By :
Neill Kleven
If you're a serious musician looking to make a few bucks off your efforts or if you want to see just exactly how far you can take your "hobby," you definitely want to avoid making this all too common mistake...Moving to a different city. You may feel that unless you're in LA or New York City or Nashville (for country musicians) that you're in the wrong place to make it big and that you should pack your bags and get on a Greyhound.The music hubs are where people don't ignore their dreams. These are the gateways to success---and eventually a world of mansions and supermodels.This is not actually the case. While it does work for show business, as far as actors and filmmakers go, it's not the best route (no pun intended) to take for musicians.Yes, LA is where the majority of the major record labels are, but you don't have to be near them to get their attention. Proximity is no barrier for wealthy record executives to find the next Radiohead.Further, there's a lot of competition in LA—approximately a million people that think they're the next big star. So you'll have to deal with this if you move out there.You're better off staying in Boston or Detroit or wherever you live---where your family and friends are, because they are the ones that will buy your first indie release and then blab about it to everyone they know.Generating a following takes a long time. And moving away from the girth of your network is like starting over. And this is the last thing you want to do. Think about it: Who is going to come to your first shows? With top-notch songs, you'll increase your chances of getting major label attention or generate a steady stream of income (just as good as getting signed, in my opinion) from your efforts.But even if you have hit songs, some record executives are still hesitant to sign bands simply because doing so is a big decision, one that involves a ton of cash. Signing a band means putting their careers on the line. And they love their jobs. Having a portfolio of great songs and a (10,000 plus) strong following will give you a good chance at rock stardom. So while Mr. Move-To-LA is knocking on the doors of record executives trying desperately to get signed without having generated a following, they won't answer because they will have flown out to your town to see your show and possibly sign you.
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