Tip Sheet - How to Build a Music Career
Getting to Carnegie Hall requires more than practice, practice, practice, David Cutler insists. He is the coordinator of musical entrepreneurship at Duquesne University and the author of the "The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living and Making a Difference"
The book, in a methodical fashion, goes through 14 chapters dealing with developing a business mindset, creating a product that sells, marketing it, and making performance work.
Some of his hints:
Think like an entrepreneur: Put together a list of primary and secondary musical skills, nonmusical ones and features that are unique. All that will allow the musician to make plans and be around when opportunity strikes. In other words, to control "luck."
Market your music: Don't expect the world to come to you. To promote a concert date, start six months in advance by compiling media lists, calling and /or writing critics, sending recordings to radio stations and distributing fliers and posters.
Be a cyber star: Create a Web site with samples of your music, biographical information and a discography to lure listeners into your sound. Also, become a master at writing e-mail that is sure to catch a potential audience member's eye.
Don't forget the importance of the CD: While digital, downloadable recordings are a huge part of musical life in the 21st century, mad a CD in a recording project. Some music lovers still prefer a tangible object, and concertgoers like to buy a souvenir of their night out.
Use people skills: Be friendly, reliable, dependable, inquiring and thankful with concert planners, audience members and fans.
Be a smart job hunter: When hunting for a job, script a sales pitch, make contact with the promoter, follow through and make sure you have a contract of all that was discussed. Keep in touch before the show, be responsible and professional on the day of the event, and present a product listeners will enjoy.
~Bob Karlovitz, Pittsburgh Tribune - Review
