Every musical artist is naturally drawn to the booth. They love the idea of laying down what they’ve made in a high-quality recording that captures the sounds that have been echoing around in their heads for months—or maybe longer.
Once upon a time, getting your album down was The Big Thing—because it was through this recording that all other things became possible. It’s how your music would be picked up by radio stations, played for venue owners, or sold to the masses.
Now, of course, things are very different. Musicians market themselves online, often with content that requires little more than a good cell phone camera.
This begs the question: What role do high-quality recordings play in furthering a music career?
Top of the Funnel Branding
Marketers recognize the idea of a “sales funnel.” The pipeline from which a person goes from being product curious to a customer. The top of the funnel references the consumer’s first exposure to a product or service. That might be a social media advertisement, a billboard, a blog article, etc.
The thing that grabs a person, brings them in and hopefully keeps them there.
Maybe you see where this is going. Your studio-grade recorded songs are a great way to gain the attention of a wider audience.
You still need to put yourself out there in other ways. YouTube videos. Instagram. Maybe even a blog. In all of your mediums, you’ll likely want to share music, but it’s the studio-grade recording that will legitimize you in the eyes—or rather ears—of a discerning listener.
The ultimate goal of most musicians is not only to write songs but to develop a body of work that conveys the theme and their sense of style. Even now in an era where there are many different ways to put your materials out there, a recorded album remains the best way to do that.
Getting Your Album Out There
It would be nice if you could make a great recording and leave it at that. Unfortunately, there is a lot of noise—pun intended—in the world of Internet marketing and product quality is just one of many factors that influence the trajectory of how something will land once it’s put online.
Here’s an overview of what you might want to think about:
- Writing Great Songs. First and foremost that is the job. You want your album to be as good as you can possibly make it which may mean postponing publication as you put your nose to the grindstone. Remember that your studio-grade album represents not just an investment of your time but also of your finances. You want to make sure that the product you are developing justifies the expense. While you are doing that…
- Publish regularly online. You can write blog posts about your working process. Share samples of your works in process on YouTube or Instagram. Not only will this help you generate interest for the eventual album but it may also give you interesting insights into how people are responding to your music.
- Think about monetization. The majority of online content is free, but you should always be thinking about how you can get money out of it. During the developmental stage, work on developing a presence on Patreon. There, you can sell your album and generate recurring revenue.
- Get on stage. Getting on stage is the best way to develop a local following. Live performances help you improve as a musician, and connect with fans in a way that just isn’t possible online. Having relationships with local venue owners will be a great resource when you are ready to promote your eventual album.
Remember that the audience you are building does not need to be huge. To put it back in marketing terms, what you want are “Qualified Leads.” Not just people who will listen, but people who will listen and buy something or contribute monthly to your Patreon Account.
It’s been said that artists need only 1000 reliable supporters to finance their work. An audience that will dependably buy what you’re selling.
That number may feel daunting—certainly, it will take time to achieve—but it is also doable. Keep at it. Build an audience that will show up at your performances, support your album, and make it possible to do the thing that you love.
Conclusion
Even as digital entertainment changes, The Album will remain a pillar component of what musicians do. Songs are great, and a healthy online audience is excellent, but it’s putting all of that together in a recorder that separates the guy with a guitar and a YouTube account from a true recording artist.
At Pop Rehearsal we provide affordable studio rentals. Our clients have access to spacious rooms with industry-leading equipment. Book your recording session today.