6 QUALITIES that an upcoming artists (musicians) should possess

   

 If you want to become successful in the music industry, there are many things you need to know and do.
But even if you get all that right, you can prevent yourself from reaching big success by making critical mistakes along the way (and there are many potential mistakes one could make, when not being careful).

 The music industry has always been competitive and cutthroat at heart, and these days, income is becoming harder and harder to find. Making a little money playing music on the side isn’t so hard, but in order to turn a passion into a career, you have to want it more than anything else. Though there is a ton of luck involved, many factors can be influenced to put you in a position to launch a musical career.

 However, it’s important not to have unrealistic standards about how things will be once you're able to focus no your “day job. ” Here are six qualities that a successful musician possess.

1.  PATIENTS AND PERSISTENT ATTITUDE

 This might be the most important out of the entire list. A career does not appear overnight, and especially not one in the arts. Even artists such as KISS DANIEL , who seemed to appear in an instant and blow up the charts out of nowhere, had been planning and preparing for that time for years.

 Of course, very one has  the good fortune to be signed and developed by Universal at the age of 13. Whatever your musical craft may be, as long as you are making steps to improve every day, you will eventually be one of the best out there.

 However, it could take years before you're capable of competing against other professional musicians. If you seek out new opportunities persistently, it’s completely possible to find the gig or job that sets you up into a more stable position, especially once more and more of your competition gives up and looks for other work.

NOTE: Instead of becoming preoccupied with trying to get a "big break," the most successful musicians nowadays focus on growing their careers gradually.


        2. HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE

 Some professional musicians got where they are today due to the fact that they struggled harder and were , or just weren’t capable of doing anything else. When you have no Plan B to fall back on, Plan A will have to be what works out for you.

 Though this alone will not guarantee you a successful music career, but it is sure  a good motivator to get started.

NOTE: Successful musicians are confident and adventurous enough to dive into their music careers headfirst.

 
         3. HAVE A CLEAR FOCUS ON SOCIAL MEDIA                                  PLATFORMS

 This is a topic that rarely needs significant discussion, as everyone today is a social media pro.  However, it’s important you separate personal social from business social, even though they may appear to be the same. Make sure your social media platforms are engaging fans and representing your overall brand. You don’t always have to post about your music.

 Make sure you are talking about related topics to the music industry, your favorite artists and things you love as an artist too! Social media is a lot of work and can consume hours per day for most professional musicians. Try using tools that blast all social platforms at the same time or buffer posts throughout the day. Having a great team player for your social media will soon become a top priority for you.


          4. PASSIONATE  TO (AND ENJOY) WORKING ON THEIR  CRAFT EVERY DAY

 No matter which aspect of music or the arts you're in to, it’s essential to practice your craft every day. By doing this, you will continue to improve while others stagnate, eventually being better than most others at what you do.

  In a first-year entrance speech that Derek Sivers (founder of CD Baby) went to Berklee College of Music’s class of 2010, he recalled the old martial arts saying, "When you are not practicing, someone else is. When you meet them, they will win." In order to not only compete, but succeed in this hyper-competitive musical world, it’s absolutely vital to be on top of your game at all times, and be consistently raising the bar for yourself. And in order to make the most out of it, you have got to really enjoy the process of improving and practicing as well.

NOTE: If you don’t want to put in time to practice, you might be better suited as a hobbyist

         5. DON'T MIND LIVING MORDESLY

  Depending on the path you take in the wide world of music, it’s possible that you may never have a stable income. Even if it is stable, it might take years or even decades before it's large enough for you to have certain luxuries. This doesn’t have to be a source of fear or anxiety as long as you know how to live within your means.

 Try to create some kind of stable cash flow in order to cover certain expenses such as gas, food or utilities. Teaching lessons or workshops is a great way to do this, if you feel comfortable educating others. That way, you can take a few things off your mind while doing your budgeting and focus more on making rent. In the end, it comes down to the question of living an easy life versus a fulfilling life.

 NOTE: It's okay to dream big, but if the only reason you want to be a musician is because you think it'll get you a large house with a yacht, you'll quickly get weeded out of this business

  6. CREATIVE AT GENERATING MONEY

 One of the best things you can do when trying to stay afloat with your music is to find multiple streams of income. A great way to do this is by licensing out your music to be used in television shows, ads and movies.

 Even beyond that, taking on the management of a more established artist in your area or teaching private lessons/workshops can provide a “day job” alternative that will still grow you as an artist and a person, while also providing you with some really great networking opportunities.

 Depending on your location or time of year, it may be very difficult to keep multiple income streams flowing your way. That’s where the creativity comes in. If there aren’t any opportunities to showcase your talent, you have to create the opportunities yourself. Activities such as busking, if done consistently and in a good location, can generate a good amount of money over time.

 Another alternative would be to try and find a restaurant that you think would sound great with live music, and go to them with the offer to perform weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly. It all adds up in the end, and sooner or later, a little bit of cash here and there can evolve into something spontaneous and beautiful.

NOTE: Successful musicians don't wait for opportunities to come to them – they seek them out or create them themselves.