“Consistency” is defined as…
- Conformity in the application of something, typically that which is necessary for the sake of logic, accuracy, or fairness.
- The way in which a substance, typically a liquid, holds together; thickness or viscosity.
But when the rubber meets the road, there is way more to it than that, especially in the music industry, where the path to success is neither cut and dry nor guaranteed.
Listen To The First Episode Of Our New Podcast Here
Entel is a producer who knows the value of being consistent, as he is an artist on the cusp of a breaking career that he has slowly built towards over the last decade. To those who are consistent, or at least strive to be, the word takes on a slightly different shape than the textbook definition. Entel describes the word by saying:
“Consistency doesn’t always mean the best or number one. It just means showing up and getting the work done.” – Entel
And ahead of his first international tour, which he is embarking upon literally as I write these words, I wanted to share the conversation we had a few weeks back about the meaning of consistency and how it can impact and change your career in the music industry.
What Is An Example Of Consistency?
Consistency is a character trait that is far too easy to talk about compared to how difficult it is. It arguably could be the most defining quality an artist can have that determines whether they can make a sustainable and meaningful career in the music industry.
And if it were so easy to be consistent, Wouldnt the world would be filled with professional producers and musicians?
Because more people would rather talk about their dreams than show up daily to make them happen, I feel this is more prevalent in music than in any other industry. At the end of the day, while producing tracks can be incredibly fun and rewarding, it also requires a ton of work to be put in every single day of the year to reach the level you need to be at to make your dreams a reality.
“Slowly chipping away at it, a half hour a day, one hour a day, every single day is going to pay off way more dividends consistently throughout an artist’s career and especially in the earliest stages of an artist’s career.” – Will Vance
And while this concept may seem daunting at first glance, it comes with a silver lining. Because while there may seem to be an infinite supply of aspiring music producers that you are competing with, few are as consistent as this industry requires. Because you are only competing with the ones who are showing up every single day and putting in small steps and improvements. And rest assured, those types of producers are few and far between.
Not every day has to be a massive win in the studio; it might be better if it’s not. Because consistency is the kin of longevity, and small routines compound into giant steps forward over time.
“going through the motions even if you don’t want to. Even if you don’t want to crate dig before a show, do the work anyways. The work doesn’t always happen as quickly as you like sometimes. But it’ll do its thing.” – Entel
What Is A Consistent Person Like?
A consistent person likely has many auxiliary qualities about them that are equally beneficial to their career. The music industry moves quickly, and small teams often make big things happen behind the scenes. That is the case for Grum’s Deep State label, which Entel is currently signed to and touring.
“The last thing managers and label managers want to deal with are producers who aren’t consistent or who might do one great thing one week but drop the ball the three next weeks. It’s so much easier to work with when you’re predictable with how you show up and present yourself that makes you so much easier to work with.” – Will Vance
Being consistent with your work also allows you to be respectful of others’ time, diligent in your work, and systematic with how you approach a career overall. These powerful qualities are impossible to ignore once your name gets in circulation amongst the movers and shakers of the not-so-small music industry.
“We had an artist come through, and I was talking to his manager after the show, and we were talking about 9-5s and the consistency in showing up. At the time, it felt like a gloom and doom moment but also reaffirming. He told me, mate, you can’t have a 9-5 if you’re going to do this. This has to be your 9-5, especially in today’s industry climate. It’s that consistency that sets you apart from the rest.” – Entel
WHAT IS THE MAGNETIC MEANING PODCAST?
This podcast about words and music is sponsored by Point Blank Music School. Too often, people working or pursuing careers in the music industry get so caught up in the excitement, clout, and daily grind of it all that they forget this whole industry is just about communication.
Magnetic Meaning unpacks this notion and dissects the words and ideas that connect the music and resonate with those who work with it. Each episode will feature different guests from the music industry, each doing amazing things in their own right. These guests will each bring a word to the table that has impacted their life or career in one way or another.
From there, we will tackle that word from every conceivable angle to add a bit more context to the music industry.
Episodes are published on a bi-weekly basis, first thing every other Thursday.
Shoutout to the sponsors of the podcast, Point Blank Music School. At Point Blank’s brand new LA campus, you can study music production and sound engineering, DJing, radio broadcasting, singing and songwriting, and music business, and also benefit from 1-2-1 expert lecturers and a range of exclusive support services, including accessing industry-standard studios all while being supported via Point Blank’s expert team of Studio Assistants, Student Services, Wellbeing, Student Engagement and Events, A&R Mentoring and Careers Advice, exclusive competitions, artist masterclasses and more.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
