performit

Alright, someone tell me what has worked for them to get into the business?

Anyone know where I can get in? Any shortcuts?

Then tell me your experience? Do we have some people actually making it? What are you doing that works for you? What advice would you give to someone who could make it in? I'd like to go from 0 - 60mph in a year?

I know of some great sites but like someone to tell me what they did and what works? or at least offer to give me the assistance in understanding if something is truly a bad move or not.

TY

 

RickenbackerBassPlayer

I would like to state that there are rarely any "shortcuts" in getting in the music buisness, it is alot of hard work, and patience.

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khsoundtrack

I'm no expert but based on what I've seen...

1. start a band and create a catalogue of performable songs
2. perform at local venues for free until you start getting paid, then travel
3. build up a following/market yourself via the web/myspace
4. distribute it via CD/downloads/etc. and let your base of fans know about it

I think the problem is most people do it backwards and just put out a CD. But nobody follows CDs. I think most musicians are discovered at concerts by fans who are there to see other established musicians. Eventually your goal should be to tour with a better known musician to tap into their fanbase, open for them, etc. A really smart thing to do would be to find other local bands and setup a concert and sell tickets, collab on projects, etc.

The other way is to get your music in small independent films, commercials, larger hollywood films, etc. Which is actually why I'm on the forum right now, I'm a small indie filmmaker looking for music for a low budget film we just did.

Music_King

The most important thing is to stay focused.

What's 60mph for you? If you have specific goals, you can the achive them.

So for example, if you say you want a mailing list of 10000 fans in a year, plan for it, learn how to do it and work towards it.

Maybe you want to play 100 gigs by the end of the year.

Only you know what you want.

What I did was to start working in the industry... but not as a musician. It did open a lot of doors for me .The cool thing is, if you also work in show business ,a lot of times people see you as one of them.

This will make it easier to get what you want.

So to sum up, here are two things:

1) Determine exactly what you want
2) Go for it now!

Keep learning about how the industry works and how to promote your music.


Good luck!

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Jody LeCompte

The best advice I can offer you as a semi-professional musician is just play your best, regardless of the situation. You can't make someone like you. You can let music fill you and move you where you want to go and hope people come along, or you can be force fed something people will adore for novelty and style's sake.

You could be playing in a bar, playing a lonely song on your old acoustic guitar to two people. Who are they? Well, one is a bartender. The other is a recruiting execeutive from BMI records scoping out talent, too bad you didn't take it seriously and just played to fill your contract with the bar. That could have been your shot.

Play your heart out always, and something good will happen eventually.

undrawing

turn up to gigs with your instrument. Go to as many gigs as you can. Watch other people play, talk to them, let them see that you exist. Join in at open stages as often as possible (but dont turn up evey week JUST to play on an open stage, else people will get annoyed and talk about you badly). Show that you are interested in hearing other people and in turn people will show respect and be interested in hearing you when the time comes.

Pretty soon, after a while on the scene, you will be on people's short-list when they start thinking "Hmm, who should we get as a guitarist (or [insert your instrument here])? ... hey what about that guy who is really keen and comes to all our gigs and plays a mean banjo?". They're NOT going to say "hey, what about that guy who sits in his bedroom waiting to get famous?"

Battousai

I think the only things needed to not become a something ephemeral is have identity and quality.

Today with all the facilities, it was much easier to have your space, it helps but at the same time make some difficults, since that you can't filter what you're listening, all of us are "bombed" by musics and musicians who we never have heard abou.The problem today is much more to maintain than "becoming".

musicteacher541

With the large number of musicians and artists who vie for popularity and success in the music industry, you might have a slim chance. Yet, that slim opportunity may serve as your goal in furthering your craft.

Develop your uniqueness in the field and get lucky if someone famous notice such.

musicaholic

This is too true! I don't know how many groups I've seen, already well established and as talented as anything, opening for a band and wondered how they weren't more popular. Seems like there are loads of very good musicians and bands out there, but with how the industry is being changed with music downloads and places like myspace, giving groups with no money for advertising the chance to put their stuff out there, a lot of the ways things used to be done have had to be redefined.

musicteacher541

Good insights musicaholic...

The music industry and in every country must propose effective agenda to fight piracy and intellectual property theft that kill many musicians' living.

If the record companies do not earn, they may change their line of business and stop producing. Many aspiring talents, therefore, will definitely have slimmer chances of succeeding.

keepmusicalive

Totally agree with the above replies! There are no shortcuts All you have to do is to be determine on what you are doing. Focus and always perform like there is no tomorrow.

musicaholic

So true! But then if the band/group are good enough live they will be making the majority of their money touring and with merchandise.

Smaller labels seem to be the way to go.. Anyone ambitious enough, and with a little business know-how, could start one up. Then, suddenly, you're in "the industry" and potentially defining it. It's probably better to just get on with whatever you want to do musically than strive to be part of the music industry.