The Many Stages of Music Making

I recently I had a voice student share how astounded they are at the number of stages or phases there are to making music. If you’re writing, performing and or recording music (whether that be originals or covers) you might be experiencing this gestation process and wanting to understand it better so you can know what’s coming next. Knowing what’s coming will also help you to prepare your energy and expectations. So I thought I would share some of the many phases of music making as I’ve experienced them.

Building Your Vocal Practice 

So first there is just the act of creating a vocal and music rehearsing practice. This is often one of the initial reasons students come to me. Although it seems simple there are a lot of things in life fighting for your attention (plus those negative inner voices) which can interfere with your creative flow. This is why having a program and aligned teacher can be so helpful. 

Rehearsing & Unearthing Your Repertoire

Once you get your regular practice going, you might start singing/rehearsing music 3-4 or maybe even 7 days a week. The great thing about this is you will definitely notice an improvement in your voice and growing confidence in yourself and your material.

Prepping For Performance

Sometimes we practice just to continue growing and refining as an artist or student of music but other times you may need to prepare for a live show, wedding, memorial, birthday, etc. If so, you’ll want to refocus your time towards things like sequencing of songs, arrangements, rehearsing with amplification as well as identifying your challenge areas and zooming in to work on those specific spots. 

Prepping For Recording

If you’re preparing for a recording the steps will be somewhat similar to a live performance but often with even more refinement. Now you’ll have to focus even more on articulation, dynamics as well as blending, and song arrangements. The difference with recording being that every little nuance gets noticed so sometimes you have to adjust your performance delivery. You may even want to practice recording before going into the studio. 

Promoting & Packaging Your Performance

Once your recording or show is ready for the road, you might feel like you’re done but low and behold you’re actually at the start of a new phase. Now you have to promote your project with aligned artwork, appealing and genuine text that describes your brand and you have to learn to get comfortable with talking about yourself. You also need to do this with consistency so you can really connect your music to your audience. 

Showtime!

Suddenly it’s time for your performance which is a whole other flavor of energy and output. Now you get to interact with the public and feel how your music feels with people in the room. You may have amazing moments and you may also make mistakes but there’s nothing like human connection to make the music making experience come alive. Afterwards you may feel again like you’re done but it’s actually time to remain committed to where you started - rehearsing/writing, and studying your instrument.

Writing Time

Sometimes your music goal may be to write original music. It can be hard to juggle writing time with the other parts of your practice like maintaining a steady vocal warm up routine. But your vocal warm up routine will actually support your writing so that you don’t strain when trying out new material. Songwriting or composing can also be a fun opportunity to explore working with a collaborator(s) and trying new  creative possibilities without the pressure of an audience.

Repeat

Just like life, the stages of music cycle over and over. The more you practice, the more you can find your groove but also sometimes you may also get stuck which is when it’s great to call on a music mentor or coach and like minded community for support.

Where Are You?

What phase of music making are you currently in? Sometimes you may be in several s at once and that can be a tricky balance. Either way if you would like some support in your current music stage, please reach out to set up a free phone consultation so we can discuss how to make your music dreams a reality.