Build Your Own Music Career

A guide to building your own music career without the hindrance of being tied in to a major label. How to build up a solid fan base and sell you music with little to no cost.

Steps

1. Find a label. Before the advent of the digital download goldrush, musicians were forced to take the only route to success, getting hitched to a major record label. For young musicians, this seemed like a dream come true. The music business was indeed a mighty empire, a slick machine that was oiled by profits and balance sheets...not the love of music itself. Musicians were merely 'assets' owned by 'suits'....lawyers, accountants, publishers, managers, etc. Now, thanks to the internet and digital downloading, you can make your dream come true yourself by cutting out the middlemen and being in total control of your product. Here's how.
2. Put your mp3 tracks on social network sites specially for musicians, there are loads of them out there and most are free. There are lots of them, and making your own songs and making covers helps it to have a great music career.
3. Create your own website. When you do this, you can link in to your other sites and vice versa, so you can gain maximum exposure and increase your web traffic.
4. Create your own EPK (electronic press kit) easily, there are scores of tips on the net on how to create your own press kit what to put in and leave out and who to send it to. There are lots of free information sites with loads of tips.
5. Get yourself a copy of books about marketing in music for loads of information on publishers, radio, television and internet stations that will gladly play your music for free. The books aren't cheap, but they are a worthwhile investment. Also, try to find tips or obtain books that contain information about royalty payments and general copyright laws.
6. Make sure your songs and lyrics are copyrighted to the person/s who created the songs, music and lyrics or all of that. You can send your songs to yourself by special delivery, you sign it when it returns but you don't open it. It's just a guarantee that you copyrighted the songs on a particular date...actually, a song is copyright after its committed to paper and signed and dated.
7. Know your target audience....who are they? Age? Preference? No use playing heavy metal to a crowd of emo lovers or pop fans! Social network sites are great finding them because people who stop by will usually click on your tracks and if they like what they hear, they will email you to say, so...eh voila....you have found a fan!
8. Maintain their interest. Now that you've found your fans through your social network sites and through playing live...how do you keep them interested. The secret is to give them a stake in the business...make them feel a part of the band! Enlist their help for tours, gigs, merchandising, get ideas from them, ask them what they'd like you to do next...involve them and you have them for life. Offer free tickets and discounts in return for their help in promoting you...there's nothing more effective than the 'carrot' at the end of the stick! Got some gorgeous girl fans...get 'em modelling your merchandise, take some photos and stick 'em on your sites.
9. Merchandise. As stated previously, merchandising goes a long way towards your band promotion, badges, hats, t-shirts, stickers, freebie cds, these are all worth it and you can also sell your stuff at gigs...just remember to give some of your profit to the dreaded tax man!
10. Continue to expand your network. As well as doing live gigs, having various networked sites, what else can you do to raise your profile...well, you can include blogs, video blogs, podcasts and videocasts. If your band writes about social injustice, then find related sites and blog on them, leaving your website address clearly visible, do charity gigs for good causes, remember live aid, comic relief, look for local festivals and get on stage and strut your stuff. Put free ads on the net offering freebies or contact your local newspaper with articles about the band, but put a new slant on it....something unusual (within the law of course) will get you into print...human interest stories go down a treat..."local band adopts badly injured dog as their mascot" or "Local band visit hospital radio and speak to fans"....get the picture?
    • So, now you have all or most of the information that can help you organize your own music career and be your own agent, manager, publicist, etc. Nobody said it was easy, but at least you can decide the level of fame you want, where, when and what you'll play and manage your career in stages and at a pace that suits you. All that's left to say is good luck!

Tips

• When writing music, you must remember to write what you know not what you want to know. The song will come out better if it is a personal feeling or action.

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