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#264967 by natalia1137346
Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:19 am
Hey guys :)

I've been researching for an article on music careers in order to find out: What is it that musicians need to do to start a music career? And the first thing I came across was the vague definition of career. For some, it might be getting paid and eventually living off their music. For some others, it might be getting "famous" or at least heard. What do you think? What is music career for you? Are you seeking it and what are you doing in order to get there?

The tips aren't all easy, it's a lot of work involved. Basically, you need to do this:

1. Think about your 12-month-goal and divide it in smaller tasks.
2. Be a good musician – not necessarily being able to play EVERYTHING, but playing the songs you wrote well every time, in all conditions, on all instruments
3. Get to know people in the industry, online & offline. And work on promotion – the worse part of making music, I know.
4. Being or becoming the kind of person, who can deal with public pressure, mentally stable.
5. Being organized and act professionally, like keeping deadlines, monitoring income and outcome.

What do you think? Any good advice or is there something missing?

Here's the whole article if you want some more info: http://blog.sofasession.com/music-career/

Cheers :)
#264974 by GuitarMikeB
Tue Aug 30, 2016 12:42 pm
You want a million $$ from making music? Start with 2 million! :lol:
#264979 by schmedidiah
Tue Aug 30, 2016 1:12 pm
Sofa session? Uh oh. Should I get out the lube? :?
#264981 by t-Roy and The Smoking Section
Tue Aug 30, 2016 1:28 pm
natalia1137346 wrote:Hey guys :)

I've been researching for an article on music careers in order to find out: What is it that musicians need to do to start a music career?:)




You're definitely asking the wrong people. Nothing but a bunch of old farts here.





.
#264988 by schmedidiah
Tue Aug 30, 2016 1:46 pm
I would say you need to be a musician or that you even need to be a great musician to have a successful music career, but...... those days are over. Get a viral video. :roll:
#265011 by GuitarMikeB
Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:53 pm
yod wrote:
natalia1137346 wrote:Hey guys :)

I've been researching for an article on music careers in order to find out: What is it that musicians need to do to start a music career?:)

You're definitely asking the wrong people. Nothing but a bunch of old farts here.
.


Ted should know.
Image
#265013 by t-Roy and The Smoking Section
Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:08 pm
GuitarMikeB wrote:
yod wrote:
natalia1137346 wrote:Hey guys :)

I've been researching for an article on music careers in order to find out: What is it that musicians need to do to start a music career?:)

You're definitely asking the wrong people. Nothing but a bunch of old farts here.
.


Ted should know.
Image




I wear it like a badge of honor!

....but I seem to be the only person who cares or knows about "music as a career" that hangs out in the old fart forums. Who wants to listen to the negativity newbies get for daring to ask such an audacious question?

Natalia should know that all she'll get here is vinegar and gall.


By the way, did you read the info? Have you ever tried any of the advice? My guess is you're jaded because you have and it didn't work out like you wanted. I would respect that better than someone who has never tried but feels the need to discourage anyone who is trying.

Old farts don't like being told how to do old tricks, but we don't have to bite the person who asked, just because we're too old for it to matter anymore.

Natalia is looking for link bait, most likely, but I post these kinds of things to local ridicule all the time. It's a free country and I can warn her just in case she decides to follow up.


.

.
#265030 by GuitarMikeB
Wed Aug 31, 2016 12:32 pm
Yes, I did read it, and its all pretty common sense stuff - good for those who might be young and clueless. I'm amazed you can get your snooty nose so far up in the air considering your head is so far up your ass. All you do is cut everyone here down ("old farts") every chance you get.
#265116 by t-Roy and The Smoking Section
Fri Sep 02, 2016 11:54 pm
GuitarMikeB wrote:Yes, I did read it, and its all pretty common sense stuff - good for those who might be young and clueless.


It takes an old fart to view the "young and clueless" as synonymous.

Seems like an admission, actually. :lol:



I'm amazed you can get your snooty nose so far up in the air considering your head is so far up your ass. All you do is cut everyone here down ("old farts") every chance you get.


Are you in denial? I don't understand why you can't embrace it? It starts happening to everyone by their 40s, and it's a done deal before 50.

Bam! Old farts club membership. Natalia, get off my bandmix yard! :wink:
#267616 by aldis1161179
Wed Oct 19, 2016 7:11 am
Start sharing your videos on YouTube, Daily Motion (that's how Justin Bieber was exposed) and when you start getting more and more views and comments, An agent or try to find a friend or relative who knows someone in the music business. Good luck! pay to do my homework
#268001 by rachaelmurphey
Tue Oct 25, 2016 8:26 pm
Man, some of these people couldn't see the glass as half full if they were the kid from the movie Signs!

It's true that bands rarely sell out large venues in today's industry, but making money is definitely possible if you have the hustle and the talent (in that order).

It would be easier to answer the question if I knew more about the stage you were at inyour career. I assume you already have the band. The music sounds great. You are ready to perform the show of a lifetime. Everything is set to go, but what do you do about giving your career a bit of a quick start? I've worked with bands and promoters before, and here are some of the things I've seen work:

Take control

Behind every great band is a great leader, and this person should have control over every aspect of the band. You want to know everything about your members, their families and what makes them tick. You also want to ask questions from guys already steadily in the business. Performing bands can give you the ins and outs of what to expect and even help you get set up with your first gigs.

If your budget allows for it, hire a manager. An industry professional will help you navigate the ins and outs of venues, booking, logistics and communications. His or her credibility and connections will get you booked far more than you alone can do. If circumstances don’t allow for that yet, you will have to learn how to wear the manager and musician hat. See this article “The Artist Manager.”

Booking your gigs

Many venues are constantly looking for quality performers. With a little bit of hustle and some Google magic, you should be able to dig some up. Don’t be too proud to take smaller gigs when starting out. Scouts will frequent small, underground venues looking for fresh talent. Booking a large venue and only half filling the seating will look bad to your client as opposed to booking a smaller venue and filling up the place. If you can wow senior venue management, you may land a recurring invitation to play (a steady paycheck in this industry? It’s not impossible!)

Logistics

Okay, you landed your show. Now you have to get yourself, your band, and the equipment to the stage. Coordinate with the event staff to make sure that you understand where to go and what you need to provide. Medium and large venues will have in-built sound systems you can take advantage of, but in many instances you will be responsible for bringing your own amps, cords, etc. Make sure when transporting instruments and sound equipment, you have proper road cases to protect them. Arrive early for setup and sound check. It always takes longer than you think it will!

Promote the show

Remember Chinese Democracy? Neither does anybody else. Axl Rose was quick to blame the label, the executives, the manager, and everybody else for the album’s initial failure. But Axl forgot that the first rule of event promotion is that it’s the band and their hustle that drives concert attendance. Selling out is tough in today’s music industry, so making an impact is going to take a lot of sweat equity on your part. Check out this article on “Strategies vs Tactics: Which is best for growing your audience?

When managing your gigs, it is important to know how to handle every aspect. You want to make sure to advertise whenever you can. Social media is a great outlet for this. And again, hustle and hard work is the key to drumming up the work. Most of all, do what you do best by showing the crowd how much you love creating music.

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