The road todays artists and musicians must travel to reach success is quite different today than it was even a few years ago, and changing daily.
Today, any artist, songwriter, musician,or performer. Even if you have no desire whatsoever to start your own Indie label, Or even if you don't want to learn how to start your own record label, if you are even mildly serious about obtaining any level of success in music, you have to obtain as much knowledge as possible so that you understand the basics of the business.
You must find the drive to research, study, and try your best to understand topics such as standard music contracts, Indie labels, the majors, the publishers, who does what, when, and where. Don't think your going to throw together a handful of demo songs, throw them in the mail to a some people on a list, or get spotted playing in some club one night, and become a huge star, it just doesn't happen that way anymore.
Todays artists must be pro active in moving their careers forward. Your approach should be that you will manage, publish, and promote yourself until a better manager, publisher, and or promoter appears that maybe has more resources than you, at which time you decide wether to partner with to expand on what you are already accomplishing yourself.
This approach is what separates the men from the boys, or the successful V.S. the Non-Successful.
As an artist, musician, or performer, you have got to begin today learning as much as possible about every aspect of the industry, and this is best accomplished by a logical approach, and having a resource with which you can turn to for advice as you continue your journey and develop yourself into a professional artist.
You will be much more likely to open doors when you are approaching Major Labels, Publishers, and or Indie Labels if you approach them with an goal of wanting to join their team, as a partnership. If your approach is I think my music is cool, I want you to give me a big contract to sign, and a bunch of money with fame and fortune, then again GOOD LUCK!
You will gain the attention of music business players much quicker, and with far more respect if your approach is backed up with proof that you have been working hard to develop, and promote yourself, and that you are not looking for someones small indie label, or publishing company to dump a cash investment into you, but rather you are looking for someone that maybe has resources that you dont have, and that you believe in your music and talent enough to show them that if they can join in and add additional resources to take your product to the next level, that you honestly believe that the both of you will greatly benefit from the partnership.
Let's consider what approach would be more constructive when you meet with a Independent Label. Lets look at the first, introduction which i wouldn't suggest.
You mail a demo CD to them with your contact information, or you just show up at their office and drop off a CD with your contact information scribbled on the front of it. This approach more or less screams I'M TOTALLY LAZY, AND I WANT YOU TO HANDLE EVERYTHING AND BRING ME FAME AND FORTUNE.
Now lets look at a much smarter approach, an approach that will typically bring great results, or at least real attention.
Now lets take a look at a more favorable approach, one which will most likely yield success, or at least open the door for more discussion and or dialog. Lets say you set up a meeting with the head of a small indie label, and sit down with them and tell them that you have a demo CD with three songs, and seven other songs that have been written, but not yet recorded. Then you inform them that you have already gotten a copyright on the recorded material, as well as a copyright on just the lyrics of the other songs.
You continue to tell them that you are promoting the four songs that you currently have recorded on multiple web sites, and that the three completed songs are available to purchase at Rhapsody.com, Emusic.com, and Napster.com, and that last week there were a total gross sales of $67.00 then you continue to devulge your current promotional efforts, and that you are meeting with independent labels, in search for a team that believes in your music, and can help take your current successes, and add some resources, that are needed to boost the product up.
You then proceed to explain to them that you plan to continue self promotion, and working to get sales up on a daily basis, and that you truly believe that with your work ethics, passion, and drive, and their additional resources that as a team all of you can turn this into a profitable venture.
Which approach do you think would open doors, and keep the doors open for you?
Again, if you are serious about succeeding in the music business, you absolutely MUST take a proactive approach towards developing yourself as a true professional artist, performer, and or musician. - 15485
Today, any artist, songwriter, musician,or performer. Even if you have no desire whatsoever to start your own Indie label, Or even if you don't want to learn how to start your own record label, if you are even mildly serious about obtaining any level of success in music, you have to obtain as much knowledge as possible so that you understand the basics of the business.
You must find the drive to research, study, and try your best to understand topics such as standard music contracts, Indie labels, the majors, the publishers, who does what, when, and where. Don't think your going to throw together a handful of demo songs, throw them in the mail to a some people on a list, or get spotted playing in some club one night, and become a huge star, it just doesn't happen that way anymore.
Todays artists must be pro active in moving their careers forward. Your approach should be that you will manage, publish, and promote yourself until a better manager, publisher, and or promoter appears that maybe has more resources than you, at which time you decide wether to partner with to expand on what you are already accomplishing yourself.
This approach is what separates the men from the boys, or the successful V.S. the Non-Successful.
As an artist, musician, or performer, you have got to begin today learning as much as possible about every aspect of the industry, and this is best accomplished by a logical approach, and having a resource with which you can turn to for advice as you continue your journey and develop yourself into a professional artist.
You will be much more likely to open doors when you are approaching Major Labels, Publishers, and or Indie Labels if you approach them with an goal of wanting to join their team, as a partnership. If your approach is I think my music is cool, I want you to give me a big contract to sign, and a bunch of money with fame and fortune, then again GOOD LUCK!
You will gain the attention of music business players much quicker, and with far more respect if your approach is backed up with proof that you have been working hard to develop, and promote yourself, and that you are not looking for someones small indie label, or publishing company to dump a cash investment into you, but rather you are looking for someone that maybe has resources that you dont have, and that you believe in your music and talent enough to show them that if they can join in and add additional resources to take your product to the next level, that you honestly believe that the both of you will greatly benefit from the partnership.
Let's consider what approach would be more constructive when you meet with a Independent Label. Lets look at the first, introduction which i wouldn't suggest.
You mail a demo CD to them with your contact information, or you just show up at their office and drop off a CD with your contact information scribbled on the front of it. This approach more or less screams I'M TOTALLY LAZY, AND I WANT YOU TO HANDLE EVERYTHING AND BRING ME FAME AND FORTUNE.
Now lets look at a much smarter approach, an approach that will typically bring great results, or at least real attention.
Now lets take a look at a more favorable approach, one which will most likely yield success, or at least open the door for more discussion and or dialog. Lets say you set up a meeting with the head of a small indie label, and sit down with them and tell them that you have a demo CD with three songs, and seven other songs that have been written, but not yet recorded. Then you inform them that you have already gotten a copyright on the recorded material, as well as a copyright on just the lyrics of the other songs.
You continue to tell them that you are promoting the four songs that you currently have recorded on multiple web sites, and that the three completed songs are available to purchase at Rhapsody.com, Emusic.com, and Napster.com, and that last week there were a total gross sales of $67.00 then you continue to devulge your current promotional efforts, and that you are meeting with independent labels, in search for a team that believes in your music, and can help take your current successes, and add some resources, that are needed to boost the product up.
You then proceed to explain to them that you plan to continue self promotion, and working to get sales up on a daily basis, and that you truly believe that with your work ethics, passion, and drive, and their additional resources that as a team all of you can turn this into a profitable venture.
Which approach do you think would open doors, and keep the doors open for you?
Again, if you are serious about succeeding in the music business, you absolutely MUST take a proactive approach towards developing yourself as a true professional artist, performer, and or musician. - 15485
About the Author:
Brent Thomason is the owner of a small indie music label, and music publishing firm. Proactive Musicians Music Tool Reviews. Click here for Article Submissions.
