Most of the manager's duties and responsibilities come into play once an artist is generating income - especially through a record company association, but also for active local and regional artists who are touring and selling product on their own. Therefore, many people think it isn't really necessary to have a manager until there is an income-producing career to 'manage'.

One exception is the manager who can help you obtain a record deal. The right manager for this task can be hard to find, and must be carefully chosen. You don't want to get tied up in complicated legal contracts with inexperienced managers who will need to be replaced once a record deal comes along.