The feeling that you get when you realize that your beats are starting to become worthy of being uploaded online is great. All of the time you have spent making tracks is really starting to pay off and you can sense your improvement as you proudly listen to the beats that you have selected to present to the world by posting them on your pages. However, you soon realize that getting to this point has only been the first step. As great as the beats that you posted are, they aren’t getting very many plays and you aren’t garnering an audience, seemingly no matter what you try. It is very easy to get discouraged in this stage and it is one of the most difficult stages in this whole process. However, you should be persistent and keep trying, even if it seems pointless, and in this blog post, I will tell you why.
There are thousands of online producers that upload and try to sell their beats via social media sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, and Instagram, and music production-specific sites like BeatStars that are created specifically for this purpose. This has become a very popular business and many are trying to cash in on it, so many, in fact, that the market is almost oversaturated, in a sense. Because of this, some people believe that it is “too late” to get into it and try to get somewhere.
Although it may be more difficult now than it was back when the competition was limited, it is still very possible. Just because competitors exist doesn’t mean that your beats will be completely overlooked. It happens all the time that an artist finds a beat online with hardly any views from a producer who has hardly any following and buys the beat, jump starting their career. It can and does happen.
Posting beats can be compared to a lottery. Just as more tickets in the box means more chances to win, more beats uploaded and available online means more chances to get found. It may seem discouraging to see your beats drowned out under the many popular producer profiles that regularly get thousands of views, but it is still worth it to continue climbing, even if the climb feels very slow. In the end, everyone who is currently at the top were once at the bottom and had to go through the same experiences and troubles.
Working Together
Having your own identity and works is one of the greatest appeals of becoming a producer. After all, making your own beats is the goal and the fun of it. Working solo has many perks and allows you to have complete control over what you create, how you create it, and what you put out. However, working with others can be an incredible plus. Most great works of music were put together by many different people who all worked to fulfill their part.
Every person has their own strengths and weaknesses, and if multiple people with different strengths come together and channel them into a project, that project will come out much better than if it was worked on by one person. Successfully networking with other producers is a skill on its own and also requires effort, but the whole process of getting better at it is also beneficial. Learning how to network and meet people is something that will help a producer in the future.
All major producers work with others to elevate themselves, each other, and their work. By collaborating with another producer, you can help promote each other and build new connections through each other, which will lead to other connections. Having people to work with that will push you to new heights is essential to success, not just in music, but in almost every aspect of work and life. That being said, get on social media and search for some other producers, offer to support them, and start building connections.
The truth is that nothing is guaranteed in the producer industry. Unlike most jobs, there are no set hours, tasks, or guaranteed payments. You are your own boss and motivator, and your success all relies on your own decision making.
This first hurdle that you will face as a producer, trying to get noticed and getting beat sales and placements, will not be the last. This is a preview of the obstacles that you will face. Once you have a following and are consistently selling beats, you will still need to put in work to stay relevant in the industry and grow as a producer. Even notable producers aren’t guaranteed sales or placements with famous artists.
This first phase can act as training to ready you for future endeavors if you let it. Just like school is meant to prepare you for the “real world” and once you have graduated, your work doesn’t just stop, trying to get your beats to be played and growing your business is only the first part of the journey. The only way to fail is to give up, so don’t give up and keep uploading beats, because this is the path to getting where you want to be.
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