Have you ever wanted to become a recording artist? Have you been writing original songs but not sure what to do with them? Do you have the desire to sing your songs in front of a live audience?
Then becoming a recording artist is the next step. But with that comes some misconception that might prevent you from making that next step.
Below I share 3 myths about becoming a recording artist.
Myth #1: You won’t make any money
One of the biggest concerns you might have is how will I make money from my music. But in the modern day music industry, there are multiple ways to earn a living from being a recording artist.
Live shows
Performing live is one way to make a living as a recording artist. The more songs you have the more you would want to perform those songs for people. These present various opportunities for you to book live shows. This can be people hiring you to sing at their concert or you hosting your own shows.
How you make money from live shows, the promoter book you to perform. You get paid either from a fee upfront or a percentage from ticket sales or drink sales. This can be a lucrative way to build a career once done right.
Selling Music
The most basic way to make money from music is selling the recordings to fans. With downloads on the decline, streaming is the new way to sell music. Once your music is on available on all streaming services fans can listen whenever they want.
This is ideal because instead of one transaction your fans will listen to your songs over and over. The more they listen, the more money you make from your songs.
Teaching music
During your downtime, you can teach somebody how to play an instrument. If you’re a good vocalist you can offer vocal lessons. This will help you refine your skills as well as mentor other people to do what you do.
Music licensing
Licensing your music for movies and adverts are another way to make money from music. This will open up new doors for your songs by exposing it to new audiences. The process involves either working with an agent or through a service. WHat they will do is get the right people to pay you to use your music.
Selling merchandise
Selling T-Shirts, caps, mugs etc gives you more income as a recording artist. Your core fans will want other items you have as a collectable. This can be an upsell to your shows and other events that you perform.
Myth #2: The field is oversaturated and I won’t get noticed
To be successful as a recording artist you need a fanbase. The more fans you have the sky’s the limit. It might sound cliche but if you build your fan base and have a direct way to contact them then you have the power.
Traditional methods of promoting music might not be working like normal. However social media and the internet are making tools available to get the same results.
Some of the things you can do now include growing your youtube subscribers. Build an email list of fans. Build relationships with key bloggers and media personalities. Set up your website to promote your music.
Myth # 3: It’s very expensive to produce music
The cost to produce music has gotten cheaper. This due to the fall in the price of quality recording equipment. With that said you can build a recording studio at your home for cheap.
Having your own studio will save you time to spend time on getting your sound right. Studio time becomes cheaper. Working with a producer becomes easier because you can collaborate over the internet.
You can also find producers to work with over the internet. Even if cost is an issue you can find one to fit your budget. So instead of doing an album you can produce singles and work from there.
Conclusion
There are multiple paths to take to make it as a recording artist. Hope looking over these myths can give you hope that you can take that plunge to become a recording artist.