Changing your mindset from “scattered” to “organized.”
When I first started creating music, I had no clue what to do, how to do it, and what I was doing.
For you, this could be different, depending on the way that you digest this whole blog.
If you’re not interested in taking the next step in your career, do yourself a big one and pass on this. I wouldn’t want to waste your valuable time just as much as I wouldn’t want to waste any more of my own.
With that said, this is all actionable, encompassing knowledge for you to choose to do more research or not. I am not guaranteeing you a career, though I understand the psychology involved, much like anything else.
Sometimes going back to the basics can bring back that fresh anointing or fresh “honey” you once had at the beginning of something you started some time ago.
Like they say:
“Never forget where you came from.”
With that said, here are a few questions that will help you determine if you should continue reading:
- Are you an artist that believes you’re at a breaking point in your music-making career?
- Are you currently creating all original content with no string attached?
- Or at least holding the correct licensing contracts involved with beats you have either leased or fully purchased?
- Have you put together a couple of projects such as mixtapes or an album? Or maybe a handful of tracks that you would consider a playlist of your music, and perhaps, you’re still not satisfied with the results?
- Have people told you after showing your new song, “I would pay to buy that song from you; where can I find it at?” Maybe all you can say is, “oh, well, on YouTube or Spotify” and blah blah blah.
If this is you, it sounds like you may have reached a pivotal plateau, much like training in the gym.
Why does this happen?
- The muscles exercised are becoming used to the movements performed.
- Plain out boredom.
How do you fix that?
You SHOCK your muscles!
Photo credit: https://tinyurl.com/ydhqxzew
Let’s say, on Monday, you are usually training chest. So you walk in the gym, and your muscles are like people, “Here we go again, Brian, same weight, same movements, AGAIN.”
Then, a month or two later, as you’re looking in the mirror, you think to yourself, “Why am I not growing?”
You have your meal preps cooked on time, kept on track with outstanding discipline, and…
Nothing.
Today, we’re going to point you to 1 of 3 different locations or (training camps) that will help you overcome that plateau and start with a fresh mindset on exactly how to monetize and start seeing some real-time profit or (Muscle growth) IF YOU make great use of what is already available for creatives like you.
A few of these websites may have been around for some time now, but we plan over the next two weeks to dive into the different payouts from perks and resources each site offers that you may not have known before.
You know what they say:
“What’s common to you, may not be common to someone else!”
This week on our list of training camps is:
Photo Credit: https://tinyurl.com/y8yyxpkyI
I know what you’re thinking… Soundcloud? Really? Who uses that site?
Trust me; you don’t want to miss this!
From distribution to monetization to track release scheduling and a steady eye for fanbase growth, their stat and data collection help you better understand who is listening and where people are listening.
Here are a few ideas on what and why:
- What exactly you should focus on when creating that amazing music or even a podcast.
- Learn dynamic knowledge of how the back-end of the business works.
- Be taken more seriously while also being molded into an authority or a “voice” people believe in.
This 3 pt. Series about websites that are impactful names to stand by is to shine a light on their reliability.
With the constant updates sitewide in favor of their creatives and creatives listeners in mind, Soundcloud has helped establish numerous careers.
Through paid membership (YES, if you’re not willing to invest a few duckets a month or annually into yourself, nobody else will.)
Idea:
If you can’t afford to pay for it YET, start a Gofundme page and reach out to those who have mentioned they would pay for your music.
If you trust this person or people, let them know your plans, which is another way to find out who is part of the team and potentially become a lifelong partner.
(Some people will have their objections on this route but do the math for yourself. If you are averaging a certain amount of plays, and you’re monetizing your music, eventually, the “passive income” will pay for itself. Don’t get discouraged right off the bat!)
There are distribution companies specifically focused on only that, distributing. (Not to create division) but…
There are websites like Soundcloud, focusing on in-depth overwatch for creatives like you to harness the capabilities of building your potential kingdoms.
These kinds of websites provide different opportunities that concentrate on different aspects.
That said:
The capability to function, not only like a music artist but to also shift your mindset and THINK more like an indie record label, is very resourceful and what I call “up to par” when learning professionalism, which is why I call these sites “Training Camps.”
Because they hold the potential to prepare you for “THE MAIN EVENT.”
So let’s dissect “Training camp” a little more, shall we?
Let’s say that the Music industry is “The main event.”
Before you can be a part of that main event, there are a few pit-stops you have to make, like:
“Boot Camp.”
At boot camp, what usually happens?
Many get weeded out, and many more go on to graduate, right!
Have you ever had a family member join?
They come back home with tons of stories and experiences they never had before.
Why?
- At boot camp, you’ll learn your place, such as your place (in the music industry.)
- Like, are you an artist that plans to get signed by a major record label?
- Or are you a jack-of-all-trades kind of person and would instead go the indie route facing the world as an independent record label? (Go big or go home, right!)
Thus, holding more control over your music and creative pathway, having all the say so when it boils down to royalties, and much more.
2. You find the direction you want to head towards, aka your (genre.)
What’s the power in finding your genre? Glad you thought about that!
That is yet another tool to narrow down your creative niche. It kind of turns into your “north star” to help guide you through the crazy path you’re already pursuing.
3. You create personal discipline like your (work habits.)
Nobody will support blatant laziness. What they will remember about you is your work ethics, your consistency to deliver when you say you’ll do something and produce, as well as your ambition to get things done.
4. What exactly you want to do, like your “why” people follow you. (This all comes in due time, of course.)
I found my “Why” 7–8 years into chipping away at the bedrock of purpose, yet still chipping away as I go. For you, it could be a split second; for others, a life well spent pursuing.
5. Whether you joined to remain an Artist, A&R, Promoter, Record Company, Talent Scout, or Producer/Engineer (This would be, in boot camp terms; your “rank.”)
Leaving the door open to get further educated or go with the self-taught “instincts” direction. It all depends on how much potential you choose to continue pulling out of you. I mean, who says there is an end to your potential?
(If you ask me?) I believe you get tired of starting over and become content with what you have already accomplished; it is a life well-lived. It all boils down to your inspirational fire.
Last but not least and most importantly:
Through virtuous websites/training camps like Soundcloud, your mindset gets built, your good and bad habits formulate, and your head gets put back onto your shoulders to get out there in the frontlines and start making real-life changes/impacts.
If anyone has created a profitable and SUSTAINABLE CAREER from Soundcloud, it’s this guy:
Photo Credit: https://tinyurl.com/yahl6cf7
Until next week, Pt. 2 of this series will be available, and in 4 weeks, the next artist I have chosen to blog about is the man you see here “Russell James Vitale” otherwise known as “Russ,” who created a successful career through the use of Soundcloud.
I know this will help somebody, and please leave a comment about new topics or anything you would love to dive into together.
Until next time, “Asta la vista, baby!”
-Rick J Reyna
