10 Books Every Musician Should Read to Stimulate a Creative Mind

There are many ways a musician can sharpen their skills and get inspired, and reading books can stimulate a creative mind, and lead to creative breakthroughs.

Here are some amazing books (in no particular order), that a musician must/should read in their lifetime.

Musicians & bands pursuing a successful career in music typically don’t make it because they simply chase the wrong things. Here are the most common reasons for their failure:

– They believe success can be found by trying to get their music & name to as many music fans and music industry people as possible. This approach is called, ‘Spray & Pray’. Failure Rate: 99%

– They don’t have a real strategy for building a successful music career… In fact, they typically don’t really know the difference between ‘doing stuff’, ‘tactics’ and ‘strategy’. The steps they do take are not part of a well thought-out & proven strategy. Instead, they are disconnected ‘tactics’ (actions) that lead to disappointing results. Failure Rate: 99%

– They don’t have a success mindset. The very first requirement for success is the one thing that people who fail love to skip: a success mindset. Not having it is the biggest killer of success in the music business. With the wrong mindset, a truly successful long-term music career is impossible. Failure Rate: 100%

– They believe they can develop a successful long-lasting music career on their own. Fact is, nobody makes it in the music business ‘on their own’ today – nobody. At every level of the business (especially when trying to get in it), going alone is music career suicide. Failure Rate: 99%

– They focus their efforts on pushing their music & themselves onto music companies (record labels, management, promoters, publishers, etc.) without first finding out exactly what things these companies really want, then become, do or have those things and finally develop a specific strategy to deliver them. Failure Rate: 99%

– They never take real action into building their career in music. They cling to false beliefs that in order to become a successful musician, they might risk everything to make it. Believing in such old myths prevents them from making smart choices to become a true success. Failure Rate: 99%

– They blame their own lack of success, opportunity and income on everyone & everything else. They whine about how nobody else has given them a chance or done the heavy lifting for them. This way of thinking is typically a cover-up for their own mistakes, laziness and procrastination. It then causes them to make poor choices. Failure Rate: 100%

– They drown themselves in the failures of the trial and error approach. The guessing approach or the outdated crap that everyone else says to do (… you know, the people who aren’t actually successful in this industry, but love to give their unsolicited ‘opinions’ and ‘advice’…). These approaches to developing a music career don’t work, suck. In some cases are outright dangerous to you, your music and your music career!

This is what happens when musicians think and act in the ways above.

Two paths await most of these musicians and bands:

1. Years of struggle, frustration and disappointment as they spin their wheels, never really getting anywhere in the music business… or
2. Give up and return to unhappy day jobs they so desperately want to get out of, but can’t. They’re stuck there… forever. Either way the result is sad.

7 Things Every Musician Ought To Know About Music Career Growth, Creating Opportunities And Competitive Advantage!

There are 7 overlooked, underestimated & misunderstood core principles that are absolutely required to build, grow and sustain a successful career in music. Once you apply them, you will have a massive competitive advantage over 99% of all other musicians. You will experience a fundamental paradigm shift from ‘looking for opportunities’ to ‘creating them’.

1. The music industry does NOT look for great music to sell – or even great musicians…. Record companies, managers, promoters and big successful bands look for great ‘people’ who can also create good music. You need to prove to be rock solid in three key areas in order to be at the top of the list. Need to show people and companies in the music industry that any relationship will be a great, the best possible investment for them.

Doing this by adding lots of value and reducing risks to the other side. Most musicians aren’t aware of this and/or don’t even try. You can do both of these once you learn what they are, how they work and how to implement them.

Fact is, you MUST do this, because if you don’t, the music industry will simply find someone else who will. No matter how great you (or they) think your music is. When it comes to your music career, you need to prove that you put your money where your mouth is. That means the music industry wants to see you investing in yourself before asking them to do the same.

2. Contrary to what majority of people falsely believe, opportunity is never ‘given’ to musicians. Opportunity is created by musicians who have the right mindset (more on this below), add value & reduce risks for the other side.

If you want to build and sustain a successful music career, then it is suicidal to depend on & wait for others in the music industry to ‘give you’ opportunity… You must be proactive and create opportunity for yourself and others around you. It’s not as hard as it sounds when you do the things in point 1 above.

3. The most underestimated and often misunderstood element required for building a successful career is having the right mindset. Many people believe they already have the right mindset to become a successful musician… The truth is, most musicians simply do not possess the right mindset at all – and the few who do.

Often lose that correct mindset once things get harder, the stakes are higher or situations become stressful… However, the good news is, virtually anyone can learn, master and sustain the right mindset for all situations with the right training and efforts.

4. You really have zero competition. You probably think the world is filled with competitors. That in order for you to experience your own success in the music industry, you must ‘beat the competition’. The truth is, you don’t really have any competition.

Most musicians will eliminate themselves from music career opportunities because they don’t know about or do the critical things. Once you become truly valuable, low risk and can communicate those facts effectively, the music industry WILL want you, no matter how many other talented people are also trying to achieve the same things you are.

5. The reputable people and companies in the music industry are looking for musicians and bands to invest in for the long term. This is why they invest in ‘people’ and not in ‘music’. Therefore, the music industry wants to be sure you are committed for the long term.

– They won’t be ‘asking’ if you are committed to the long term. They’ll be looking for the proof based on what they can find out about you via their research teams. Yes, they absolutely will search for all kinds of things about you. Your mindset, your commitment, your track record, your strategy, your value and elements of risk.

6. Getting your ‘foot in the door’ is the primary focus of most musicians seeking a career in music. Hence, they think once they are in, they will stay in. This myth is the surest way to get thrown out the same door you just got your foot into.

To become a successful professional musician, you must have a strategy that gets you ‘into the music business’, ‘keeps you in the music business’ and ‘makes both you AND everyone around you thrive in the music business’. Until and unless you have that, the chance of developing a successful music career is basically zero.

7. The biggest secret to success in developing your own career in music is integrating all the pieces together. This means that when you take an action of some kind (for example: promoting your album, getting people to your website, expanding your social media presence, promoting your live shows, seeking deals with labels, managers, promoters, etc.), all of the things that go into doing those things must be integrated with everything else you are doing.

When the pieces are disconnected, they are simply single actions – that is not effective. When they are integrated as part of a real strategy, then your chances to achieve your objectives go through the roof.

Guest post by Keerthy Narayanan

If you wanna learn and get more insights on a musicians progress, check out “The Essentials for Musicians”. It covers all the various stages on how to progress effectively as a musician in the new music industry.

If you are a music beginner going to make music and open to learn more, this place is for you! If you are an advanced musician and you’ve ever found yourself struggling to make a path to a successful music career, this place is also for you.

Hello, we are TheSoundGeek’s – more over we are musicians-producers and label owners, with over 10 years of experience in the music industry. We know the business inside out.

As a collective group of musicians, we wear many hats, and are involved in numerous roles such as: managing artist profiles & brand projects, record labels, distribution, production studios, club-events, pr-marketing or content creation.

“We’re all just walking each other home.”

― Ram Dass

Musicians today live in a golden age of tools and technology. Nowadays a basic smartphone app can give you the functionality of an expensive recording studio. A new tune can be shared with the world and also tutorials for every sound design or music production technique can be found through a Google search. 

All of these awesome developments have served to level the playing field for musicians, therefore making it possible for a bedroom producer to create music at a stage of a major-label artist.

While things happen fast in the new music industry, nowadays it’s just not enough to only make music if you wanna build a successful career. You really have to put some effort and deal with the many stages till breakthrough.

Listing a few main key points, starting with the very early stages and what to know, how to manage and how to progress effectively.

• Theory & Fundamentals
• Music Production
• Studio Essentials
• Record Deals & Labels
• Distribution & Publishing
• Debuting Your Music
• PR Agency
• Booking & Management
• Playing Live
• Marketing & Promotion
• Online Presence

 

Theory & Fundamentals

Music theory beginners are lucky. Above all, learning music theory is a journey that can be lots of fun and very useful. As simple as it sounds, most people don’t do it. They start diving in and then they think “Oh well, I already know this, I’ll just go do something else”. Because of that, they don’t get a solid music theory foundation which is key on this journey.

If you start at the beginning and study the basics, you can get that solid foundation and learn the next steps MUCH faster than the people who didn’t. This gives you an advantage over the other music theory beginners, and gets you out there learning music and getting the gigs, a lot faster.

Music Production

Over the past 10 years, music production has become lot more accessible. Great music is being produced all the time in bedroom, garages and basements by many. Often with little more than a computer and some headphones. Produce a song, post it online, watch it go viral and you’re famous overnight. While it’s not that Easy, it is that Simple.

Three things you should know about being a producer is that it’s difficult, it’s diverse and it’s rewarding.

Master the fundamentals of music production. If you’re looking for an easy hobby, this isn’t it. But if you’re looking for something that will positively impact your life, cause you to think critically and artistically, and give you the joy of creating something–then this for you.

Studio Essentials

Building the perfect home recording studio is a huge project when you start out, isn’t it? It takes months of planning, research and preparation. Well most people think so, but the truth is, getting started is far easier than you might imagine. The perfect home studio has to mean perfect for you, meaning your budget and your needs. Get our free Ebook the Studio Essentials if you wanna dive in for more.

 

Record Deals and Labels

Scoring a major label record deal is at the top of to-do list for most musicians, and for good reason. Having one of the big labels working on your music can be your ticket to the big time. However, indie labels are doing pretty great as well. When you’re trying to decide whether your ideal home is an indie or a major, you need to know and keep the labels benefits and downsides in mind.

Distribution & Publishing

Distribution – is the way that recorded music gets into the hands and ears of consumers. Traditionally, distribution companies sign deals with record labels which give them right to sell that label’s products. 

Professional record labels have deals with distribution companies that send their records to stores, whether physical or digital. With digital becoming the primary format and the huge cost reduction of not having to create physical product, most labels release new records on digital only. They are supplied to digital service providers (DSPs) such as Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify or Beatport.

Music publishing – is about the ownership of songs, is about the rights of songwriters and song owners. And perhaps most importantly, music publishing is about money and the royalties that songs generate. Music publishing can be complex and confusing. Our aim is to simplify the most basic concepts of music publishing.

Debuting Your Music

Embracing this total power shift means not only exerting more control, but also confront with different lifestyles and busier schedules. Under such models, musicians must accept their status as CEO of their own artistic empire, and be wiling to make tougher executive decisions.

The artist-run label movement is growing most rapidly in the indie electronic sphere, where DJs and producers such as Gramatik, Mark Sherry and Ganja White Night are running their own, digital-only labels. DIY business models fit well with electronic music, as DJs and producers historically built their fame on the fringes of the mainstream through file-sharing and other internet trends.

If you wanna learn more, please check “Debuting New Music“, it covers up everything you need to know before starting your music empire.

PR Agency

Promotion – Yes, You need it too. just like you need to give people some way to buy your albums, you need to let them know that they exist in the first place. To do that, you have to promote, promote, promote. Promotion is necessity, but it’s hard work and you need to be prepared for a huge learning curve.

Music publicists and PR (public relation) agencies are responsible for generating press, both online and offline. They do this for record labels, artists, event promoters and venue owners. Their services include pushing releases or an artist to online blogs and offline magazines, interviews, feature placements, reviews and other forms of press. Many big PR agencies also provide radio plugging services.

Booking & Management 

Getting a booking agent is a good goal to aim for. It’s what all the hard work leads to while you’re still making things work on your own. To decision to hire an agent or getting into a booking agency depends on where you are in your music career and what you hope to achieve by working with. 

Having the right music manager on your team is as important as having the right players. The “right” manager doesn’t necessarily have to be someone with tons of experience. Although it’s nice to have someone with connections, a motivated friend who learns the ropes with you can also be a great ally.

Playing Live

One of the best ways to build up a fan base for you is to get out there and play live as often as you can. But often artists find themselves between a rock and a hard place; to get a gig you need and audience, but to get an audience you need a gig.

You can rise above that, however, and get yourself in front of the crowd if you follow the right steps. The “Essentials for Musicians” covers getting one show but you can build on many of those steps to book yourself or band and entire tour. For this, you’ll need to know how to promote and how to do business with promoters and venues.

Marketing & Promotion

Music marketing, also known as music promotion, is the process of raising awareness of your music. By marketing your music, you are getting people to know it exists. Without properly promoting yourself or your music, no one would know you even make music. How many sales or fans do you think you’ll get if people don’t know you make music? That’s right, none! You can record 1000 songs and have the best album in the world, but if you don’t effectively communicate this message to people, it won’t be worth anything. 

Proper marketing can make or break your music career, so make sure you learn how to do so properly. While it used to be the case record labels would do all the marketing for you and you just focus on projecting your talent, this is no longer an option for most new musicians. While you could always hire people to do marketing for you, this can get costly and often isn’t a good idea unless you’re at a good level with your talent.

Online Presence

You’re on Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud, Instagram and a handful of other platforms you barely remember signing up for. Yes, you have an “online presence” – but so does every other artist in the world. That’s okay. Social media is integral to a musician’s success today. But total reliance on social media is ans all-too-common mistake a lot of new musicians make. What these platforms do not provide you with, of course, is a website: an online headquarters for your music, a space that you control for the long haul.

Without your own website, you’re not just losing out on press and promo opportunities, you might actually be losing out on gigs too. A musicians website is the new music press kit. It’s a vital part of your music promo and career. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SoundCloud, YouTube. It’s smart to have them and to keep them updated. But if you don’t have a proper website you’re missing a big opportunity. Most industry experts agree, musicians need a dedicated website and here’s why: 

• makes you look pro
• people want a one-stop destination
• you are at the center of the experience
• you have total control
• social platforms come and go
• you can sell direct-to-fan
• more than stats
• you own the address

 

Wrapping up these basics, there is more in-depth process and following stages for all above and more that you can find in the “Essentials for Musicians” 

It is a 90 page ebook combined with more than could hold, with the right essentials on how to progress effectively as a musician. While we hope you find the eBook inspiring as aims to be as genre-neutral as possible, We hope even more that what inspires you is the music you make.

 

Our words

There is a boundless number of information on the Internet, but we still feel like there is something missing – the process and pattern that not every new musician knows. We wish to infuse you with our resources because we know how hard it is when you feel there is something more to it.

We will release awesome and helpful digital packages and eBook’s with the right resources that helps filling the gaps between the process of starting out as a beginner and becoming a successful musician in the new music industry.