There is no doubt that the existing situation has weakened the music scene to a great extent and musicians have little choice but to try their best to challenge them. Musicians should avoid the illusion that there is a short-term answer for overcoming the existing limitations, some of which are even outside their power to influence or change. So, what's the solution? How long should we wait for obstacles to go away?

Isn't it better to accept the realities that we face, to find and test other ways of doing things? To speak metaphorically, we need to accept that at this point we are living in a desert environment, filled with dust and sand. Therefore, we shouldn't be insisting on riding a boat to occupy ourselves? If we have a magical way to turn the desert into a beautiful lake, then by all means; otherwise, we should find other sports to keep us entertained, like beach volleyball.

Although the music industry elsewhere doesn't face as many obstacles as it does in Iran, it is still in a state of limbo. In almost all countries, whether they are "advanced" or "developing", the fierce, cutthroat competition that rules over the music industry and the media, has resulted in little financial return for those outside the main currents of pop and rock. It is helpful to know that for musicians outside the mainstream, the market for music sales covers less than 10% of their living costs. The share of property rights and royalties (permission to broadcast music from the media, composing music for other cultural products, etc.) is around 20%. Live performances (be they direct proceeds from ticket sales, selling albums in concerts, royalties for live performances) is around 45% and the remaining 25% is dedicated to fringe income like internet sales, commissioned concerts, commissioned compositions, and teaching music. In our country, however, most artists are inclined to only look at album sales as a source of income and recognition. The fact is, however, that the few record labels that are active have a limited capacity to put out albums, and thirsty musicians eager to see the fruits of their labor out on record stands are sometimes even asked for money by some labels to foot the bill for the publication of their work.

Unable to benefit from property rights revenues and royalties, unable to find satisfaction in the publication of their albums, unable to appear before a public in a live performance, Iranian artists still have options available to them other than migrating to another country (which is also a solution!), provided that they are willing to suspend their preconditions. They must give up on such reasoning as: "The key to my success is to fill a 3000-seat amphitheater" or "the only road to recognition is to publish an album" or "the only vehicle for becoming famous is to appear on the cover of a popular magazine" or "if my compositions don't find their way into the market, I will lose all my chances."

Countless musicians around the world haven't even published a single album or ever performed live, but their artistic and economic livelihood is nevertheless centered on music. It could be that for many musicians the significance of publishing an album has become akin to printing a business card.

The new mediums

The space of the Internet has made it possible for many to make their works known to others simply by composing a few pieces. Independent or social network websites are good places to sell single works. The ease of communicating with a large group of people creates opportunities that are unique to the medium. Some of these are: Invitation to live performances in various parts of the world, participating in motley festivals or musical competitions and workshops, composition for other artistic products like film and theater. With a simple website, good public relations, a bit of patience, and of course checking one's expectations for quick returns, a musician can continue working as a musician. It is sad that the indeterminate economic prospects, as well as the dysfunctional economic vision that is looking for quick returns, has had its negative impact on many of our young specialists. Almost to the same extent that a new graduate of civil engineering expects to be hired as head engineer in a massive dam building project, young musicians also expect to be hurled into fame by composing a few pieces. This is a mentality that is not common even in advanced nations, with all the opportunities that are available to artists, who are willing to work with meager salaries (or even for free) until opportunities present themselves. This is something that is modern means of communication and technology have made easier. Another common approach for young musicians is to cooperate with other young musicians (even on the internet) on projects and to expect sharing in the success of the project rather than a return.

Music for various functions

Composing for various commission-based performances -- in theater, film, animation, visual arts -- or for commercial teasers, festivities, museums, exhibitions, software and software games, websites, special venues, various television programs (from sports to news), ringtones are among ways that a young musician can use his/her imagination and creativity to get a good start.

Music for other commercial functions

We shouldn't forget other non-artistic fields when it comes to applying our musical skills. For example, in the last Olympic Games in Beijing, many cellular phone networks offered special services, like sending text with music to subscribers who wanted to get a customized musical note on the success or failure of a particular team. Many composers from different countries made ringtones that would tell subscribers what team had won or lost. With a little math (the number of participating countries in the Olympiad multiplied by the number of disciplines and medals) you can calculate how many different ringtones were commissioned.

With the growth of retailed outlets and brands, manufacturers are now looking for independent branding practices (in our own country we have witnessed the mushrooming of such stores as DEBENHAMS, ADDIDAS, SONY and fast-food chains such as BOOF), which is a potential market for musicians. These corporations try to make their stores unique by customizing "look and feel" -- décor, lighting, staff outfit, color, and company motto -- and they are also after their own music broadcasted from speakers in their store (whether these are selections or original compositions). You won't find the same music that was playing in BENETTON if you move to ZARA.

Many of these possibilities may need justification, but with a little open-mindedness we can change the way we perceive ourselves as musicians, only to create opportunities for creative expression, to engage in them with a little patience and to break free from the mold of traditional norms of musicianship.

Footnotes

[1] These are albums that are published without abiding by copyright laws but that are not removed from the shelves because their content doesn't challenge existing laws in Iran. These albums sometimes even get official permission to release.
[2] Works that are considered illegal both in terms of copyright laws and in terms of content, but which are sold openly in music stores.
[3] Sever shortage of venues for musical performances, the many limitations arising from concurrence with the official religious calendar, various obstacle to obtain permission to take to stage, unforeseen expenses, risks and costs of organizing concerts due to last-minute cancellations imposed by authorities.