Indie Musicians: Why It’s So Hard to Find Your Signature Sound

Seems like such an easy thing. Just be you. We hear it every day — but how? Especially when you’re struggling to become you (you haven’t had a lot of life lived yet), or you’re reinventing yourself from tough times, or from a period of time where the fountain of creativity just kind of stopped. Or maybe you’re recovering from difficult circumstances that took you down or life stuff that blindsided you out of nowhere. And the last thing you want to do is write about that. You just want to get out of it. Hint: Not so fast… once you get perspective, those hard times bring strong songs.

But one thing is for sure. Having trouble nailing your lane and sound is way more common than you think. It’s actually harder to find it than it is to meander. It’s way easier to climb Mount Everest than stake your claim. Probably because staking your claim often means leaving a whole lot of you out of the picture. But choosing a path is imperative to strengthening your impact.

Should I do Americana or Jazz? What about my classical roots, or my love of blues? And I do love a little Stevie Wonder… oh me oh my… why do I have to choose? I know —– I won’t. But then you end up being so eclectic that you only end up confusing people and diluting your potential – and maybe even miss what’s great about you.

Lots of artists have been tossed to the curb precisely because they couldn’t figure out who they were – even with a label’s A & R department and assistance.

It’s even further complicated by the fact that you have to have lots of time and space to experiment. To grow, to try things. But mind you — take it. You’re going to need it. Don’t rush – do it right. You’ll be so much better off for it.

Here are my top tips for getting clarity on who you are.

1. Listen to a Lot of Music But Narrow Down What Sounds Good On You

You can like a lot of music, but would you sound good singing it? Playing it? What do you sound the best singing? Let that lead you in a direction.

2. Embrace Your Natural Strengths

Resist wanting what you don’t have. If you have a clear voice, don’t try to be raspy. If you hate high notes, why do you insist on singing them? You probably don’t sound good like that ;). Great voices are not all high belters ;). Embrace your natural strengths and let them lead you closer to your true direction…

3. Don’t Fight Your Instincts

Spend time listening to music, production elements to discover what you really like. And then go in the direction of what you instinctually want to hear. If you don’t know how to explain what you want, use reference tracks to show what you like. That always works best (but be sure what exactly you are pointing to in the track — it might not be everything in it and that could mislead your producer.) But spend a LOT of time on this. It will help you carve what you do really like. Go in the direction of your instincts. Be bold about it.

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By the time you finish chasing the current trend it’s already gone. The trick is to get ahead of them. One of the ways of doing that is to make the music you want to hear and wait until the music pendulum comes your way — it surely will, but you might miss it off chasing another trend….

5. Love What Makes You Different

At the end of the day there are many flavors of ice cream. Love the flavor that is you – it’s your strongest hope of being original. It’s your strongest chance of standing out instead of fitting in ;). Love what makes YOU different. Don’t let fear stop you.

6. Be Rooted in the Past But Relevant in Today’s Music World

Borrow from yesterday but add a modern musical elements. Take for instance Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black. Legendary producer Mark Ronson pulled from the past but set the record in the current day. All pop music comes from Rhythm & Blues at it’s base. Be sure you’ve got roots, and you also have elements of today’s music world in your music. And stop complaining about current day music — listen to those Spotify playlists and find the lesser known artists coming up in the ranks – you’ll find some killer stuff.

Ready for more? We have a process we use in our Signature Songwriting Circle that guides songwriters to their authentic voice and shows you how to write more authentically in a fun and easy way. There is a supportive community for you here, ready to guide you into the artist artist you dream of being. Ready to start the process? Click here to learn more.

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Hi, I’m Cari Cole.

You’ve got talent, but you want to become great at it. You’re in the right place! My mission is to help you refine your unique artist vision to bring to the world.

About Cari Cole

Cari Cole is the CEO / Founder of caricole.com and CCVM: Label Without Walls. She is a Holistic Vocal Coach, Artist Development Expert, A&R Director, and Songwriter based in New York City helping artists for the past 38 years. She is a mentor for Women in Music and The Association of Independent Music Publishers.

Her latest venture, CCVM a label services company, provides artists with a seamless path from creation to completion. After 30+ years of observing the overwhelm and challenges that artists face, Cari pulled together the best top creative professionals and designed a new approach to supporting our artists.

Disclaimer:
The information provided on Cari Cole's website is informational only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. Those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on Cari Cole's website. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room immediately.

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