Being a part of a community is one of the best things about electronic music. However in recent years as music studios have shrunk from the size of a whole building into a single laptop, the myth of the solo producer has taken hold. The idea that music production is something done in isolation by a singular genius is now the default idea when someone thinks of a “music producer”. This Solo Genius myth might be an appealing marketing angle, but is rarely in line with the truth. At its most fundamental level, music has been and will always be a collaboration – whether between musicians or even just between an artist and a label. This modern way of viewing the music producer has led to the importance of music communities being somewhat overlooked.
But connection to a community continues to be one of the most rewarding aspects of a musical life. Keeping yourself surrounded by like minded people will inspire you to improve your artistic skillset, provide you with like minded peers to bounce ideas off and will have benefits for your mental health.
“I think being around a lot of insanely talented producers and writers has kept me constantly learning. I feel like my skills have improved a ridiculous amount over the past couple of years.”
– Kučka
But how do you find your niche? Where do you start? We’ve put together a few ideas that can inspire you to get out there and get involved:
SHOW UP
The number one way to get involved in your local scene is to show up! As club events begin to happen again, it’s a great time to get out there and show your support for the local scene.
Find events happening, grab a friend and head along.
“I would say the best thing to do to get your foot in the door to anything in the music industry would be to regularly attend the events you want to play at.”
– Deezl
Local promoters will notice who attends their events, local acts will notice who is up the front when they play. Even if you don’t know anyone, the first step is to get along and show your support. All you have to do to get involved is be there.
SHARING IS CARING
Being active in the community doesn’t just happen in real life – you can show your support for the community online. Reposting, liking, commenting and sharing mean a lot to artists. If you have the means, buy the release or some merch. Every little bit counts.
I love it when people message me to tell me they love a song! It means so much to hear about what a tune means to someone else! I put so much effort into my music and just knowing that someone has listened to it and really enjoyed it is amazing!
– Roland Tings
SPREAD THE LOVE
If you’re already involved in a community it’s a worthy reminder to stay open minded and look out for the next generation coming through.
“If you are getting those gigs, open it up, keep extending out your hand to others new to it and keep the cycle going.”
– Setwun
Scenes need new people to breed new ideas and keep things fresh, so be on the lookout for unfamiliar faces and go out of your way to make them feel welcome. If you’re getting gigs, invite new people on the scene to open for you – supporting new artists is an important aspect to strengthening communities.
Being part of a music community can be rewarding and important in so many ways – so whether you’re getting involved online or in person – make the effort seek out and get involved with your music community.
STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Find collaborators, build your team, hear breakthrough feedback from people who can see that one thing your track needs most right now. These are some of the many essential things that you get from your peer network, and what you can do for others.
A huge part of what we do at Liveschool is community-building. Produce Music students are lifetime members of our alumni network: the Producer Portal, the endless stream of collaboration events, listening sessions, exclusive masterclasses, parties, industry events and more – connecting creative people in-person and online long after their classes and skills-training is completed.
Hear the music our community makes
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