Being a PROFESSIONAL vs. working with PROFESSIONALISM
We commonly consider that a musician is professional when he has chosen music as his profession and, therefore, lives from it and receives remuneration. This circumstance, by itself, does not imply exercising the work of a musician with professionalism. In fact, we can find professional musicians who do not develop professionalism and also musicians who do not live from music but have qualities of professionalism. What are those qualities?
Knowledge or musical training: proficiency in an instrument, music theory, and performance techniques are crucial for a successful music career. This knowledge must be real and deep.
Skills: the ability has been associated traditionally with “talent”, but personally we prefer to use the term skill, since it suggests that it is possible to acquire and develop it, while talent can have a more innate and more selective connotation, that it is something accessible only to a few.
- Cognitive skills: memory, creativity, musical intelligence and other intelligences.
- Psychomotor skills: dexterity, motor coordination, sense of rhythm.
- Emotional skills: sensitivity, intelligence and emotional control.
- Social skills: empathy, assertiveness, charisma.
Attitude and ethical values: patience, perseverance, constancy, seriousness, humility, responsibility, honesty and respect are some of them.
The care of the image is an attitudinal value to consider. It defines ourselves. Taking care of your image reflects that you are worried about your public. And so, a professional is always due to his audience. Let’s not forget that the profession of being a musician or an artist also enters through the eyes.
Self-knowledge: get to know your artistic possibilities in order to boost them and be able to offer them as a contribution or a differential value in the working market.
Experience: it allows you to learn from mistakes and develop your skills.
Update: continuous learning is necessary to evolve and develop. Whether you are a singer, songwriter, producer, or instrumentalist, it is important to continually refine your skills and strive for excellence in your craft.
In addition to these qualities, we can also think about more concrete actions that bring us closer to achieve the professionalism:
- Networking: Building relationships with other musicians, music industry professionals, and fans is important for obtaining gigs, record deals, and other opportunities.
- Marketing and promotion: Musicians need to be able to effectively promote themselves and their music in order to build a fanbase and reach a wider audience.
- Business acumen: Musicians need to have a basic understanding of the music industry, including contracts, royalties, and copyright law.
- Flexibility and adaptability: The music industry is constantly changing, and musicians need to be able to adapt and evolve in order to succeed.
- Passion and drive: A deep love and commitment to music is essential for a successful career as a professional musician.
Is the professionalism VALUED in the music field?
After this, different questions can easily pop-up in our minds. Do you think that professionalism is valued? And when do we know we are dealing with a professional? Absolutely YES! Professionalism is generally considered a valuable skill in many industries and fields, including music. It encompasses a set of qualities and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to one’s work, as well as to ethical and responsible conduct.
In the music industry, professionalism can include being punctual and prepared for rehearsals and performances, presenting oneself in a professional manner, and having a positive attitude and strong work ethic.
By demonstrating professionalism, musicians can build a positive reputation, increase their credibility and gain the respect of their colleagues and clients. This, in turn, can lead to more opportunities for work, better pay, and greater success in their careers.
In summary, professionalism is a valued skill in the music industry and in many other fields, as it can help individuals establish a positive reputation, demonstrate their commitment to their work, and increase their chances of success. For sure, it is something that is not acquired quickly and does not provide us with short-term benefits, and that can often make us lose patience or discourage us. It seems that a professional musician measures his professionalism based on the successes obtained, and that is the great handicap. We believe that professionalism is independent from success.
In the end, we try to reflect all this idea of acting professionally in our vision and mission of Bom-B Music. We try to take care of all the aesthetic and musical details of our website, our studio and of course, the attention we give to our students and lessons. For sure we still have things to improve but above all, we always create things with love and professionalism 😉
