How to Begin Your Music Career Songwriting Basics

Jamming sessions are fun. Singing or playing your self-produced track on stage in front of people eager to listen to your music is an experience you want to chase over and over again. Writing and composing music are talents worthy of being honed and pursued. They are the kind of gifts one should share with the world.

If you’re a singer/composer, in a band, or a DJ, you have experienced a lot of stage shows for a lot of different events—whether music festivals, company events, or jam sessions in your community. If you think it’s time to take your music career to the next stage, then perhaps it’s time to go pro. Here are some tips to get you started in your music career.

Perform Live and Get Feedback

There’s a difference between receiving a thumbs-up or a heart reaction online and actually seeing the responses and emotions of the audience listening to your music. Grab this opportunity to hone your skills in live performance. Performing live not only gives you real-time feedback on your original works; it also gives you the avenue to build rapport with your audience and (if you already have a following) get closer with your fans.

Networking

Your audience is not the only one you need to build rapport with. Your fans are not the only people you need to become close with. You need to meet music producers, ANR representatives, and other artists—basically build your music community. Connect with like-minded artists and make collaborations.

And don’t be afraid to advertise yourself—in a respectful manner, of course, especially if you are speaking with music producers and executives.

Establish Your Brand Identity

What’s your brand? It’s you. It’s your name. Plaster it everywhere, both online and offline. Be sure to join all the music events you can, and people will see your name in event posters all over the city. Put your brand on stickers, and stick them to your DJ equipment, where everyone can see it while you play your set.

Be updated with social media:

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Soundcloud
YouTube

Connect anywhere where you can share your music and interact with your following. Establishing both your offline and online presence will make it easier for you to be spotted by music and talent agencies.

Learn the Laws Related to Music

If you want to be in the big game, don’t let yourself to be ignorant of how the music world works. Make it a point to at least learn the basics of music copyright laws, royalties, online music distribution, and other related laws. You will thank yourself in the future for taking the time to read up when you are faced with a difficult situation or decision concerning your original musical content.

Keep Your Day Job

Like it or not, the road to stardom is a long, hard path. You might need to reach into your own pockets if you plan to make a demo, and that’s very difficult if you don’t have a day job. So as tempting as it may to just drop everything, send an “I quit” email, and focus on your music, it’s not practical. Just look at it this way: your day job will help you achieve your dreams.

Will you make it and reach the stars? Anything can happen. But one thing’s for sure—you won’t go anywhere if you don’t start now. You can’t reach your destination without taking that single step forward.

Starting any career can be daunting, and no one can predict how your music career will turn out. However, when you’ve taken that first step toward your goals, one thing will follow and then another, and the next thing you know, you’re already a talent loved by many.