It is complicated to break into the music business compared to other industries. It’s not like all you have to do to get a job is submit a resume and have an interview.
The music industry involves plenty of other activities to produce good music. The process involves a lot of other acvities and mistakes that should be avoided during music making. But the question that creeps in our mind is do best musician make mistakes? So, there is a saying nobody is perfect. May it be any profession. Even if there are professional singers in the league, who make mistakes and then learn from them.
It is worth highlighting a few of the mistakes made by musician because even if you do everything else right, these mistakes can set you back quite a bit. With that in mind, we have brought you 10 common mistakes musicians keep on making in their music business:
Common mistakes musicians keep on making in their music business
1. A path followed by unsuccessful musicians
You should seek advice when needed. We want to learn from the experiences of others, but one thing we must remember: nobody’s experience in the music business is the same. Success stories and paths are unique to every individual. Let’s us take you through an example of how do musician makes mistakes.
Do not listen to everybody coming your way. Do not get too attached to the advice you receive. While asking for advice is not a bad thing, but too much weight on the advice you receive. Consider going down a different path than others, and do not be afraid to do so. A creative, new, and unique approach will help you stand out from the crowd and attract your audience.
2. Not building relationships in the industry
Having the right relationships is essential in a successful music career. It would be best if you thought about meeting a lot of people and putting yourself out there. Building relationships with musician colleagues is something you should not be afraid of. Someone might know someone you know, or a relationship could lead to something extraordinary. You never know! The right crowd member might be in the audience when you play a show with them!
3. Surrounding yourself with the wrong crowd
Sadly, not everyone understands what it means to be a full-time musician. A close circle of loving, supportive friends and family members will hold you up regardless of what life throws at you.
In a hostile environment, you may start doubting yourself, and that is never a good thing. Never give up on your dream of becoming an established musician. Be brave and ignore people who tell you what you can’t do!
4. Not having a compelling image or brand
The music industry is a business where you are trying to sell your brand or yourself. Thus, ensure that your messaging and your visual presentation are consistent with your audience. Any message or look will work here, as long as there is consistency between the messages and the look, so you can reach the exact audience and resonate with them.
5. Not practicing live
Live performance is as essential as the quality of the music. You should do your best to make your fans happy. When you aren’t used to practicing life, it can be intimidating. Our best advice for performers who are struggling to perform live is to achieve more! Your fans will grow because it will become more enjoyable and accessible as you gain experience!
6. Not Investing enough time
Your success depends on many factors besides just the amount of time you spend creating music. You can then find a mentor to help you improve if you dedicate every minute of your day to your music career. Your music career may benefit from slightly more dedicated time. Don’t forget: great things take time and effort! If you dedicate all of your days to your job, you may become exhausted.
7. Misunderstanding what record companies are looking for
The record industry wants to know three things:
- Your contribution to the process
- To what extent do you expose yourself to risk
- Consider the value you will bring to them
When deciding on a record company, only these factors matter. Be aware of what sets you apart from other musicians and how these attributes add value to your work. Think, what can you do for them that no one else can? Not thinking of the record label is one of the silliest mistakes a musician makes. When you become their advocate, what can you do that nobody else can? Get signed once you know your answer! Along with that, you should know about all the aspects of music-making. Keep yourself updated with the music trends, news, happenings in the industry and everything about the music industry.
GrooveNexus covers each aspect of music and everything you need to know about the music industry.
8. Thinking you have to have a degree
Your career as a musician will not be harmed by earning a college degree. However, do not think that you will be unsuccessful if you do not have a college degree. Musicians are the heart and soul of the music and entertainment industry. You can make money from music if you are talented enough to become a musician.
9. Moving several times in hopes of being at the right place
Most musicians bounce from city to city in the music industry, hoping to “make it.” The fact that you happen to be in the right place at the right time is certainly helpful. Continuously moving makes it difficult to establish long-term relationships within a particular community. Your talents should take precedence over your location. So, having a digital presence is extremely imperative nowadays. When you start creating music and want to earn fame in the industry, you should build up your presence on social media and digital mediums. Here are some digital marketing tips for musicians.
10. Not marketing yourself
Despite creating the best music ever, you will eventually fail to get your music noticed by listeners if you don’t get it in front of them. This is the most common mistake a musician makes. Nonetheless, many musicians are trying to be noticed, and you are competing with each other for listeners’ attention. You will always be behind in the competition if you don’t promote your music correctly.
It’s never been easier to market yourself, thanks to the internet. No matter your marketing skills, you can follow some tips on social media marketing for music artist and promote your company and yourself.
Embrace marketing yourself successfully with Mirada Media’s tools. We provide simple and easy to use since we understand that not all musicians are graphic designers or marketers. One of the best things about our tools is that even though they are so easy to use, they will appear to have been done by an expert.
Wrapup:
The quality of your music must never be compromised, in addition to the ten mistakes we just described. Make your music resonate with your fans if you hope to break big with it someday. When you have a quality product, it will be easy to promote your music. As for the rest, don’t be afraid to ask for help or pointers wherever you can. Learn about the music industry by reading books, asking your friends for advice, and only making moves once you’re sure of your decision and learn from the common mistakes you make as a musician.
