I get the question all the time - does where you live matter when you're trying to make it in the music business?
The answer? Well, a little bit yes and a little bit no. Obviously, there are benefits to packing your bags and heading for the bright lights of a some big music biz center (although, to be fair, not all music towns are big cities). If you're hoping to work on the business side of things, the clear benefit is that there are some music related business around to actually give you a job. If there's no music industry presence where you live, that kind of puts the kibosh on getting that type of employment.
For musicians, honing their craft in a place with a lot of industry faces means that the likelihood of having someone stumble across their music who can then help them make a move in their music career is increased. The odds of, say, a top notch music manager happening to wander into your gig is greater in London, UK, than it is in London, Arkansas (not that the smaller London may not have its charms). Plus, a city with a big music scene simply means more musician resources - more venues, more practice spaces and plenty of musical talent for when you need to court a new drummer or such.
Ah, but there are some downsides. More musicians mean more competition. Tons of venues means showgoers are spoiled for choice and may not feel any sense of urgency about your shows. Music "scenes" can get oppressive. The list goes on.
Further, if you want to start your own music related company, you can avoid the often high cost of doing business in a major music industry center and work from a more budget friendly, smaller town, thanks to the magic of the internet. Rent and other living expenses are a lot cheaper in Dunn, North Carolina, than they are in New York City, leaving you more capital to make your business a reality.
The bottom line? There's much to weigh up before you head to a music biz mecca. Learn more.
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