Breaking into the music business has always been an uphill battle. There is just so much competition out there that it takes an amazing amount of effort just to get heard. Even local bands battle for gigs in the few local clubs that have live music so when you are looking for a larger audience, getting your music out there seems to be a monumental task. Whether you are seeking a record deal or simply gigs in larger markets, there are things you can do to get the exposure you need. Let’s look at some of the things you can do to reach that larger audience you are after.
Don’t Pass Any Opportunity By
No matter how small an opportunity seems to be, you never know just who might be out there in the audience just waiting to hear what you have to offer. In fact, some of the biggest names in the music industry were found in strange places you would never have imagined. Whether they were singing in a church choir or a smoky local bar, they never expected to be heard by anyone who could promote them on a global level, yet that is exactly what happened.
Think of Yourself as a Business
While you have heard that social media is one of the fastest ways to gather a huge audience, this may only be the case if your ‘friends’ have a large following themselves. These become brand ambassadors or market influencers for your band, your business. Once you have caught the interest of a blogger, for example, with a following tens of thousands strong, then you will have the ability to reach just that many people at the very same time. It gets even better if your ‘friend’ promotes your music and perhaps even posts a sampling of it on their social pages. If you reach out to businesses and individuals with an enormous number of followers, you will grow your market by that many people literally overnight.
Get in the Studio ASAP
One of the ways in which to get your music out there is to record some of your best tunes. Whether you are ready to release them as singles, Extended Plays or on an album, this is how you will reach the largest audience. Once recorded, it’s a matter of getting heard. However, a warning is in order here. You don’t want to release complete songs you want to sell at a later date. What you can do is release a small segment of a tune much like those trailers you see online prior to a movie being launched in the theaters.
Choosing a Recording Studio
At this point in your career, you are probably wondering where to record your music. You don’t, after all, have a contract with a big label so it is up to you to find a studio. It helps to start with your local area so if you are living anywhere in NYC, for example, you could technically book time in a studio in any of the boroughs, but one studio stands out in Brooklyn, and that’s Pirate. Pirate’s self-serve studio also has locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston. These studios are ideal for booking by the hour for everything from rehearsals to recordings, auditioning band members and even working on stage presence. In this case, if you are looking for Brooklyn’s top-rated studio, this Brooklyn recording studio would give you what you need to lay down tracks to distribute. This is one way to get your music out there, and a very effective way at that!
Connect with Local Radio Stations
Once you have laid down tracks and your songs have been mixed and mastered, it’s time to connect with DJs at your local radio stations. These can be your biggest fans over time and one thing you will learn about DJs is that they are loyal followers. They like nothing better than to say, “You heard this band first right here on…” and they announce their station with pride. If you want to get your name and your music ‘out there,’ then there is no surer way than to get played on local radio stations. Also, you just might notice that sister or affiliate stations also pick up your music to play in their markets as well. Getting local DJs to play your music may take a bit of legwork on your part, but most DJs like nothing better than to be there where it all started. Get the hometown behind you and you are almost there.
Gigs, Gigs and More Gigs
As mentioned above, never pass up an opportunity to go live. Never stop looking for gigs both in your market and other cities as well. Don’t forget to introduce yourself and members of the band periodically throughout the show. This is one way to ensure they don’t forget your name. Although it may seem overly redundant to you, it will not be for those in the audience who are just being introduced to the band and your music for the first time. Even those big names who have an international fan base take time in between songs to introduce members of the band. Learn from them so that there will never be a question of who you are and who that bass player or drummer is. If you don’t tell them, they will never know!
While gigs will help you get plenty of offline experience and opportunities, there is another way that you can become quite popular pretty soon. In the lasty few years, there has been a sudden craze for torrenting platforms that can help you download music easily. For new artists that are looking to become popular releasing your music on platforms like The PirateBay might be a great way to strike a chord with the online community. Once you have a sizable number od downloads, you can remove the same and switch to paid platforms. While this strategy might seem to be too much of a stretch, the fact is, that it works!
If you want your music out there, each of these tips can help get you seen and heard by the people who really matter – and that would be your fan base. Whether you are trying to market a new album or are seeking gigs in bigger and more active markets, it’s all about promotion. Learn from bands who have gone before you and learn some tips from marketing teams. Use every ‘trick’ at your disposal and before you know it, your name will be synonymous with success. Good luck.
