Pursuing a career in performing arts demands guidance and a basic road-map to start learning the art in the right direction. However, despite the diverse culture and having one of the biggest film industry in the country, many aspiring entertainers in India find it difficult to get their hands on it. While we cannot take away the required sacrifices, hours of practising and dedication to become the next singing idol, we can help you with the roadmap to succeed in the music industry.
Overnight success comes after years of hard work and grinding. However, doing hard work without smartness is a road with the struggle to no destination. Therefore, we have listed some steps to prepare for your singing career the right way.
7 Steps to Start Your Singing Career
Here are 7 steps that will help you hone your singing skills before you decide to start looking for opportunities in singing:
- Develop The Right Mindset
- Learn To Read Music
- Work With A Set-Up
- Decide Your Genre
- Find A Mentor
- Find Your ‘X-Factor’
- Start Networking
1. Develop The Right Mindset
Pursuing a career as a professional singer is not an easy career option given the competition and affinity for already successful singers in the industry. Planning to become the top performer should also come with planning worth the success. As an aspiring singer, you must understand the hardships and setbacks that you may encounter along the way. Whether you plan to become a playback singer or sing in a group, you should be expecting years of rigorous training before success comes your way.
Developing the right mindset before deciding to start a career in any field is of utmost importance if you wish you succeed. You may compare your singing to overnight talents but even overnight successes have years of struggles down the line which gets unnoticed. The only success mantra to succeed is to master your craft before sailing the ship.
2. Learn To Read Music
Singing has its own language, literally. Learning to sing is the primary need of your career but learning how to read the music is equally important in the long run. Without learning to read the music, you will hit the plateau soon as you will not be able to make your songs sound different from the original.
If you have the ability to read and, in future, write music, you can add your own distinct flavour to the original songs or make it completely new by reading the music instead of hearing it so that you do not end up copying. In layman terms, you should learn to read just as much you should learn to speak for a better understanding of the words.
3. A Basic Set-up
Contrary to the popular belief that having a melodious soulful voice is everything you need, becoming a professional singer demands a lot more. While you must master your vocals before anything, if you plan to sing professionally in a recording studio or in front of a gigantic audience, you cannot ignore the importance of the technical setup.
While working with the professional setup can be learnt at any point in time with little practice, lacking it can cost you the biggest opportunities. Understanding the use of different instruments and equipment can help you enhance the quality of your singing and can also make you sound bad if otherwise. You can always start with the basics before you can get your hands on the industry standards. The tip here is to under the purpose of everything that goes into making a song.
4. Decide Your Genre
Every singer is known for their type of songs or compositions and it is very important to under the right genre apt for your vocal range and ability to put a soul into your work. You should also not feel disheartened if you are unable to match your range to the industry gems as every singer brings varying talents to the stage with their uniqueness.
Deciding your genre is also important to demonstrate your talent to an audience or in an audition as getting stuck in a famous song out of your comfortable range will not work in your favour. Choosing the right song from a famous artist, if you have to, can help you showcase your ability and power more efficiently.
5. Find A Mentor
When it is a conventional or unconventional career option, a mentor can always push your limits to bring the best out of you. When it comes to singing, a professional instructor or voice coach can help you identify your weak as well as strong points. Working on improving the weak points and recognizing the strong points can do wonders, however, they get overlooked the majority of times and hinder the quality of singing.
If you are unable to hire a professional to help you improve your singing, you can always go through the available resources on the internet. You can then ask your family and friends to make a comparison and help you identify the weak spots in your singing. Take as many inputs as possible to pinpoint the exact scope of improvement.
6. Find Your ‘X-Factor’
There is a popular misconception that the most successful singers are born with their ‘X-Factor’ or unique personality. However, the reality is that the majority of top-league singers make something unique with their skills through hard work, consistency and dedication towards their craft. Mastering your craft and continuing to practise and experiment with it brings out the uniqueness which gets noticed as the X-Factor.
Most recording companies and talent recruiters look for uniqueness in the entertainer and strengthening your X-Factor can help you convert opportunities with a better success rate.
7. Start Networking
Once you have decided your career option and started taking steps to achieve your end goals, you must start building a network with other like-minded people in the music industry. Networking with entertainment enthusiasts will not only help you learn new skills or master your craft, but it will also provide you with opportunities.
With the advancements in technology, now you can start networking with the industry from the comfort of your home. You can download EntNetwrk mobile application and create your profile to start connecting with the industry. EntNetwrk is a free networking platform exclusive to the entertainment fraternity and offers an array of opportunities to advance your career.
Final Thoughts
Starting the career of your dreams could never have been more easygoing. However, in order to succeed and reach your optimal state, you must work hard and stay consistent throughout your career. Download the EntNetwrk mobile application to build your own network in the entertainment industry and learn from the industry experts.