«You can outlive anything if you pick the right song.»
Kurt Cobain
On the one hand, it is quite a simple topic of choosing the style in which your project will work. On the other hand, it is important to understand that there are classical music genres and popular hybrid «HYPE Music» genres that work one or more seasons and decide on this choice.
To start with, let's clarify that there are classical genres in dance music and what is HYPE.
The classic genres include techno, house, drum n bass, Disco, hardcore, trance, dubstep, hip hop, rock, Ebm, and others. These are the main basic styles of music in the generally accepted understanding of the genre, they have been living for decades, has their huge fan base and ideology.
Directions including hybrid subgenres.
In modern music space, DJs like to mix and combine rather strange things, creating something new and unusual, but it is not guaranteed that such genres will live for a long time. For example, a lot of sub-styles emerged from classical House music: tech house, big room house, uk house, bass house, dream house, deep house, and many others. This applies to all other classic styles that I have listed above.
How and why does this work? Often, this is the role of geopolitics – from which country a musician is and what features of sound he adds to a particular genre of music. That's how we get modern hybrid sounds of classic genres. Some of them take root for a long time and such songs are very successful, and some are played for a year and then they are forgotten. The younger the musical genre, the more likely it is to quickly go up, but at the same time, it can be easily forgotten.
You need to choose a specific genre before you start to engage in it. Especially if you want act not only as a DJ but to write your music and publish it on music labels.
If you choose classical techno sound or any other classical style, you guarantee yourself many years of relevance. In this type music it is often more difficult to break through, you will have to spend more time developing yourself as an artist. But if you go through these stages correctly, you will have a guarantee that you can practice this music almost forever, since this genre is well-established.
With trendy HYPE ways, you are more likely to quickly become popular. But the big mistake of those who begin to make such music in pursuit of success is not paying any attention to long-term prospects. Copying music makes you a hostage for being late for the so-called fashion train. Now I will explain what this means: the music that you hear now on the radio and which is popular now, is approved for publication by music labels for 10 months and earlier. Thus, the creation of HYPE music at the peak moment of its popularity gives you at least six months behind the global trends that are planned for next season. Typically, such genres appear in the capitals of dance music in the USA, England, Germany, Holland, etc.
For example, while living in Russia, I always went to various music festivals around the world, where I was looking for something new. Thanks to this, I started to play novelties in Russia first, thereby becoming a trendsetter in my region. Of course, as in the case of everything new, at times misunderstanding and certain difficulties of promotion could arise. But I was the first, and when this music came to Russia for mass distribution, those, who were playing music at fashion parties were popular, and people wanted to hear you playing music for them.
It usually took one or two years for this or that new style of music to reach our region.
Now the situation is changing because the Internet has filled the entire planet and trends are coming very quickly even to small regions. The new generation of youth, having clip thinking, easily change their minds and tastes. This affected the young musicians badly, since now, with such a fast turn of a musical product, it is more difficult for an artist to stay afloat and be popular for a long time.
What if you want to be the best?
Firstly, you need to experiment a lot with sound, try to create and mix something new, forget about prejudices, not be afraid of anything, take risks, collaborate with different styles of music, and different musicians. This is a very difficult task, but perhaps then you will create your trend.
If you choose to do simple copying and want to quickly become popular, listen to music a lot, and I mean completely new music. As soon as you see a new trend that appears abroad, take it. Despite the fact, do you like it personally or not. You forget about your preferences as well as prejudices and trust this trend. Start doing it right away and then maybe you can get on this trendy HYPE train.
Keep it in mind, that fame will fall quickly after a HYPE wave. The game of fashion trends is an endless search and the pursuit of this insanely fast and fast train. I play this game with one of my music projects «Zeskullz». It is not easy, but very interesting. In my city, promoters say about me: if Alex begins to play some strange style of music, then he will certainly be popular in two years. Which always happens.
Now, my city is not enough for me, so I ended up on another part of the globe especially to be at the forefront with those people who create trends, work with them in the studios and create them with them.
If you are ready for creativity and risk, I wish you good luck, strength, patience, and selfconfidence. I am sure that you will succeed.
Working in HYPE styles, you can jump from one genre of music to another and this will not create problems for your fan base. Usually, these people are constantly looking for something new and will only be pleasantly surprised and support you in the experiments.
If you do not want to take risks, but want to be a cool artist in the classical genre of music, remember that you do not need to reinvent the wheel. Work according to the established classical canons that are accepted in this musical genre. And then, step by step you will create your brand that will last more than just a year. To get started, analyze the best successful artists in this genre. Research what tools they are using in writing music and in the promotion. Try to do what already works and has been tested for years. Do it as high quality and as possible, and within the framework of a given style. It is very important to be a True Artist, that is, an artist working in the same genre and not betraying the style.
The classics do not like upstarts and those who are trying to do something radically different. Like a classic men's suit, it should sit properly. Do not change shape, just pick a clear sound that reflects the style and image within the community. Your main task is to achieve the respect and support of this community. Do not expect instant results. Trust can be earned for more than one day and more than one year, as they say in America: «Easy boy, don’t rush!» Do your job, seek respect and support from reputable musicians in this genre of music and you will fall into the circle of the so-called family. When this happens, and it will happen if you have the patience. You can work for decades and create a classical style of music, which every year will only become more valuable for your fans and fans of this genre.
When working with classical music genres, I do not recommend making serious changes to your style, as you may encounter misunderstanding, a wave of negativity, and the loss of a fan base. And most importantly, it can threaten the loss of authority among other artists of the genre. You will be called a traitor – person, who betrayed the genre for benefits and money. Obviously, this is bad for the image and your profile. If you want changes, it’s better to create a new project from scratch and not advertise what you did before. You can’t sit on two chairs at the same time.
Now you know the difference in what you should choose for yourself first – the vector in which you will begin to create your Artist profile.
«Make your work fulfilled with life, not a life fulfilled with work.»
Kurt Cobain
Have you already chosen your style of music? If so, then we move to the next stage – your basic concept.
Why do we need this and how does it work? Today artists are loved not only for cool music but also for their visualization, presentation, idea, and environment – all of this can be named in one word «WORLD» of the artist. An artist who creates his world within the framework of the music genre has a better chance of becoming a part of the culture and be famous for a longer time. Try to remind yourself of the most famous groups and their performers. It was not just music. They had their unique world that attracted millions of fans: the semantic load and lyrics in the tracks, the presentation style of the appearance, shows at performances, and visualization in clips – all of this creates a complete picture and image of the artist. All elements of the artist’s world must be integral and united. This world should have a dense confident core.
Ou will say: «Yes, it’s all clear. But how to do that?»
You should start with the musical style in which you decide to work. You will explore the whole basic concept of this style:
– where did this genre originate and where is it most popular right now
– what institutions and on which venues is the best place to perform your music
– how musicians look like, their lifestyle and hobbies
– what fans are guided by while choosing this style
– how do the fans live, their hobbies and lifestyle
Studying the fan base is the key to preparing your image. When you have a clear idea of who your listener is, that is, your buyer, you will have answers to all the most important questions for work. Explore fans of artists in this genre.
Imagine that you are in ambush hunting your golden antelope. Collect all the elements of the style, like puzzles, and you will get a complete picture of the environment in which this style lives, develops, and stays afloat.
In my last project, I spent a whole year creating a world for an artist. And only after that, I launched: name, image, logo, visualization and of course, music. Everything went like clockwork because I already knew what and why I was doing.
After proper preparation, the creation of the project is much simpler and more understandable. With an understanding of the concept of the musical genre and your fan, you come up with the name of the artist, his image and music that are as close as possible to this spirit. You are purposefully working on visualization for your social networks, concerts, videos, maybe entire films and video games, and unique merchandise that everyone wants.
Over the years, I have met many talented musicians who make great music but do not have their own «world». And this was a good reason why it was more difficult for them to break into Olympus, why music labels did not want to work with them, and why, unfortunately, they were quickly forgotten.
Some professional musicians invest big money in making the agency that creates «worlds» for them. They understand the significance of this part of the musical project.
There are also serious agencies that are looking for talented musicians and create from them superheroes with their own «world». But it is important to realize that if you are not writing your ideology, then it is likely that what you are offered may contradict your inner feelings and life principles.
Many will now say: «I am ready for anything for the sake of success.» Yes, firstly you simply work and do not pay attention to the fact that this is not your image. But over time, the internal discrepancy will grow and begin to slowly destroy you from the inside. When you begin to understand this, while being already a super successful and accomplished artist, the internal conflict can develop into an external one and lead to sad consequences.
There are situations when agents try to copy already successful musicians at your expense, making you a clown. They do not want to understand and feel you, they just make copy-paste of the music, image, and world of the artist who already exists. There is no guarantee that the second such project will also be in demand. And it is unlikely that they will also want to buy it expensively.
The most valuable and expensive is the concept of TRUE. When you stand on the stage, you feel lively emotions that pulsate from you to the public and back. This interaction cannot be specifically created or purchased. It arises when the artist is really in his image and his organic state of mind and body. This artist can even make grave mistakes during the performance, but still will be loved for who he is. He carries his music and his «world», fills the lives of his listeners, and receives from them a powerful return of love and recognition.
Therefore, it makes sense to look for your unique style, to be yourself and create your world. Stay individual and the public will fall in love with you.
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