Music producer in the studio.
If you are like most people who want a career as a professional musician, the first question you ask yourself is probably, “What does it take?” You may ask yourself this because you aren’t sure what needs to be done first, second and third. And obviously you have to do some things in order to launch your own music career.
Have you recently decided that you want to pursue a career in music and have no idea where to start?
In this blog we will cover all the major pieces and basic steps you will need to do to build a strong foundation for a career in music as an independent artist.
Even if your end goals is to sign with a major music label we still suggest you to apply these steps. In the current climate of the music industry you are no longer dependent on music labels to be successful – thanks to the internet.
The approach that I recommend is a direct relationship with your fans. This way you can be in full control of your music career.
Getting signed to a label definitely has its benefits as they can provide resources and expertise that allow you to focus on the creative aspects. However, everything comes at a cost that not many artist want to pay – like them having the ownership of your music.
Persuading a career in music isn’t easy and it takes a lot of work. Not only are you responsible for the creative – you’re also responsible for running the business side. It can be overwhelming, but we hope this blog will be a good starting point for you and give you some guidance on building the foundation of your music career.
To discover your mental preparedness for launching your own music career, follow these points and sign up to VIRPP.COM
Make sure you have a consistent income (a day job)
In the 21st century we romanticize the idea of leaving everything behind and head to the big city to pursue our passion and dreams. Unfortunately more often than not it’s more fantasy than reality.
It’s probably not the smartest thing to drop everything and try and make a living off a career in music right away. If you’re financially well off or have built a strong following through another industry then maybe this doesn’t apply. But for the rest of society the priority should be to do something that pays the bills to keep you afloat while you do music on the side. Having a day job shouldn’t be a negative thing tho – we’re all adults and all have bills to pay.
While you still have a day job you can learn different cash flows and opportunities involved in music. The main ones are touring, branding and publishing.
Have goals and a plan
Do you have a good idea of where you want to go with your career? You really need to understand what you want to do and have a good guideline on how to get there. If you don’t you should research and ask around. Set goals and have a plan so you’re not wasting any time.
Not everyone will have the same goals and aspirations. It may take some time to realise what your long term goal is and it may even change as you gain more experience.
What are your goals?
Treat your music career as a business
Whether you like it or not – being an artist in music is like starting a new business. Your music is your product.
But even that is changing. Your brand now exists out of the merchandise and tickets you sell. Regardless of the form of your product, you need to operate as a business. There are different business models you can use, so it’s important to find what’s best for you.
The must learn business concepts
Even if you have skills on the business side – it may not be best thing to spend your time on as it takes away your focus on creating music. So you will have to surround yourself with a strong supporting team.
For bands or music groups: You will need a band agreement to decide on things like splits, percentages for copyrights and gigs etc. This will need to be put in writing. You should use contracts and written documentation about copyright ownership, band operation agreements, payment expectations, rules and decisions.
Keep making music and improving your craft
It sounds obvious, but it can be quite challenging in today’s music scene. To combat the overload of content and competitive climate speed has become a huge factor when it comes to producing music. You have to release new music consistently to keep fans engaged. It may be challenging to balance the business and creative sides to keep producing quality music.
Your success in the music industry ultimately starts with how good your music is. A hit song can help jump-start your career, but you need to keep releasing and pushing new music to keep building your career.
Don’t fall into the belief that talent alone can sustain you as there are other more important factors – like work ethic and promotion. Talent matters to a point, but if it doesn’t translate into hits that gain exposure then it won’t take you far.
Promoting your music is as important as making music itself. Your priority is to make quality music, marketing is a strong second.
VIRPP platform
Network and community
Your network is your net worth. More often than not it’s all about who you know in life – and the music industry is no exception. One of your first goals should be to develop relationships in your local community and music scene. You can network in your neighborhood, city and school by learning the different music venues and establishing relationships with other local artists and people involved in music.
The goal with networking is to build relationships, meet artists to potentially collaborate with and find people who might be a good fit to your team like a manager or lawyer. You will need a team, but chances are you’re not going to be able to pay your team early on – so you need to work with other that are on the same level as you and believe in what you have to offer.
Remember, relationships are key to success in this business, so start developing them.
In order to get more eyes and ears on your music – drop your demo at https://virpp.com
