NEW TO NASHVILLE MUSIC INDUSTRY NETWORKING
Are you a ‘New to Nashville’ musician or young professional trying to figure out where to start and how to tap into the local music culture?
You are not alone.
The HOME Mission is all about getting you connected, helping you stay connected, and giving you the tools to achieve massive success in your music career.
HOME has created a monthly event to help you get connected and moving in the right direction here in Nashville.
🗓 The Music City Networking event happens on the Third Thursday of each month from 6-8p.
🍻 🍽 The event is open to ages 21+. Guests are welcome to BYOB, and there are lots of great restaurants within walking distance. Complimentary refreshments may be available while supplies last.
You can also grab a ticket on Eventbrite or join the Meetup.com group to stay in tune with this event.
RSVP is NOT required, but it helps us know who to expect. And we’ll invite you to future events!
Click here to join the New to Nashville Music Industry Networking Group
Here are some more resources that will help you get moving in Music City!
Lightning 100 - Nashville’s Independent Radio Station that plays lots of local bands and artists.
WNXP - NPR affiliated station that plays a huge range of music and lots of locals.
Musicians Corner - This is a FREE weekend concert series that happens in Centennial Park each Spring and Fall.
DO 615 - A quick way to find out what the locals think is the coolest thing happening on any given night.
Nashville Guru - Helps you stay hip to what’s new and trendy on the restaurant and entertainment scene.
The East Nashvillian - If it’s hip in East Nasty then it’s soon to be all over the world. Trendsetters and avant-garde welcome.
Nashville Scene - Get reviews and write-ups on music, art, literature, dining, and more. Plus the annual Best Of Awards!
YEP - Young Entertainment Professionals is a FREE networking meetup organization and FB Group with over 27,000 members.
As the heart of the music industry, Nashville offers unparalleled networking opportunities for music creators, songwriters, producers, artists, engineers, and instrumentalists. The city's vibrant music scene and thriving creative community make it a hub for industry connections, collaborations, and career advancement.
Navigating the Nashville music network can be a game-changer for aspiring and established professionals alike. From industry mixers and showcases to intimate songwriter rounds and studio sessions, the city provides endless avenues to connect with influential figures, potential collaborators, and like-minded creatives. By actively engaging in the local music community, artists and industry professionals can expand their reach, gain valuable insights, and unlock doors to new opportunities.
Whether you're a songwriter seeking co-writing sessions, a producer looking to build your client base, or a musician aiming to land your next gig, Nashville's vibrant networking scene offers a wealth of possibilities. By leveraging the city's resources, music creators can amplify their careers, forge meaningful relationships, and position themselves for long-term success in the ever-evolving music industry.
See below for advice from HOME’s Founder on how you can make it in Music City as a songwriter that’s new to town!
Advice for a New Nashville Songwriter
It’s so easy to get swept away by the scene, and it can all go by so fast…
You move to town ready to make a name for yourself, then you turn around and it has been 5 years.
The people you run into say things like:
“It’s a 10 year town.”
“The way to make it in Nashville is don’t leave.”
“Learn to be a DIY Musician.”
There are levels of truth to each of those statements, but what you really need is FOCUS.
YOU NEED TO PRIORITIZE.
Everyone has the same amount of time in each day. What separates those who achieve long term success from those who don’t is that successful people spend time on what is most important.
With that in mind, here are a few pieces of practical advice for the Nashville songwriter who is new to town:
1. Invest in your intellectual property - your records and your songwriting.
Your copyrights are your ‘intellectual property’ and they create the long term value for your music career. Your copyrights are the songs that you write and the ‘sound recordings’ (records) that you make, finish and release. When I say ‘invest’, I mean invest your time and your money in your ability to write great songs and make great records with the other amazing people in Nashville.
2. Focus on learning how to be faster and more efficient at writing music and releasing finished songs.
You can't do everything by yourself, and there are so many highly skilled people in Nashville who can help you. But if you don’t know anything about production, you are putting yourself at a disadvantage, and you are overly reliant on others to make your product consistent.
So find a good DAW (like Logic or even GarageBand) and get on YouTube, take an online course and/or use video tutorials. You don’t have to learn to be a producer, but you should at least get to the level that you can make your own work tapes and demos for the songs you write while also learning to communicate your vision to producers and audio engineers.
3. When you play live in Nashville, be choosy about which gigs you take and be prepared for these scenarios that are 'worth your time':
You get invited to play a writers round.
You may only get to play 2 or 3 songs, but you should learn to play at least 5 original songs really well by yourself if you are going to be featured in a writers round. If you don’t feel confident in your musicianship, then take lessons and practice with a metronome. You can also look for someone to accompany you.
If/when you find an accompanist, it is definitely okay to bring them along with you to writers rounds. However, the majority of writers play solo. It is customary for writers to play original songs at the round, but occasionally someone will play a cover. Watch this video if you don't know what a writers round is.
You get invited to play a 'showcase' or an 'opening set' with some other artists and bands.
This is when you DEFINITELY need to have an accompanist or a band, unless you are a mega impressive solo performer.
Don't underestimate what some of the multi-instrumentalist performers in Nashville can do. You may not need a 4 or 5 person band, you may just need 1 or 2 people to back you up.
Nashville is packed with incredible musicians and reputable music industry professionals. You never know who is in the crowd and you want to be the outstanding performance of the night. Go out there and knock their socks off!
And remember, by moving to Nashville you are stepping into the big leagues. So invest your time in being around others who have deep knowledge of your craft. Make sure that you are networking and collaborating with people who are ambitious, talented, and are treating it like a business.
HOME is a great community for you to sharpen your writing, production, marketing and other business skills. It’s where you can build your team and find opportunities to get your music heard by the industry.