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I was asked by some friends to make a list of things one needs to do to make a living from Christian music. Below are my personal opinions on what you need to do to be successful. I want to warn you that this is my opinion and not the only way to succeed. There are always exceptions to the rule. However, these things have worked for me, so I’ll share what I know. I’m not going to sugarcoat anything, so if you’re slightly offended, I apologize in advance. Before I begin, let me dispel a few myths.
Myth #1 If I had a record label to support me, I could work full time
So, so, so wrong. I have a better idea, burn out all your credit cards, take out a huge loan, borrow money from your family and make a living while you build your music career. What? No buyers? Why not? That’s exactly what you do with the label. You live off money that doesn’t belong to you. When you hit the road to support your new CD, guess where the proceeds go? It’s about paying back the money they gave you to live on. I’ll say this for once, STOP CHASING A DEAL! I’ve done it for years. When I finally quit and focused on making my music my business, the record deal found me. What would be offered to you as a no-name/no-momentum band is crap anyway. Go out and sell 10,000 copies of your self-produced demo and then we can talk about record deals and if they make sense. Until then, shut up and play.
Myth #2 I can just play churches/christian events and survive
How can I say that? Christians are cheap! Most of the time, Christians will not give you the financial support you need to survive. This will vary by region, but overall people think service = free. Be careful how you present yourself so as not to be pigeonholed here. You can be both a Christian and a Christian artist. Let the music speak for itself and share what’s close to your heart when you have a chance. If you try to portray yourself as just a Christian artist, you won’t be able to play enough to survive.
The fact is, I can play cover songs in a bar for 3 hours and make more money than accepting an offer of love from 200 people. Shocked? Do not be. It is sad but true. Be open to playing where you are needed, where your message is needed. If the churches cannot support themselves financially, how can they support you? Research tells us that 2% of people who attend church actually tithe (the full 10%). Those aren’t the odds I want to bet my family’s well-being on.
Continue to the top 5 list:
1) Be competent
I once heard Billy Joel say that he’s been successful for so long because he’s competent. Most musicians aren’t as competent as they can be, so they fizzle out quicker. If singing is your thing, take lessons, improve, learn, practice! The same applies to your particular instrument. If you can only play well, OK for full-time is not enough. There are many mediocre musicians giving free gigs that make it difficult for you to make a living. So be better! be much better The back half of this is accepting the truth. If your parents tell you you’re great, get a second opinion. When strangers come up to you after hearing you play and make fun of your music, talk now!
2) Be unique
There are many good performers out there. What will separate you from the crowd? Is it your singing style? your guitar playing? There must be something that defines you, you! Whether loops, a different mood, a certain look or whatever; Let people watch and see what you’re going to do next. A great resource for creating memorable moments are Tom Jackson seminars. I have had Tom’s home course for 4 years and refer to it often. I build my setlists around his formulas. Guess it works! You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just research and study wisely. Find yourself before others find you.
3) Have a great shot
So you’ve practiced hard, prepared a good show and created unforgettable moments, now what? If you do these things well enough, others will want to remember them too. You need a recording of yourself. This is the first true key to full-time. A good recording gets you gigs, a bad recording doesn’t. Should you record in your home studio or go to a larger studio? Good question. My experience is that most of us don’t have the talent to make a good recording at home. Please note that good equipment does not equal a good shot. You can have all the bells and whistles, but if you don’t know how to use them, you’re wasting money.
I used to have great devices at home, but I didn’t know how to use them to their fullest. I sold everything and used the money to record with professionals. The results have been fantastic and allowed me to have a quality product that truly reflects my sound. I used this CD to send to venues and book gigs. There is no doubt that going full time has helped me. A quick word on the recording budget: if you have a $1000 recording budget, make fewer songs with better production. A great 3-song demo is way more valuable than your average 12-song LP. They will sell many more for $5 each if they are of excellent quality. The excellent quality will also draw you attention from the industry. All prayers from radio plays etc. will only take place in good quality!
4) Be a promotional dog
You must take every opportunity to promote yourself. Even the smallest of opportunities can create bigger and better playing opportunities. I started playing everywhere I could, parties, churches, youth groups, restaurants, charity events, business events, bars, prisons, you name it and I was there. Have a nice handout to give to people. Places like Club Flyers can print you thousands of postcards and posters very cheaply. Use these to hand out to everyone at gigs. If there is another band playing in your area that has the same style as you, go to the gig and hand out your material as people leave the venue. What?! Commando style? Yes, a full frontal attack on your potential audience. Don’t be an ass. Use your head, get excited and invite people to your next gig. Go to your local radio station and offer to play at events that may be coming up. Often they have a charity event that they would like entertainment for. You must go look for it. If you can afford it, hire someone like Ariel Hyatt at Ariel Publicity. She’s doing an absolutely incredible job on a three month advertising campaign for about a thousand dollars. In the world of advertising, that’s dirt cheap. She can get press, reviews, radio plays and is a wealth of knowledge to help you promote yourself. Hell, she even got us playing live on Sirius Satellite Radio! One thing is for sure, if you’re waiting for opportunities to flood in, you’re not full-time material. We’re sorry.
5) Think outside the box
This phrase is overused, but it’s true. I’ve done some things that many would never have thought of in order to survive. For example, I played a Holiday Inn at their restaurant/bar once a month. I played more than 40 cover songs over 3 hours. My agreement was that they would pay me in Priority Points. These internal points are fun money for the hotels. Giving them 20-30k points is not for them. However, it’s 2-3 free nights at any Holiday Inn for you. This is very valuable when you are touring on the go. Cost containment is the key to success. For the hotel it is free entertainment. For you it is free accommodation.
A win-win situation for everyone. I’ve also played in many coffeehouses in the US. One of the coffee houses I played was also a roaster, meaning they roast their own beans and make their own brands. I offered to take samples of their coffee to all the houses I play at and drop them off there. If the venue places an order for coffee, the roaster will cover my room and board for the trip. Pretty cute right? Necessity is the mother of invention.
If you really want to perform for a living, all of the above will help. However, if you’re not willing to risk it all, don’t worry. I don’t want to rain on your parade and I understand we all have obligations. But when God has placed a true calling in your life, nothing should stand in your way. It’s too easy to find excuses. I’ve done it for years. And I was unhappy playing part-time and seeing small wins. Every second that I didn’t do what God had put on my heart, I felt disobedient. If you don’t feel the same, the same indescribable pain in your heart, the pain that affects everything in your life, your work, your marriage, your relationships, etc.
Full time is not for you. And you know what, that’s ok. Accept the truth when God calls you to serve part-time. Make the best out of it. You cannot force God’s will. But for those of you who know it’s all or nothing. I salute you and pray that God will give you the courage to heed the call and leave all reason behind. See you on the street!
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