Amy’s Guide to Becoming A Famous Musician
Have you ever wondered how many of the famous musicians made it? What’s so different about them in particular? You do realize that there are hundreds of thousands of aspiring, talented musicians—-good one’s, that never make it out of waiting at Dennys? And that being said—why did Kanye make it?………because of his talent? Simple questions…….right? Maybe.
1. To become a famous musician for the long haul……you have to truly be talanted. Meaning YOU thinking that YOU’RE talented–isn’t enough. It’s not enough even for your family to tell you that you have talent. Success in this industry demands music training, hours of practice, performance experience, and discipline. You need critiques that are truthful of your progress……..and you need to accept the critisim and take it to heart.
2. To become a famous musician you need to be able to handle large amounts of pressure. I think that there is a misconception that if you sign a record deal…..you get assigned this wonderful staff that will wait on your every need……so that all you have to do now is show up for a concert, play or sing your music, and then dissapear to a resort. Uh…no. Sorry to crush your dreams……meep, meep. The reality is…..every concert counts. Every person you sing for, venue you perform at, and public appearance you make…..if not done well…..has the potential for ruining your career. Every time you perform, it needs to be PERFECT. Everything you do needs to align with perfection. Perfection, perfection, perfection…….all on 2 hours sleep. Think about that.
3. To become a famous musician you need to be business saavy. Starting out……how are you marketing yourself? You do realize right…..that your friend Bobby….who designed your homemade first album cover….probably didn’t do that great of a job. Do you know what looks good…..or do you just think you know? In order to be noticed, you have to have a professional looking presentation. This may take a little bit of money…..but if you are truely serious…..you’ll find a way to make it happen. Get a professional photographer, get a website up, sign up for all the social networking ie. Twitter, Facebook, My Space, and maybe look at Soundclick. Also, get out there frequently and take your presentation to go…..promote yourself, get into local venue’s and be willing to drive as far as you can afford.
4. To become a famous musician….you need to have a one track mind. The process of transitioning into fame is a 24 hour operation. You will not have time for many things—ie. your family. The single mindedness that is required, I believe may be the biggest sacrifice of it all. This requires just about all of YOU….so if you like to take it easy and hang with your family….you might not like being a famous musician.
5. To become a famous musician…..you need to be relateable. There are many musicians that have not been so honest about their upbringng…..ahem. Many of the, “I grew up in a dumpster” stories are just that—-but what the artists are trying to do—they are trying build an emotional connection between themselves and their audience. You need to know who your audience is. I never recommend lying, period. But I do believe that if you understand your audience, you will not only know how to talk to them–but you’ll know what they are interested in and will bridge a connection. The more your audience feels connected to you……the more they will invest in your music.
6. To become a famous musician….you need very good music. Many people think that they are good songwriters…and they’e not and can’t see it….I hate that. You can’t have a great hit without a great tune–or at least an interesting arrangement. Learn what makes for a well written peice. Study the sounds of great song writers. Seek honest feedback from your listeners about your music……watch for reactions……..even though your listener may say they love your song……look for flat facial expressions vs. excited expressions. Get the opinions of many many people. If your song really is a keeper, send it to the Copyright office http://www.copyright.gov/ and get it protected.
There is certainly a whole lot more to this……but I think that these are some great starting points to think about first. The music industry isn’t for everyone—you have to be a little bullheaded, a little crazy nuts, a little intense, a little smart and a big bowl of great talent. If you think that’s you—give it a shot.
