8 Online Music Communities for All Skill Levels
Sometimes, being a musician might feel isolating. Your family and friends might not quite understand your devotion to a niche genre or the feeling of nailing that tough solo.
Online communities fill a need for musicians and music enthusiasts who simply love music or want to launch a career in the industry — and everything in between. So, whether you want to test the boundaries of hip-hop or just master your scales, there’s a community out there for you.
Why should you consider an online music community?
Online music communities have exploded in popularity, largely due to the rise of social media platforms. The more people come together online, the easier it is to divide up into niche groups. Here’s what a music community can offer.
Personalized learning paths
Online communities provide a personalized education ecosystem for students, based on their learning styles and goals. Students from all backgrounds can hone their talents and improve their practice sessions or performances.
Whether you’re looking for an adult music group for beginners or perfecting your skills to join a band, the right community will give you the advice and support to succeed.
Emotional support and motivation
As you progress in your music, it’s normal to have peaks, valleys, and plateaus. Sharing your struggles and successes can help you connect with like-minded people, delivering much-needed perspective when you’re feeling discouraged.
An online community can provide the social benefits of music, inspiring, challenging, and motivating you to keep improving. During every session, you’ll know that people are rooting for you — even if you can’t see them.
Opportunities for self-expression
Music is an opportunity for self-expression, giving you a new way to explore who you are. A musical community is a place to share sketches, ideas, or compositions, which can spark everything from general discussions to specific feedback.
You can use these interactions to boost your confidence as you tinker and experiment. For most people, the desire for artistic development and creativity is what brings them to the musical world in the first place. The right community will encourage and inspire your self-expression.
Top 8 online music communities to check out
Ready to combine your passion for music with a community that supports you? Here are some of the best communities, what they have to offer, and how you can join.
1. Trala on Discord
Trala on Discord is a music education community for Trala students. It’s free for members to join and caters to violin players of all skill levels. Signing up is as simple as accepting the invite and connecting with fellow students and expert teachers.
On Trala, you’ll find:
- Niche communities: Trala is just for violinists. And while everyone may be functioning at a different level, even the experts can find answers to their questions.
- Engaging games: Trala’s games go beyond practice and theory, helping students discover new talents or develop their own great music.
- Inspiration: From stress relief to personal satisfaction, see what inspires other people to play and draw from their experiences to build your own.
- Support: If you get stuck along the way, turn to Trala for emotional and practical support. Here, you can banish the doubts and self-criticism that prevent progress.
- Communal learning: One-on-one instruction is invaluable to the learning process, but sometimes it’s better to see the bigger picture. With Trala on Discord, everyone can learn together with the help of Trala’s incredible teachers.
2. Drooble
Drooble is a platform where industry pros, musicians, educators, and band directors meet to improve their music collaboration projects. To become a part of this global ecosystem, it’s as simple as creating an account.
On Drooble, you’ll find:
- Ambassador programs: Ambassadors of Drooble promote the platform and receive a 10% commission for every dollar their referrals spend.
- Song analysis: Share your songs and receive analytical reports, plus objective reviews from fellow musicians.
- EPK tools: With Drooble, you can put together a professional Electronic Press Kit to showcase your portfolio for both your demographic and the wider music industry.
3. SoundCloud
The SoundCloud community breaks down into two different sites: a streaming site for new music and a platform for artists to showcase their work.
With more than 320 million tracks on the streaming service, this is the place to discover tomorrow’s trends before they take off. SoundCloud offers free streaming plans and paid subscription plans for artists.
On SoundCloud, you’ll find:
- National exposure: Artists can submit tracks for national airplay, either on SiriusXM or SoundCloud Radio.
- Distribution: SoundCloud partners with all major distribution platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and TikTok.
- Fan-powered payments: Compensation on SoundCloud is based on listener frequency.
4. Music Launch Hub
Music Launch Hub provides customized career plans for both musicians and industry professionals. Whether you want to be a scout or a soloist, you can package your skills and find the best fit. To sign up, fill out their online form to connect with a community specialist.
On Music Launch Hub, you’ll find:
- Marketing: Help your work stand out in a fiercely competitive industry with a strong marketing campaign.
- Creative development: Music Launch Hub combines creative development with strategic planning, so you can flesh out your unique brand.
- Accountability: Setting goals is easy, but achieving them is much harder to do — especially in a vacuum. Through this online musical community, you get the nudge you need to stick to a schedule.
5. Discogs
Discogs helps music fans and collectors optimize their collections and share ideas. This is the place for music lovers to get together and delve deep into their favorite genres, whether it’s electronic dance music or hip-hop. Signing up starts with creating an account on the site and diving into your favorite topics.
On Discogs, you’ll find:
- Comprehensive databases: The site’s user-generated database chronicles the history of recorded music. There are more than 900,000 community contributors, many of whom are die-hard fans with insider info across genres.
- Marketplaces: If you’re offloading part of your music collection, market your physical media on Discogs to a passionate group.
- Forums: If you’re a hard-core collector or fan looking for something specific, the forums can put you on the right track.
6. Kompoz
Kompoz is a community for indie composers to flesh out their tracks with fellow musicians. Create public or private workspaces to share your work (tracks, lyrics, files, etc.), and ask for what you need. To sign up, you’ll need to register your email on the site and receive a custom code.
On Kompoz, you’ll find:
- Private studios: Collaborate in a private workspace with invited musicians.
- Public boards: Whether you need a drummer or singer, you can find musicians to jam with by posting a help-wanted ad to a community of over 100,000 musicians.
- Streaming services: Once your songs are complete, you can publish and stream them on Kompoz Radio. Music producers and other professionals routinely look for breakout stars on platforms like these.
7. Spoon
Spoon is a live-streaming platform where you can discover new songs based on your preferences, tastes, and mood. You can also livestream your performances to gauge audience reactions. To sign up for a basic account, it’s as simple as connecting an email or social media account.
On Spoon, you’ll find:
- Live streams: Live stream your performances for up to four hours through Spoon’s paid membership tiers.
- New trends: See which topics, songs, and podcasts are trending in a vibrant and diverse community. Spoon helps musicians uncover what’s driving the latest craze.
- Custom playlists: Compile your favorite tunes from Spoon’s unique streaming catalog.
8. Tonic Audio
Tonic Audio fast-tracks song delivery by helping you find everything from bandmates to fans. While many musicians find it frustrating to collaborate online, Tonic Audio organizes files and tracks, so it’s all accessible on the same platform.
The platform has three tiers, including a free option. You can sign up by providing your email address and choosing your preferred package.
With Tonic Audio, you’ll get:
- Consolidated feedback: Many musicians manage feedback on social, email, and SMS. Tonic Audio puts it all in one place, providing time-stamped commentary that makes it easier to adjust tracks.
- Listener controls: When you want your songs played to a specific audience for a certain time period, Tonic Audio helps you set up the experience for the best results.
- Free storage: Enjoy up to 5 GB of free storage, and store multiple versions in the same place for free.
Enhance your musical experience with Trala’s online community
Music and community go hand in hand. Musical online communities are built for music lovers, but they cater to a diverse range of interests and goals.
If you’re looking for one with expert violin teachers and committed students, Trala on Discord is a niche community with all the support you need. Whether you’re just getting started or returning from a hiatus, Trala on Discord will motivate, inspire, and encourage your musical development.
Ready to take the next step? You’re in the right place! Get started with Trala today.