Turning your Musical Aspirations into a Reality

The great Stevie Wonder wisely wrote:

To me, this statement emphasizes the fact that no matter what instrument you play or what level you it play at, you have the opportunity to inspire others through music.

But if you've ever considered making money as a musician - or know someone who has - you probably know that there is no such thing as "equal opportunity" in the music business. Let’s face it, even if your music is the catalyst of a creative shift that could revolutionize the industry like the ‘The Beatles’ and ‘Nirvana’ did, you're not going anywhere until you get that stuff recorded. Not only that, but you'll need to learn to market yourself and your music in a creative and unique way.

Gone are the days of walking into a recording studio, recording off the floor, hearing your song on the radio three weeks later, and then riding the road to fame and fortune. Mind you, the days of playing seedy bars until you can save up enough money to spend a few months producing a hit album are starting to fade as well.

But change has been good for the music world. With the birth of MP3 and the advancements of digital recording software, the home recording studio has become the musician’s new best friend.

As the principle of recording remains the same, musical diversity truly has very little effect on the home studio. Keep it simple: lay down audio tracks to create a bed and then fill the tracks with your genius.

Well for arguments sake, let’s pretend that you’re in a rock band with stage shows that rival Metallica. The only problem is that you and your crew have the budget of a bar band. The biggest issue faced by most bands in your situation involves their drummer (if this doesn't apply to you, feel free to skip this paragraph). If you haven't done so already, drive down to your local music store and rent yourselves a set of Roland V-Drums. The advantage to using a set of high-caliber electronic drums is that you can manipulate each track much more accurately; no "audio bleed-through" as they say. And while your drummer may complain that electronic drums don't match the raw power of his acoustic set, challenge them to give it a chance - they may even change their mind.

Once you have the drum kit at your disposal, add in a small mixer, some good microphones for your instruments, and a recording program that suits your needs. Now, I’m not one for dishing out free advertising, but I’ve been in your shoes - sometimes a helpful push in the right direction is just what we all need, so here are a few links to get you started with mixing software:

Let’s skip ahead to the completion of your masterpiece(s). How do you move from your basement to the stage?

Recording a demo or EP is simply not enough - you have to advertise your work! Much like the musicians who came before you, it will likely take a stroke of genius and a touch of luck. The internet is flooded with worthy talent searching for that one opportunity to catch the eager ear of a rep from a record label. Your competition is huge, but one of the advantages that you have (and probably aren’t even aware of) is that you have a working knowledge of social media and its applications. Not only that, but you have the tools to market yourself with ease!

Take Postach.io, for example. You've likely created a site for yourself already and outlined your skills, interests, talents, etc. Now fill it with audio samples, upload video footage of your performances, and feature articles written by about you and your band! Spread the word about what you're doing through every platform imaginable. (If you need help developing your Postach.io site for these applications, ask the support team!)

You have the ability to create a digital promotional pack that outshines anything pre-dating the invention of the internet. This is your opportunity to use Postach.io to its full potential and market yourself to your hearts content. Take your life with music to a whole new level!

When a small-time rock band entered a radio contest in Vancouver, British Columbia, they soon found themselves on the top. Like many others around the world, the radio station was accepting promo packs and demos from local artists as part of a yearly promotion. When Nickelback won the contest, their music exploded on the scene as they became the true rock and roll entity they are today.

And then there's the young man from Ontario, who - like may others - decided one day to pick up a guitar and record a few cover tunes on YouTube. Whether through talent or sheer luck, his career was effectively jump-started through these videos. Yes, I'm talking about Justin Bieber. No matter what you think of him and his music, what he managed to accomplish with a home studio and a marketing strategy was nothing short of brilliant.

You can do it too. Just remember to have fun, and above all, never stop making music.