How to Take Your Music to the Next Level

I often hear musicians say that they’re trying "to take their music to the next level". What exactly does that mean? Taking music to the next level varies from one person to the next. To a songwriter it could mean crafting a better lyric, for singer it could be making a professional demo CD, or for a band it could mean getting signed by a record label and the list goes on. What does "taking it to the next level" mean for you, your music and your career, and how can you get there?

What is your "Next Level" Goal?

Before you can get to the "Next Level" you must define what it personally means for you. Though I won’t deep dive into goal setting in this article you must set a goal, and your "Next Level" goal should be short-term and specific - never vague. For example: The "next level" goal for a rapper who just completed the lyrics and rhyme to his first song should NOT be to: "get a record deal, be famous, and buy a Phantom." Yet when speaking with many aspiring musicians I hear this type of goal all the time. There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big but as the saying goes "Rome wasn’t built in a day", it was built one brick at a time.

Define it, write it down and just do it!

A more reasonable next step would be to set a goal to write 2 more songs, obtain quality music production (beats in this case), and record a professional 3 song demo within a certain timeframe. I’m not suggesting that all rappers, singers or bands should follow this exact path, but what I am saying is that a short term specific goal - "3 Song Demo CD" with a timeline for completion - "60 Days" for example will keep you more focused and allow you to get to a measurable "next level" more so than a generic, long term vague goal. With that said, define your "next level" goal, write it down, and as Nike use to say "just do it!"