Have you made your decision? If you’ve chosen a career as a musician, you’re in for one heck of a ride. Sadly, it is not a steady stream of stadium gigs and platinum albums right off the bat. Competition is fierce, and the work is long and tedious.
Don’t let that disuade you! Being a musician is one of the most fun and rewarding jobs out there! If you are thinking about becoming a career musician, or are just starting out, here are 5 very useful pieces of advice.
1. You Have to Treat Your Band Like a Job
Your music is your job.
Though the gig might only be from 10pm – 2am, the true hours of operation are far longer. Being a musician is a full time job if you want to make it work. It is so easy to be dropped by a booking agent or band if you can’t handle sending press kits, or showing up on time. The rockstar lifestyle still requires a calendar and follow up emails.
Regardless of how amazing your music is, if you can’t treat music like the business it is… you will go nowhere fast. Its a small industry, and word travels fast. Be a pro, and you will be treated like one.
2. You May Need Physical Product
What are you selling?
Though so many people get their music digitally, it has been proving to be difficult to monetize these online music streams.
Some of the biggest money makers for up and coming musicians are physical CDs and merch. Setting up a professional looking booth at all of your gigs will make a huge difference to the cash in your pocket at the end of the night.
Thinking about getting your song on the radio? You need a CD. A hard copy CD also gives people a physical memento. That album is going to get a whole lot more plays when its sitting on their kitchen table rather than sitting in their browser history.
3. You Have to Walk Before You Can Run
These things start slowly. Yes, you do hear about the bands that posted 3 videos on youtube, and got picked up by a big star. This is a severe exception. This is very rare, and if you count on this happening… you will be disappointed.
It takes a lot of hard work to make it even medium big! Playing those small time bar gigs is a necessity when you’re starting out. It will take 10s if not 100s of those small shows before someone thinks you’re ready for the big leagues. Don’t worry, thats a good thing! Those shows will whip your band into shape. Your set will be polished, perfected, and stadium ready by the time you get out of the small venue circut.
It is essential for building a fan base. It is also something that big record labels and radio stations look for. “Are these guys hustling? If we give them this deal, will we be able to count on them to push through a 30 city tour?”- These are the questions the suits are asking themselves.
4. How You Treat People Matters
The music industry is a very, very small place. Not treating people with respect will come back and bite you. It always does. As your music career begins to take off, you’ll get your first brush with what this really means. You career will outgrow the venues, local journalists, and friend/managers who supported you on your way up, and that’s OK. But you shouldn’t outgrow them – you wouldn’t have a chance to move past them without their support. It’s perfectly fine and right to take your career to the next level, but don’t ever be so important that you can’t take a call or do a favor from time to time – and don’t let your new label and management team blow them off either. People get promotions, new jobs, and continue to grow in their careers as you do in yours. There’s a good chance you’ll encounter many of the people you met on the way up again at the top. Don’t find yourself facing an enemy. More »
How Playing Music Benefits Your Brain More than Any Other Activity | Brain Pickings
by Maria Popova Playing music is the brains equivalent of a full-body workout. Each note rubs the others just right, and the instrument shivers with delight. Playing music is the brains equivalent of a full-body workout Playing an instrument engages practically every area of the brain at once especially the visual, auditory, and motor cortices. This may allow musicians to solve problems more effectively and creatively, in both academic and social settings. Via brainpickings.org
How I Use Music to Inspire Math Students Bright Medium
The jurys out on the link between the two disciplines. That said, music has taught me how to reawaken awe and passion in my math students. By Marcus Miller Hate to burst your bubble, but the renowned relationship between math and music doesnt stand up to scientific scrutiny, at least not in the way you probably want it to. How I Use Music to Inspire Math Students Bright Medium
