5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career

5 Insider Tips for a Successful Music Career Mac Breaking into the music industry is tough, but its a lot easier when you have some help along the way. In this article, professional singer and music teacher  Liz T.  will show you 5 valuable tips you can use to make it  the music industry Based on my performing experience in the music industry, Ive observed many fellow (and talented) musicians struggle. Having a successful music career isnt easy, but you dont have to be the next Beyoncé or Hunter Hayes to be considered a “success. There are many independent musicians out there who  perform  in front of sold-out crowds each night, run their own marketing campaigns, and promote  their music in the media all while making money! Here are some tips from my personal experience that will help you  have a successful music career, no matter which instrument or genre you choose! How to Make It in the Music Industry 1. Choose  Your Band/Co-Writers Wisely I’ve seen many leaders fail when they don’t have reliable members in their band. Heres my advice: Choose musicians you know you can depend on, both on and off the stage. In other words, choose musicians who  you can trust to show up to all rehearsals, recordings, and act  professional in a music environment. Dont  Choose on a Whim More often than not, because of the lack of effort, support, and preparation from the band, the leader may fail. Audition your band mates, try a few gigs with them, and if it’s not working, move on just like in the dating world!  Theres no sense in keeping bad relationships. The same goes for songwriting: Choose members you want on your team wisely, and consider choosing members who have strengths that you dont. The bottom line is that you should never feel at competition with your band mates or co-writers; its completely a team effort! 2.  Research the Music Industry As a musician, you should always be listening and watching the charts. Its important to keep your finger on the pulse find out whats popular, whats performing well, and whats dying in the industry. From knowing current artists to knowing music-sharing trends, youve got  to be current with the times! You Dont Need to Research Everything Even if youre an old school person, you don’t necessarily have  to download  every music app or listen to every artist, but you need to be familiar with what’s happening in the industry. In my experience, a surprising amount of people  don’t do their research.  Those who dont do their research might  send their music demos on CDs, even when the publisher clearly says only MP3s via email. If you do that, youre only going to upset the publisher. Keep Up With the Trends With that being said, read directions carefully and do your homework you don’t want to make enemies in the industry by making bad impressions! The trends in the industry are always changing, so be sure to read books, blog articles, and ask your friends how they listen to (or even buy) music; who are they going to see in concert, what are their favorite music videos? Don’t be behind the times be ahead! 3. Be  Your Own Booking Agent Ive often found this very  frustrating in the music industry: trying to get the booker or promoter’s attention. Oftentimes, you’ll hear no response, or theyll  have incredibly high demands (and want you to play at less-than-appealing venues). I challenge you to start booking your own gigs when you feel your music is ready to be performed in front of live audiences. You Can Do It All I  started booking my own gigs first in Boston, then to the New York scene, which eventually lead to Europe! Ive booked 100+ gigs  entirely on my own, without the help of a booking agent. Of course, it takes a lot of time to do this research, along with  negotiating contracts and figuring out logistics, such as backline equipment (like  amplifiers) and transportation. There’s no reason you can’t start booking your gigs right away. Focus your attention on one region, then  figure out the venues in that market.  Indie on the Move is a great resource for this sort of thing! 4. Keep  Plugging Away Rejection is a common theme in the music industry. Youll often go to tons of auditions, submit your song, and hear no, more than youll hear yes. With thousands of musicians vying for their shot at fame and fortune, along with  few opportunities out there, the competition is fierce. Rejections Eventually Lead to Success I encourage you to keep performing and submitting your music. Ive felt extremely  discouraged after going to 100 auditions, but then after the 101st audition, I would land the gig! Moreover, I would  submit my music to publishers and record labels over and over, hearing no response, only to finally hear an answer  a couple years  later! Don’t let rejection tear you down and stop you from doing what you love. Continue to work on your craft practice, compose, and write like theres no tomorrow. You can even create your own opportunities. For example, if youre still having trouble getting signed, release an album independently! Or, be your own social media manager and promoter. Remember to always stay positive and believe in yourself! 5.  Pick the Right Songs Whether you decide to write your own music or be in a cover band, the decision is up to you! Many bands become successful by writing new  material, and other bands find their first  success by creating new interpretations of original songs. With YouTube, you can easily  upload your songs,  promoting them for people  all over the world to explore and enjoy! But first, its best to decide if youre going  to be an artist that focuses on just making videos, or if youre more interested in  booking live shows. Allocate  your resources accordingly. How to Choose The Right Songs When choosing your song material, youll want to make sure youre completely comfortable performing these songs. You dont have to sing an Adele song just because its popular and challenging, or write material if you stink at writing lyrics. Instead, find out what your strengths are and which songs showcase your voice or musical instrument the best! Its important to find your musical niche. To do this, I encourage you to listen and watch other bands perform in order to see what repertoire they have  in their sets or albums. Dont outright copy other bands or artists, but instead use them as a source of  inspiration. The End Goal is the Audience Visualize your album or set in advance; the flow, the rhythm, and the melodic content is important to keep in mind. You dont want to do a show thats entirely made up of  slow rock ballads your audience will be asleep in no time! Its vital that you keep them engaged, even if youre singing about serious subject matter. The end goal is really to grab and hold the audiences attention the entire  time youre performing. The same goes for an album; make sure the songs you record transition nicely into each other. The last thing you want is for the listener  to skip tracks! Use Sheet Music to  Choose Songs If youre still stuck on which songs to choose, you can always browse through sheet music. You can find sheet music for thousands of popular  songs, namely by big-name publishers like  Alfred  and Hal Leonard.  There are also a couple of dedicated sheet music websites. Check them out here: www.musicnotes.com www.sheetmusicdirect.com If youre looking for more than just sheet music, check out this all-encompassing resource guide for musicians: 100+ Online Tools and Resources for Musicians Conclusion I hope these tips help you on your way to a successful music career! Remember, you don’t need to be the hottest celebrity in L.A. to have a successful music career. Many musicians find their musical success right in their own backyard (or garage)! If you ever need one-on-one advice for how to get  into the music industry, schedule a meeting with a professional musician  on TakeLessons today! Post Author:  Liz T. Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons online.  She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, RB, and Country. Learn more about Liz here! Interested in Private Lessons? 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