Get a Record Deal in 7 Easy Steps at Audio Realm Studios
People of all ages have dreams of getting a record deal and becoming a star. It’s a difficult dream to achieve but it’s not impossible. With the right work ethic and being in the right place, you can get signed to a record label. Here are the 7 things you need to be doing right now to get a record deal.
Find Your Unique Sound
When making music it’s important to have an inspiration for your sound. Make time to actively listen to music you enjoy every day to find that sound. Expand your horizons. Be on the lookout for new artists, songs, and concepts. “Crate digging” or going through and listening to old records is a great way to find a starting point for the music you want to create. But this doesn’t need to be exclusively listening to vinyl; you can explore and discover decades worth of music on streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.
Practice Makes Perfect
Getting discovered as a musician doesn’t happen overnight. You have to be willing to put in the work to become better and better at your craft. It may be difficult to gain traction early but don’t let that discourage you. You’ll go further by investing time into rehearsing with your band, building breath control, practicing your instruments, etc. As they say, practice makes perfect.
Coming to the Stage
Start performing as often as possible. The more you perform the easier it’ll become, and the more people you’ll have listening to your music. Open mic nights, coffee shops, talent shows, fairs, block parties, take any reasonable opportunity to show the world your skills. You never know what record label representatives might be in the crowd.
Come Up with a Download
Posting your music on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and SoundCloud costs nothing and allows you to build an audience. Using appropriate hashtags and keywords can help people find your music in searches and draw them in. Additionally, it’s important for people that like your music to be able to share it with others. Word of mouth is an important and free way to grow your fanbase.
Start Building Your Brand
Establishing yourself on social media and having an avenue for people to see where to find you and your music online go a long way in helping to build a buzz. Things like flyers, business cards, and stickers are easy to design, inexpensive to print, and are good to have on you at any performance. Handing them out is a good way to help people remember who you are and how to find your music after your show is over. Maintaining a social media presence can also get your music in front of new people.
Meet, Greet, Repeat
Building relationships with fellow musicians as well as with blogs and influencers who write about your type of music is essential. These relationships can help you to book more shows, develop a better sound, and meet more people who have already accomplished what you’re trying to do. Networking will also help you in growing a fanbase and landing a record deal.
Record a Demo
Once you’ve got your sound, your brand, and your network established, you may have an opportunity to give your demo to a record label. A demo is a showcase of the very best of your skills – it’s essentially your resume to a record label. It should be original songs that you’ve already tweaked to perfection, not covers or concepts you’re trying out for the first time. It’s also important that it sound professional. Studios like Audio Realm give you access to experienced professional music producers who will give you the best sounding demo tape possible to showcase your talents. Although you can record a demo yourself on a laptop since it is such an important part of the process of getting a record deal you should want it to be as professional as possible. Once you’ve recorded your demo it’s a matter of persistence and working until you find a record label to call home. Reach out to record labels that match your style. Once you’ve done solid research on potential labels find their emails and addresses. Send them your demo and point them toward your music online. Be sure to follow up and confirm that they’ve gotten your submissions. For more information on recording demos and any other service contact Audio Realm Studios.
Contact Audio Realm Studios today to book your next studio session.