What is the music industry?

The music industry is an industry of people belonging to different fields of music working together as a united team on a particular project. It includes lyricists, writers, music composers, music producers, audio engineers, musicians, etc.

The field of music is huddled with music lovers who find their passion and solace in music. With digitalization and modernization in every area, including music, things have got a tad easier for people dealing in this field. There is no tiring work that takes hours to get the recording done or to compose it for days. Also, many features like auto tune have enhanced the quality of the music, delivering the top-notch music to the audience. New musical instruments are in the market that helps create variety and diversity in music. They are used in various tracks and music compositions.

Besides being a means of recreation and relaxation, you can consider music a career option. Music can help you do well financially if you’re on the right path. You can invest your time and talent to follow your passion for music as well as make a living out of it. Here is what you need to know to pursue a career in the music industry –

What is the music industry?

Music industry deals in the creation and production of music in any language. It can be International, national, regional, etc. This industry has many people working for it. These include the music composers, producers, musicians, lyricists, singers, etc. All of them work together on a particular project assigned to them. These can be done after signing a contract with a production house for some specific number of albums or freelancing.

The profit made during projects varies from person to person and artist to artist. It also depends on the client you are working for. Songwriters and composers play the fundamental role, creating the foundation on which the entire music album stands. Since lyrics and composition are the two raw materials that are a must for a song to become a song, they must be taken care of as a priority. If the song has a video or requires visuals, professional actors or dancers are hired for that work. Their work depends on the kind of music video being shot. There is a particular process followed for the music industry to work, taking all its workers and their work into account.

Here’s how a music is composed – 

Composition

Composition is the initial step of creating music in the music industry. It requires professional composers who have experience in the field. Even if they are fresher, it requires them to have a thorough command of the work assigned. Creating melodies and rhythm is the essential work of a music composer. There can be one or more music composers working on a particular project.

Music arrangement

Music arrangements deal with the correct structuring of the entire album or the song being worked upon. These arrangements need the proper composition and the arrangement of the other related work in a sensible sequence. It also requires the composers to break down the song into verses and choruses for the singers to sing. If the album has any background singers, it also helps them understand their part in a better way. Following the proper flow and momentum of the song, a good music album is created.

Sound designing and production

It requires the people in this field to design proper sounds befitting the song being created. If it goes astray, the entire album might be considered a failure. Since sound design and production play an important role in making a song a hit, people with a good amount of experience in this field are usually hired quickly. It is an intricate process that requires a lot of detailing and can take up to many days or weeks to complete.

The production processes

This step usually involves adding sound effects and adjusting the vocals according to the song’s requirements. Stretching the audio, chopping off the unnecessary parts from the recorded audio and applying automation and modification are the significant steps followed in this production process.

Mixing

Audio mixing deals with the mixing and mashing of the various audio tracks recorded and made to create a single, perfectly blended masterpiece. Proper mixing of the multiple audios is an important step, as overlapping any two wrong audios or tunes can lead to ruining the entire melody. It requires a lot of technical work and is done with the help of various types of equipment. Multiple tools can be used for this purpose; thus, the correct knowledge of where to use what is a must.

Mastering of the album

It is the step that deals with taking an audio mix or album and preparing it for distribution. It is done just after the mixing process is completed and the audio is ready to be listened to by the audience. Compression, stereo enhancement, saturation, etc., are the significant steps in mastering an album. In addition, ensuring the playback optimization frees the album from errors and makes sure it doesn’t have bits and pieces that can hamper the melody.

Who are music industrialists?

People involved in the music production field are called music industrialists. Different people take care of different departments and sectors in this industry, making the work more organized and less laborious for other workers. Taking care of the different fields allotted to them, they use their full potential and talent to make the piece they are working on a huge success. There is always tremendous teamwork behind every music album released in the market, and it is not just the work of a singer, as is assumed by the bulk of people who are unaware of how the music industry works.

Significant roles performed by the music industrialists –

Deciding the budget for the song

Since any project about to be worked upon and released in the market for the audience to cherish requires some funding, deciding the right amount of budget for the album or the song is essential and one of the primary steps in the production of an album. Deciding on the right amount the sale of the album can cover is a rational decision. Spending an unnecessary amount on an album can lead to the loss of the entire music community working on that project. The amount of money invested must be according to the project being worked upon. It must be decided accordingly, or the entire group will have to face a loss, despite the album being a success.

Supervision and guidance by the seniors in the team

The proper guidance and supervision decide the fate of the album. If there pops up any difficulty, the experienced people know how to deal with it in a better and most appropriate way. Also, the song’s composition and production are the skeletal steps that seniors and professionals must take care of.

Deciding the rhythm and giving the appropriate lyrics

After deciding on the rhythm and beats of the song, providing appropriate lyrics to the music and looking at the song’s theme is a vital step. Depending on the language of the song, lyricists are hired. They can write songs according to the guidelines of the team or can bring up their work voluntarily to them for approval.

Hiring professional actors and dancers for the video

If the album has any visuals involved, the music industry employs dancers and actors to do their work. The proper choreography of the dance steps, as well as the proper direction of the actors, is required, done by their crew leads or hired professionals. They play a vital role in making a particular album a success or a failure.

The platform of release

The platform of release also matters in the success of a particular album the music industry works upon. In the current times, the most popular and most feasible platform for the audience is YouTube. Here, one can upload videos to have a better reach. Also, since it is usually available on all smartphones, it helps better popularise the song. Besides that, the industry can also go with various music platforms like Spotify, gaana app, etc. Moreover, they can be downloaded from the Google play store or the apple store for free.

Steps to join the music industry in India –

The music industry is one of India’s most flourishing and popular industries, with thousands of people working for it in their respective fields. There are various steps involved in joining the music industry in India. Since you are willing to join in as a professional, certain steps are vital for you to follow to get yourself there. These steps are –

• Have a thorough study of the music industry and its likely future.

If you are investing your time and money in something, it is your right to decide if that field is worth your attention or not. Studying the history and the recent success graphs can help you better predict the future of the music industry in the times to come. Accordingly, you can ponder over your decision. Also, you must decide on the field you are better at and the one that seems the best for you. For example, if you have good vocals, you can join in as a singer. Similarly, if you play a particular instrument very well, you can join in as a musician.

• Try to have a little experience under professionals to examine this industry closely.

If you need a better understanding of the industry and whether you must join it or not, you can start by working under some professional people. There are occasional active recruitments in various bands and platforms. Here, you can apply by filling in your category and field. Then, by looking at the working procedure and the predicted success or failure, you can conclude whether you must join it for life or not.

• Have a professional degree in the field you want to join.

Having a professional degree in the field you want to join in the music industry gives you the upper hand. You will be given much weightage as compared to the people who do not have a degree. For example, if you are joining in as a music composer, having a professional degree in that field can help you greatly. The same goes for the vocals and writing fields too. If you are looking for a professional degree programs in music visit Vedakara school of Music or Angel’s Music Academy

• Learn the working of the different types of equipment used in the industry.

If you wish to join the music industry, you must learn the working of the various things and types of equipment that you will have to deal with regularly. Having technical knowledge always helps when there is huge competition among people. For this, you can also join some internship. Internships can also be a good option for musicians and vocalists.

Conclusion

Having talent means that you must utilize it. If you have good music skills, you must consider joining the music industry as a composer, lyricist, vocalist, etc. It is a well-doing industry that has a good and bright future in the times to come. Looking at the success statistics, we can say that any field falling under the music industry category has a shining future. You need proper guidance and the required proficiency to join the music industry. Learning about its working and your part in it will make you surpass all others.