Whenever we come to terms with the fact that we are skilled at something and are super passionate about it, this is the moment we discover that it’s time to turn our talent into a career. When it comes to musicians in particular, it’s important to note that the music industry is highly competitive.
This is why we’ve made a list of the common mistakes that many aspiring musicians make, and how best to avoid them.
YOU DON’T NEED TO PRACTICE ANYMORE
When it comes to being a musician, there is always the risk of getting rusty at what you do. If you’re a singer, for instance, then it’s important to always practice. If you feel that you don’t have time, then you can always think of taking lessons online or getting a private tutor to come to your home. There are blog posts at Musicaroo that go over the importance of training your voice. It’s crucial because regardless of whether you’re a singer or playing an instrument, there are always new things to learn and new genres and trick to delve into, so don’t ever think that you’re ‘done’ and have reached your limit or capacity. This is bound to set you back in your career and stop you from moving forward.
READING MUSIC IS NOT IMPORTANT
This mistake, particularly applies to singers, because they’re not obliged to read music, and so they believe that it doesn’t really matter that much. The fact of the matter is, being able to read music gives you a clear advantage because you can easily take on a last minute change or project, and most importantly, it’s easier for you to come up with new music and have it performed in no time. Learning the language of music, for any kind of musician, should certainly be a top priority to help you stay sharp and able to adapt to any kind of scenario musically.
THE MORE COMMITMENTS YOU MAKE, THE MORE ATTENTION YOU’LL HAVE
Many are under the misconception that the more bands you join and the more gigs you have, the better it will be in catapulting your career. This is something that you actually need to be very careful with because you want to make a name for yourself, and by taking on too much, you can actually allow yourself to be forgettable since you have so much going on. You want to have an effect and you want your music to touch people. So when you start off, you need to have your own sound and a sense of branding in a way, so that people can remember you as well as your music and associate it with one name.
MISSING AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES
One of the most common mistakes that many aspiring musicians tend to make is that they don’t make the most of the opportunities that come their way. It’s important that you either learn about how the market works or get yourself a knowledgeable and trustworthy manager to ensure that you get a chance to have a high profile performance and utilize every aspect of the marketing factor when it comes to your music, your image and your brand.
SINCE EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT, I WILL TOO
Don’t fall into the trap of doing something and selling out just because it’s popular at the time and everyone else is doing it. By doing so, you actually risk getting lost in a crowd of millions who are doing the same thing. What you want to do as a musician is stand out, and be true to yourself. Try to stay original and think of new ways to break into the market, rather than just being valid for 15 minutes of fame and then being forgotten.
If you make it a point to not fall into committing any of these mistakes, you’ll find that you’re already running the right path that will someday lead you to success. Remember to always stay humble and remember that there is always something that you don’t know- and something new for you to discover and learn. Music is such a wide and expressive industry, and because of this, it’s always changing, growing and reaching into the past and into the future as well to make relevant music today. As an aspiring musician, it’s crucial that you keep growing and learning about the genre and the field that you’re delving into in general, and that you surround yourself with the right people so that you can avoid making mistakes and make it big!
