Use It

Put the information to work.

Play with the quick versions to understand what changes the answer. When deeper planning is useful, the Official Artist layer can carry more of the real-world detail.

Use what helps

These are working tools, not homework.

Grab the calculator, checklist, or framework you need and ignore the rest until it becomes useful.

From Question to Decision

Use the smallest tool that gets you to a better answer.

Understand

Start with the public version and see which inputs actually move the answer.

Test

Change assumptions instead of treating the first number as truth.

Plan

Use the deeper Official Artist layer when the decision has real operational consequences.

Check

Finish with a working checklist so the details do not disappear after the calculator closes.

Public Tools

Useful even if you never sign in.

Use your own numbers, change the assumptions, and see what moves. Fans get a clearer view of the work. Artists get a useful first pass.

Official Artist Depth

More detail when you are actually making the decision.

The deeper layer is for the inputs and planning detail that save working artists time, money, and avoidable mistakes. Basic understanding stays public.

Interactive Tools

Start with your own numbers.

Each tool is designed to make the moving parts visible before the result starts feeling authoritative.

Deals · Public

Deal Decoder

Translate common live-deal structures into plain English, questions to ask, and what can change the payout.

Open Tool

Deals · Public + Official

Deal Comparison

Compare common offers at one attendance; Official Artists unlock room-wide scenarios and break-even analysis.

Open Tool

Live · Public + Official

Show P&L Calculator

Model guarantee, backend, merch, commissions, payroll, travel, lodging, production, and estimated show contribution.

Open Tool

Touring · Public + Official

Tour Budget Calculator

Model a multi-date run using guarantees, merch, mileage, fuel, hotels, personnel, per diem, commissions, and other route costs.

Open Tool

Public

Merch Margin Calculator

See what remains after unit cost, venue merch commission, and payment-processing assumptions.

Open Tool

Release · Public + Official

Release Readiness Check

Work through the operational pieces that should be confirmed before a release goes live.

Open Tool

Live Economics · Public

Guarantee Explorer

Compare illustrative $500, $1,000, and $10,000 guarantees and see why gross fee is not take-home pay.

Open Tool

Fan Support · Public

Fan Impact Planner

See how $0, $25, $50, or $100 plus attention can create different kinds of artist impact.

Open Tool

Working Checklists

The boring details that prevent expensive problems.

Open the checklist you need. You do not have to stare at every list on the page at once.

Live Checklist

First Show Advance

Everything that should stop being an assumption before the touring party arrives.

Buyer/promoter contact

Venue day-of contact

Production contact

Settlement contact

Load-in address and parking instructions

Load-in time

Soundcheck or line-check time

Doors / support / headline set times

Curfew

Stage dimensions

Stage plot sent and acknowledged

Input list sent and acknowledged

Backline confirmed

Monitor/IEM expectations

Power or unusual production needs

Hospitality or buyout

Dressing room

Guest list process and deadline

Merch location and seller

Merch commission/cut

Payment method and timing

Settlement process

Load-out expectations

Release Checklist

Release Readiness

A practical preflight from final audio through post-release follow-through.

Final master(s)

Clean/explicit versions if required

Final artwork

Final song/release title

Featured-artist formatting

Writer splits documented

Producer terms documented

Master owner identified

ISRC assigned

UPC assigned where applicable

Credits/metadata master sheet

Distributor delivery complete

DSP artist-profile access

Lyrics delivered where applicable

PRO/publishing registrations reviewed

MLC status reviewed where applicable

SoundExchange repertoire reviewed where applicable

Smart link/landing page

Website updated

Email announcement ready

Social/content assets ready

Post-release plan for weeks 2–6

Finance Checklist

Show P&L

The inputs needed to understand what a date actually contributes.

Guarantee

Backend/overage

Artist merch revenue

VIP/direct add-ons

Reimbursed expenses

Agent commission

Manager commission basis reviewed

Musician payroll

Crew payroll

Fuel/transport

Hotels

Per diem/meals

Parking/tolls

Backline/rentals

Production

Merch commission

Card/payment fees

Other direct date costs

Net show contribution

Touring Checklist

Tour Preflight

Operational checks before a run moves from spreadsheet to highway.

All contracts/confirmations stored

Route and drive times reviewed

Driver/rest plan

Vehicle service complete

Insurance current

Hotel confirmations

Parking details

Advances complete

Backline/rental confirmations

Merch inventory counted

POS/payment hardware tested

Cash/settlement plan

Payroll amounts confirmed

Per diem plan

Emergency contacts

Medication/personal essentials

Spare strings/drum heads/cables/consumables

Backup audio/playback plan

Guest lists and credentials deadlines

Daily itinerary shared

Team Checklist

New Team Member Due Diligence

Questions to resolve before adding a commission, retainer, or long-term relationship.

Problem this person is expected to solve

Specific responsibilities

Decision authority

Day-to-day contact

Fee or commission rate

Commissionable income defined

Expenses and approval process

Term

Territory

Exclusivity

Termination rights

Post-term obligations

Reporting cadence

References checked

Conflicts/roster capacity reviewed

Attorney review where appropriate

Rights Checklist

Song & Rights Preflight

Capture ownership and identifying information before the release creates urgency.

Composition title

Writer legal names

Writer professional names

Writer splits documented

Publisher/admin information

PRO affiliations

Producer terms

Featured artist terms

Session-player terms where applicable

Master owner

ISRC

UPC/release identifier

Credits master sheet

MLC data reviewed

SoundExchange repertoire reviewed

Audience Checklist

Direct Fan Foundation

The minimum owned-audience infrastructure behind a durable fan relationship.

Artist website

Clear email signup

Welcome email/message

Current tour/ticket links

Current merch/store link

Streaming links

Contact/booking path

Privacy/consent language where needed

Regular communication cadence

Fan/customer export or backup

Repeat-buyer tracking

Market/geography tracking

UTM or source tracking where useful

Live Checklist

Festival / Fly-Date Preflight

For dates where travel, credentials, backline, and compressed schedules create extra failure points.

Flight/travel confirmation

Ground transportation

Credential pickup location

Artist liaison contact

Backline specification confirmed

Changeover time

Stage/production contact

Set length

Hard curfew

Hospitality

Dressing room

Merch rules

Guest-list/accreditation deadline

Hotel confirmation

Baggage/instrument plan

Payment/settlement instructions

Radius or publicity restrictions reviewed