If you’re looking for the get rich quick schemes of the record business, keep dreaming. If you want practical tips to build a career on, continue reading.
On Part 1 of this series, we discussed motivation. It is a bit heavy, but a very necessary read. Once you discover your motivation for pursuing the music industry, it’s time for the next step.
Step 2:
Gain Knowledge.
There are so many aspects of the music industry: record labels, music publishers, synch licensing firms, public relations, marketing, advertising, and more. Yes, it starts with the song. However, it will end there without the other elements to get it to the public.
Do your research.
Study the careers of the people you look up to. If you’re a songwriter, analyze music to see what formats work best with which genres. If you’re a recording artist, study voices. If you want to be a manager, find out what their job requirements are.
This could include going to school to study entertainment business, or it could be a series of books and YouTube videos. It’s entirely up to you and your desire to succeed.
Take internships.
The knowledge and experience you’ll gain at an internship will make up for the lack of income. Most require you to be in school, but some don’t. They could potentially be awesome, or they could very well suck.
Even if you end up just getting coffee, pay attention to every piece of knowledge you’re privy to. Take every task seriously, as you never know what could come of them. I personally have trained several interns that have secured positions before their internships was over.
Read the trades.
You have to know what’s going on around the industry. What companies are hiring? What companies are downsizing? What new technology is on the horizon? These are all pertinent questions, and being on top of these things will give you a leg up.
Network.
Attend workshops and conferences in your field(s). Meet people that are also rising in the industry. Build relationships. In a lot of cases, it isn’t about what you know, or even who you know, but who knows you.
Moral Of The Story
It’s going to take hard work and dedication. However, the things in life worth having don’t come easy.
Get up, get out and get into it. (…yes, that was a Tevin Campbell reference)
