Article by C.J. Lewis

Aspiring artists, welcome to 2020. We’re in a world where 13 year olds have 100,000,000 YouTube views on songs they wrote in their 7th grade study hall. We live in the midst of literally millions of artists in the world at large competing for 15 minutes of fame. Prepare yourself to overshadow the flame outs, outrun the bridge burners, and simply push past the quitters who give up a mile from the finish line with these:

5 Ways To Prepare For Your Next Gig

1. Improve your craft
   

   The old adage ‘there will always be someone better, faster, stronger‘ is still true. Concentrate on being better than you were yesterday, don’t focus on being someone else. Compare yourself to others only for the purpose of laying out a S.M.A.R.T.* path for improvement.  *Specific | Measurable | Actionable | Realistic | Timely

2. Go the extra mile
   

   Network constantly. Create a stage plot and advance to the venues you play. Tip your sound engineers. Do what you say you’ll do. Be the hardest working artist you know.

3. Consistency
   

   Create consistency in your image, attitude, and sound. Find your ‘home’ in these 3 areas and live it. Improve your production by collaborating with a good producer. No money for a producer? Trade your chops as a session musician for production hacks.

4. Trust your intuition
   

   Annie Lennox said it best when she sang ‘Some people want to use you’. This is as true now as it ever was. Surround yourself with people who are interested in your success, and help them in theirs!

5. Invest
   

   Invest in technology that will push your comfort zone. There are more than a handful of digital products with wireless streaming and control. Sync up studio produced backing tracks with a looper pedal and blow people’s minds while controlling your mix from a phone or tablet.

6. BONUS: Believe
   

   Don’t stop believing. Let’s face it, it’s 2020 and you’re trying to make it as a musician. Know everyone. Stand for something. Encourage your fellow artists. Show up at their gigs. Only a very few will ever see the big stage…make sure you’re one of them!

How will you utilize these tools and ideas in your artistry? I’d love to hear from you.

Article by C.J. Lewis