This is an article for all Singers looking to make a career out of singing one day.
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How To Be Successful As A Singer
I met a very nice man today, a singer who I’ll call Frank, walking his dog on the beach … and I enjoyed chatting with him.
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We spoke about singing and he told me about how he has a really nice voice and if circumstances were different he felt he could have been a very Successful Singer.
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Actually he didn’t say ‘Successful Singer’. He was using words like…
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‘Making It BIG, Move Over Michael Buble’
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This reminded me of the illusions that most Singers have about the Music Business and making a living doing music.
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Almost EVERY Singer I meet has a very different version of the reality of what is involved in ‘making it’ than what is actually real.
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For those who wish to know the truth about being a singing success … read on…
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THE TRUTH About Singing Success…
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Being a successful Singer is about making yourself and your listeners FEEL the way you and they want to feel. That’s it. I’ve said this many times before and it is still true that …
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‘Success is everything about elevating the listener and adding something to ( transforming ) their life for the better. ‘
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Would you take a moment read the last line again? Take a moment and think about what this means for your listeners.
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Someone can be very ’successful’ in a business and make money yet still not feel fulfilled and happy. Making money doesn’t necessarily mean that they are making a positive difference in their own life or others lives, which is a key to life success, wouldn’t you agree?
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A happy Singer on the beach who makes himself and others light up on the inside is 100% successful as a Singer.
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If this is the truth about singing success. Can anyone become successful as a Singer. Yes, absolutely.
.Should every Singer achieve this kind of singing success?
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Absolutely. Definitely. Yes.
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Success in The Music BUSINESS, on the other hand, is a different thing entirely.
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THE TRUTH About Success In The Music BUSINESS
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Let’s go back to Michael Buble. Michael has a really wonderful voice and talent. Most would agree that he really moves his audience and makes them feel really wonderful. Many also feel they that Michael’s music makes their lives better.
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By our definition of singing success Michael Buble is a great success. Slam dunk.
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There are many Singers every bit as wonderful and talented as a Michael Buble. In fact there are many that are even better. Most of these will not have the same level of Music Business success. Why not?
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Most Singers aren’t aware of the 95% of BUSINESS success that has nothing to do with Singing.
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The Recipe* For Music Business Success ( In Mainstream Media )
30% Years of hard work on the business side
20% Having LOTS of $$ behind you
10% Moving your listeners
10% Quality of songs
5% Singing ability and talent
5% Timing
5% Luck
2% Being coachable and willing to change
2% Other ( look etc. )
1% Sticking with it long enough
*while this formula is likely not at 100% accurate, it can be seen as instructive and enlightening
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Remember, we’re talking now about BUSINESS success ( which is about making money ), not Singing Success ( which is about making your and other’s lives better ).
What do you think? Can anyone achieve Music Business Success?
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If they are willing to put far more into and be better at EVERY ingredient in the recipe above than each of the other 400,000 Singers fighting for the same Music Business Success…then yes, they can have it.
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Yes, it can be done. Someone does win the lottery each year. And there is always someone who works 10 times harder in ALL areas than every other very hard worker.
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But the truth is that you don’t need Big Media Success to feel fulfilled and make a living as a Singer creating music.
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The truth is that you may not even need to make a living doing music, you could make a living doing something else you love AND do great music as well.
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‘If I Could ONLY Get A Record Deal’
… then my career problems would be solved.
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Ask yourself, do you really need a record deal?
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‘.‘The little known truth about record deals …
…is that most (99% ?) of Singers that get signed to a label only get label support ( money ) for the very first album. Even though they could be signed for up to five albums.
If your first album doesn’t sell HUGE numbers the record company won’t put any more money behind you. They’ll focus on the next artist hoping they’ll get luckier next time. Like so many other signed artists, You could be left waiting out a contract for years unable to move on with your music.’
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The truth of the Music Business ( via Mainstream Media ) is that most ( 99.9% ? ) signed Singers who have a contract have a record label who won’t put any more money behind them. And they can’t leave the contract until it expires. This has happened to many, many very well known artists. And it is happening today.
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What about today?
These days record labels won’t even look at you unless you’ve already built up a very large following. And by the time you’ve done that you don’t need them anymore. So do you really need a record deal?
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But you say, ‘I want to have a large audience!’
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So How Can YOU Achieve Music Business Success???
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You still CAN achieve music business success. If you’re interested. And I hope you are.
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But would you first consider redefining your vision of success?
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I’m talking about a different kind of business success. It is not Music Business success as defined by the media, which tries to create very few BIG BIG stars while ignoring everyone else.
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The business success I’m talking about is creating tremendous value, great music and love for an audience you discover yourself.
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YOUR audience is whoever you create a relationship with and who loves you and your music so much they bring their friends too.
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The GREAT NEWS is that there are not limit to the number of artists who create this. As long as you create good enough music and find people who love your music enough then YOU can create music business success.
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EXERCISE:
Are you serious about a career in music? If so, take a minute now and figure this out:
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How many $15 CD’s do you need to sell each year to your fans to make a good living? Then multiple the number by 20 because one out of 20 fans will buy a CD. This is the minimum number of true fans you need to make a living as a Singer.
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What is this number? Can you create this number of true fans over 5 or 10 years? ABSOLUTELY!
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You can create a music business career for yourself if you learn how to do all the right things, are coachable and stick with it. This is NOT Major Media Music Business Success. But it is success for you and for your listeners.
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The whole world won’t know who you are but your fans will because you are making a difference in their world.
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Music Business FACT:
These days most record labels won’t look at you unless you’ve already built up a very large following. And by the time you’ve done that you don’t need them anymore.
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If Frank who I met earlier today is looking to create this kind of music business success ( creating his own audience ) then he is being realistic. If he is talking about Music Business Success ( Big Media Success ) then … well, now you know the numbers behind it.
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And now that you know the realities of success….
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… perhaps you’re willing to be totally realistic and BRAVE and true enough to yourself and your music to learn how to create a workable, enjoyable, WONDERFUL life for yourself creating music..
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You can be a successful hobby Singer who makes people happy. Or you can try to be a Major Media Star. Or you can be successful as a music business person outside major media by creating and taking care of your own audience.
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These are all forms of success and you have choices.
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And whichever way you choose to go, I’m behind you all the way!
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Here’s to YOUR Singing Success!
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keep singing,
Paul Gasztold
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Paul Gasztold is a Top Toronto Singing Teacher and Vocal Coach.
For personal singing lessons & vocal coaching with Paul Gasztold call today:
(647) 989-5610
www.afreesingingvoice.com
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