3 Tips for Artists Trying to Break into the Music Industry
Becoming a major musical artist is a dream for many people. There are thousands of people sharing
the same dream, however, and unless you are ready to do what it takes to stand apart, you might
never get discovered. You also need to have what record labels are looking for if your goal is to sign
as a major. You’ll need to get in touch with the right people and have a solid team around you as
well. Let’s take a look at a few tips for artists who want to break into the music industry.
Start Independently
There are many ways to get a deal with a record company. One of these ways is to get a few tracks
and assemble a demo or track list that you will present to record executives. Another increasingly
common way to get a deal is to start as an independent artist and build your own career from the
ground up.
If you can manage to sell a few records on your own, this will prove to record labels that there is a
demand. From then on, they might offer to sign you or enter into a partnership with your imprint.
This would give you more creative freedom and a larger chunk of the profits, so consider the option.
Learn How to Write, Record, and Produce
Whether you decide to start a career as an independent artist or go the traditional route, you will
have to release some music before you can start looking for a deal or an agent. But creating
professional-grade tracks demands a lot of money, especially if all you do is vocals.
This is why we suggest that you learn how to write your music, produce your tracks, and record
yourself. This might seem intimidating, but you can easily learn just some of these skills. You could
always learn how to record and mix only and buy tracks from an unknown producer. Or you could
learn how to write and produce and work with a sound engineer.
If you’d like to give production and sound engineering a try, you will need to pick up what is called a
DAW, or a digital audio workstation. You will also need to add plugins for your DAW. One of the first
we suggest you pick out is Auto-Tune Unlimited as it will really beef up your vocals and make them
seem professional. You can check out this site to Get Auto-Tune Unlimited FREE. You will also need
to pick up some instruments, compressors, and equalizer plugins to have a nice initial setup.
From then on, you can start learning the basics on YouTube or look for something more serious on a
site like Masterclass. If you feel like you have the talent, then you could check out institutes like Icon
Collective and learn the ins and outs and music mixing and production.
Get Closer to the Action
The closer you are to label headquarters, the greater the chance you’ll cross the paths of executives.
And if you do get called by a company, going back and forth for meetings will be less strenuous. So, if
you are from a small town or any place that is not known for music, some of the destinations you
should consider include LA, Miami, Memphis, New York, and Atlanta.
These are all things that you should do if you want to increase your chance of making it big as a
recording artist. But, before you start, make sure that you’re ready for the work that comes with
getting signed as you might be surprised by how much is involved.