London, with its rich history of legendary artists and iconic venues, is a melting pot of musical innovation and opportunity. Whether you’re an aspiring musician, a budding producer, or a passionate music lover looking to turn your hobby into a career, this blog is here to help you make your mark.
From the eclectic neighbourhoods of Camden and Shoreditch to the historic stages of the West End, London offers a myriad of platforms for emerging talents. However, breaking into this scene requires more than just talent; it demands a strategic approach, an understanding of the local industry, and a network of supportive connections. Here, you’ll find practical tips, insider advice, and inspiring stories from those who have successfully carved their paths in this bustling metropolis.
Join us as we explore everything from finding the right gigs and networking with industry professionals to honing your craft and staying ahead of trends.
1) Decide what type of musician you want to be
Like the human race, musicians come in all forms! Often, your music can come from your own unique identity. When you are comfortable within yourself regarding this, you and your music are instantly far more marketable – this is important if you want to sell your music to others.
While trying to be “all things to all people” may be tempting, it hinders your identity. Your potential fans will want to be able to relate to you, so don’t be afraid to be personal and wear your identity on your sleeve!
2) Master your craft
There is a very good reason that Access Creative College use this as our slogan – it’s important!
When you watch your favourite musicians, singers and bands on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok etc you are watching the result of years of practice. This stuff doesn’t come easily!
When you graduate to the point where people are paying to watch you play, they are watching the culmination of all that work that you’ve put in previously. We encourage our students to take full advantage of the rehearsal rooms and other practical spaces for this reason – don’t think that you shouldn’t be doing plenty of practice in your own time as well though!
3) Enrol on a course and become qualified
One of the best things to help you stay focused on your goals and improve is to enrol on a course. This provides a framework for you to work on specific areas of development that will aid your development as a musician. As we’ve already said, you are unique! This means that you will have particular problem areas that you may wish to address.
By enrolling on a course at Access Creative College, you get access to a range of qualified tutors who are active within the industry. Don’t be afraid to lean on their years of experience to get the most from your course. Once you have your qualification, you can use that as a springboard to move into Higher Education where you can further specialise in a focused discipline. Don’t forget that our Level 3 courses are the equivalent of three ‘A’-Levels, so they are something to be proud of when you achieve! If you are 19+, we also offer an Access to HE Diploma where you can gain your Level 3 within one year. Our Level 2 courses are ideal if you haven’t got your grades at GCSE and need extra support.
4) Create your brand
Branding is everywhere you look, and music is no different. Take time to consider what your branding is – this may be a colour scheme, a logo, or your image. The idea here is to make yourself instantly recognisable. If you had to pick out a tin of beans on a supermarket shelf, the odds are you would recognise the Heinz ones straight away – your music would be no different! Beyond the physical branding, think about what “your sound” is – Gritty? Polished? Earthy? Bare? If you’re arty, you could even make a mood board to reinforce your initial ideas.
5) Learn how to produce music
It’s an expectation these days that all musicians are technologically literate. There was once a time when guitarists, for example, just played guitar. Those days are gone, and this is a great opportunity for younger musicians to flex their musical muscles using technology. Once you know how to use software packages like Logic (which is taught across our Level 2 and Level 3 music courses) a whole world of creativity opens up!
Imagine how much more creative control you’ll have as a vocal artist if you can communicate effectively with a producer (or better yet, provide them with a basic musical outline of what you are trying to achieve). If you play in a band, you will immediately have a competitive edge if you are also able to offer basic recording services (even if it’s only to your bandmates!)
6) Schedule live performances
We all work better when there’s a deadline to work towards! As a musician, getting out there and playing live is likely to be how you will earn most of your money.
Consider booking a gig as soon as you have enough material; this will really help to focus your mind and energies as you won’t want to let your audience down by being unprepared! Always view your gigs as a marketing opportunity – if you do a good show, those people in the audience will be more likely to tell their friends – this is the best form of marketing!
7) Promote yourself to get noticed by a record label
It’s technically possible for an A&R scout to chance across one of your gigs and sign you up to a major label, but let’s face it, it’s pretty unlikely! Someone once said, “luck is about finding out where the right place and time is, and making sure you’re there”. If you are being lazy with your promotion, there is a strong chance you won’t get noticed. There is nothing wrong with contacting labels directly – the worst that can happen is they either say “no” or just not get back to you.
Once you have secured your identity (see above!) labels will have a clearer idea of what they will need to market you, so the more work you put in the greater your chances of success will be.
Want to learn more about the London music scene?
There is no substitute for going to gigs and meeting people! The music industry is very sociable, and often it’s the connections you make that help you get to where you want to be. Every year at Access Creative College, we see bands form and collaborations between vocal artists and music producers. These friendships and professional relationships often carry on long after the course has finished.
College is a great place to network – go to gigs together, ask your tutors where the best places to play are and get stuck in. London is the music capital of the country, so there really is no excuse!
If you want to become the next musical prodigy in London, join Access Creative College! With a range of industry links, state-of-the-art musical equipment and facilities, and a great teaching team, we can help you start an amazing musical career.
Apply online and get started!
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