How To Become A Music Instrumentalist In Nigeria

Business Overview

I believe you have attended an event maybe a Christian event, or just an occasion where you got to listen to people play live. Most times they score some songs and play them on stage as though it were being played in the studio.

Generally, it is almost everybody’s desire to become a Music Instrumentalist maybe due to passion, or as a means of making ends meet.

Any of the paths you choose, you would record that, to be among the top guys, you ought to be very good and probably beat them in their game.

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How To Become A Music Instrumentalist In Nigeria
Music Instrumentalist In Nigeria – Photo Source: https://www.youtube.com

However, if you must become a successful Music Instrumentalist in Nigeria, there are certain basic things you must do.

These form the rationale of this article which at the end will expose to you the rudiments of becoming a successful Music Instrumentalist in Nigeria.

Profitability Of The Business

Becoming an instrumentalist, generally, is birthed by passion. Also, becoming a successful Music Instrumentalist in Nigeria, for example, is a product of sheer determination and hard work.

When the passion is there, the zeal and thirst for growth would also be present. Many people do not know that the art of playing instruments is a very good business.

Many people who have record studios contract these instrumentalists to come play live for them while they record. You would agree with me that these guys are being paid by the hour.

You might not necessarily be called upon by a record studio, but you can stand a chance to be called upon by a church where you get contracted and you are paid constantly while you get to do what you love to do.

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Demand, Competition And Opportunities

Over the years, the demand for instrumentalists has been on the increase ranging from churches to live bands, parties, marriage ceremonies, burial etc. you can never tell which area an instrumentalist is needed till you are into it.

You could even be contracted by a school to teach her students one instrument or the other. This is how demanding the area of instrumentation is.

Due to the fact that, people want to get the best for every penny spent, no one would ask for the services of a rookie.

To be in the world of instrumentalists means you are ready to go through hell in terms of competition. This competition most times come from the instrumentalists themselves because everybody is striving to be better than one another.

Still in the same vein, there are endless opportunities where the services of an instrumentalist is needed. I talked of wedding ceremonies, live bands, churches, burials and any other musical related event.

The secret to being at the top is what I want to tell you at this point. Practice! Practice!! Practice!!! This is what keeps going through the head of an instrumentalist.

One funny thing about them is that, no matter how hard they practice, no matter how good they are, they never agree that they have arrived.

This brings me to the next point; “HUMILITY” is one factor that can keep you connected and speed up your growth in the field of musical instruments.

It is normal for humans to resist teaching someone who feels he or she has learnt so much. Stay humble, practice and ask questions when you hear something new.

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4 Steps To Becoming A Music Instrumentalist In Nigeria

Listen to music constantly: try to focus on the way the instruments accompany the songs. This is what every instrumentalist must know.

It is popularly known as “progression.” Every song has a unique production all though most times, two songs can have the same progression, it does not mean that these songs are the same.

Know the progression of a song because, no matter how good you are, if you cannot play a single song in its right progression, you would be graded as a learner.

1. Spend Quality Time Practicing

You must spend quality time practicing useful techniques with the instrument everyday (30-60) minutes, if you must become a successful Music Instrumentalist in Nigeria.

This requires a great deal of self-control though. Self-control in the sense that you might have kept a target say a particular song to score but you seem not to be getting what you want the way you want it.

At this point, discouragement and the option of quitting might set in. but your control over yourself is what keeps your determination and zeal burning.

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2. Have Your Own Musical Instrument

Having your own instrument as a beginner can help you direct your focus on what you want to do, and you would grow faster.

Listen to musicians that specialize in playing your instruments and score a lot of their own songs.
Make YouTube your friend, watch and download YouTube videos of guitar tutorials or whatever musical instruments you want to play.

(3) Join A Band Or A Church Choir

the church really helps in developing instrumentalist, especially those ones who feel they can never know how to play musical instruments.

You would learn how to recognize and put sounds together in no time. Call a few people together and let them listen to you while you play; and let them tell you how they feel about your playing, that way you are building your confidence.

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4. Be Humble and Willing To Keep Learning

The last but not the least, be humble and be eager to learn new things. People love to teach humble people, if a professional sees that you have a good attitude, he could give you some secrets to improve in your playing.

There is an adage that goes thus, “Learning Never Ends”. That is very true. Truly, learning never ends. To make it and standout from the crowd as a successful Music Instrumentalist in Nigeria, you must keep learning constantly.

You must learn new things everyday, what is in vogue and methods of improving yourself. That way, you keep pace with today and the future.

Life is dynamic. So, to remain relevant, you must stay current. With this, you will never lose value in the music or entertainment industry in Nigeria.

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