The internet has made it easier than ever to put your music out there and start a career. It’s even easier to do that if you also know how to write about music.
Being a professional musician requires more than playing your instrument. Writing is one of those things that can help you get gigs and even become a source of income too.
If you want to build your online presence, you need to write about music on your site. Keep reading to learn more about writing music-related topics.
Why Write About Music
As a musician, you know the value of practice. Performers especially, but even teachers, need to keep up a high level of playing. If you can’t play the repertoire you have to play, you won’t be able to get gigs.
And if you can’t demonstrate concepts for students, they won’t want to continue lessons.
All of this is important, but you can’t rely on your playing skills alone. Being able to write about music can help you grow your career and business online.
Reinforce Concepts
One of the biggest reasons to write about music is that it can help you reinforce musical concepts. You can reinforce concepts for yourself or your students.
Some people follow the “see one, do one, teach one” method. This means you watch someone do something. Then, you do that thing. Finally, you teach another person to do the thing.
You’ve probably already watched your teachers play a piece. You may have played that piece. Now, it’s time for you to teach that piece to someone else.
By reinforcing things publicly online, you can also show you know your stuff. That can make potential clients and students trust you more.
Prepare to Speak
If you plan to give lessons or masterclasses in the future, writing about music now can prepare you for that. Clearly explaining music in writing is much more difficult than showing or talking about it.
So if you can write about music and people understand you, odds are you will be an effective teacher or masterclass guest. Speaking is a different skill from writing, but writing can help you figure out how to phrase things.
That way, when you’re ready to teach, you know what to say. Then, you can improve your skills for both your blog and your students.
Add an Income Stream
With the recent public health crisis, many musicians have been put out of work. While some groups have returned to performing, it will be a while before we see the same amount of live performances that we had a year ago.
If you want to make music your career, you need to diversify your income. You don’t need to do everything under the sun, and you can keep most of your work related to music in some way.
Starting a blog won’t make you rich overnight. I’ve had this blog for seven years, and it hasn’t earned much. But being able to write about music can land you some paid writing gigs.
How to Write About Music
Writing about music isn’t easy, even for experienced musicians. You have to know how to write and how to write well. Plus, when you’re writing for a blog or news publication, you aren’t writing an essay.
You still have to consider spelling and grammar, but you don’t need to use excessive citations. So think about these things next time you write about music for your blog.
Consider Your Audience
Think about who you picture reading your blog. Perhaps you want to target local parents so that you can get them to sign their kids up for lessons. Or maybe you want to attract churches and wedding venues.
If you want to be a wedding musician, you should write with that audience in mind. The same is true if you want to teach private lessons or do something completely different.
I’m a music journalist, so my target audience is musicians. Ideally, current or aspiring professional musicians and music brands. So, I think of those people when I brainstorm and write blog posts.
Share What You Know
You don’t have to share everything you know. However, you should share your expertise. It wouldn’t make sense for a flute player to talk about string tension or the best rosin to use.
And it wouldn’t make sense for a violin player to talk about flute fingerings. You don’t have to be an expert in all things music. We all have our strengths, and we should focus on them.
You also don’t have to share every detail. Share enough to show people you’re an expert, but keep enough a secret so that people want to buy from you.
Ask for Help
Writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone, and that’s okay. If you find you have a hard time managing a music blog, you don’t have to. But having a blog can bring a lot of benefits to you and your business.
If you can’t seem to come up with good ideas or you don’t like writing, you can work with a writer. That’s one reason why I started my music journalism services.
I’m here to help musicians build their online presence with written content. If you can’t seem to get your thoughts across, I want to help you. That way, you can reap all of the benefits of having a music blog.
So…
Being able to write about music can open many doors for you and your career. If you don’t have a music blog, I HIGHLY recommend starting one.
Need help with your new or existing blog? Contact me for help!