Like in every other sphere of life, the pandemic has taken music online, and everything looks different as a result. New trends have emerged, as have disruptions and opportunities.
Here are some highlights:
1. The evolution of the live performance
Two years ago, the idea of a live concert over zoom would’ve been sacrilege. At the start of the pandemic, artists and event managers were scrambling for ways to create meaningful live performances online. With lag, it was impossible for even two artists in different locations to play together. However, with some ingenious planning and routing of sound, artists have found ways to collaborate online with live sound. With time, however, online concerts became more advanced. Today, artists are able to engage with fans more smoothly, thanks to quality production, light, and sound. Whenever we resume live concerts, online performances will still be a great way to engage with fans more intimately.
2. Skill building
With everyone stuck at home, most artists found themselves at home, upskilling in order to continue creating. Earlier, a singer could just visit a studio to record a track. Today, with lockdowns in place, artists have to record, edit, and shoot their own videos. This idea of multi-specialty artistry has overall been a good trend, because learning new and complementary skills can only help. Later on, it may be a better idea to work with experts instead of doing everything yourself. Still, it’s a good idea to keep these skills in your back pocket – just in case.
3. Collaborations
With everyone at home, the world has simultaneously become bigger and smaller. Any place outside the house is too far to travel, let alone a new country. So, artists have been collaborating with other artists from different corners of the world. While long-distance collaborations have existed for years, many musicians weren’t open to them. Today, the idea that “nothing can replace in-person” has given way to new opportunities for international exposure.
4. Social Media and Streaming
Social media has always been crucial, and will only increase in importance. Since the pandemic hit, virtual platforms have been the only way to stay engaged with fans. Since we still don’t know how things will look in the future, it’s important to keep interacting and growing online.
One tip for musicians: Spent time using new tools and features on different platforms. It is the easiest way to skyrocket your growth.
– Bindu Subramaniam (Co-founder & CEO, SaPa)
5. Music Education
In the last year, online music education has grown rapidly, with many new players entering the fray. Many adults have turned to music for joy, so music educators like us have created courses that work for them. Classes in a variety of formats from live-online to asynchronous and hybrid have found popularity around the world. As live classes slowly start again, extra online material and a hybrid way of learning is definitely here to stay.
If you would like to start learning music online, check out SaPa’s self-paced courses by the world’s top musicians. Click here to begin.
