Ryan Schmidt on Why Indie Artists Need to Understand Music Law Now More Than Ever

RYAN: They’re unprepared for the fact that creating great music is only a fraction of their job. The other part is contracts, royalties, splits, trademarks, and understanding how their rights work. So many talented artists assume the business part will work itself out, and that’s exactly how careers get derailed. 

AI, Copyright, and the New Frontier

SNQLX: You’ve become one of the most recognized voices on artists’ rights in the age of AI. For indie musicians trying to survive this moment, what should they understand first about how AI impacts their work?

RYAN: They need to understand that AI companies aren’t just experimenting in the background. They’re actively training on enormous amounts of music without permission. That means your voice, your compositions, your recordings may already be inside someone’s model. The fight right now is about consent and compensation. 

SNQLX: AI companies scraping music — or cloning voices — is a massive concern. What practical steps can an independent artist take today to protect themselves?

RYAN: Register your copyrights. Register your trademarks. Get your metadata in order. Use platforms that let you opt out of AI training when possible. Keep watermarked or timestamped drafts of your work. The artists who will be safest in this era are the ones who can prove ownership and enforce it.

SNQLX: You’ve commented on some high-profile disputes around AI voice theft. What’s the precedent being set, and what does that mean for musicians who aren’t backed by labels or lawyers?

RYAN: Right now the clearest precedent isn’t coming from lawmakers, it’s coming from public pressure and high-profile disputes. The law hasn’t caught up yet, so we’re watching courts, platforms, and labels scramble to figure out how to treat AI voice cloning. The challenge is that enforcement is not uniform and access is unequal. A major artist can call a lawyer the moment their voice is replicated. An indie artist may not have that support. So the message for independent musicians is this: stay vigilant, don’t sit on the sidelines if you become aware of someone using your voice via AI.

SNQLX: Do you believe the law is moving fast enough to keep up with the technology?

RYAN: Absolutely not. The tech is moving at lightning speed and the law is jogging behind it. But creators can influence where things go by understanding the issues and speaking up. Pressure works. Public backlash works. Artists have more power than they think. US creators need to be lobbying our representatives to pass the NO FAKES bill. 

Contracts, Deals, and Hard Truths

SNQLX: You’ve said you became the lawyer you wish you’d had as an artist. What’s one contract red flag every artist should be able to spot without needing a law degree?

RYAN: If you see phrases like “in perpetuity” or “exclusive,” that’s your sign to slow down and ask questions. Those clauses can cost you ownership and long term rights.

SNQLX: When a so-called “opportunity” shows up in an indie artist’s inbox, what are the signs it’s legit versus predatory?

RYAN: Predatory offers are vague, urgent, or flattering in a way that feels too good to be true. They usually appear out of the blue, require you to pay some paperwork or startup fee, and the email address of the sender is never the actual address of the company they are pretending to represent. 

SNQLX: Catalog sales are suddenly everywhere. Should indie artists ever be thinking about this, or is it a conversation for further down the road?

RYAN: It depends on the artist. Most indie musicians aren’t ready for a catalog sale, and most shouldn’t sell too early because you’re selling your future earnings. But if you have a catalog with consistent royalties and you need capital to grow, it can make sense. The key is understanding valuation and the long-term impact before you do anything.

Artist Empowerment & Education

SNQLX: A lot of indie artists operate without access to lawyers or managers. What’s the best way for them to stay protected when they can’t yet afford representation?

RYAN: Read contracts slowly. Register your works. Keep your splits organized. Never be afraid to say you need more time before signing anything. You’re allowed to advocate for yourself even when you don’t have a team.

SNQLX: Tell us about Foundation — what made you co-create a microlearning app for musicians, and how does it help them level up?

RYAN: Foundation grew from a simple idea: musicians shouldn’t need a law degree to understand the business they’re in. We built something artists can use on their phones in real time, with short lessons, real examples, and plain language on a fun, gamified platform.

SNQLX: What’s one piece of legal knowledge that transforms an artist’s career the moment they truly understand it?

RYAN: It’s understanding that every song creates two separate copyrights. The composition is the underlying music and lyrics, and the master is the actual sound recording you release. They exist the moment you create them, but they can be owned by different people and they make money in completely different ways. Once an artist understands that they’re dealing with two assets, not one, and that each has its own set of rights and revenue, their entire approach to deals, splits, and strategy changes. 

The Future of Art & Law

SNQLX: If you had to make a prediction: what does the artist–lawyer relationship look like in five years as the industry leans deeper into AI and digital rights?

RYAN: I think it becomes far more collaborative. Artists won’t just call lawyers when there’s a problem or a deal. They’ll call when they’re planning a release to navigate all the new rights issues.

SNQLX: And finally, for the indie artist releasing their very first song tomorrow, what’s the one piece of advice you’d want them to hear?

RYAN: You have more time than you think. You’re not running out of time. Releasing music isn’t a race, and your career won’t be defined by what happens tomorrow. The artists who grow the strongest are the ones who remember they’re playing a long game.

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As the music industry continues to shift under our feet, one thing remains constant: artists deserve to understand the value of what they create. Whether you’re releasing your first song, navigating your next chapter, or simply trying to make sense of an increasingly complex landscape, knowledge is a form of protection. Ryan’s perspective is a reminder that you don’t have to rush, sign blindly, or give up control to move forward. The long game is still yours to play, and the future of your music is worth protecting.

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