Recording Artist Advocate: Discouragement and Writer's Block...

Creative people are more likely to live on the highs and lows of their emotions. It’s just part of the package. You experience things and write about them so that others feel it too. Your colors will be a little more vivid; the highs and the lows too.

Someone I know was recently going through a writer’s block. I would send encouraging e-mails or texts as what seemed like good advice would come my way. Later we laughed about how when you are going through a bad situation like that, all advice just grates on you, even though it’s good advice.

He said he had to get out of his head and stop trying to write. He was so focused on “writing” that he wasn’t experiencing life.

 I’ve done the same thing. I’ve been so focused on a problem that even though I’m with my family, I’m not really there. My mind is mulling over a solution and I miss out on living.

How many times have you been falling asleep when the solution to a problem springs into your head? When you finally relax and quit trying to figure it out – there it is!

So, if you are becoming discouraged with your music or are going through a creative rough patch, take a step back. Think about what was appealing about this work. What first attracted you to music? You may just need to get back in touch with those things for a while. The nuts and bolts, the heavy lifting part of the business will be there when you come back.

Get out of your head and quit thinking about “work”. You have stories to tell and people need to hear them.  Take some time to let yourself fall in love again, so to speak.

Recording Artist Advocate: Sell Something...

When we were young we thought people saw a need and came up with solutions. The best solutions, or the easiest to use, or the best marketed solutions would be successful.

OK, it happens sometimes. But something else happens more often.

Instead of a need bringing about a solution or product, a product is marketed to create a need. 

Seasonal allergies, Social anxiety... I'll bet you can think of several "problems" that people just dealt with in the past. Now there's a pill for that. 

Music is put together this way too. Someone at a label thinks a certain kind of music is getting hot and they search out a band that fills that niche.  Marketers will even choose the members of the band based on the "look" they're going for. They're inundated with music and songs. That parts easy. It's about what they can sell.  

Bands do it too; chasing after the latest thing. How many grew out their beards... wore their little sister's jeans, or copied any fad that came along.I

If you chase trends you'll always be running after something you can't reach.

How bout' this! Be aware of what is trending in and out of style, but not so you can chase after it. Do what you do. Plant your flag and be willing to say, "This is what I am."

Be authentic and attract an audience of people who appreciate that.

Yes you will change some as you get older or just gain more experience. You can bring your fans along for the ride.

You don't have to fake it or reinvent yourself. The only "Selling out" will be your shows and merch!

Recording Artist Advocate: What you Love...

Whoever said, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day” was a liar.

If you find the work you love and want to be successful l at it you’ll have to work just as hard as if you’re doing something you don’t love. The advantage is that you probably won’t mind as much. At least you can have a better attitude about it most of the time.

I can work 8 hours at my job during the day and work another 8 in the studio. I often do. I enjoy the work in the studio, but it’s still work and I still get tired. The hours go faster, but come on! That’s 16 hours.

If it was easy, everyone would do it. Successful people do what others can’t.

It’s supply and demand. If your job can be done by anyone, it won’t pay as much. The more skill or aptitude required; the smaller the pool of talent there is and the more those people make.

I don’t buy the argument that athletes make too much and teachers don’t make enough.

You try to do what they do. They’re so good at it people pay to watch. It’s “butts in the seats” and it adds up to millions. (People and Dollars!) On the other hand, almost anyone can get a teaching certificate.

If you can get those same “butts in seats” you can make money too! Lots of it!

Yes you’re doing what you love, but it’s still work.

Recording Artist Advocate: Relationships...

Have you ever heard a song compared to Sex? It’s not so farfetched.    

There is initial attraction and an intensifying leading to a release, and a winding down. (Knowing this you may not listen to some songs the same way again.)

Think of a body of work as the longer term relationship.

You have songs that attract your fans. You have the songs that tell them more about you. Like a relationship you work up to intimacy. When you’ve won them over you can explore deeper themes.

You may even challenge them to think differently… but not at first or too much at once.

You can grow with your fans and become part of their lives if you do it right.

A long term relationship is a good way to think about it:

Be honest about who you are: Real resonates, even with people who are not like you. You can be relatable without losing yourself.

Be realistic about yourself and what you want: It takes work and persistence… and then more work. More gigs mean more exposure and more money, but know your limits.  

Be able to give and take: Give too much of yourself and you’ll play out. (… and seem desperate.) Be too selfish and your fans feel taken advantage of.  

Find the balance in these areas and your relationship… your career can be much more satisfying.  

Recording Artist Advocate: Small or Large Vision...

Last week I talked about small and large labels on clothing and how that can apply to your career. I want to expand on that and talk about your vision for your career.

I’ve recorded people who choose a specific niche for themselves and people who think bigger.

An extreme example of thinking small is someone who just sings about being a welder or a cowboy without expanding out to the things that more people can relate to.

For me it would just get boring writing about the same thing all the time.

Smarter artist might start out with a specific theme, but there are things we all go through and those make better stories and songs anyway. Find and explore those things.

Life is happening all around you and we’re not all feeling the same thing at the same time. You could meet two people with the same backgrounds. One is having their best day and the person next to them is having their worst. Will your song mean something to both of them?

If it will… If it does; you just did something great.

Keep doing it and you can be very successful.  

Intimate, personal songs are great if you just want to play them for your own enjoyment. Expand out so that more and more people can relate to your music.

Find the balance that works between broad and intimate.

Those are the songs that go down in history.