Newbie: How to Get Started in the Music Industry as a Band or Artist?

[Steenamaroo]

You're on the wrong forum.
You'll get plenty of great advice here about home recording but beyond that you're on your own and, believe me, you're better off that way.

With respect, though, you're opening post is defeatist.
OK, you're young but having drive and ambition doesn't fit with "we have no way to", in my opinion.
You have the same opportunities as anyway else, broadly speaking, and you're being brought up in a era when pretty much everything you could ever want to know is on the screen in front of you.

Use forums like this for learning the techniques and skills, but it needs to be coupled with actual ambition and drive, not to be confused with an overwhelming desire for something

If you want practical advice, set out a practical goal for us.

 

[JohnH.]

Thank you for the advice. I have some quotes that I would like to address:

If you want practical advice, set out a practical goal for us.

Your whole post was helpful actually, but this part stuck. I had to look up what defeatist meant. Now that I know, I didn't mean to come across like one.

You're still young. Go to college. Study, get good grades.

I would like to address this. This may get a bit personal, but I am extremely fortunate to say that the reason I can afford college is because I earned financial aid from the music school. I am going to be studying vocal performance. Along with singing classical music, I will have the gracious opportunity to explore. I may get the opportunity for internships and such. I have no idea as of this point what awaits me. I am beyond excited.

The thing is this....There is no more music business, on any level. Record companies don't "sign" you to a record contract any more, club owners don't pay you play in their clubs, and nobody pays for anything. Only one artist went platinum in 2014, and that was Taylor Swift, and that took until November to happen. I'm beginning to wonder if the only way to make money is to become a "Youtube Sensation".

Very scary thought there, I quoted this one to emphasize this possibility to more people.

Thank you all for the advice. Keep the thoughts coming.

Another question: How did your bands/groups/passion for music come to be, and how did/does this passion continue? I can't wait to see your stories!

 

[Armistice]

I had to look up what defeatist meant.

Then time to go back to school and get educated. People play and record music because that's what they do, and that's what they'll always do.

Are you doing a school project here? Feels like it.

 

[JohnH.]

Then time to go back to school and get educated. People play and record music because that's what they do, and that's what they'll always do.

Are you doing a school project here? Feels like it.

I'm sorry, I was trying to be friendly by asking the question. Music is my passion and something I am doing for the rest of my life. Didn't mean to cause ire.

 

[reverbdk]

Music is my passion and something I am doing for the rest of my life.

Don't apologize. If you are serious about doing this the rest of your life then you are going to be in for a lot of networking and music playing, and by all means don't ever let anyone run the dream into the ground. I say give it a damn shot while you can take some risks. Eventually, just letting you know, your "job" may not be playing music all the time but may be a career that uses your musical ability. So keep your options open in that sense further down the road.
I know a guy who makes an alright living as a professional bassist. He worked hard, volunteered A LOT OF HIS OWN TIME for zero pay for several organizations. But he loves it. Now he's getting paid for consistent gigs (weddings, little east coast tours, etc) and only works other jobs when he has to. Warning: he does every now and then.

From what I've seen so far, the "music industry" is now less about making a huge splash for 15 seconds of youtube fame, and more about a long arduous road of getting to know other bands, organizations that will book your band, home recording artists that will lend you mixing help/charge you for mixes of demos or professional tracks, and, once again, getting to know people. Networking will help you land gigs and make it into a living.

 

[damianhk]

my reason for coming here was that i was interested in hearing music recorded at home. I've learned so much here, and I'm still learning. Maybe for some, it is more rewarding to work a job, get paid for your time, then have your passion on the side. Maybe if you have to perform to pay bills, it may take the fun out of it, and leave less time to create. Playing covers is a sure shot to stay busy and make $, but can you stomach it? Being 100% original and making a good living for a long time is a tall order, BUT if you have motivated bandmates, it's alot easier. There are plenty of people who think that trying to get into the music business is a bad decision. I've seen alot of bands resort to playing covers after trying to be original. Other groups have individual members in various projects to make ends meet. It can be done, but personally, I'd get burned out with it. I think being motivated to make music with no reward is a genuine thing. On the flip side, if there is no money involved, some musicians won't attempt to create or even play. I don't think there is one path. I hope you find yours. I have to say that sometimes I feel sorry for original acts who have to play stuff they are sick of just to uphold an image. New material means lack of interest from the public. To me, that seems like a terrible trap for a band, and I wonder if some would like the chance to escape it. Agree with RAMI

 

[BroKen_H]

This ^^^ Ask Andy Kaufman about Lotka. Ask Jani Lane about Cherry Pie. There's a lot of other examples. Sometimes people who "make it" regret things they do. It gets old playing the same song every time you play for 20 years. It gets really old having people demand it if you don't put it in your set.
But for every doof out there that does something they can't live down (or up to) there's a lot that keep coming up with the next great thing over and over. Bands like Rush and Yes constantly redefined themselves, and although maybe nobody would list the same top 5 Rush albums, most people have a top 5 Rush albums list.
I hear all the time about bands that have "made it" that they just played the music that came from their heart and let people connect to it. If a few people like it, you probably won't be there. If lots of people do, you're on your way. In any case, it's not about writing songs to be popular, it's about writing songs that come from you and letting others connect or not.
I write what comes out of me. I really don't care who likes it or doesn't. You'll find a lot of people here with that attitude. I'm not bitter that my music isn't popular and not being popular will never stop me from making that music. Doesn't mean I wouldn't like my music to be popular, just means I accept that not a lot of people connect with what I write.

 

[Greg_L]

This ^^^ Ask Andy Kaufman about Lotka. Ask Jani Lane about Cherry Pie.

They're dead. You can't ask them anything.

 

[Armistice]

most people have a top 5 Rush albums list.

I have one, but there aren't any Rush albums in it...

 

[Paschalis I.]

Yeah, but look at the bright side.

"Government Paperwork" is a great name for a band. I'm copyrighting that!

"Rage Against The Machine" would be mad they hadn't chosen it first

The more I pronounce it, the more it reminds me of rage against the machine... in a more punk rock version. Wtf is happening, I like it

 

[Lt. Bob]

#5 Just play music because you enjoy it. If you are trying to make a living from it, you damn well better be ready to devote 100% to it. And refer to #1.

^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^^^^^

The thing is this....There is no more music business, on any level. Record companies don't "sign" you to a record contract any more, club owners don't pay you play in their clubs, and nobody pays for anything. Only one artist went platinum in 2014, and that was Taylor Swift, and that took until November to happen. I'm beginning to wonder if the only way to make money is to become a "Youtube Sensation".
My advice would be to not worry about "making it" until you've at least written a few good original songs. Not that this will guarantee you of anything. But if you don't even have any originals, worrying about breaking into the business (I feel foolish even typing that) is like asking how to get signed up for the Indianapolis 500 just because you just got your driver's license.

If worrying about being financially successful pre-empts how much enjoyment you should be getting out of making music, you've already failed.

Exactly accurate ..... the music biz is done as a big money enterprise except for the VERY few.

There is still money playing live for us established guys though.
You'd be surprised how much I make gigging BUT: You have to have some serious skills to be able to play enough and young bands have it really rough with all the 'pay to play' stuff and gigs where you get a 30 minute slot among 6 other bands and they just pay you with a 50 dollar bar tab.
I truthfully don't see how they get by although at one time I too didn't care about money.

Mostly do it because you love doing it ....... if you're lucky enough to someday make it let me know if you need a good sideman.

 

[BroKen_H]

^^^^^^^^ this ^^^^^^^^^^^^


Exactly accurate ..... the music biz is done as a big money enterprise except for the VERY few.

There is still money playing live for us established guys though.
You'd be surprised how much I make gigging BUT: You have to have some serious skills to be able to play enough and young bands have it really rough with all the 'pay to play' stuff and gigs where you get a 30 minute slot among 6 other bands and they just pay you with a 50 dollar bar tab.
I truthfully don't see how they get by although at one time I too didn't care about money.

Mostly do it because you love doing it ....... if you're lucky enough to someday make it let me know if you need a good sideman.

Unless you want to write BEATS. There's still big money there...sorry, but what has the music industry become

They're dead. You can't ask them anything.

It's the IDEA of an artist that hit a mark he felt he couldn't better (and with Lane I use "better" very loosely) or couldn't live down (and yesl, now Andy has "lived" it down)...the "ask" shouldn't be taken literally, sorry.

 

[Greg_L]

It's the IDEA of an artist that hit a mark he felt he couldn't better (and with Lane I use "better" very loosely) or couldn't live down (and yesl, now Andy has "lived" it down)...the "ask" shouldn't be taken literally, sorry.

Lol @ you thinking you actually had to explain that, and then actually explaining it..

 

[BroKen_H]

Thanks greg, you always know how to make a guy feel special (in the mentally handicapped way)

 

[ronhar]

You're asking "how to get started" from a group of people that have done nothing. This is like asking a blind person how to paint.

You are assuming our past experiences are nonexistent and are of no use to an eager beginner.

Play for the love of music and performing and if fame and fortune follows you probably earned it with hard work. It's hard to document how to start a career in a few sentences.

 

[pikingrin]

Thank you for the advice. I have some quotes that I would like to address:

Your whole post was helpful actually, but this part stuck. I had to look up what defeatist meant. Now that I know, I didn't mean to come across like one.

I would like to address this. This may get a bit personal, but I am extremely fortunate to say that the reason I can afford college is because I earned financial aid from the music school. I am going to be studying vocal performance. Along with singing classical music, I will have the gracious opportunity to explore. I may get the opportunity for internships and such. I have no idea as of this point what awaits me. I am beyond excited.

Very scary thought there, I quoted this one to emphasize this possibility to more people.

Thank you all for the advice. Keep the thoughts coming.

Another question: How did your bands/groups/passion for music come to be, and how did/does this passion continue? I can't wait to see your stories!

Couldn't help getting sucked back into this thread...a lot of people have a lot of different experiences than I have had but I have to say something. Everyone here who has said something along the lines of "play for the love of it, not the money" is on the right track. When I was in my gigging days the band I was in did the networking thing, played a couple high profile gigs here and there, went on the road, etc. We made enough to cover travel expenses...almost. Right before I left the band, pretty much the reason I left, we got enough attention to attract a small label and a manager. In my experience all that happened is that the label/manager redirected all of our creativity into a sound that was, for the lack of better words, cookie-cutter mainstream bullshit. I had forgone a college education for a chance at a career (which I'm paying for now, being a 33 year old freshman in college) and was working full time along side playing with the band. 3 hours of sleep most nights except sundays when I slept all day to try and catch up for about 6 years, then the "management" was the straw that broke the camel's back. The only drive, that creative outlet, was the one thing that seemed to be against everything that "making it big" would offer. All of our songs were tweaked to make them sound like whatever other shit they were playing repeatedly on the radio and that was all it took for me to say "fuck it, this isn't what I signed up for." Hopefully your path leads you to success; I'm not trying to talk you, or anyone else out of it, just sharing my experience as something to think about.

 

[Greg_L]

You are assuming our past experiences are nonexistent and are of no use to an eager beginner.

When it comes to this subject, they really aren't. This kind of question gets asked all the time. "How do I succeed, make it big, become a star, make money, etc". And they ask that question to people that have achieved nothing along those lines. And those same people always chime in with tired cliche shit like networking, hard work, touring, social media marketing, blah blah blah, while in reality they haven't reaped any rewards themselves and none of that stuff matters anyway. Music isn't like it used to be. Hitting the pavement and dropping off press kits doesn't work anymore. Grinding it out doesn't work anymore. Spamming yourself all over social media is useless because everyone else under the sun is doing the same thing. Sure, book yourself a little tour, it's fun. Just realize that you will be playing to empty or disinterested crowds and make no money. Then do it again because you need to "build a following" rinse and repeat. That model doesn't work anymore. I play locally with touring bands all the time. I have to wonder why the fuck they even bother. They are not making shit on the road, and the same bands roll back through the next year to play to the same sparse, disinterested crowd. If sleeping in a smelly van and living off 5 bucks a day sounds like living the dream, then maybe they are living the dream. On a good day they get to crash on someone's couch and get a free meal from the venue. That's the reality. The music biz is a mirror of general society - the rich get richer, the poor get poorer. There is no musical middle class. Music has no value besides personal satisfaction for the performer. Even massive mega bands have accepted this reality and give away albums for free, or "name your price". They just have other avenues to pad their pockets because they made their name in the old system. I'm pretty sure I'm safe in saying that we all are here just doing this because we love it. It's what we do. There's nothing wrong with that. Just get over the pipe dreams, people. All that matters is pure, dumb luck. Just do what you do the way you do it and maybe you'll get lucky enough to make a living wage from it. You probably won't though.

 

[jonny deep]

I truthfully don't see how they get by although at one time I too didn't care about money.

This is why music is dominated by rich kids and trustafarians nowadays.