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Key Takeaways From My Music Career

Although I was not particularly popular, I have always believed that I did pretty much what was there to be done. I tasted success, albeit to a lesser degree, and made some mistakes along the way. To make things clear, I belong to many musicians who had to work hard to find their way up.

 

As much as I might have worked hard, struggles have been part of the journey. In light of this fact, I believe I am the right person to help some upcoming musicians make it big in this industry. Here are my top tips to help aspiring musicians make it in the music business.

 

Always be Optimistic

Optimism is the only survival tool that a person can control. And I have since learned that having an undying attitude was key in my music journey. With approximately 80,000 albums released annually, only 0.25% end up in the Billboard. Being aware of this fact made me to realize the enormity of the barrier I was about to face. Having a positive outlook on things and putting in some serious work is essential to taste success in the music business.

 

Learn the Craft and Observe Excellence

New musicians are advised to start by learning the craft. As much as talent has a role to play, I understood the value of learning the craft early in my career. I took music classes from music teachers who understood the dynamics of the music business. I also spent a great amount of time listening to some ‘top’ tracks from some music greats in our times. And these early experiences helped me lay a solid foundation and also pursue Excellence in everything I laid my hands on.

 

Work With Other Musicians

Family and friends are certainly not best placed to offer objective advice, especially when it comes to music. To avoid bias, get some constructive criticism from professionals. Being aware that parents were more likely to love everything I did, I needed to hear from other people. As much as you expect to hear something from your family, always learn but avoid taking some of their advice too seriously. And with a team of able musicians on my side, I benefitted greatly from proper guidance.

 

Identify Key Revenue Streams

How can I make money? Asking this question before embarking on anything is critical for success. For starters, touring, publishing, and branding are some of the top revenue makers. First, touring is about attending music festivals and showing both attendants and promoters what you can do. On the other hand, publishing is all about sharing music on video-sharing platforms or social media. Lastly, branding is all about letting the world know what you represent. I always advise music students to understand these sources and maximize their efforts.

 

Produce Your Music

I am a strong believer that the days of relying on big music recording studios are long gone. Looking back, I have realized that most musicians who started by learning how to produce their music are successful. The reason being learning how to produce music made me understand my craft. While this undertaking was expensive and took some time to learn, understanding what music production entails was critical in my music career.

 

Humility Is Essential

When I was young, initial success came with some egoistic view of my music and persona. I thought success was just about ‘my hard work.’ Being too full of myself those days almost ruined my success. However, having a mentor who could guide me in my career taught me the importance of being humble. In my opinion, there is nothing good about being a diva. It only ruins promising careers.

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