Mia
As an independent artist, you might be wondering if you’re going about your music career the right way. When it comes to being an independent musician, there’s a lot of freedom and flexibility for how you approach things. While that’s a great privilege, it can sometimes be hard knowing if you’re doing everything you can to move your career on to the next level. The good news is, there are some steps you can take to improve your music career and get the most out of it.
1. Find Lots Of Venues To Play
Playing at lots of different venues is one way to make an impact as an independent artist. Venues are great for reaching new fans and getting your music out there, so it’s important you find lots of them to play at.
Depending on the type of music you play, you can look online to see if there are any specific tips for that genre as well. For example, if you’re into jazz, you might want to see what the 4 Tips to Get More Jazz Gigs are so that you can implement things specific to your music. The same goes for any type of music you play. Remember that even playing in multiple venues within the same area can be extremely beneficial – you’ll build up a following faster, and be able to get more people at your shows.
It’s important to remember that people who run venues will be looking for things like previous gig experience and media coverage, as well as your ability to sell tickets. Be confident in these aspects of your music career when you’re reaching out, as they’ll go a long way in helping you secure performances.
2. Cater To Different Tastes
Being true to yourself and making authentic music is important. However, you should also be tuned in to what people want to hear, and try to incorporate that into your work. This is a skill that is especially important at larger events. If you’re playing at a wedding, you want to make sure everyone’s having fun. While it may not be your dream to do weddings, it’s an important stepping stone toward getting more serious gigs in the future, so do it when you need to.
You never know who’s in the audience, and word of mouth spreads fast. Besides that, it can provide you with invaluable experience when it comes to performing in front of a mixed group of people that will come in handy later on during your career. At bigger festivals, you’ll get more of a mixed audience who are there for all types of music. If your band is indie rock, for example, then it’s important that they’re able to enjoy your set alongside fans of alternative or country music. This is one of the things that makes festivals so awesome.
3. Get On Social Media
Getting on social media is another great way to improve your music career. Whether you use Twitter, Facebook, or any other kind of platform, it’s important to get yourself out there – you never know who might see what you post! The more people that see your music, the better, and social media is a great way to do it. You should be proactive about sharing new gigs and songs with your fans and followers.
This will show people what you’re up to and drum up interest around what you’ve got going on. It will help you connect with your fans and promote your gigs and releases in a more organic way. The event you played last night might not be relevant to people following your account a week from now unless you post about it will let fans know that you’re working hard and doing things in the right way. People who don’t already follow you may check out what’s going on with your music career, and eventually end up becoming fans themselves.
Don’t forget that you want to entice your followers to leave comments and things like that on your social media pages. This is the best way to forge a more personal connection with people who love your music and it will increase your chances of landing on someone’s search page.
4. Get Serious About Your Sound
As mentioned before, authenticity is always important. However, when working toward improving your music career, it’s also important that you’re always looking at ways to improve your sound – be it by technical means or by getting inspired to add a new flair to your piece. You want to make sure that you have everything in order so that any time someone listens to your music, they get the best possible experience. This is an aspect of being a musician that can’t be overlooked.
You may need to invest in better equipment or even take lessons if there’s somewhere you can go for help with your sound. As you evolve as an artist, your music may change too, and you shouldn’t be afraid of that. However, it’s also important to recognize what’s your music signature and to implement it whenever possible so that people can recognize you by your sound.
This will also help your music career improve since it will be easier for programmers and festival bookers to connect with you based on what they’ve heard before. If they get familiar with your sound, and especially if they can appreciate the quality you’ve built, then they’ll be more likely to have you back or recommend you to other opportunities at future festivals.
5. Record Some Original Content
While playing live is a great way to improve your music career, you should also be looking at recording some original content. This is another important aspect of being an artist in the modern age.
Almost everyone has a smartphone or computer with them these days, and it’s easier for artists to record themselves than ever before. There’s something to be said about live music – no doubt about it, but sometimes it can be a good idea to have a clean take of your music.
This could be for promotional purposes or to share with other people – like musicians who might help you out in the future, managers, etc. It’s all about getting your name out there and giving people opportunities to connect with you through any means necessary. You should treat it like releasing singles, although this isn’t always the case. It’s just a good way to start getting people familiar with your music and what you can do in general so that you don’t have to rely on live shows alone in the future.
As an independent artist, you need to remember that you’re in charge of both the creative side of your music, as well as the business aspect. They are both crucial to developing your music career, and working on them equally will allow you to reach new heights. It can be pretty overwhelming at times, but as long as you keep on top of your schedule and work hard to improve your music career, there’s no stopping you.
