Do you look at music creation as a job or just something in which you are doing?   Whether it is playing guitar, singing, making beats, rapping or whatsoever takes your fancy, there is much to be gained from just playing for the fun of it.  In fact this is often the best way to begin – before you even consider music as a calling, If you don’t enjoy the art itself there is little chance of you persevering through the inevitable knocks and set-backs that a music career can have to offer.
　
However, once you step out of the hobby aspect and look to music as a career you need to be prepared to enter the ‘business.’ This means taking it as seriously as any other employment. It is no longer just about singing to amuse yourself and your friends – you now need to start thinking about publicity, marketing, distribution and sales. What’s more you will find that you may need to invest in your career.
　
It seems that a lot of artists think that they can get on a social networking site and become celebrities over night. Sure, there are examples of people who seem to have done just that – but don’t regard the hype. There was a lot of effort behind the scenes and often some well-placed connections already in the industry. Think of a swan gliding down a river – seemingly effortlessly – yet under the surface there is a lot of paddling and pushing that you don’t see.
　
Chances are you will need to invest in a manager, a promoter, some form of publicity – like an electronic press kit – and a publicist too. This may all be before you even get a look at a label. The music business is not a cake-walk, if it was everybody would be successful within it. It is a dog-eat-dog world where talent is sadly not evermore enough to see you rise to the top. However, with some dedication and a love for your craft you can make it. Get yourself a saleable product, create your EPK, stay on top of the business, invest some extra time and money and you might just make it through.
Of course, if you’re not prepared to do all of that, then why not keep making your music as a hobby – after all there is nothing wrong with that either…