Playing music is a great way to make money. It’s one of the few industries that allows you to really have fun while you’re “working”. But don’t be blinded by the glitz and glamour. Being a musician, for the most part, can be a lot of hard work if you want to become successful.
Many people believe that talent is the main factor for determining how successful you’re going to become. This is absolutely not the case. While talent is important, it’s not as important as hard work coupled with luck. Luck is fueled by hard work, so the harder you work, the luckier you will get.
Today there are a lot less gigs available in comparison to years ago (the 90’s and 80’s). But to compensate for this, there are a lot more tools now available at your disposal that will allow you to find paying gigs.
Here are some tips that will help you to get more gigs.
- Attitude – It starts with a good attitude. The key ingredient is to love what you do. In a band situation, you should at all times act like a co-worker. Nobody enjoys working with someone who is negative and/or complains all the time. The best bands are the ones where all members get along on a personal level.
- Networking – It all comes down to networking. You have to come in contact with other likeminded musicians if you intend on getting anywhere in the industry. Some great places to begin would be your local music store, Facebook or YouTube.
- Persistence – A lot of the time you will be presented with an opportunity that may seem very glamorous at first. You will find that most of the time, however, nothing will come out of it. People like to “talk big”, often making promises that never hold true. The key is to move on and not let this get you down.
- Business card – The best way to get your contact details in the hands of the right people is via a business card. This should contain at the very least your name, contact number, email address and a description of what you do. You also want to give it out to as many people as possible. Don’t be hesitant because of the cost of printing more.
- Facebook fan page – Creating your own personalized page on Facebook is a great way to promote yourself as a musician. Facebook is one of the largest social networking sites, making it one of the best places to connect with fans and even build a following.
- YouTube channel – This is one of the key elements for getting recognized on a local as well as international level. You should create a YouTube channel and upload a few videos of yourself playing your instrument to the best of your ability. This will streamline the process of anyone interested in hiring you, as they will have a direct reference of how you play and if you’re suitable for their project.
- Ads – There are tons of online and offline classifieds. This is a bit of a touch-and-go scenario due to the wide variety of musicians and music types out there. You should always try to meet up with the right people. If you see an ad that you meet the requirements for, never pass up the opportunity to give them a call and organize a jam.
- Website – A website helps for certain things such as branding and promoting yourself. You will notice that almost all established musicians have a personal website which allows them to publish content specifically pertaining to what they do.
- Jam sessions – Attending local jam sessions can be great for all musicians, from the amateur through to the professional. This normally means that you will be playing without payment; however there can be some invaluable networking opportunities. Not to mention the experience that you will gain.
- Less is more – You should know your limits as a musician. You should never try to “overplay” or try to prove to an individual or live audience that you’re good. A good musician will be noticed regardless of what they’re playing. The approach of “less is more” can go a long way to being truly appreciated as a musician.
- Association – You should make it a habit to be around successful bands and people that do what you want to do. Sometimes people who are more established in the industry can open up doors for you because of connections they may have.
- Stay positive – It’s a tough industry and there could be many avenues that can prove to be very discouraging to your career. You should practise positive self talk at all times. Keep working at it and you’ll be successful.
