People who are passionate about music will always want to become a musician if they are talented in this field.
I’ve been a musician all my life, I want to keep doing this as long as I can and still be the best I can.
There are no definite rules or formulas for becoming a successful musician.
But there are some possible ways to have a good chance to become a musician, and those ways are below.
This means that a person that has the desire and talent in this field would not have a hard time becoming a successful musician.
1) Go to university
Most musicians start from the school of music, and that’s where they have their music training.
Studying a musical instrument is not needed if you have good music theory.
But you still need a passion for music to become a musician.
I’m a musician by heart and work hard to be the best I can.
2) Take improvisation classes
Yes, you can do this! Although this is a common mistake made by many musicians, it is necessary to show you can play the instrument.
I began with a jazz guitar in an improvisation class and I was amazed by how quickly I became an amateur guitar player.
It is still an important part of learning any musical instrument. You will never regret taking this class.
If you take the class for a while, you can learn how to play the instrument at least by sight. This is not enough though.
I did this at college and still to this day I am always studying the guitar to improve my skills.
I can play it in tune with a guitar tuner on the rhythm.
The great thing about the improvisation classes is you get to play in front of a crowd and master that stage fright.
It teaches you to be confident in front of people and get your confidence up to perform in front of a crowd.
Learning to play an instrument is a skill, and it’s an important one.
I would recommend you do it if you don’t have any knowledge of music.
3) Get exposure
Music is a dynamic industry.
People don’t become musicians they are already musicians, they need an opportunity to perform in front of an audience.
That is one of the main reasons you want to get exposure.
This can be as simple as playing in a band at a festival. It’s also an opportunity to get your name out there.
People might be interested to learn more about you, and a few bands and musicians may see you and be willing to give you a chance.
Even if you don’t get signed, you will at least have received exposure from a band that saw you perform.
Once you’re signed, you will have a better chance to get exposure from bands, as the exposure will already be there for them.
Once you’ve become a well-known musician, then you will be in a better position to get exposure.
4) Read
If you want to be a musician, you have to be a musician.
There’s no need to take lessons if you don’t want to.
Take a few books with you when you go to shows, read up on the history of the music you are interested in.
The history of the music you are playing will give you an insight into the world of music.
It will inform you about the people that have influenced the music you are playing.
Your personal library of books will be your education in music. This is the only way to become a good musician, and still have a life outside of it.
5) Join a band
I said in the first point that you should join a band.
My best friend once said to me, “people that join bands are people that want to become famous”. This is true.
I’m not talking about joining a band that is going to make you famous.
I’m talking about joining a band that is working towards their goals and wants to make music their career.
It’s an important step, and I would recommend it.
Not only will you meet a lot of people that can help you improve as a musician, but you can also experience a lot of experiences that can be beneficial to you in the future.
If you join a band, there is an almost instant response of people around you that may want to be your best friend or to have you as their bandmate.
I’ve experienced this many times in my life, and it really made me take the right path with my career.
Making it as a musician isn’t easy. You have to take the necessary steps and take control of your career.
As I’ve said before, music is not a popularity contest. If you’re good enough, people will take notice.
There will be no rainbow buses to get you to where you want to go.
You have to work for it, and the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it.
6. Be prolific (What would Chris Abelen do?)
Successful musicians create a lot of music. We’ve already talked about how musicians need to be committed to music to find success, and a big part of that is actually creating and releasing music.
A great example of a prolific contemporary musician is Chris Abelen, a Dutch trombonist of incredible skill, who has released a large number of albums, including solo projects and collaborations with other top-level jazz musicians.
As Abelen himself told us, “You need to have a unique sound, and creating more music is one of the best ways to discover that sound.”
Trained in both classical music and jazz, Abelen has been wowing audiences and musicians alike for many years.
‘Live at the BIM‘ (2020), ‘A Day at the Office‘ (2016), and ‘Songs on the Eve of Dismissal‘ (2018) stand out as fantastic records that further prove Abelen’s musical skill and versatility.
More to the point, Abelen always has another album (or two) in the works. Currently, that means the final stages of the Bye Bye Bloomingdale project.
On top of it all, he’s a professional engraver as well, bolstering his status as a professional completed dedicated to music.
If you want to be a successful musician, follow Abelen’s example and just keep moving. Keep trying out new ideas and make your mark.
