“Let The Music Be Your Guide”
By the gang at Errorcraft Records
So you’re wandering around your place, looking at all the instruments scattered here and there, checking your band’s sites and thinking to yourself, “This is getting silly, where has all the gigging and driving around hell and back gotten my band? We have really good hooks, great stage presence, solid musicianship, and get lots of inebriated cheers at our shows, but unfortunately we can’t take any of that to the bank. How can our band get itself out of low gear?”
Sound familiar? So what are we all missing about this nebulous music biz? If you’re like the vast majority of us, your band is seemingly invisible outside its loyal circle of local fans and friends. Flip on the radio or late night television and you can hear generally average music getting airtime and nationwide exposure. So what does it take? Talent and songwriting being equal, where have those acts succeeded where all the rest of us have come up just short?
This rock ‘n’ roll dilemma seems almost as old as Nipper the RCA pup. And sure, there have always been the “haves” and the “have-nots” in music, but this has gotten downright ridiculous in the past decade or so. Just flip through the budget bin at your favorite vinyl or CD shop and you’ll see an obnoxious glut of very mediocre, some unbearably awful bands who were blessed with recording contracts by major labels in a time not too long ago. Nowadays, genuinely good bands send out their quality albums like resumes, and they’re lucky to even get a disinterested response. This shift has been explained away by mentioning vague terms such as “the consolidation of music retailers”, “intellectual property pirating”, and “the digital revolution”.
Oh, and of course there’s the current “worldwide recession”, which isn’t quite as vague. Maybe people simply aren’t able to spend $16 these days on the latest must-have album? But wait, people still love music, right? People still actually buy music, right? Records still go platinum every so often, so what’s the deal? One issue may be that of major labels themselves, who have reacted to the changing market by simply becoming totally gun-shy when considering putting pen to paper and signing deserving acts to recording deals. This has gotten to the point where many “majors” won’t even actively seek exciting new artists, but rather wait for the safe bet and sign an already in-demand act. Can’t really blame them, right? Profit margins aren’t what they once were back when those “budget bin” bands where selling just enough records to a market with an insatiable appetite for new music. This appetite never went away, but these days perhaps the masses have a more refined, or at least more selective musical palate.
Whatever the reasons most of us can’t get a sniff from a major label, we in the worldwide amateur music community are taking a second look at the road map of the rocky music biz, just as industry execs have. We are recalibrating our collective design for superstardom, and are seeking new paths en route to that elusive destination of becoming the next big thing, or just making enough loot to get new tires for the van.
In question to begin with is the very notion that being offered a recording contract with a major label will make you rich and famous. For every artist on the Billboard charts, there are many more similarly signed acts barely making a living on the few percent they actually see from music sales. Consider also the import of independent labels, which collectively account for roughly a quarter of music industry sales.[1] The reasons for this are pretty clear; independents tend to have more enthusiasm for uncovering great talent, and generally have their finger on the pulse of the local music scene. Artists under contract with independent labels also enjoy a much larger percentage of music sales, and can actually earn more than what their major label peers earn. In fact, many major label artists have reverted back to independents or have started their own label after weighing the “pros and cons” of having been a major label artist. In either case, while music fans still do buy music, the price they have to pay is a fraction of what it once was given the variety of media there is to choose from. Today, professional musicians generally make most of their money by touring and through merchandise sales, not through music sales.
So that’s our first step…GET OUT THERE AND PLAY. Seems obvious, but too few bands actually do it on a regular basis. Not many artists have made it big from their “Myspace” page alone, so the more you endear yourself to the local music scene the better your chances of getting noticed by somebody in the biz. Playing in front of even small crowds at your local “open mic night” will help develop stage presence and tightens up the act musically. If you can book larger clubs and events, go for it. Confidence may not come immediately, but until it does, fake it. The audience won’t believe in you unless you believe in yourself. This doesn’t mean acting like a jerk, it means bringing your music to life on stage in a way only you can.
Next, think of ways to COOPERATIVELY PROMOTE your band along with others. Understand that you are part of a “small world”, and that these symbiotic relationships are absolutely key for success in the music biz, as in any other. If major labels, booking agents, and venues need a nudge, give it to them by sending them a multiple-band demo CD, organizing shows together, cross-advertising online, and generally keeping an eye out for each other. All by yourself, you’re just another amateur bar band that pressed its own album. Together, you become part of a legitimate pack of quality performers who are ready to rock and break through the music industry’s glass ceiling.
Also, FOCUS ON CREATING HONEST MUSIC, and not what commercial success may or may not come of it. Your peers in the music scene will be drawn toward you and your musical vision and integrity. “Wannabees” come and go, but it’s those who truly have music in their soul who rise to the top together. You may not reach the plateau you’re looking for, but you’ll go absolutely nowhere without the respect of your peers. Put your heart into what you’re doing and surround yourself with those equally passionate about the craft of creating great music. Worrying incessantly about making millions will inevitably prevent it from happening. Let your music flow from your heart and soul, and everything else will begin to fall into place. Simply put, be in it for the music, trust it, and let it be your guide.
Errorcraft Records is a music promoter and independent label based in Murrieta, California. We specialize in the genres of rock, folk, blues, and everything in between. Please visit us at www.errorcraft.com.
