How to Start Music Carrier?

There are many myths and doubts about certain steps to start your music career. Some people believe that success is possible only when luck is involved, others already think that only hard work is enough. However, it is necessary to pay attention to the complexity of this analysis, because to be successful in this market is to depend on a set of interconnected factors.

With a few accurate steps, it is possible to put yourself in the right direction and achieve the level of quality necessary to reach the goal of a professional career in music. In this article, we’ll give you 7 tips you need to know. Be sure to check it out!

Music market:

Investing in a music career is like entering in a dreaded market. So, you need to understand what this concept is before you start. Basically, this definition comprises the group of artists and bands that sell their creations to survive, in different genres and styles.

With technology invading professional fields, the dynamics of the industry have also changed a lot. In the past, this market was composed of artists who struggled to make good records to sell and play on the radio. Currently, he is very focused on concerts and tours, since almost nobody buys physical albums and the streaming services are not enough to support the musicians.

The dynamic is formed by musicians, but also by record labels, labels, studio owners, engineers and producers. It involves not only musical creations, but also a set that comprises the image, the concept and the main message that each band / artist wants to convey.

The industry is also more competitive these days, as it is much easier to learn to play an instrument and start a band. Social media facilitated the entry of new artists into the game, which makes it difficult, since the number of people fighting for the listener's attention is even greater, that is, anyone can search for a guitar course for beginners and get started.

However, the passion for music is what motivates musicians and what keeps veterans. This is the biggest fuel that leads professionals to fight and try to overcome challenges.

The same technology also makes it possible for more artists to declare their love for this career and manage to make it a professional reality. In addition, it is possible to achieve good results with the right practices.

Niches:

One of the most striking features of this market is the division into many niches. There is music for all types of listeners. For this reason, each musician needs to study the niche in which they fit and present the right message to the target audience.

Identifying the type of niche helps a lot, as it is the north for the musical choices that must be made. This is a fundamental step towards reaching the right ears and achieving success.

The definition of success

In the face of these changes, the very concept of success deserves a new meaning. Economist Chris Anderson developed a very interesting thesis called "Long Tail". The objective was to describe how the big industries migrated from the hit market to the niche market. In his 2006 book on the subject, Anderson studies the music industry and defines how success is different today.

Basically, the author's point is that when artists sold records, a successful career involved a combination of record sales and good shows, as we see in documentaries and films about music.

In this scenario, the bands were projected to stardom when they managed to reach the bestseller lists. The goal of all musicians was one: making hits to achieve career stability.

Current Scenario:

However, today, this concept takes on a new meaning. The internet makes it possible for each group, no matter what their style, to have a space in the market and be able to find their ideal audience, if there is good publicity. There is music for everyone, and everyone can find the sounds they like best, even if it is from an artist on the other side of the globe.

People do not need to limit themselves to what the radio offers, much less to the indications of the mainstream media, as they can search the great network for the sounds that interest them and even receive personalized recommendations based on what they have heard. These same listeners strive to attend the shows and contribute financially to the support of the bands they like.

Success is no longer making great hits to touch famous media. This becomes a unique feature of specific genres, such as pop music. To be successful is to find your audience and become relevant to them. With the technological tools, achieving the main objective has become much easier.

Steps to a successful music career:

There are some practical steps to start your music career that lead to practical career goals. We will talk about them in this topic.

1. Practice and improve your talents

To achieve prominence in music, it is essential to practice your skills a lot and improve what you do. After all, if your dream is to be a professional, you need to master your instrument, know the theoretical aspects that underpin the practice, among other issues. So, practice and study to perform well, interpret and be able to touch people with your talent.

There are many doubts about this point. Some think that a career is only possible with a lot of work, excessive hours of study and an above-average talent; others, in turn, disregard the need to learn more about the art and think that everything is luck and marketing.

Both extremes are wrong: it is essential to study to present something professional and have a full sense of the goal as an artist, but this is not the only factor that makes success possible. In this sense, it is important to take advantage of the possibilities of the internet and develop a good discipline. At first, it is difficult, but rewarding when music is your passion.

2. Learn to publicize the work:

Musicians need to learn not only how to make quality sound, but also how to make their work known to the world. It is crucial to know what to say, how to say and when, in order to reach the right audience. Disclosure is essential for your project to achieve due success.

Initially, you will have to show it to friends and family, but, in time, you will find your own audience. In the beginning, it is important to be resilient and talk a lot about the project so that everyone knows that it exists.

At this point, it is worth understanding how the band or the artist appears to the world. This depends on the music, but also on a number of other factors, such as visual identity. The way people see artists influences their attachment to work. Therefore, this is a relevant factor when it comes to disclosing.

3. Use digital platforms:

When it comes to disclosure, digital platforms stand out as a good option. After all, they are used by virtually all music listeners today and are a good place to find people willing to pay for their work. So, take advantage of these tools and be present on the platforms to be found.

4. Have a music studio at Home:

A home studio saves bands a lot of work and wasted time. This is because, with their own equipment, artists have greater creative autonomy and control over the direction of their work.

Not to mention that this issue means cost savings and less inconvenience with communication failures between musicians and producers. It is important to learn to register the art itself.

This is a current trend, as the number of independent artists has grown a lot. With the power to manage the processes, the groups are able to guarantee a certain identity and originality that is what wins listeners.

5. Invest in composition techniques:

Also, don't forget to study composition and learn to develop good songs from the beginning of the creative process. No musical work should depend only on production, mixing and technology, so it is essential to research and try new methods of writing to ensure good results. Remember: the main differential of the artist is his own art.

Every musician needs to be tireless about this point. It is interesting to let creativity guide the creative processes, but it is also good to look for new ways to arrange notes, harmonies and melodies, in order to express any idea effectively.

6. Know how to choose musical instruments:

It is important to carefully select which instruments you are going to play. Much of the identity of a band / artist comes from the timbres and the quality of the equipment used. So, be careful with the tools that will be used in recordings and activities to ensure a certain professional consistency. Also research about audio support, choosing an amplifier and other questions.

7. Have a plan / strategy:

Every artist must work on his strategy and build a good plan. This will guide you with regards to the steps necessary to achieve success and prominence, as well as the necessary sacrifices and investments that need to be made. Thinking about your career is to avoid wasting time and aim perfectly at the target.

This factor includes knowing how many records will be released initially, when, how the promotion will be made, how the communication with the public will take place, among other factors. It is crucial to define very well before starting and observe the results at the time of execution.

Where to Start:

A good place to start is choosing the name. If you are going to invest in a solo career, it is important to define a stage name, a brand for which you will be known. If the goal is to focus on a band, it's the same process. This term must represent the concept of the project well, or it can simply be a stylistic choice. Both strategies work well.

So, it is necessary to think carefully about the main proposal of the project, that is, in musical terms, what message does your group want to send? This is interesting, as it will guide the creative choices of composition and production. Choosing a proposal well is essential to reach listeners with a sense of originality and identity.

Care of the musical career:

The right steps to start your music career is rewarding, but it requires care to stay healthy. One of them is related to legal and legal factors. Each composition must be unique and arise from the creator's mind, otherwise the band / artist may face legal complications. This factor becomes a terrible financial disorder, as well as a bad reputation issue.

It is important to always run away from these legal problems. Therefore, the ideal is to check if there is something close or similar to what you are creating, in order to avoid unwanted similarities. This care goes for the stage name too.

Another factor that deserves attention is the financial management of the project. A band is like a company: it needs entry, to bear costs and expenses, what is left is the profit. To remain standing, it is essential to maintain a good profit index and take good care of the money so that it does not lack in the next steps. In this sense, planning helps a lot.

Musicians need to have good working capital. This term represents a certain amount saved that serves to cover expenses in months when the entries are not enough. As this career is unstable, especially at the beginning, this strategy is very useful.

Likewise, take good care of the band's reputation, knowing that each action reflects the perception that listeners have. Lack of professionalism in shows, for example, or some incident and controversy in which the artists are involved affect, a lot.

These factors contribute so that the image of the group is harmed and that people do not identify with the work, therefore, they should be avoided.

Strategies to become professional:

To become professional in music, understand that it is necessary to invest money. After all, you will need resources to buy musical instruments, record the songs and rehearse with your band. In the beginning, the entries will not be enough to generate any profit, but you cannot be discouraged. Career success comes with commitment and investment.

In this sense, the investment of time is also relevant. There are no results without spending a lot of time and working hard on something. Therefore, understand that the right steps to start your music career in the profession, requires careful planning of your schedule and an effort to set aside time for it.

To take a bigger step towards professionalization, another fundamental factor is to create good connections. Knowing the right people and getting partnerships that can help your career development are very important factors. These aspects are interesting to help overcome common barriers and challenges in the process.

It is worth mentioning that being a professional means offering a good product. For this reason, study your instrument a lot, composition techniques, as we have already mentioned, and marketing to publicize your work well to the right people.

Certain steps to start your music career is the result of hard work and a well-defined vision. With good planning, care with compositions and concepts, in addition to good partnerships, it is possible to achieve an expected level of success. Thus, musicians can be fully happy and satisfied by doing what they like and expressing a passion for this art form to the world.