June 4, 2009 Reality Check Ahead: 4 Reasons to Make Music in a Troubled Economy
With all the doom and gloom present in our news today, I try to stay positive and buck the trends here on my blog. It's not so much that I'm oblivious to what is going on around me. I'd just rather find whatever silver lining is left. Author, Frank Tyger says that "Opportunity's favorite disguise is trouble". I feel that to be true in the business of music as well. Yes, the record labels are folding under the onslaught of free downloads, but that doesn't mean, you as the artist should stop making music. Here are 4 reasons to continue being creative, no matter the economic climate.
A Chance to Hone Your Craft - Now is the perfect time to make loads of new music. Good or bad, soft or hard. This may be your only chance to experiment, without the entire world judging you. There are plenty of artists that have been around for 10+ years before they made it into the limelight. Those musicians were able to weather hard times and spells of economic woes like the ones we see today, only to appear later with a full, rich catalog of music. You should do the same. Two artist in that immediately come to mind is Lil John and Wil.i.am. These guys have been making music since some of us were children yet nobody cared. What they did to remain resilient and position themselves for future growth should be studied and duplicated.
Your Membership Has Finally Been Approved - I usually stay away from the cliché that says "the playing field has been leveled". However, I do believe that as the bottom falls out of the industry, it gives access to independent musicians at the same time. You can now create, market, promote, distribute and sell your own music without the help of a major label. Take this rare time in history to capitalize. You are no different than Souljah Boy, Mims and previously, artists like Beck, whose basement beats have gone mainstream. They have all proven that they could penetrate the glass ceiling and rise to the occasion. I'm not saying that it will be easy. I'm just saying that with the right music, proper attitude and fearlessness, anything is possible.
Reverse the Roadmap to Failure - There is a ton of information out there that can show you how not to release a record. Use that to your advantage. The fact that record labels have been acting as banks to musicians since the industry began and has now begun to fail like the ones that approve our mortgages, offers an extensive account of what not to do. It's very easy to see the benefits of keeping your overhead low and your music well produced. For years consumers have complained about the cost of the compact disc, concert tickets and poor quality music. That alone should be inspiration to become better. Follow the roadmap of failure backwards to realize your dream. You don't have to re-invent the wheel, just make sure it's somewhat of a circle and not so damn square.
What the World Needs Now - Nothing makes me feel better than a well written song. During tough times of war and economic downturn comes the need for spiritual and emotional uplift. Not only the type that screams, "I Believe I Can Fly", but also ones that spawned the likes of N.W.A. Think about the 70's when great music was seeping from the American experience of Vietnam and the race riots of The Civil Rights Movement. How about the 80's with all its talk about drugs and guns finding homes in our backyards? Each era has its own voice and we are moments away from Twenty Ten. You can bet that this decade will go down in musical history as a special one. Now is your chance to contribute to what is said and remembered about your own time.
Kevin English is a marketer and student of the arts, who blogs about the skills and strategies necessary to get the most of your musical career at http://eleetmusic.com or on Twitter @eleetmusic.
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That was random. Thanks...I guess :-/