A music "dream" isn't something that just happens one day. You don't sign-on-the-line and gain a freedom from responsibility. Music is not a one-round game, but a continuing, daily thread. It is
way your real world works in conjunction with your music world. (They should overlap, or at least impact/reflect each other DAILY.) Don't DREAM it, DO it.DEFINE THE DREAM What is it you are actually trying to do? Be world's best writer? Become a megastar performer? Lead church choir? Own a record label that records other acts?
You would not believe how many writer/artists come to me, saying they just want to do "something" in Music Industry. Sorry, you have to specialize a bit more than that!
Sit down with paper and pen. Define EXACTLY what it is in your heart that you dream of. (Hint, bigger dream, harder to achieve...but as long as you are prepared to give what it takes, you'll find a place in scheme of things.)
By way, I have to do this, because I get sidetracked by wanting to do too many things. I constantly have to reassess projects and schedules...just part of business in a busy, busy world.
RESEARCH THE DREAM Let's say you decided that you want to be a great writer, who is successfully cut on charts, and makes a lot of money. Do you know what real charts are? Who's on them currently? What labels are consistently charted? The styles of top ten successes in last two years?
Do you know what actual elements of a great standard song are? Can you name top sellers of all time in your genre? The top sellers of current year? And do you know why they attained success? Do you hone your skills and knowledge whenever you have a chance?
Can you make presentation of your art a commercial reality? Not just WILL you, CAN you?
PRACTICE THE DREAM Go do 150 sit ups without practice. Go write a great song without practice. You have to practice (i.e., actually write) everyday, just like you would with any improvement program. If newest song you are showing is old, you are not competing as a writer.
REWRITE THE DREAM If something doesn't go exact direction you thought it should have, rewrite situation. If it's song that has flaws, rewrite it until they are gone. If it's voice, get some training.
If it's gig, create one that works for you. When I was playing gigs in KCMO, I went to Plaza, to nice places that DIDN'T have entertainment. I'd offer owner a free evening of music, if he liked it, I'd work X amount of weekends for X amount per night. I almost always got gig, partly because I was prepared, partly because few can resist something for nothing and not sense some obligatory return. (Most wanted entertainment, but had no idea they could afford it.) For me, it was a way to go.
