I've been thinking a lot recently about how I am making a living from the thing I Love to do the most: Music production.
Since the music industry has taken such a monumental hit from the introduction of the Internet, piracy and the general de-valuation of music as a product, it has become far less viable to pursue a career in it. Where artists and producers were rewarded for their creative individuality and musical prowess, the major labels are now inundated with talentless icons who have a face they can sell, with very little regard for the product that actually matters! This financial uncertainty trickles down to the makers; the composers, engineers and producers.
It really winds me up, as good music is an essential corner stone of life for so many people. Yet those incredible artists & producers that may not have the corporate saleability are shunned and denied the stage they need to reach the people.
So, it is no longer in the hands of the major labels to push the talent that matters. They have to do it themselves to become "The Creative Hustler" that can create and promote the product that is close to their heart whilst earning the living they deserve.
I've been thinking about this a lot, so here are some of the conclusions I have come to.
Play the long game
This is a big one for me, and it applies to every single artist that inspires me. The music industry is flooded by one-hit-wonders who are just trying to make a quick buck. Be the artist that stays true to their roots and maintains their integrity.
You may not make as much money initially as the pop star cheese bag, but your loyal fan base who genuinely love you for your creative output will keep coming back for more. This is very much the case for a highly respect D&B producer named 'Calibre'.
He makes very little or no noise on social media, but his following and loyal fan base is bigger than most in the scene. This is simply down to the quality of his music and his integrity as an artist. His music will continue to serve him financially for a long time.
Sell yourself
Believe in what you have to offer! If you don't then no one will. This is a massive point for me, as I can find it very hard to talk about my creative output and where I want to go with it. Recently, I have begun to realise that good content needs to be backed by a good marketing strategy. In light of this, I stopped beating around the bush and started talking about my music as if I gave a damn! The results were positive and almost instant. By becoming more active on social media, my following grew at a previously unprecedented rate. I also paid £4 to boost a Facebook post, which ended up getting around 480 likes. I had never seen so much traffic on my page! And as a result I got a remix commission and a booking in Porto, Portugal! This was marketing turning in to real monetary income, In real time.
Its easy to forget the world is a big place and no one really knows who we are, so we have to shout, confidently and show them that we exist and have something to offer!
Have multiple streams of income that relate to your niche
I don't just produce music as an artist. I record, mix and master for other bands and artists. I draw work from around the world through sites such as 'Upwork' and 'Peopleperhour'. I DJ at venues around the UK and Europe. I give music technology tuition to undergrad students. All of these income streams make up my monthly income but they all relate to my niche as a musician and producer.
Be prepared to branch out and discover different areas of your field.
Collaborate & Diversify
Collaboration has to be one of the healthiest moves as an entrepreneurial creative. Personally, I have learnt some of my most useful workflow and processing techniques through working with like-minded people. Collaboration can have huge implications for your networking opportunities too. I would have never been picked up and signed by Symmetry Recordings if I hadn't collaborated with the right people. It can be very easy for us to want to close off our creative pursuits and hide them from others in the same field. After all, it's your creation and you are understandably protective of it. Just try opening up and sharing ideas; I really do believe that creativity is infectious and focusing multiple imaginations on one task can achieve some truly spectacular results.
So there are some tips that have really helped to take my passion and create a lifestyle out of it.
Please share your own creative pursuits and how you're developing them in an entrepreneurial way in the comments section.
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Big Love
J