Preparing for the worst in a Freelance Music Career
Now that you know how the world of freelance music functions, it is also important to know what pitfalls you must avoid.
Like I said before, it’s not going to be easy. But here are a few pointers that will prove to be helpful.
The 3 Ps: Perseverance, patience and practice
Perseverance, patience and practice are the three most important qualities that are going to get you there. Keep in mind that you are NOT going to be greeted with Music assignments from bands, producers and directors as you start looking for Music gigs.
In fact, your first few years will be the worst ones in your professional career as a freelance Musician. With some luck, you might land a few gigs as a chorus singer. But even those will be rare.
Getting Rejected:
Nobody likes the door to be slammed on the face but in order to succeed as a musician, you must be prepared to accept rejection. That’s not easy. But I guess it helps to be prepared.
There will be people who will downgrade you and demoralize you with words that you would never want to hear in your life. Take it in your stride and move on. You probably would never hear these words again in your life.
Do not think money and jump to decisions:
If you have dollars in your eye even before you begin your quest, chances are high that you may falter somewhere in between. I have seen beginner musicians take up everything and anything that comes their way for money. But this can be damaging in the long run.
Understand the description carefully. Figure out if you are really good at this job. Do NOT attempt something that will later damage your reputation. PROVIDE A SAMPLE piece, Demo song, or a eg of your work.
Remember, your demo is your advertisement. Make it great!
All work, no pay:
Once you start winning music assignments you will soon meet the bad guys in the world of music, the non paying clients. These guys have a knack of convincing most newbie musicians into working without accepting an advance. And once a gig is completed, they disappear. Your phone calls will be unanswered, text messages not replied to. So, demand an advance no matter who your work with.
Do not lift:
The golden rule that applies to all creative arts. Do not copy or lift tunes. The song might be a 150 year old one but a copy is a copy.
Do not stop Promoting:
Unless you get established as a singer, there will be a phase when work will be scarce. Enquiries will be rare, work will be rarer. But consider this to be a boon in disguise and indulge in some self promotion. Go out there and listen to artists from other music styles, learn other skills like Sound recording software, there is lot of info available on net, there is always so much to keep trying and learning new things in music!
Use the internet. Distribute video and audio clips of your work on social media and networking sites like Facebook, Youtube.
I hope that gives you a gist of how things stand in the world of freelance music. Like I said before, its not as bad as it seems.
But this information might prove to be invaluable for you as you make a name for yourself and rise up the ranks!
Author – Amit Diwadkar