(ThyBlackMan.com) Over the past 20 years, the music industry has changed dramatically. Gone are the days when the only ways to achieve musical greatness was by being talented spotted. Today, there are many paths into the music industry. Each person’s path into the industry is unique, and it’s important to realize that. Nevertheless, if you dream of a music-based career, for a higher chance of success, there are a few things that you should do.
The good news is that because of how large the music industry is, there are endless opportunities. However, the downside is that because music is a popular career choice, there’s a lot of competition. That being said, there are lots of ways you can ensure you’re the number one choice for all the best jobs. For everything that you need to know about turning your passion for music into a career, have a read of this.
Hone your talent
The first thing that you need to do for a successful musical career is hone your talent. While being versatile is important – something we’ll get to later, it’s also essential to choose a niche. If you don’t choose a certain area to focus on, you won’t be able to specialize. This is important as it’s the area you opt to specialize in that will give you your edge over other job applicants.
There are lots of ways that you can hone your talent, but one of the best is by undergoing training. Yes, there are many things that you can teach yourself. However, if you want to move up the ladder, undergoing professional training is a must. There are plenty of music colleges that you can attend, but if you opt to study music in Berlin, you’ll get one of the best experiences. You see, it’s all about choosing a college that’s renowned for its teaching. The more well known your college is, the better chance of industry success you’ll have.
Network
To give yourself the best chance of success, in the music industry, networking is crucial. Like any entertainment based career, landing a role in the music industry is about who you know, as well as what you know. That’s why it’s essential that you get your name out there as soon as possible and start networking.
The relationships that you build with others in the music industry will, to an extent, dictate your success. It will also be down to your talent, but the more people you know and the more connections you have, the better. That’s why, if you want to get a foot in the door of the music industry, building up your connections is crucial. Face-to-face networking is critical, but online sites like LinkedIn can also be useful.
Be prepared to be versatile
As mentioned above, when you first start out in the music industry it is crucial that you’re versatile. Yes, you’ll have a niche, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of opportunities outside of that. At first, you may not be working in your dream role. However, as you build experience, more roles will open up to you. Be willing to work in all areas of the industry and in time it’ll pay off.
It might take time to get to where you want to be within the industry, but take these tips on board and you’ll get there.
Staff Writer; Jerry Adams