Because you believe in certain music career myths, chances are you are already hindering your ability to succeed in music. How do I find out? I receive e-mail messages from tons of musicians on a regular basis (all searching for the answers to the WRONG Questions). These are questions that, although they seem good on the surface, can endanger their musical dreams 링크.
To have a successful career as a musician, you need not know all the answers. You also need to learn how to ask high quality questions.
These are four of the worst questions you can ask about a music career in order to be a professional musician.
Bad Music Career Question #1. Do I need to be a ‘Starving artist’?
Many people believe that making it as a professional musician means either being successful and touring the world, selling millions of albums, OR you are poor and must play in poor bars or on the streets to make ends work. This music business myth undermines people’s career by making them believe that they need to have full-time jobs in music and ‘try music on a side’. Or, making them afraid of getting into the music industry.
It is true that the music business is a multi-generational industry with many opportunities to earn a living. It’s easier to make an honest living in the music industry than it is to succeed in another field. It is essential that you don’t ask low quality questions before you make a lot. It’s not worth worrying about how you will make it as a musician.
Working in the music industry does not mean that you must live from one paycheck every day like you would in a typical job. You can earn multiple income streams at the same time. Because you don’t need one income source, it makes professional musicians a more stable career choice. Musicians have many options to make money, such as recording sessions, selling albums/downloads or playing live shows. However there is one simple thing that you can do to increase your music-related revenue right away.
Start your own music teaching business. You can immediately create multiple sources (your students) of income while working less than full time.
As I said, it is possible to generate more than $100k annually if you have multiple sources for musical income.
Bad Music Career: Question #2: How do you get a recording contract?
For a better understanding of why this isn’t a good question, ask this: “Why should someone offer you a record contract?” If you think it’s simply because you make good music, you might be wrong. This is not a reason to sign you to any recording contract. Just because you can create good music, no one is going to invest in you many thousands of dollars. This would be far too risky an investment and it wouldn’t even make any sense. Imagine that you had saved $200,000. Would you then go to a gambling establishment and play just one spin of the Roulette? OR would YOU rather put it in the hands of someone who has already proven that they can help earn you more (at a lesser level)? You would most likely make the wise decision to invest it into someone who could help make you more money. This is how recording companies think. It’s time to stop worrying about how you can sign a recording contract. Instead, start making yourself a wise financial investment that any record label will value. This goes beyond just having great music to play your instrument or having a page on Facebook.
Here are the steps to take to turn yourself into a valuable record company investment.
- Before working with artists, be aware of what the music industry wants from musicians.
- For your music career to flourish, work hard.Before they start working with your, record companies want to see you have a strong track record. Record companies will pay more attention to independent musicians who do more than they do.
- You can get music industry training from a mentor who has done great things in the industry and helped others get record deals.
Once you’ve started developing your music career, you’ll be a beacon of hope and record companies will begin to look for you!
Bad Music Career Answer #3: How do I get my music heard by more people?
Most musicians want their music to reach as many people and earn them money. Your music’s popularity is not the only thing that matters. It really matters how many people you can convert into passionate fans who will do whatever it takes to support your music.
Do not ask yourself how to get your music heard more often. Start converting anyone who is already your fan to a true FAN. Only once you have a strategy in hand to make your music more popular than it is now will people start to notice.
Bad Music Career Answer #4: Where’s the Best Music City to Live In?
Many musicians believe that moving into a’music-city’ will increase their chances for success in the industry. After this belief, musicians pack up their belongings and move. They believe opportunities will “fall into their laps” once they arrive. Once they have been in the same place for a while but nothing has changed they move on to the next location.
You don’t need to live in a certain area to make it a success in music. This is especially true now that it is possible to get a recording record, put out music and even organize world tours. People who live in one part of the country are not more likely to be successful musicians than those who live elsewhere. If that were true we would have no musicians who are successful in cities with small music scenes. The same principles are applicable regardless of where you reside.
Instead of wasting time researching and finding the best music scene, try the following process. It has been proven to work well for musicians.
Get specific about your goals.
Get together with a music mentor to develop a plan for reaching your musical goals.
To reach your goals, keep working hard each day.
Music careers will go much faster if your focus is on what is most important.
Now that you understand why common questions about music careers can actually lead your career down the wrong track, here are some things you can do to get on the right path.
Step 1. Step 1. The following resources will give you insight into how the music business works.
Step 2. Step 2.Start asking high quality questions about your career and music on a regular basis.
Step 3. You can’t do it all. Music business training can help you quickly make big in the industry.