The Music Industry Or Industries?

Over the next few weeks, I want to move away from music listening and psychology and look at the practicalities of being a musician. Some of you readers will have only a basic grasp of what goes on in the hallowed industry, whilst some are seasoned veterans.

So where do we start….

When did personal musicking become part of the industry? If you want a more in-depth overview, I can recommend the book The Music Business for Music Creators, by a good friend and fellow musician Jonny Amos.

Let’s start at the beginning, as musicians, we come up with an idea, we record it, we then may wish to create some kind of an artefact to sell, a record, a digital recording, a CD…. or even do a gig, at this point we can probably define this as being ‘in the industry’. We have entered the realm of commerce as we attempt to make some money from our art.

So… what is the music industry?

The professional music industry as I understand it, is composed of interconnected micro-communities, each specialising in areas such as marketing, manufacturing, touring, and various other strategies aimed at maximizing the commercialisation of musicians and our art. While the term 'commoditise' might carry negative connotations, (I don’t mean it this way) adopting this commercial perspective is essential for sustaining (or trying to) a livelihood, or a living in music. I fully appreciate this is not easy in today’s world! But it’s important to remember, essentially, we are all free to create music in our bedrooms without commercial aspirations if we so choose. We are all free to choose to do music for fun or for a hobby. 

However, the journey into the professional (product) realm begins with two fundamental components: the musicians and their music. 

Sometimes, we can write and record music purely for personal satisfaction. Other times, we feel the desire, or necessity, to navigate the commercial landscape, attempting to ‘make it’ in the industry. The current technological environment offers more options than ever for our music recording: we can self-produce (if we have the skills), or book studio time, enlist producers and engineers to refine our work. Modern digital technology has made self-recording affordable and accessible, allowing us to wear multiple hats as writers, engineers, producers, mixers, and even mastering technicians.  Don’t get me started on AI!

In a nutshell, the engineers (or we) record the music, the mixers balance the sounds, the producers might offer musical suggestions or do any of these tasks. These days it’s quite common for one person to do all of this. I’ve certainly done it all myself, but it can be a real drain on mental energy as we can become overly sucked in! I once spent a year writing, then recording my whole album. In hindsight I was too close and couldn’t see the wood for the trees. It was an interesting but demanding journey.

Having embraced the DIY approach and experienced high-end studio environments with renowned engineers and producers, I can attest to the advantages and challenges of both. Recording independently is liberating but can lead to self-doubt without external feedback or guidance. This absence of scrutiny can also reduce anxiety for those of us sensitive to criticism, offering the time and privacy needed to perfect a track. However, working with a producer or team can provide invaluable support and perspective or, conversely, introduce new pressures and feelings of inadequacy.

Over my three decades in the music industry, I’ve encountered both extremes and everything in between, each with unique emotional and creative challenges. So, as you can see in this early, preliminary stage of the music industry, it is already an area of anxiety and we haven’t even really got started! This is why we need points of connection within social groups like the series of Peer Support Groups that Tonic Music provides, you can check them all out here.

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Adam Ficek hosts a monthly show 'Tonic Music' on Totally Wired Radio, where he talks to various guests about music and mental health. You can listen again to any of the previous show on the Tonic Music Mixcloud page.