Foundation steps – how to position yourself

Positioning yourself correctly is indeed a crucial factor in determining your success as a producer. While I can provide you with comprehensive steps and insights on how to engage with artists, labels, and companies, without a solid foundation, these efforts may yield limited results. It all begins with building a strong foundation for your character arc. Self-esteem plays a vital role in this process. Believing in yourself, having confidence in your abilities, and fostering a positive mindset are essential ingredients for success. Cultivate a genuine sense of belief that you can achieve your goals and turn your dreams into reality. Nurturing a strong self-belief system will empower you to overcome obstacles and persevere through challenges. Additionally, maintaining an unwavering work ethic is pivotal. Dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to your craft, investing the necessary time, energy, and effort to hone your skills and perfect your artistry. Hard work, discipline, and consistency are the cornerstones of your journey in the music business. By aligning these key components—self-esteem; belief in your capabilities; a sense of fulfillment in pursuing your goals, dreams, and desires; and an unbeatable work ethic—you will fortify your path and increase your chances of achieving success in the business of music.

So, let’s talk about the tangibles and what you need to do after reading this book before diving into taking the action steps in the next section:

• Know the music business: Any music producer looking to place their beats must have an understanding of the music industry’s complicated and competitive environment. Obviously, when you start, you don’t even know what you don’t know, but as long as you are working toward learning everything you can about the business, you will build on this foundation and position yourself correctly. Always keep up with current trends and business developments, and cultivate connections with artists, record labels, and other business leaders anytime you can.
• Make the best music you can: Obviously, this book was written to give you the frameworks on how to use FL Studio to start revamping your technical knowledge of making records so you can make the best beats possible, so read and re-read it! Creating beats that are marketable and appealing to artists and ultimately their fanbase is the first step in getting your beats used by artists. Put an emphasis on top-notch production, memorable melodies, and distinctive sounds that set them apart from the competition.
• Develop relationships: Never underestimate your ability to create relationships in this industry. It’s everything when it comes to having a long-lasting career. I can’t emphasize it enough—building relationships with artists is one of the most crucial steps in getting your beats heard and placed. Build relationships with artists, labels, music supervisors, A&Rs, publishers, lawyers, accountants, business managers… anyone who is in the business. Never underestimate the power of having a really good lawyer working with you.
• Build a digital footprint: In 2023, having a solid digital footprint will bring you opportunities you never would have had 20 years ago in this business. It’s so crucial to use online platforms to promote your beats and find new collaborators in addition to developing personal connections with artists. Build your social media and showcase your beats on websites such as BeatStars, SoundCloud, and YouTube. Not only can you start to monetize your music but you’re also building exposure points on each site—you just never know who is watching.
• Create an identity and brand: Building on your digital footprint, which is the essence and extension of your brand, in today’s music industry, producers stand out just like artists—and some have even taken on the route to DJ and tour just like artists. There are a lot of ways to expand your career once you become a solid hitmaker. Beat tags, logos, graphic design, what you wear, how you speak—all of these things matter. Ultimately, you are selling yourself to the world as a creative, and having a strong brand and allure makes you attract more opportunities.

Now that we have covered the foundation principles of knowing your business, making the best music you can, taking the time to really build relationships, and creating your own brand and digital footprint, we can talk about how to leverage two different approaches to get placements and start building your career.