The music industry continues to evolve, with new musicians joining the industry all the time. However, as the industry broadens its horizon, it also opens up opportunities for you. You can take many steps to create a solid career in the music industry; you just have to understand it. If you don’t understand the music industry, you will find it hard to get a gig and create a solid career. Getting gigs is not easy; you have to lay some foundations and showcase your skills to be successful. In this article, we’re going to share tips for success in the music industry. We will explore various steps you should take to get a gig as a musician today successfully; let’s dive in.
Give Them a Show
If you want to succeed in the music industry, you have to show people that you have talent. The best part is that thanks to many platforms today, many live music venues will pay you to put on a show whether you have many fans or not. The idea behind a show is to show the audience what you have to offer and connect with them. While you’re putting on a show, talk to your audience. Continually communicating with your audience is a great way to connect with them. Also, look at them in the middle of a performance, and don’t forget to wear a smile.
Before going for the show:
- Rehearse and know your material well enough so you can relax before performing.
- Remember that stage presence is vital as a musician looking to get a gig and more in the music industry.
- Don’t just stand singing and expect the audience to feel some excitement about your show.
When people go for a show, they’re hoping to have a good time; give them that. Another way you can give the audience a show if you don’t get a live music venue is online on streaming platforms. There are many platforms to choose from to carry out live streaming; you can link a tip jar and ask your audience to tip you. You can also use live streaming to gain vital experience that’s come in handy when you land a live music venue.
To Get A Gig, First Impression is Everything
Your audience’s first impression is going to make a difference and determine whether you get a gig or not. On your first show, make an excellent first impression in every way. One way to effectively achieve this is by dressing up. While most new musicians want to be themselves, you can impressively be yourself. When you put in an effort, the audience will note and be more impressed with your looks. You have to remember that the goal is to succeed in the music industry and create a solid career. Therefore, you have to treat it as a business. Successful business people always show up to work looking impressive and so, should you. Rehearse many times and polish your looks because it is vital. When you do this, you’re ready to step in front of an audience, and you’re sure to get a gig in no time at all.
Keep Developing Musically
One way to get a gig in the music industry is to be excellent in what you do. That’s why you must continue to record and develop your skills as a musician and performer. Now that you’ve put on a show evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Think about the music your audience was vibing more to and which songs you need to work on. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses as a musician is key to your development in the music industry. When you develop your musicality, your general performance will become better.
To improve yourself, you can also take to studying. Try to understand the music theory better; theoretical knowledge helps to improve your practical knowledge. Also, try to train your musical ear to spot errors in your music and understand your sound better. As you continue to improve musically, people will notice, and you will start receiving offers in no time at all.
Take Care of Yourself
Good health is imperative if you want to create a sustainable career in the music industry. If you get a gig and you’re too unhealthy to see it through, it defeats the whole purpose. As a musician, there are many activities you will involve in that are harmful to your health. You will have to go long hours creating music with very little sleep. You should read up on different ways to protect yourself as a musician, like protecting your hearing. In addition, you should also visit your physician whenever you start to get symptoms. Also, taking care of yourself involves watching you eat and drink. When you go on shows, there will be different available drinks for you to try out—knowing what to take and what you need to avoid as a musician plays a role in achieving a better performance.
Promote Yourself Rigorously To Get A Gig
As a musician looking to get a gig and start a promising career in the industry, you need to promote yourself. The best part about promoting your music is that social media now makes it effortless for all musicians. You can utilize the various social media platforms to get the info out about when and where your gig will occur. Your friends, family, and fans might share it on their page, too, helping you create awareness. Music streaming platforms are also a great way to promote your music while also making some money. Promotion online helps to widen your audience base and increase your popularity in the music industry.
While social media is excellent for promotion, you also need to promote yourself offline to increase your audience base. A way you can achieve this is through a feature in magazines. While international magazines are great, it would be hard to get a feature as a new artist. That’s why your focus should be on the local magazines. They’re always looking for new content, and they would love to feature you if you’re good. Focus on magazines dedicated to music as there are higher chance readers won’t just flip through.
Also, get on local radios or platforms like BBC Introducing for new artists. If you upload your best tracks and the host likes them, they will play them to the audience, increasing your audience base. Another tip is to work with music blogs; these blogs have dedicated fans that you could get a connection with. Contact bloggers and request a feature; this shows people you’re worth talking to.
Stay on Top of Trends
If you want to get a gig in the music industry and build a successful music career, you need updates. You have to identify trending genres and create similar music. The more details you possess, the easier it would be to develop musically and get a gig. If you belong to a particular trend, read up on what you need to establish yourself in this music category. Also, find out the kind of gigs available and what’s new in the music industry. As you build up your knowledge, the easier it would be to utilize the trends in your favor and get a gig.
Read Up on the Musicians Lifestyle
Becoming a musician goes beyond a career choice; it’s a lifestyle. At the same time, you’re staying on top of what’s going on in the music category. Always research about musicians’ lifestyles. Knowing how to act as a musician is vital to succeeding in the music industry. Learn about problems you might encounter when going abroad. Read up on different music competitions and which ones are worth the trouble. You can also read up on your favorite musicians and get rid of writer’s block. Research is imperative to creating a solid music career, and it will help you get a gig. Remember that the music industry is quite broad, and you don’t have to be a performer. You can diversify into varying aspects of the music industry. If you succeed, it could significantly boost your income while ensuring you gain vital experience.
You Need To Be Unique To Get A Gig
While it is clear that talents are necessary if you want to succeed in the music industry, there’s more. When you can play a specific instrument or sing excellently, it will help you create a career in the music industry. However, the best way to indeed be successful is to stand out from the crowd. One way to be unique in the music industry is to continue improving your skills. Many musicians think that because they have singing talents, singing lessons are unnecessary. However, it is a great way to improve your singing and stand out amongst other musicians.
When you take singing lessons, it can help you develop your voice further. Singing classes will also teach you vital tricks that will help you uniquely use your voice and achieve your full potential. When you stand out uniquely, it will be much easier to get a gig. Continue to take singing lessons to improve your vocals and learn new techniques that’ll make you stand out in the music industry. Remember, the music industry is saturated; that’s why you need to take it further and be unique.
Create a Memorable Image
Many musicians overlook this but having an image is essential when you’re a new musician looking to get a gig. While many musicians don’t want to focus on creating an image, the audience notices this and is a way to connect with them. As a music artist, people will be keeping tabs on every part of your life. That’s why your style, social media, music, and others need to be uniform. Be consistent with your image and ensure the impression you create only complements your music.
Make sure your image reflects your personality; it should also be unique and relatable to your audience. One way to create an image is to look out for something distinct about you that you know people will appreciate. Your image also needs to be one people can relate to. An image consistent with your music is a great way to get a gig in the music industry and build your music career.
Get A Gig As A Musician: Distribute Your Music
If you want to get a gig and build a successful music career, you have to create amazing music. When you have fantastic music, then effective distribution is critical. Most successful artists today who get regular gigs have their music on streaming platforms. Learn how to distribute your music to platforms where you can easily connect with music fans. You also have to make some of your music available for free listening to give people a chance to know more about what you have to offer. If you’re lucky enough to be signed to a record label, they’ll distribute the music on your behalf.
However, as an independent musician, you will have to research the best platforms to showcase your music. Luckily for you, there are several music platforms today for you to try out for free. If you have a small music collection, you can look for music platforms ideal for showcasing that. Some platforms are best for musicians who don’t mind uploading music regularly. You have diverse choices of platforms to pick from. You can choose to go with free music platforms or subscription-based music platforms. The idea is to put your music out there and connect with the audience. A tip is to get your music to top platforms like Audiomack, Apple Music, Spotify, and more. These platforms make you look professional and offer you a broad audience base to connect with.
Final Thoughts
As a musician, you might find it hard to get a gig when you first make an entry into the music industry. It’s entirely normal, and it can be easy to lose motivation in such cases. You can apply these tips to your music journey to help you get a gig and build a solid music career. We have outlined some of these tips for success above to help you along. The goal is to be patient and start small. When you utilize these tips on your music journey, you’re sure to notice some changes and improvements. Even better, you’ll get a gig in no time at all and move your music career to the next level.
