You hear it said all the time that artists should be paid absolutely. It is a fairly empty statement to make. Anybody who wants to be paid for anything has to make a deal of some kind. You don’t turn up uninvited, start digging somebody’s garden then demand payment. You make an arrangement.

Likewise, us musicians can’t expect payment simply because we created the work. We need to do a deal first. If you’re a recording artist and your deal is dependent on unit sales then it’s a bad one because the market for units is fast disappearing.

Seek payment for your work from those who would have you make it. Create it, let it go, then start over. With such an outlook we have a better chance of shaping the future rather than complaining about the demise of the old system.