Are You Ready for a Career in Music?

Becoming a successful recording artist is a dream for a lot of people. However, so many people are completely ignorant about the industry and what it takes to make it. They also don’t know what kind of responsibilities and stress musical artists have to deal with. This is why you need to study the industry before you even think of getting signed. You also need to be ready for the challenges artists have to face so you can tell if this truly is the career for you. Here are a few things you need to know before you start contemplating a music career.

You Might Need to Keep Your Day Job

The idea of leaving everything and going to LA to pursue a music career is often romanticized, but that’s not the right way to do it. Jumping in head-first without a parachute will put a lot of unnecessary stress on your shoulders. This is also the best way to get taken advantage of.

You don’t want to come from a place of desperation when you’re looking for a deal. You might end up jumping on the first contract you come across and regret it for the rest of your career.This is why you need to have a guaranteed and steady source of income to keep you centered. This will allow you to be in the right headspace for creating and will make you less eager to sign a shady deal.

What Talents Do You Have?

You should also look at what you have to offer. We all know that you don’t need to be the most talented artist to make it in the music industry, and talent alone won’t make you a hot commodity. Record companies are looking for people who have the whole package, and sadly, image seems to be the most important thing.

This doesn’t mean that you have to be drop-dead gorgeous to make it, but you do need to have a distinctive image. Most stars have a combination of good music, a striking appearance, and a great live performance. So, if you’re lacking in any of these areas and want to get signed, you will have to work on them.The most important part remains your music, however. So,make sure that your production is good, and that your records are properly recorded, mixed, and mastered.

The first piece of the puzzle is the studio. Once you have a good studio, everything else will fall into place. If you’re looking for a great, affordable studio that will give you all the freedom you need to create, we suggest you check out PIRATE. Their studios are self-serve, and you can go in with your engineer and start working on records. PIRATE has studios all over the country and the world and they offer the same level of equipment as all the top studios, so you don’t have to worry about your records not sounding professional.

If you want to improve your live performance and stage presence, you may want to take dancing and acting classes. You might also want to take singing lessons, even if it’s for a genre where you don’t have to “sing” per se. This will allow you to understand rhythm and melodies better, and it’ll add another dimension to your music.

You Might Need to Do Everything on Your Own

You also have to know that hiring producers and engineers can cost a lot of money. Even if you sign with a record company, this will come out of your budget or your record sales. If you have to hire a producer and songwriter for your records, you won’t be left with much at the end of the day.

You should at least learn production. Producers take up a large chunk of a record’s royalties and producing some or all your tracks will allow you to keep more in your pocket. Taking song writing courses could also help.

How Do You Deal with Rejection?

If your goal is to get signed by a major label, then you have to be ready to deal with a lot of rejection. Some of the world’s biggest artists had to knock on doors for years before they got signed, and constantly getting rejected can take a toll on your confidence.The best thing you could do to not lose confidence is start your career yourself instead of waiting for a label. Even if you don’t want to stay independent, the easiest way to get signed is to get some success on your own. You don’t have to be super big but having a few thousand views on your Soundcloud and followers on Instagram will help get your foot in the door.

Do You Understand the Business Side of Music?

You also have to understand the business of music before you get started. Some people assume that most of the money they make will come from their records, for instance, when in reality, most of it will come from shows. You also need to understand how music contracts work and what your obligations will be. There are contracts that will allow you to have full artistic license, while others will be very restrictive. Some contracts will ask that you hand out a portion of the money you make on shows, music, merchandise, while others will allow you to keep all your show and merchandise money.

Another very important thing you need to know is that you will be locked into your contract for a set number of records. This means that the record company will ultimately have control over your career and what you can do. This is why it’s essential that you understand the different types of contracts and never sign anything before you have the contract reviewed by multiple lawyers

The music business is a very tough one to get in and be in. This is why you need to know what it really means to be a musical artist and be prepared for the challenges of the industry.

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