Top 3 mistakes musicians have to realize they’re making before they can become better

Musicians are arguably the most fun group of people to hang around with! Seriously. Next time you're at a corporate function that hired a live band, and you are sore from rubbing elbows all evening- Go hang out with the musicians. They're a good load of fun. One of the few downsides of hanging out with musicians is when the conversation turns to the music business. Suddenly the mood goes sour and damp. Though incredibly talented, intelligent and hardworking many musicians are, to many, success in the industry is still covered in a mysterious frustrating fog. Far too often you hear about how the good old days are over. There was a time where gigs were plentiful and well paying. There was a time where trombone players were in such high demand, they were turning more gigs down than were being offered... you get the idea. Though there is sometimes and element of truth to this... there is still a massive music industry that has a massive demand for live musicians! It's time to get down to the basics. Here are the top 3 mistakes musicians have to realize they're making before they can become better from Christine Occhino 1. Setting unrealistic goals We all sometimes have delusions of grandeur when it comes to our music careers. But the reality is, we're not all going to be the Michael Jacksons and Beyonces of the world. And for a good plenty of us who still manage to make a living in music, that's more than good enough. Once you come to terms with the reality that "making it big" perhaps isn't what it seems or all it's cracked up to be, you start seeing your path unfold very naturally before your eyes. Find the place where your passion and the highest chance of financial success intersect, and that is where your aspirations and goals for yourself should truly lie. [How to Set Realistic Goals for Your Music Career in 2015] 2. Paying too much for the wrong things (and not enough for the right things) We all know a ton of "starving musicians." Heck, we may have even been one ourselves! But that stereotype definitely feeds into the terrible cycle that many artists fall into with not valuing the right things in their music careers. There are some very serious and important things that all musicians must set aside some cash for, and they may not always be what you'd think. For example: the "obvious" choice: shiny, new gear the "better" choice: long-lasting, quality gear the "obvious" choice: bar money for “networking” the "better" choice: money towards marketing materials the "obvious" choice: scrounging together enough mediocre equipment to do a home studio demo recording the "better" choice: ponying up the funds to do a high-quality demo recording in a professional recording studio that meets the expectations required to be taken seriously in the marketplace It's a common mistake that musicians make skimping on many important investments while allocating far too much cash in the wrong direction. Think [...]

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