Support & Advice | Croydon Music

Concept Development

September 4, 2009

CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT WHAT IS IT?

Definitions

Concept

1. A general notion or idea; conception.
2. An idea of something formed by mentally combining all its characteristics or particulars; a construct.
3. A directly conceived or intuited object of thought.

Develop
1. To bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state: to develop natural resources; to develop one’s musical talent.
2. To cause to grow or expand: to develop one’s muscles.
3. To elaborate or expand in detail: to develop a theory.
4. To bring into being or activity; generate; evolve.

When I speak with artists or music related businesses I like to ask them what are you selling? Most respond with a generic answer such as songs, to which I say NO YOU ARE NOT!

I like to use the example of Starbucks, most people say that they are selling coffee, but they sell a lot more than that, and I don’t mean frappachinos! Starbucks sell a lifestyle, they target a certain type of consumer, they don’t say I want everyone to buy our coffee, like I hear many say I want everyone to buy my music. You never really see many builder types in Starbucks they would rather go down the greasy spoon cafe and pay 60p for a coffee or tea instead of £3.50.

Starbucks know their market and they develop their products to suit that market, most artists or businesses in the music industry fail to target a specific market they try to please everyone and if you don’t know the saying, i’ll share it with you.

When you try to please everyone, you often end up pleasing no one!

So when you are developing a product or even yourself, ask yourself what am I selling, what is my concept, and who is my target market (more on marketing to come). Then spend some time brainstorming and developing the concept. Try and find something that will separate you from the crowd, it is fine to be inspired by an artist or product, but if you just copy that artist or product why would anyone buy your music or product instead of what inspired you!

Sometimes concepts come with your development, but if you can concieve your concept before you release a product, it would be ideal as your marketing and can be inspired by your concept as well as you music, photos, videos etc.

Beyonce has just released her album where her concept is based on a split personality so her photos, music, videos and marketing is based on that concept.

Most rap music nowadays is based on fast cars, fast women, fast lives etc. (slight generalisation) which appeals to a definite core market.

So before you say I want to be a singer think about what you are selling, humour, sex appeal, consciousness, love, the hard life, one of these could be your concept (or not) and the development will be how you manage to put your voice to it, how do you differentiate yourself from the millions of singers around the world.