How Singers Can Use Tech to Advance Their Careers
We’ve all seen those rags to riches movies. You know the ones we mean – some singer is out on their luck and gets ‘discovered’. Before you know it, they are rich, famous, and navigating the ideal set of problems that comes with being a celebrity.
Most of you already know the bad news – this very rarely ever happens anymore. If it was extraordinary enough of an event to be the subject of a film, did you really expect it to happen to you?
Of course not.
It’s well known that singers these days need to, aside from being an incredible singer, ), pack a toolbox of skillsets that we simply never cared to develop. Well, you can add technology experts to the already long list of hats you wear to support your music career!
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As a matter of fact, a working understanding of technology is fundamental to most of the other skill sets that you are already likely using. This article will cover these different skill sets and why you need to understand or at least know how to use the technology that they depend on. Let’s get to it.
Digital Audio Workstations
Also known as DAWs. If you’ve ever gone to a friend’s house to record in their closet – er, booth, then they were most likely using a DAW. Unless you recorded to tape, then THAT is very cool. A DAW is essentially a computer program that serves as a platform to link things like electronic instruments and microphones to the computer.
Using a DAW, you can record and process your vocals. This can be extremely useful for singers who are trying to put themselves out there. Recording studios are expensive, and while DAWs themselves are not cheap, they are a one-time expense that you can use to record and produce your own instrumentals – even albums!
Knowing how to use a DAW could be the difference between being a bedroom singer or being an independent musician.
Social Media
Oh stop, you knew this was coming. Yes, it helps (sometimes massively) to get good at social media. You don’t need to become an influencer; however, you do need somewhere for fans and potential collaborators – even record labels – to find you and check you out.
Learning social media is easier for some than others – maybe you’re already great at it! Either way, understanding the fundamentals like how to send a demo via a private Soundcloud link is going to help people see why they need to take you seriously.
This is going to lead us to our next tech-supported hat that you must wear as often as possible:
Marketing and Promotions
Yes, the dark arts. Seriously, so many singers have this real hesitancy when it comes to marketing. That is usually because they only think of marketing when it is done wrong. The countless times in their life that marketing does its job well – like introduce them to something they want or need, they don’t think of it, so they develop a negative association.
Either way – don’t be afraid to learn digital marketing and utilize the strategies and technologies that support you. Marketing can be the difference between success and failure. Learn digital marketing and social media strategy, and if you do it properly it will reflect your genuine personality or brand – if you’ve managed to get that far. You will never regret it.
Music Business Software
While you should have a working understanding of how technology and the music business interact as a recording artist with a label, as an independent musician it is critical. It’s great to be proficient with using things like digital aggregates, distribution platforms, and performance rights organizations (PROs).
This also applies to audio file organization. How will you share music with other musicians, studios, labels, and managers, if it is just sitting in a mess of Untitled.files? What system you use doesn’t matter, what matters is that you use a system to organize your files – that goes for media too: photos, videos, and other assets.
The Good News
Does this sound like a lot of technology to learn and keep track of? No, you’re not getting old (I mean, maybe you are…) it is simply a lot of things to keep track of. It’s actually mostly a digital representation of work that has traditionally been done by teams of people from labels and studios.
There is emerging education on this technology that will help singers to reach their full potential. Learn to use apps that consolidate all of these tasks into a couple of locations. The good news goes even further; If you do manage to learn how to utilize all of these pieces of tech, they offer you independence and empower you to take control of your singing career.
Technology is, after all, supposed to be a good thing.