Was 10%, now 90%
2007-08-18
It used to be that, as a musician, only 10% of your career was up to you. “Getting discovered” was about all you could do. A few gatekeepers controlled ALL outlets. You had to impress one of these magic few people to be allowed to present your music to the world. (Even then, they assigned you a manager, stylist, producer, band, etc.)
As of the last few years, now 90% of your career is up to you. You have all the tools to make it happen.
Record labels aren't guessing anymore. They're only signing artists that have made a success on their own. As Alan Elliott says, “A record label used to be able to look at a tree and say, 'That would make a great table.' Now all they can do is take a finished table and sell it at Wal-Mart.”
You have to make a great recording, a great show, a great image. You have to come up with a plan and make it happen, too. You have to make thousands of people want your music so much they pay good money for it. You have to make things happen on your own. Even if a record label puts it in the stores for you, it's still up to your own hard work to go make people buy it.
The only thing stopping you from great success is yourself. This is both scary and exciting. At least you're in control.
Agreed.
I consider myself one of the luckiest artists in the world because I've been making a living writing songs and singin' them for people for about the past 17 years. I've always known nearly NOTHING about the record business (which is literally dead) ...but, in a very organic way, over the years I've embraced the new "music" business and created my own path.
I like to say, "Every independent artist and engineer is now sitting in the first covered wagons heading out into a brand new frontier where the possibilities are endless and still mostly unknown." Most of the business models that have been introduced are gonna fall down. But, a few will remain and evolve into something new, exciting and prosperous for those who are not afraid to really live out loud and remain positive.... doing the work for all the right reasons. This new frontier is fraught with challenges to be overcome, but the freedom it offers is staggering.
Now, granted... I'm in a very unique situation in the middle of the greatest city on earth. BUT... the internet has made the world of art sooooo much smaller and accessible to every corner of the globe.
I love being "the guy". But, I also get such a Creative kick out of "being the guy who gets to do it... for the other guys." If a door opens for me, even slightly, I like to stick my foot in it and hold it open to scoot as many fellow artists trough as I can... if I dig what they're doing and are genuine about their art.
I'm really looking forward to the possibility of working with Derek and other artists in any way.
Maybe just like Derek Sivers, I'm an unapologetic "possibility-junkie".
- David Ippolito
For real, in these crazy days of music business, anything is allowed.
Anything that works! It's all about trial and error now. Because people
don't really care how you've made it, or how you're going to make it.
they only care that you've made it, before they allow you to make more.
So sad that is no more about your skills and potentials, it's not about
the originality of your materials. it's all about the tricks you can find, or
maybe even lucky to find.
So sad that music is even more mean than politics these days.
NO FEELINGS!
Accuse La Banks.
Sometimes when a person is working on a new thought or a different feel for a song, they hit a wall and end up with a couple verses, or half a song and the material goes back in the folder to be looked at later. But, does later ever come and does the folder get fat with forgotten words.
One way of getting around that problem is collaboration! When you hit the wall, a fellow collaborator can add some ideas that can get you past the hump and you can also do the same for them. Remember; you have to be in it for the music and not to get paid for every note or word that you write. I know musician's that are like that and they are stuck playing whatever club or bar they can to get by.
Collaboration- working together to acheive a common goal. Remember; 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing! I look back and I think John and Paul were better songwriters when they sat across from each other before they embarked on their solo carreers!
I feel we need to put ouselves into a position that when we help that other person or group to acheive their goals it helps us acheive our goals and dreams!
yeh! that all rings true. there are a lot of branches on this tree, and a an equal amount of routes to reach the goal a musician has.
I also consider myself one of the luckiest artists now days as I'm doing what I love to and in the way I love to! I stand for what I do and no one can tell me how to do it! I broke the rules that I was taught at the university and from the music business and it worked. It wasn't easy though but it worked the way I wanted it. Actually it's so simple in theory, I did what I felt was right not what everyone told me was right! Music wise it's a process that never ends and it's lovely, we improve all the time and find new ways of expressing ourselves through, but the Internets helped us take over the control and reach our listeners and people we wished to work with. CD-baby is a good example. Before I contacted them I knew whom I was dealing with and they took over a huge responsibility that I didn't have time for.
An important aspect was when we in the band recognized that who should do what since some were more into the business and promotion than others and when we made our mind about it, everyone spoke out and we reorganized, things started to happen and in no time we had sold out concerts where we never thought people knew about us!
The collaboration you mentioned to achieve the common goal is very important, both within the band but even us with others. There are other bands that has the same listeners as us, helping them has been helping us as well, it has already been proven to me!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
Best,
Sufi
10%now 90% how true!!! you do all the leg work and yes i rec. music promote it and play it you have to become a (jack of all trads) in the music biz. now your in control but you do have to find you own way and yes a heck of alot of luck!!!!!!!! we are still trying !!!!but also we just do it for the music for (10 years now)...... I find that out of all the web sites out there myspace is the best!!! we have 35 web. sites but we maily use myspace (also it's made us the most $$)
Zac
of
Lithium id
The objective is to play great music to as many people as possible. Whats your plan? Nothing ever just happens. Make a plan...... how will you ever feel any achievement or success. You need a one year, three year and a five year plan. What are your goals? How can you achieve anything without. How can you buy a loaf of bread if you don't know where the store is, have transportation to get there and money to buy. Have a plan. Something beats nothing. You will begin to see success quickly.Be persistent and have tenacity. As you accomplish the goals on your list you will be more motivated and quickly see what is easy to accomplish and what isn't and what you need help with. ITS VERY ENLIGHTENING! You can do this!!!! Try it and see! I dare you!!!
What are you trying to accomplish with your band, your music, your songs? Are you able to go at it full time, or part time? Have you set goals for what you want to acheive; or are you hoping to find a few people to get together and play an occasional weekend? Some people are satisfied with an occasional gig and some people are looking to acheive much more. Where do you stand?
At the end of the year 2000, some friends and I put together a classic rock band; called the band "Retroactive" and agreed what we wanted to play with this band before we played the first note. It came together quickly and we had our first gig within two weeks. The band is still booking and playing to this day! Our set list has changed and some members have changed because we have always raised the bar to become the best we can. A couple of us in the band had written some original songs and we eventually put a few of our songs in the set lists. ( I have been in bands that played nothing but originals and didn't play very often.)
The audience would hear our originals; sing with us on the chorus, and slow dance to our ballards , but at the end of the night would tell us how great we were and be off on their way; hopefully to see us at our next show. We had made some great plans for the band, but were not ready for any success that we would have with our songs. We did not have a cd that they could buy and take home.
I believed in our ability to produce originals that people would want to hear, but the rest of the band members were not so sure. We did not plan for the success that we were acheiving! Remember, everything that I am relating to you has started from the smallest scale and where we take it from here is up to us and the connections and drive that we maintain from this moment on!
Talk to you soon, Jimbo!
I've enjoyed reading the responses that have been submitted, and frankly it brought a smile to my face as I thought back over my years of performing and who I had to rely on and what they got paid to do it. The industry has certainly changed, and a part of that has been directly caused by our world of technology. We're in the new age of connecting with others through the use of our computers. So much that the recording industry has felt the crunch financially and I've met at least two individuals who at one time held key positions with top name recording labels are now unemployed after giving themselves to these labels for many years. A very important factor which hasn't yet been discussed is how to record at home using one or more of the many new computer programs available. All claiming to be the best, all claiming to be user friendly. Which one to choose, and then having to take the time to actually use it and produce the CD? I can tell you, I myself have found it almost impossible to utilize these programs without first having a degree in sound engineering. During my youthful days, I didn't have to concern myself with this end of the business, just concentrate on my music because the studio had personal who had the knowledge necessary to produce a quality recording. So who do we listen to? How do we produce our first CD? CDBaby certainly would be the distribution center and that goes without saying. But, and that word means the difference between success and failure. Production of CD's is not for amateurs and those that think that will be spinning and burning up valuable time. It can be most discouraging to the point of giving up. My suggestion with this regards is to share what computer programs are best suited for what you're attempting to accomplish, set up forums so that discussion and assistance to get past a stumbling block can be easily assessable.
As a cross-genre artist who helps other cross-genre artists, one of the things that has amazed me the most is how imporatant certain details are for certain genres. I find it's not only a decision about the type of fame/money/success that many artists need clearer about so they can take better "aim"- but also in realizing which actions/items are important to take in order for their type or style of music to be successful.
Sometimes it's difficult for people in certain genres to see what someone from a parallel genre is doing that could be helpful for them and how to apply it. If you are a soloist looking for orchestras to perform with it can be difficult to relate to the action of passing out sound samples on the street. And so opportunities are overlooked becuase thy don't seem to apply directly.
It would be great to be able to create a forum where someone or a group of people could help moderate all the different great ideas that come in from so many musicians experiences and help give concrete examples that could address certain problems or concerns that other musicians have that they can't get their head around.
I watched a dvd in the last couple of days that was a seminar titled "Achieving success with your music" that had from 150 to 200 people/musician's in attendance. During this program, the question was asked of attendant's- How many of you have your songs on cdbaby? About half raised their hands. The next question was- How many of you have made $10,000.00 in sales? No hands were raised. The next question was- How many of you have made $5,000.00 in sales? One hand was raised. The following question was- How many of you have have made $1,000.00 in sales? Two hands were raised.
What did the three people do to generate the sells that they acheived? What do they know that the rest of us do not seem to know?
Putting our cd's on cdbaby is only the beginning of our journey.
You have now taken your songs out of the closet ! What is the next step?
Talk to you soon, Jimbo
How funny (or maybe not!). A friend of mine - journalist and writer - said something to me once, that I have not forgotten until this date: "In order to become successful, an artist has to put 90% of his time into management and organization and 10% into creativity."
I did not want to believe it at first, but in the meantime I totally agree! When I quit a regluar office job to become a singer, I thought I´d have more time for myself and more time to practise singing and "get discovered". Boy, was I wrong. Since I quit the office job 10 years ago, I have spend more time in the office than I did before - and I still do not have more time to rehearse. The only difference: Now it is my OWN office and I rehearse on my OWN time. And I don´t regret it. But it is not an easy road!
After reading all the comments about this topic, I've learned a few things, Marketing and promotion is key. having great people skills is very important!
and a great business plan and setting goals, Also, being able to accept rejection, like a great sales person is vitally important to success. Thank you for sharing this information, I'll put it all to use
STan The Man
St louis,Mo
The article at the top really hits the nail on the head! As a former Atlantic Records artist I know exactly how it works.
I'm amazed how many musicians think "shopping" their cd's to the majors will land them a multi-million dollar recording contract. If it doesn't end up in the trash unopened, it may end up on a compilation circulating the office. Atlantic had one called "The Best of the Worst" that they put together every year. We got many hours of laughs listening to that on the road!
They don't need bands or talent... hundred's of people solicit them every day. They have a huge catalog of music and an even bigger back catalog. What they are looking for is money.
Labels are investment companies with a bunch of suits who's only concern is a return on their investments. If your business (your band is a business) isn't showing a sizable profit, they're not interested.
Please help kill the "shopping" myth by nurturing an out-of-town following. Playing locally will greatly stunt your bands growth so pile into a van, drive 10 hours to a podunk bar and become an instant "national touring act"!