The music industry is a hard place to break into. Luckily, with the growth of technology, fame is no longer determined by music label executives. In today’s market, growing your career depends on you, and the work you’re willing to put into developing yourself as a musician. Take these tips to heart if you plan on building up your musical career.
Goals
Goals are often rather unstructured, vague ideas of what we see ourselves doing. To break free of this common though, break yours down into achievable steps. Whether you’re able to get everything done in a month or a year, this will force you to come up with defined, measurable outcomes that determine if you are headed down the path you want. Maybe you want to open for a local gig, or you want to start your own label. Decide where you’re going and come up with a plan to get there on time.
Networks
A lot of today’s success still has to do with who you know. Remember that success never comes to those who wait around, but those who put themselves out there and take it. Send out demos, hunt for others who want to collaborate, and even send business cards to those in the industry you respect. It doesn’t have to be a full on campaign, it just has to get them to start thinking about you.
Internet
With technology rapidly changing the landscape of every job, it is incredibly harmful to you and your budding career if you ignore it. Whether you agree with social media or not, it is free advertising, and advertising is still the king of garnering fans. Use social media to share your work with a wider audience. The more fans you have, the more you grow your career. Fans are what give you that power. Keep up with regular updates and become an authority on your genre and ideas.
Equipment
As your popularity grows, there will no doubt be some sort of increase in funds available to you. Don’t waste what you have, use what you can to upgrade everything in your stock. Invest in a better microphone, purchase a high end Allcases road case, or foam lined cases to protect your equipment when out on the road traveling. The worst thing you can do is squander what your fans are giving you to become better.
Your road to becoming a successful musician is long and difficult, but far from impossible. So long as you are smart and slowly grow your abilities, you can achieve whatever your goal for years down the road is. Just remember to always honor your fans. They give power, and they can take it away.
