Trust is a great thing. But in the music business, it means nothing of it's not in writing.

Have a business card. Have your name, number, email, and offerings on it. Even more importantly - don't run out! Why are musicians always out of business cards?!??...

If you are using electronics, software, and/ or synthesizers to spruce up music that is mostly a traditional acoustic or electric ensemble, keep one word in mind when applying your expertise - tasteful.

When sequencing, definitely quantize. And definitely consider humanizing your quantization.

Did you recently do research before purchasing your new favorite microphone or instrument? Did you screen talent agencies before selecting an agent? Do you have insight into booking transportation for tours via your personal experience? Unless you consider them trade secrets, consider sharing your findings in the music world through a blog and/ or podcast. It can help you to build relationships (and maybe even get gigs) with other musicians you may have never met otherwise.

When going to a gig, make sure you have contact numbers for everyone you might have the slightest chance of needing to get in touch with; band members, agents, event coordinators, family of the bride, etc.

It may be a good investment to have a smartphone that delivers email to you throughout the day so that you can capitalize right away on opportunities. A cheaper alternative is an email-to-text service.

Know other musicians, even your competition. What if you are already booked for a date and get another call? If you are the one who passes the gig to another musician, they'll be likely to return the favor at some point.

Can't make a rehearsal or a gig your band has planned? Always be willing to call in a sub (substitute) for yourself.

Be discerning. There are gigs that you will do better to say "no" to.

Try not to make "cattle calls" when you need to fill a spot in your band for one or two nights. A cattle call means calling a bunch of people on a list and giving the job to the first person who calls back. If you do have to use this technique in an extreme situation, let them know that is what you are doing upfront with your apologies and situation.

Find yourself making poor decisions about accepting/ turning down gigs? Don't answer your phone. Then, listen to the message, make the best decision you can, and call back as soon as possible!

Best not to speak ill of other musicians. The music world can be a bit small and your comments may come back to harm you.

As a musician, market constantly and before you need the results.

"You get what you pay for" is largely true when it comes to music teachers. When you choose one for yourself or your child, try not to focus on the price alone.

You may want to consider getting a separate tax ID for your music business. It is a fairly painless process, done through the IRS website or phone number.

Ever had an instrument or gear lost or stolen? If you are reporting musical income on your taxes, your stolen property may be deductible.

Many people believe that people who are self-employed are at greater risk of being audited. If you file deductions against 1099 income, make sure you have the records to back it up!

Don't have a website for yourself and/ or band/ group yet? There's no excuse. You can even find free resources for creating a website online. Better yet, have a blog, twitter account, and myspace page as well!

Flyers for upcoming gigs still have their place in your marketing scheme. It's another way to get in front of people. Here's a novel idea - why not have tear-off strips at the top and bottom with info the way that people looking to rent apartments do?

Buying your first instrument or one that is a step-up from your beginning instrument? Don't forget about used instruments. You can many times not only find used instruments cheaper, but many times it will be a better instrument, too! Take a professional player on your instrument to try some different ones out for you if you can.

When thinking about what instrument to take up playing, consider the popularity of the instrument. There are a LOT of guitarists, drummers, saxophonist, and pianists out there. If you play oboe or accordian, you could be a rare commodity!

There is the rare exception who never needs to warm up, such as the old lead trumpet for the Basie Band who "warmed up" by playing one high F before the gig. It is doubtful that you or I are that rare exception - warm up to avoid injury and increase endurance and accuracy.

Consider your posture when you are playing. Are you creating unnecessary strain for yourself through poor posture? Save yourself some back trouble later in life!

Sometimes your body knows how to play something challenging better than your head. Now and then, try focusing your mind on something other than the music when you are trying to get the mechanics of a certain passage correct.

Everyone should have a teacher or mentor on their instrument - even of you are the best in the world. You don't have to be the best player to be a great teacher who can help a talented player get to the next level.

Ever think about giving your teacher a call or email during the week when you are struggling with a particular passage? Why not? They are a resource that is more than happy to be there for you.

Proper care of your instrument goes a long way. It's also good for breaking up a long practice session or something to do while listening to some music!

For a beginning musician, renting an instrument or buying a cheap used instrument is a perfectly viable approach. That way, if things don't work out on that particular instrument, you can move to a different one without having a lot of money invested.

Even if you are a Rock, Pop, or R&B musician, you'll do well to learn the proper technique for your instrument or voice. Even if you decide to then play or sing in an unconventional manner, you'll at least know the boundaries you are crossing and be less likely to do permanent damage.

No matter what genre you play in, you must learn to "sight-read", even if in a liberal sense of the term. For a classical or jazz musician, this will mean being able to play on command a set of sheet music you have never seen before, and play it with the dynamics, articulation, tempos, rhythms, pitches, phrasing, and feel indicated. If you are a non-studio Rock musician or R&B artist, this may amount to having an aural memory that is so sharp, you can catch all of the musical elements listed above and reproduce them after simply listening to a recording once.

Practice is the lifeblood of your personal advancement in musical playing/ singing ability. If you don't devote time to it, you stagnate. For a musician, that can be an icky feeling : \

Remember, that sometimes it's ok to just "jam". That may mean improvisation, playing a tune you know and love, or running some scales.

Is something feeling weird physically every time you play? A back pain? A headache? A muscle spasm? Please don't ignore your body. Make a visit to a doctor before the problem becomes worse.

No one likes to be told that they are not capable of doing something. And, if someone is personally motivated by a constructive inner passion, that certainly factors into things. All the same, consider your physique and the physique of your child when selecting an instrument for you or her. A small person may have trouble playing a full-size tuba or double-bass.

Going to study music full time, or sending your child to study music at a college, university, or conservatory? Some things to take into account are: Who will be their primary teacher on their chosen instrument? Are they comfortable with the size of the department? What is the track record of employment and/ or further education for graduates of the school? Is there ample opportunity for performance? What is the reputation of the school? What is the performance level of the school's ensembles? Is there an alternate teacher on their primary instrument should things not work out with their beginning teacher? Does the city or community outside campus afford opportunities for performance and education?

Do you play or sing any songs that you have long since memorized? Take the opportunity to go back and revisit the printed sheet music. You may be surprised to find a few details you had forgotten over time!

Before choosing a music teacher, it is a great idea to get a word of mouth recommendation and have a casual interview with the teacher.

When buying a used instrument, you must try it out in person before buying it. Craigslist can be a good source of used instruments.

When checking out a used instrument, try to get as much information on it from the seller as you can. Why are they selling it? Were they the only previous owner? Did they ever have any problems with it. And remember, they may or may not be telling you the whole truth.