I Want A Record Deal!
“I have talent and my friends and family say I should be a star. How can I get a record deal?”
This is a great question one with many variables it is not a
“one size, fit’s all” response. The reason is because there isn’t one simple answer. I
believe we need to ask better questions and start with the end in mind.
Let’s outline the steps. (Remember we’re starting with the end in
mind.)
1. I want a record deal. Question to ask
yourself: Which record label? The more specific you are about answering
this question, the less overwhelming it will be to chase this monster.
2. Present project to label exec. Question to ask
yourself: Which exec handles the signing of NEW artists? This position is
known to have a high turnover rate and it’s in the your best
interest to stay up to date on who handles what at the label you are
trying to get signed to. A few ways to do this is to join an industry
related forum, subscribe to the trade journals, follow the labels social
media, and be part of a music publishing house.
3. Create a buzz. How? We know that social media is at the forefront of creating exposure. It’s free and easy. Yeah but everyone is doing it. I’m all for being tapped into the network but the
tried and true best way to create a sense of value is to show face. Let
your potential audience know that you are real and that you don’t just
exist in cyberspace somewhere. Create people connections in addition to virtual ones. I’ll be writing more articles on how to create a buzz
with specifics in the future.
4.Create a budget. There’s nothing more discouraging
than starting something and putting a complete stop to it because you
ran out of capital. Proper planning and budgeting keeps momentum and
spirits high during the process of achieving a record deal. Isaac
Newton, regarded as one of the most influential scientists of all time states “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in
motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon
by an unbalanced force.” Don’t let proper planning and budgeting become an
unbalanced force to stop you from achieving your goals.
5.Record the demo professionally. Why? High quality
recording equipment has become affordable to everyone. The labels expect
to hear a demo that sounds professional and can't be differentiated from a multimillion dollar facility. Your potential fans want to enjoy the
experience of listening to an established major artist as well as your track without a change in quality. What will make your recording
stand out? It’s not the equipment per se, it’s the experience behind the
boards. You want to hire someone that will get the best performance out
of you. There’s a notable difference between what you hear and a trained professional hears.
In summary, record your demo professionally, find out where you’re
going to record it at and how much it will cost. Create a budget for the
recording. Once you have a project that you’re proud of, do the market
research by engaging fans and gathering feedback. Build a strong fan
base while pounding the pavement and getting connected with the A&R
you have researched within the label you desire to be signed too. The
steps sound easy but they take a lot of work. If you fail get up and
continue. I leave you with this quote: “Failing to plan, is planning to fail”
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