Finding the Sound That Defines You as an Artist 

Everyone wishes to be recognized instantly, think Pink Floyd. Fans can immediately tell if a song is Floyd’s or not. Ever wondered why that is? It is because of their unique sound that has helped them establish lengths in terms of making music that stands timeless and stays unique amid different genres and experimental artists. As an artist, being recognized for your sound helps you from blending in with the puddle of various artists and truly establishes your unique mark. In this blog, we’ll discover how you too can find your sound as a musician that helps you stand out amongst many.

We’ll be taking a look at the following:

1. Why Is Finding A Unique Sound So Important?
   
   
2. Why You Shouldn’t Fear Experimentation?
   
   
3. How Can Collaboration Help You Grow?
   
   
4. How To Keep Growing As An Artist?
   
   
5. Final Thoughts
   
   

Why Is Finding A Unique Sound So Important?

Artists make music because they feel something and want to share it. Your sound should reflect who you are and what really speaks to you. If there’s no real self-expression behind your music, it might just end up sounding like everything else. But when your sound is personal and honest, that’s when people connect. That’s how you stand out and build a fanbase that actually sticks with you.

In an extremely saturated industry, it is very easy to blend in with the generic sound. Having your own sound helps musicians stand out from the rest, making a clear enough impact on listeners to become easily recognizable.

Everything we wish to do has already been done before, so does that leave any room for more emerging music artists? The answer is yes, in simple terms, what makes ‘your sound’ is your personal take and perspective behind it. Remember, what sets your music apart is always how you interpret it, because that is something no one other than you can do :)

Why You Shouldn’t Fear Experimentation?

You can not find your sound unless you have experimented with it. There are a lot of music genres, and if you decide to stick with one thing, your music might never evolve with time. The music industry and the trends are constantly shifting. With new genres coming to birth, an artist must keep experimenting to truly nail down what works for them. Try a different approach than your usual one; you just might come up with something really unique that pushes you as an artist to evolve and grow while keeping your identity and expression clear.  

When Damon Albarn from Blur felt stuck in his journey as a musician, he decided to come up with another band, one no one could’ve thought of. Gorillaz shaped the Early 00s music and still stays relevant to this day. While Gorillaz as a project is completely different from what Damon initially started with Blur, it was still true to him as an artist. Don’t forget, you can make music with ANYTHING! Don’t be scared to go the unconventional route. Experiment, implement, and learn. In the end, even if nothing comes out of it, you would still have learned more about your sound, getting even closer to nailing it down.   

Here’s everything you can try to play with during the process of creating music:

• Switch Instruments: Try something new, trust me when I say this, you do not need expensive or professional instruments to get you started. Anything that makes a sound can be interpreted on your DWA to sound really cool. Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead’s Guitarist) created the distinctive guitar riffs in Radiohead's "Creep" by initially trying to sabotage the song with aggressive guitar stabs during the recording session as a joke.
  
  
• Try blending music genres: You could try out the traditional approach to music. But trying to fuse genres can help you discover elements you like from each one. This knowledge can help you later incorporate such elements in your other tracks too. 
  
  
• Keep Track of Shifts in the Music Industry: Each decade has some signature sound. The 2000s experienced a rise of digital audio workstations; however, the 60’s and 70’s were extremely shaping of rock. Try experimenting with sounds from each decade and learn more about what’s relevant in the present, it can be very telling of what shapes the coming years ahead as well. 
  
  

How Can Collaboration Help You Grow?

Working with other artists is one of the best ways to grow your sound and learn new things. Every artist brings their own vibe, style, and way of creating, and being around that kind of energy can seriously inspire you. Collaboration pushes you out of your comfort zone and helps you see your own music from a fresh angle. You might pick up new techniques, try out genres you never thought of exploring, or improve your songwriting just by watching how someone else works. It also gives you a chance to connect with different audiences and build your reach. People who follow the artist you are working with might end up discovering your music, too. On top of that, creating music with someone else can be way more fun and motivating than doing it all on your own. It is not just about growing as an artist, but also about learning, sharing, and enjoying the process together.

How To Keep Growing As An Artist?

Even the most successful musicians agree on one thing. You never really stop learning. If music is something you truly want to pursue, then growth has to become part of the journey. The industry is changing all the time. New artists are popping up every day, and sounds keep evolving with trends, technology, and cultural shifts. If you want to stay relevant and keep building something meaningful, you have to stay open to learning and adapting.

That could mean picking up a new instrument, learning how to produce your own tracks, diving into music theory, or just staying in touch with what is happening in different genres. Hey! The Beatles flew to India to learn the Sitar, that's enough sign everyone must keep learning, no matter how good of a musician you already are. The more you learn, the more tools you have to create something unique. As you learn and grow, your sound, too, will keep evolving, and that’s the best part. You don’t need to stick with one particular thing; you can keep learning, experimenting, and growing. Let’s be honest, no one wishes to stay stuck, and for that, you must keep learning as you create.

Final Thoughts

It is only normal to feel scared of sounding generic; every musician wishes to stand out from the crowd. You don’t need to find your sound before you start creating. It is something you figure out as time passes. I can say this from personal experience, you can’t gain knowledge unless you start implementing it. Don’t feel scared to start, just do it. As you create and learn, your personal sound, identity vision become clearer than ever. Starting is the first step to finding it. Try listening to a lot of music, collaborating, and learning in depth about the compositions of your favourite tracks, and finally, just get your hands dirty and keep creating.

Always remember, the art is an expression of the artist, not the other way around. What you create must come from the heart and should be satisfactory for you before anyone else.

We at GreaseRelease have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!