Making music is easier than it’s ever been before. Instruments are more widely available and affordable. Resources like Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) and Virtual Studio Technologies (VSTs) have democratized the music making process: as long as you have a computer, you can write, record, and produce songs.
And if that weren’t enough, marketing music has changed dramatically in the last ten years. If you can use social media well, you don’t need to rely on traditional advertising channels.
Musicians used to require a lot of equipment and financial support to find success in making music. Now that there are less barriers to becoming a musician, we’re seeing a lot more musicians enter the increasingly saturated “market.”
With so many musicians trying to carve out a path for themselves, how can musicians who are starting out, realistically find their audience?
1. You Need A Thesis
Most people online talk about the importance of creating high quality “content,” but it’s misleading way of approaching music making.
Yes, you should be focusing on quality, but you shouldn’t be viewing your music as “content” to be consumed. By doing that, you begin to obsess over trends and marketability.
You look to successful “high quality content” for inspiration, but all you do is contribute another generic piece to another passing fad.
To make your work consistent, you should formulate a thesis around which you can base your music and brand. You should have a concrete overarching message you seek to present the world with your work.
This can be a long process, but it’s worth the time spent. Consider your identity and beliefs. Consider how your sound and style fit into particular communities.
Your lyrics, fashion, aesthetics, production choices, video editing style etc. should support your thesis.
LCD Soundsystem, for example, explores cultural cynicism, authenticity, and grief through painfully candid lyrics and a rough, DIY sound and visual style.
MGMT combines indie/alternative bops with psychedelic soundscapes to call attention to our biological vulnerabilities that dictate our decision making process and perception of the world.
2. You Need To Be Authentic
This is advice that’s given all the time, but it’s usually not given well. Authenticity doesn’t mean sharing parts of your life that you’d rather keep private. It doesn’t mean constantly engaging with potential fans to the point of insincerity.
Real authenticity is allowing yourself to come through in your music without self-judgement or alteration. You stop letting expectations and “norms” guide your creative process and behavior.
You no longer act the way you think you need to act in order to appeal to fans. Even if “blending in” gets you some traction, it’ll be exhausting to keep up the facade over the long run, and you risk losing the spark that got you into music in the first place.
By being authentically yourself, you spend less of your time and energy worrying about fitting in. By staying true to your actual interests, you’ll end up enjoying the process more and meeting people you click with effortlessly.
This does come with a risk: you’re exposing your true self to criticism and hate.
It’s easy to downplay mean comments by seeing it as an attack against the genre. It’s even easier to do that when your entire musical identity and style is stereotypical of the genre.
If you’re really putting yourself out there, though, the comments feel personal. They’re not attacking the genre, they’re attacking you.
Getting over this hurdle is difficult, but it has an enormous pay off. You’re able to reach people on a deeper level, and build a fanbase that actually connects with your personality and beliefs, and will stick with you for the long run. Fans who will get your merchandise, rave about you to their friends, and attend you concerts.
You may get a larger number of fans by trying to fit in, but there won’t be much that differentiates you from other musicians they listen to. Afterall, they can just as easily move onto other artists who do the exact same thing you do: try to fit in.
3. Take Risks
For some musicians, making music is automatic while for others, it’s a daunting undertaking. We have different starts, tools, taste, expectations, and crutches.
We end up finding a comfortable pattern that helps us write songs quickly, whether it’s using the same few guitar chords, VSTs, and effects. You end up making a lot more music… but it all sounds kind of the same.
Experimentation might feel uncomfortable, and you might end up with a bunch of failed songs that don’t sound right, but in the long run, it’s worth it. You keep growing as an artist and your musical style becomes distinct and instantly recognizable.
There are many ways to take risks and experiment with your music, whether it’s through using new samples and sounds, learning new chords and seeing where they might fit in, or taking influence from entirely different styles of music.
Drawing works a lot like this as well: style isn’t something you invent because you’ve gotten good at drawing, it’s the result of what you practice and long-term experimentation.
The areas that you experiment in is ultimately up to you, but it is worth thinking about the specific qualities of music that you enjoy. If timbre is important to you, experiment with different instruments or synth settings. If harmony floats your boat, explore some jazz theory.
Differentiating Yourself
At the end of the day, music should be something you enjoy doing. Don’t do it because you want fame, or fortune, there are easier ways to get that stuff.
Make music because you can’t help it. Do it because you love the process and the result. Do it because you appreciate and honor the craft. Set goals for yourself and expand your musical knowledge.
With enough consistency, you’ll pave a way for yourself as a musician.
