different ways in which an event liability insurance can help you.

• If you have a new composition for the event, it is important you keep it protected. There is always a chance that someone might steal it and copy it, which in turn hurts your talent and your performance hard. If you were to handle the situation without the event liability insurance, you won’t be able to prove that this is your composition. With the insurance, you would have the composition insured before you perform, so you are not only saving your self from being cheated upon but also the money that goes into the drain when your composition becomes your biggest liability. You can even sue the person who has stolen it, and the odds are in your favor.

• If you are performing on stage with your favorite instrument, and there is a calamity or man produced danger say a strike for instance, your stage can be damaged and your instrument broken, in the chaos produced. You may want to protect your instrument in this case. The best deal would be buying the insurance that saves you from this liability. You can not only get your instrument replaced but also make sure you are paid for the damages

• Finally, a no-show can cost you heavily as a musician. You may want to avoid this but, what if you are not able to. In that case you may have to pay it from your own pocket. This can be prevented if you have the event liability insurance. If your no-show is with a cause, the insurance will pay the money for your no-show, and you won’t need to spend it from your pockets.

It is important that you choose a good insurance provider with a reasonable experience and one who practices capable solutions. They would be able to grant you solutions that help you achieve the best escape from liabilities.

Do You Think Music Studio Insurance is Important?

If you own a music studio, and are still pondering over whether or not you should own a music studio insurance, then you have clicked on the right page. A music studio is a big deal and a hefty investment. After making that kind of investment, you sure don't want to incur losses but, you don't want to invest in anything that doesn't seem necessary to you. That is precisely why you have been wondering whether or not you should buy the music studio insurance.

• If your music studio makes money of bands, then these bands are investing their time, instruments and compositions in you. Of course, they are going to earn from it, and so are you. But, the assets that you both own are quite vulnerable. If you make losses in the music studio owing to damaged instruments, constant repairs or even lost compositions, you might have to pay for the damages. Not only would it lower your credibility but also cause dent in your pocket. This situation of loss can be avoided with the right insurance in your hand

• Compositions made by the music bands that have been a part of your studio are quite important to you. You don't want to lose them. However, what happens if you were to lose them or worst still, they were stolen from you. You will be in a lot of trouble as a result, not only monetarily but also with copyright issues strangling your neck. What more the band won't even come back to you for the next round, as you don't have security. The insurance will at least cover part of the damages and for the remaining you might need to keep a legal file in place

• A music studio involves a lot of assets such as the audio recorder, the amplifier, the sound box and other gear that engineers the music. The gear is worth a dime, and if you have some real solid money, you would have invested far more in the gear than deemed necessary. Now, you need to take care of this investment, which is possible only when you have insurance. The gear, if insured, will not put a hole in a pocket when asking for money in case of damage, repair or replacement. You can even consider yourself lucky with the payday if offers when you are taking them out for the repair

• A missed payday can cause a studio a lot of money. That's why when your studio closes down owing to natural calamities or man-made disasters, the insurance offers a specific cover. You just need a claim them, and you are settled.

Choosing music studio insurance is the tough task. You will need to research through the multiple providers and find one that suits your needs

• Make sure you go for someone who has the reputation of being a good provider and offers instant quotes and responses

• The claims should be easy to make and process and the money should be released instantly

Guiding You Through Basics of Orchestra and Orchestra Insurance

Orchestras are always intriguing to the people who haven't been a part of the world. For those who are striving hard to make a place, there are questions. Taking the opportunity, we have outlined everything that we know about the orchestra, making sure it works to be a good guide for you. Here we will take you through the orchestra, the seating arrangement and the difference between the orchestra and symphony. We will also help you with identifying a career in the orchestra.

So, shall we get started?

Orchestra vs Symphony
The basic difference between an orchestra and symphony would be: every symphony is an orchestra but, not every orchestra is a symphony.

An orchestra, for starters, is a term that defines an ensemble containing string and reed instruments. There are majorly two types of orchestras- the symphony orchestra and the chamber orchestra.

The chamber orchestra assembles 50 odd musicians, most of them play the string instruments. This orchestra sounds the chamber music, which is old tunes defined for the private halls or glitzy palace. There are some contemporary musicians who offer to play the chamber music but, they are few.

The symphony orchestra assembles close to 100 musicians, and they play an ensemble of string, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments. The symphonies are pieces that require a lot of instrument pieces, at least 18-25 in total, to create the effect.

So, if the orchestra has 100 odd people, it naturally becomes a symphony orchestra.

Let's now talk about the seating arrangement in an orchestra. A lot of you want to know why the musicians are seated the way they are.

Seating arrangement in orchestra
A very commonly observed scenario in the symphonies is that the oboes and tubas don't sit together. Similarly, the violins sit far away from the flutes. This may seem odd to the outsiders but, for those who have been living this profession, it is a norm.

When 1st and second violinist sit opposite to each other, they tend to create the 18th century stereo effect. The major reason for the seating arrangement is the acoustics. When they sit in the way they do, they hold musical conversations and face-offs, which is then conducted by the conductor, who is also the music director. They tend to call for the musicians using their hands.

Ideally, the seating arrangement is more or less as defined by the orchestra conductor though, it would make more sense if the composer were to define the seating arrangement.

Insurance for orchestra
Now that you are aware of the meaning of an orchestra, the need for a specific arrangement, and the role of the conductor, you need to look into the specifics of orchestra insurance. Why do you need one at all?

There are up to 100 musicians in the orchestra, which means you are talking about at least a 100 instruments. If something happens to the people or the instrument, the damage will be paid from your pockets. For damage costs and other issue settlement, it is always a good idea to purchase an orchestra insurance.