The Advance

Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Entertainment

In the music game these days, it's getting harder and harder for young aspiring artists to get noticed. This week, I will be going in-depth on ways to get noticed in the music world and what to do when you do make it.
One of the first things you must do is find out if this is the career you really want to pursue. Is it something for which you are willing to make sacrifices and a give a great deal of commitment?

The next step is to hone your skills. You can never practice too much. Always come up with different ways to make yourself appealing and unique. When you have found yourself and are ready for other people to get familiar with your material, then you're now ready for the self-promotion phase of your musical career.

When you first start out trying to get noticed, the easiest thing would be to send your music to all the major record labels in music biz, right? Wrong! Most major labels don't even accept unsolicited material. Even if they did, think of the thousands upon thousands of others who have sent their material to the same label. When you are promoting yourself, you should have the proper credentials on your product. For example, if you are a singer, you should have a CD with your vocals on it in a case that displays a picture of yourself and information such as your name, song titles, and contact information.

Image is going to be a huge part of your success. You want to portray yourself in a way that sets you apart from the rest in your genre. Definitely make sure the picture is relevant and not outdated. People want to see you as you are now. One of the things that people in the music business look for is marketability. They will evaluate if your image is something that would sell to the audience to which you are gearing your music.

Another tool for getting noticed is a live show. Live performances will give your audience a chance to connect with you in a different way instead of just listening to you. Only do live shows if you're ready, though. With more people becoming attracted to your music the more attention you will get from people in the music industry such as A&Rs (according to en.wikipedia.com, these
are responsible for scouting and artist development). Your fan base will be your most important element in this industry.

Getting a little buzz in your local community will open doors for you to be on the radio and promote yourself to a broader audience. You could also try to get into the local paper and have them review your music. Networking will also be a very important tool. The more people you know, the more connections you will have. In the music business it isn't always what you know but who you know.

When you do get noticed, the first thing that you must do is get a clear sense of your career goals. Determine what "success" is for you. Prepare yourself to spend countless hours on making the best quality.

Sometimes, making it in the music business will require going on the road to do shows and spend days, weeks, or sometimes months away from your family. Make sure that you have a trustworthy manager to plan things for you and to keep your career on track. It is also advised that you have a lawyer go over all contracts that may be offered to you before you sign anything.

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