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Getting started in music

You know that you want a career in music, but where do you start? We often get asked about how to start a career in music so we’ve curated this page full of the best tools and resources to break into the music industry.

Online Communities

 

Joining online communities is a great way to meet like minded people in the music industry. There are lots of communities on Facebook for women in music that are always willing to give advice or point you in the right direction to people who can. Help you.

 

2% Rising - If you are a female or non-binary producer, join 2% rising. It’s a friendly group full of music industry professionals, it’s a great place to get advice and opportunities.

 

Women in Live Music- This Facebook group is a lot bigger with over 4k members from all around the world. There are a mix of people with different experiences and different jobs within live music.

 

The F-List- If you are a female or trans musician you should join this incredible network of musicians. It acts as a music directory. The F-List partners with many festivals around the UK to create diverse lineups. What have you got to lose?


The EQL Directory- A directory for women and non-binary in audio worldwide.

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Social Media

 

Social media can be a great tool to network and find opportunities in your field. Use it by promoting the work you’re doing, and if you are still new to music- use it to celebrate people in music you love! 

 

Twitter and LinkedIn are great places for online networking. Job opportunities are often advertised on both, with people on Twitter usually displaying ways to get hold of them. Ideal if you have someone specific in mind you want to get hold of!

Mentoring

 

Mentoring can be a great way to get a kickstart in your music career. If there is someone in the music industry that you particularly want to be your mentor, contact them! It’s much better to choose your mentor, the more interested you are in the person and their job roles, the more you’ll get out of it! To make it the most beneficial, have lots of questions ready to ask.

 

Try connecting with them on LinkedIn or Twitter and message them saying why you want them to mentor you, and what aspect of the industry you want to be in. Be bold, be brave!

Charter
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Charter

Top music industry books

 

There are plenty of books about the music industry out there, but it can be hard to know which ones are the best. These books have been hand picked by our team as some of the most informative books they’ve read about the music industry.

Podcasts

 

Podcasts are another great resource, these are some of our favourite music industry podcasts. From unpacking music publishing, to music production. This is only a small selection!

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Volunteering

 

Though it’s not going to pay your bills, volunteering at festivals can be a great way to get your foot in the door and also to meet new contacts. If you love the excitement of festivals and want to have a go at working one, have a look at these websites that list roles you can do!

 

https://festivals.oxfam.org.uk

 

https://mycauseuk.com/volunteer/

 

https://www.festaff.co.uk

Job Board

 

Job sites like Indeed aren’t always the best place to find music industry jobs. Here are a small selection of music industry job boards, you’ll find new jobs being added each week from companies like Sony to TikTok in a variety of different job roles.

 

Music Week Job Board

 

Music Jobs

 

Music Business Worldwide Job Board

 

The Route Job Board

 

Shesaid.so Job Boards

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Networking Events

 

If you don’t know how to start networking and the thought of going to a local gig and speaking to new people scares you, why not try events specifically for networking. You can find these frequently advertised on some of the music organizations mentioned above, and of course some of our Cactus City events too!

Courses

 

If you want to go into the music business with a qualification behind you. Have a look at courses. Whether that is a diploma or degree there are many courses that give you hands-on experience whilst also building your network.

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