Thanks to the digitalization of music, the music industry has changed drastically. And fortunately for independent musicians, it has changed in favor of indie artists. Before the last ten years, the music industry was controlled by record label execs and radio syndicates. Today the options have never been more open for an independent artist.

Thanks to the digital distribution of music and social networking sites, indie artists have the power to control their own careers and to reach audiences they never would have had the power to reach previously. If you are an indie singer/songwriter, here is a brief guide on how to find success in the music industry.

If you are a budding singer/songwriter you've probably reached the point where you have some songs, you are playing a few shows, and getting a positive response. But you may be wondering how you get to that next level? To take it to the next level, you've got to do one thing before anything else: record your songs. Again, thanks to the digitalization of music, recording has never been more accessible or cheaper. Talk to other musicians that have experience and that you look up to. Find out where they recorded their album. Networking is key. Ask around until you have made a pretty good list of potential recording studios.

Listen to the work that has come out of those studios and find a recording studio that is creating music you like. Funding is usually a big issue for a new artist. There are many creative ways to go about it. Finding investors, developing a reward system for fans that donate, pre-sales of the album, or getting a bank loan. Find the method that works best for you.

Once you have an album, you need to get it distributed. Some indie artists get lucky in finding distributors who will pick up their product, but if you are on your own there are plenty of other outlets. Several online sites specialize in carrying music exclusively from indie artists. They can even get your music into the big digital distribution sites. Do some research on indie music distribution sites. Again, networking is key. Talk to other artists. Find out how they get distributed.

The next step is touring. Play as many gigs as you can. Call up venues or offer to open for established local artists. Put in the work to get booked. Also, most bands make a majority of their profits from merchandise. Merchandise includes CD sales, t-shirts, buttons, posters, or any other type of products you come up with. Be creative with your ideas. Fans love to buy merch from bands that they love. The key is hard work. If you put in the effort to follow these steps, you will see results.

26th February 2010

About the Author

Otherside Studios (http://www.recordingnj.com/) is a professional sound recording studio nj that was established in the heart of Central New Jersey by a dedicated team of musicians, studio technicians/owners, and sound engineering professionals. Art Gib is a freelance writer.