How to Become a Professional Musician

Over the past couple of years I've been asked this question by friends and acquaintances. The latest request made me post this. 

Warning: Long post ahead. Keep left.

Now I don't consider myself an authority on this matter. After all I can't claim 100k plus video views on YouTube or a chart topping hit single. I can't claim to have worked with the greats at a very involved level and I know they don't know my name. I was shocked though when I said hallo to Chizi at Choices some months back and he recognized me. In fact he knew that I am a musician. Name dropping is an important part in earning credibility. Hopefully now you'll keep reading.

As I was saying, I don't know much but since the people who ask me think I do why not help. Here's my list of the things I do/did, the things you should do and the things you'll be told to do.

Word of advice: Mastering how to package yourself as an artiste before you learn how to create substantial, musically muscled(correct word needed here) content will make you another mediocre, below average musician. Just saying.

First before we scroll down let's decide if we want to be recording musicians or performing musicians. There are subtle differences and the lines blur every now and then. However, knowing what you want to focus on from the get go makes a difference in the approach you take. Kwa mfano, the person who decides to record and lip synch during performances has no need of (is assumed to have no need for) knowing the difference between a guitar solo and drum roll transition.

My advice below is biased towards those interested in performance. Methinks recording musicians should master performance first. It makes them better prepared to handle anything/everything.

1. Get a vocal trainer or join a choir.

The Kenyan musician has been brought up on pitch imperfect music (if that makes sense) from Mugiithi to Genge/Kapuka vocalists to crusades with shouting praise and worship leaders singing off key and back on. We have been brought up listening to plain (minus technique) Benga greats. These people have given birth to a vocally lazy industry. They however left us with authentic styles very unique to Kenyans.

Point is, get someone who will help you achieve certain basics in tone and pitch. Someone who will help you know that it is time to transpose or sing a minor harmony as opposed to a major one. If getting a trainer (and I'd insist that even after becoming a 'celeb' with shows across Europe, you still get one) is impossible due to flat pockets, get musical friends. Mostly instrumentalists. An instrumentalist must know what a chord is and be able to hear when you sing off key. This option applies if you want to avoid church choir as well.

2. Set aside at least one hour daily for vocal practice.

Refer to the point above on a generation of lazy singers. I forgot to mention auto tune as well: the software that takes all the blemishes in your voice and makes you sound like a Robot. What am I saying?

Ummm...oh, yes! Now, if you practice faithfully for one (just 1) year, I can assure you your voice will be better than Nameless's after 3 months.

I am a product of vocal practice for 3 years. When I started out (with an award under my belt) I thought I was 90% there. I knew I was the it! I felt I just needed an opportunity to be a star. Looking back now I can hear how flat I sounded and wonder at my confidence back then.

One hour of scales (the most common doh ray mi fa so la ti doh), breathing and tongue exercises will increase your range and tone quality tremendously. Keyword: faithfully. Ask Joan Matata, Bethuel Lasoi and Josh Simani (TPF's Josh and Amos) what it took to sound like they do. And trust me, those are vocal giants in mine humble ears.I am yet to chat up Nigeria's Waje for her vocal secrets.

3. Read widely on songwriting. 

There are hundreds (I didn't count) websites that will help you become a worldclass songwriter. Research, read and listen. Berklee, Eric Wainaina's alma mater, gives out free material on their page. Soma.

4. Write.

The whole point of your desire to become a musician, I would assume, is to be like *insert favorite artiste name here*. That artiste did not do covers at Karaoke nights only. They did not do it as a hobby. They created their own material and put it out there.

Write a new song every day. This sharpens your skills. The first time my brother Eugene excitedly approached me with his first song and asked for my opinion I replied, 'It is good. But I guarantee that by the time you write your 20th song you will not like this one as much as you do now.' He didn't catch feelings. Because he is my brother. And because he is equally candid with me when it comes to graphic design (he is a guru).

Elani's Chweya used to say hi to you and pass a new song by you everytime you bumped into him at the Alliance Francaise parking lot. He was told the same thing I'm telling you by Sauti Sol's Bien. Write and write and write.

Like with everything else you will be able to pen a song as good as *favorite artiste here*'s in a year's time.

5. Listen

As I told a friend, having a playlist full of the latest riddims only will not get you far even if you aim to be a raggamuffin artiste. Why are they called muffins? Ever watched The Voice? Watch The Voice. Notice how the  R n B star, Usher, knows Rock, how Aguilera knows Country, Blake knows Classical music and how Adam Levine (Maroon 5) loves soulful black music from the 80s.

Does this mean you should not do what you love? No. By all means go ahead and rap like Lauryn Hill does. The idea here is to open your ears and your mind's ability to play with melodies by spreading your net wide.

6. Attend concerts and practice sessions

What you hear on radio has gone through layers and layers of processes. This makes it perfect for radio, for listening at home over and over again. However because you have decided this is what you want to do, it is better if you experience it raw. Go to a studio and get a feel of the place. Watch and learn.

Concerts are perfect because you have a one-man-against the world sort of thing going on. Singing in the shower or for a friend is one thing. It is quite another with the pressure of the crowd waiting, the sound guy messing with your microphone, the drummer on steroids and the guy who performed before you hogging groupies. Here the singer gets to learn also how to distinguish good singers from bad ones because all pitchy notes come to the fore. The upside is you get to enjoy really good vocalists in their element at their most authentic state. Does that make sense?

Finally you get contacts that will be useful when you start putting your music out there.

7. Learn an Instrument

Instruments will help in 50, 000 ways. Even I don't know all of them. Note that drums and other percussive instruments, awesome as they are they will not help much. Jussaying again.

Learning an instrument will:

• Help in vocal training as you have scales whenever you need them 
• Help with ear training. With an instrument as a measuring stick your ability to pick out notes will improve
• You will find yourself learning other people's songs and this helps with vocal styles
• As you learn songs you will learn songwriting
• You will be able to write your own songs as well

Learning an instrument opens your mind again to numerous possibilities in terms of what you can do within a scale or a chord. You also get to learn musical terms like scales and chords.

Now (after months of work) you can start asking me to slot you in as a curtain raiser at the next Twendelele. You can start doing Open Mic events and as you grow...(I'd advice at least 2 years), start talking to producers on recording your material. Remember content first then packaging. We create packaging for products not the other way round.

Just before you run along, notice how I've overused the word learn as if I only schooled up to class 8? Never stop learning, never stop practicing. Can you hear the difference in Beyonce's voice at Destiny's Child and right now? Do you hear growth? Are you listening or watching her dance?! That girl/woman/lady is a vocal powerhouse for that reason.

So there you have it! Right theeeere. See it? Good. Go ye and make music.