Over the last nine years of running my website, How To License Your Music.com, and offering courses on music licensing, I’ve taught over 2,000 students about music licensing. Everyone I work with is
different in terms of their background and knowledge about the industry. But, the question I’ve been asked probably more than any other question, is simply: “How do I get started”?
Artists want to know, first and foremost, how to get started in this industry. How do you break through the seemingly endless barrage of music that’s out there that you’re competing against? It’s a good question because
let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition in the music industry and if you’re uncertain in your approach to the business it can seem incredibly difficult and hard to break into.
In addition to working with over 2,000 students, I’ve also interviewed around 200 different people working in the industry; supervisors, publishers, library owners, songwriters, producers and more. Although no two stories are exactly alike, everyone who
has succeeded in the industry has followed, more or less, the same path to success. Although I’ve heard a lot of variations in terms of the exact route artists have taken to success, every single story I’ve heard shares two main components, in terms of what it’s taken to be successful.
The path to success in the licensing industry is comprised of two main parts, every single success story I know
of:
- Consistent effort
- Time
I recently interviewed one of my most successful former students, Eddie Grey, all about how he’s been able, over the last four years, to create a full time career as a tv composer. One of the questions I asked Eddie was simply, what separates artists like him that are able to make a living from licensing music, from
those that simply dabble in the industry. His response was simply “effort and hard work”.
It’s about, Eddie said, making a choice to prioritize licensing over other things. It’s about choosing to work on licensing like a job, even before it pays you like a job. It’s about not watching Netflix and instead going into the studio to continue perfecting your craft. It’s about not hanging out with the
same group of friends you’ve seen a thousand times on a random Tuesday and instead working on advancing your career.
Once you make a consistent effort towards treating this like a job for an extended period of time, eventually things will start to happen. You’ll get a first placement, which will make it easier to get another, then you’ll get another, then another and so on. Over time, your consistent effort will lead to
more opportunities and more income. Success in licensing starts slow, but it’s exponential and can grow substantially over time if you keep working at it.
In the beginning
In Eddie’s words, when he was first starting out, he “saturated the market” with his music. He reached out to “pretty much everyone” working in the industry. He wasn’t shy about
establishing his identity in the industry. His persistence paid off and he started getting small placements, then a few more, then a lot more. He was eventually offered the job as head composer for A&E’s Born This Way. That gig led to other gigs like writing the theme song for TLC’s “The Healer” and writing music for shows like Shark Tank.
Again, Eddie’s exact story in terms of how he got started is unique, but
it’s similar to other writers I’ve worked with, who have had comparable levels of success, in the sense that Eddie was committed to making this work from the beginning. He didn’t go into this half-hearted or lacking ambition.
If you want to break through and get your first break, or if you want more placements and more credits, the solution is the same: Keep going until you get there. You’ve either achieved your
goals, or you haven’t, so keep going if you’re not where you want to be. What other choice do you have?
Later this week I’m going to be announcing details, about my newest course, in collaboration with Eddie Grey, called “How To Be A Full Time TV Composer”.
This is my first new course in almost a year, and my first course that focuses specifically on how to build a career
composing instrumental music for television.
In the course, Eddie and I go into both how to get started, as well as what the process and workflow is like actually working as a full time composer. We go deep into everything you need to know to turn your passion for music into a full time career composing music for television. We break down everything, from how to break into the business, the type of gear you need, how
you get paid, how to network and move up the licensing ladder, what kind of music to write, and much, much more.
Keep your eyes peeled to your inbox for an email later this week will all the details! I’ll be announcing a special pre-order discount period later this week.
