I mean the phrase at the head of this thread both ways: New Music-Publishing, and New-Music Publishing.
I have a chance to buy a printshop: multi-service, they print everything from posters to postcards to huge billboards. They have printed all my music scores and parts for years. Now they are going to retire and have put the business up for sale.
If doing what they’ve been doing were the only possibility, I don’t think I’d be extremely interested, though I would be somewhat interested. But it occurs to me that I could combine the current operation with a Music Publishing Business. (Both kinds, as above.)
I’d like to know your thoughts on whether there’s an existing market for such a thing, or whether I’d have to develop it from scratch. A Google search didn’t turn up much that I felt was relevant.
Interesting opportunity. In my experience, I haven’t found a need to officially publish my scores. I self-publish on my web site, and do not charge for my scores. And even if I wanted to, there is sadly just not much of a market for new music. When someone downloads one of my scores and proceeds to perform it, I’m honored and delighted. I just don’t think anyone would pay for print copies of my music; it’s a very small niche and it’s hard enough to get people to perform my stuff for no royalty payments. It would be magical thinking for me to presume that anyone would pay for printed scores/parts relating to my music. And as many of my works are pretty long (including 2-4.25 hours) , the printed scores would be pretty expensive I’d think. Even the late Frederic Rzewski self-published his music on his web site and gave them away.
So while I don’t doubt that there is a market for this in terms of professional composers who have a significant audience and stable of orchestras and other performers who need their music printed, the market for new music scores is still likely small.
My daughter does work in a local print shop, and for non-musical stuff, the market is quite robust. The margins are pretty good and if you did combine a music publishing capability with general print offerings, that could be quite successful. No reason you couldn’t print music scores and parts, but that would be a small part of your revenue stream. The other stuff, though, could pay for the loss leader of new music publishing.
Let me know if I totally misunderstood your post (very possible). Thanks and good luck!
I am published by some on-demand print publishers. I tried doing it myself but it is an entirely separate discipline. I could put you in contact with one of them and he may be able to advise you. His publishing cxompany was founded in 1989 and is still strong. Message me.
I think that there will still be a market for printing – particularly things that people can’t do on home equipment – binding, trimming, large format, etc.
Music Publishing (and publishing in general) is a tough business. You’ll need to invest a lot of marketing and advertising, so that your target customer base knows you are there. Everyone complains about the cost of books and scores, but if you’re paying royalties, covering your business costs and trying to make a profit…
What services are you offering composers that they can’t do themselves? (That’s largely marketing – and decent notation standards, of course .) And what will customers come to you for?
Performed music is ultimately driven by the audience. People will pay good money to hear Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart, but if you say "I’m doing a concert of {@ composerYouveNeverHeardOf @} "… then that’s going to have limited appeal. You can offset that with a famous name performer or a Festival/competition.
Alternatively, you can find a niche like school band arrangements.
I certainly wouldn’t start a business until I was satisfied that there was a market that needed filling. And if it isn’t immediately evident, then it’s going to be an uphill struggle.
.) And what will customers come to you for?