Part 2 — How To Make It In The Music Industry Today…
Trying to make it in the music industry can be very difficult for the indie artist. So how do you navigate these tricky waters?
In part 2, we’re looking at the following tips on how to build your career as an indie music artist.
1 — Treat Your Music Career Like Starting a NEW Business…
One of the main reasons indie artists get discouraged as they try to make it is because they think having a career in the music industry will be similar to working in a day job.
Unfortunately, this is rarely the case and it is far more similar to starting a business from the start.
This is often where the misconception comes in that there’s no money to be made in the music business. If you’re starting a business such as a restaurant or a hairdresser it could take many years before start making substantial income.
It won’t be easy and there will be a lot of ups and downs at first. However, if you’re business savvy and approach things with the proper mindset you’ll eventually see a return on your efforts — you just have to be thick-skinned and be prepared for many ups and downs!
2 — Discover What Makes You and Your music Unique…
Originality is hard to come by in the music industry today, but it can really help when it comes to building a fanbase around your music.
We understand the music business isn’t entirely about the music. In the same way, what makes you unique doesn’t necessarily have to be in the music that you create.
It could be part of your image, something unique in your live shows, or being business smart. Most likely, what makes you unique will be a reflection of who you are as a person or the overall message your music conveys to the wider public.
Figuring this out doesn’t come easy. Some artists may spend years before fully realizing what it is that sets them apart from the crowd.
3 — Creating a Brand Around Your Music — Is a good idea…
Once you have an idea of what makes you unique as an artist, you can start to build a brand.
Making it in the industry involves a lot of areas other than music. Whatever your brand is, this will have a big influence on these aspects and help to create a culture around your music
This will play the biggest role when it comes to developing merchandise. You’ll want to create merch that your fans will want to wear for reasons beyond the name of the artist.
This requires solid branding that your followers will be able to identify with.
4 — But more importantly — Write and Record Great Songs…
Just because it takes more than the music to make it in the industry, doesn’t mean you can get by with just OK songs.
A great song is still the most important asset to a successful career. So, make sure you learn how to write a proper songs-with catchy hoooks and melodies…
Once you have well-written music, you’ll want to make sure that you record it in a way that’s as good as everything else out there. So, it’s well worth investing in high-quality studio recordings — with a professional team
Many indie artists fear that recording their music in a studio is expensive, settling for a DIY approach. Unfortunately, this can end up having a negative effect on their career.
Thankfully, there are plenty of budget-friendly options out there that allow indie artists to have commercial-grade recordings at an affordable rate.
I hope these articles have been useful — there is NO right or wrong way, but you can’t beat hard work, determination and a GREAT SONG to achieve the rewards in the long run...
By Pete Moore — Seamless Entertainment
