Who Is This Course For?

Whether you’re a music student just starting out or a working artist building your career, this course is designed to meet you where you are. Performers, instructors, composers, and recording artists will gain the practical business knowledge that traditional programs often overlook. From registering your business to managing your finances to understanding invoicing systems and tax forms, you’ll learn the essential tools to launch, grow, and sustain your music career with clarity and confidence.

This Course Will Teach You How To...

  • Register a music business entity, including DBA paperwork

  • Obtain a federal tax ID number (EIN registration walkthrough)

  • Accurately track revenue, expenses, and calculate net income

  • Recognize what expenses are deductible

  • Create and deliver professional invoices

  • Differentiate between W-2 and 1099 work, and understand their tax implications

  • Prepare for tax season with confidence

  • Develop familiarity with essential tax forms (W-9, 8829, 1040-ES)

  • Understand how to treat partial use deductions and depreciable assets

  • Approach freelance music work with a sustainable, entrepreneurial mindset

Course Creator

Chad Rehmann is an award-winning composer for film and television, with credits spanning over 60 feature films and nearly 200 television episodes. He holds an M.A. in Music Industry Administration and has spoken at high schools and universities across the country on music entrepreneurship and the realities of freelance work in the arts. The Music Business Starter Kit was born out of those visits. After years of hearing the same questions from students about how to actually make a living as a freelance musician, Chad created this course to bridge the gap between traditional music education and the day-to-day realities of a creative career. To ensure the information is both accurate and accessible, all business and tax-related content has been reviewed by accounting and legal professionals.
Chad Rehmann in studio