Recording Artist Advocate: Leaving your mark…

The pyramids let us know something about the people who built them. They were brilliant mathematicians and they were great at building complex large structures. If not for the pyramids, would we even care about those people? It’s the same thing we did when Mount Rushmore was carved out of a mountain in South Dakota. Even though it looks good now, the carving was made so that it will still look good after a thousand or more years of erosion. Both of these monuments are like a message from the past saying, “We were here. We were smart. We were good at doing hard things. We were pretty cool.”

What do you want to say that will outlive you and may 
even speak to future generations?

Really think about that. It’s not about trends or something that 
will be out dated in a few years. Are you fair? Are you strong? 
Do you have a strong belief or faith? Write it down. Look at it 
in a few days and rewrite it. When you get it right put it on your 
mirror or write it on the wall where you see it every day. 
That is the filter everything has to go through. 
When someone comes along asking you to be something else, 
you can say, “That doesn’t fit with who I am… or that exactly 
fits who I am.”  

It’s you, and it’s what will be remembered about you 
if you consistently do it.

I have my own filters in my personal and professional life. 
It keeps me focused and usually out of trouble.

But, it doesn’t do you any good if you don’t know yourself, 
or if you don’t apply your own.

So take the time to do it and then use it. Your life will be better 
and you will be happier.

With that focus you’ll write better songs too.

Recording Artist Advocate: Mix it up…

There was a building at MIT that housed the people they didn’t have room for in the regular campus buildings. It was the place they put you till room opened up in the department you would eventually be working in.

Building 20 was a catch-all for different people from different disciplines.  
The modern “Hacker Culture” is attributed to a group housed there. 
Researchers from different disciplines intermingled 
and shared information without even meaning to.  

It’s not unusual for people in these very rigid disciplines to 
cluster together and never interact with people outside their circle. 
We do the same thing. How many people from outside work or your band, 
or gigging do you interact with?

The scientists from Building 20 had more innovation and more patents than 
any other group. It turns out that a mechanical engineer can learn something 
from a nuclear scientist. Or hackers can learn from the ROTC.  

Apply this in your own life. You may feel your brain shutting down at the 
thought of reading a blog about business, but you can learn something there 
that will apply to your career. Advertising principles, especially the 
psychology behind advertising, will definitely apply to how you present 
your band to your potential fans.

There is a “Non-Traditional” Business School here in Texas that hosts 
students from major companies, entrepreneurs, public speakers, churches, 
writers, non-profits, entertainers, musicians and painters… 
really anyone who needs to communicate better. 

I look forward to their “Monday Morning Memo”, and almost every time 
come away with something that will help my recording studio 
or the artist I work with.

Google Wizard Academy and sign up for the once-a-week e-mails.

Also go to TuneCore’s site and sign up for their music business specific 
reminders.

In the time we usually waste online you can learn something that 
will make you more money!  

Recording Artist Advocate: We are all together Coo coo ca choo...

This is really a follow up on my last post.

The people you want to come to your shows and buy your music 
have more choices than ever. In fact they have so many choices 
they're likely to be overwhelmed. And it's not just what band 
to follow. Every category you can think of has more choices. 

And those choices define them. 

Imagine a skit where one character says, “I’m a skateboarder, 
so I like this thing.” 
Then another character says, “I’m a straight A student, so I like 
this other thing.” As simple, and confining, as that sounds, 
it’s pretty much spot on.

The fan you want looks in the mirror and sees something 
very specific. Their choices reinforce that image. 
Especially the people they give their attention to.

When you know yourself and own it, people who feel the same 
way will be comfortable being your fans.

Here is where I think artist get into trouble. Just like the fans, we are 
full of contradictions with a wide range of emotions. If you are too 
specific or just focus on one aspect of yourself you will miss your 
chance at a broader audience. Artist can start out good but 
whittle away their audience the more they say.

Another mistake is to go the other direction and try to ride the waves 
of changing public tastes. If you are so very current today, 
you’ll be out of style tomorrow. 
So don’t chase something that can’t be caught.

When your fans look at you they see something of themselves. 
They need you in their swirling, changing world. 
You’ll grow and mature and they will too right along with you. 
As long as you stay relevant to them, you’ll never lack 
for work, shows, and sales.   

Recording Artist Advocate: And promote some more…

A band went on a short tour. The newest member made videos. Lots of them. Random videos when they passed into a new state or when one of the band members got sick from bad road food. For a month or so they had a huge online presence. The videos were fun but also sad... basically everything that really happens with a band on the road.

As new people saw them at shows and searched for them online, 
there was a lot for them to find. 

But then the tour ended so did all the posts. That player had been 
hired for the tour and joined another band. 
None of the members kept up the posts. 

If you don't have one person keeping your online presence going, 
you should at least rotate those responsibilities through band 
and crew members. One is going to be the perfect fit.

When you are completely sick of it is just about the time fans will 
start really liking it. 

You've heard that you should dress like the job you want. 
That ethic applies to your music career too. Present yourself as 
the successful band you want to be. 

I'm not saying you should put on a fake front, but think about 
how you want people to remember you and play up 
the best parts. 

Think about this too; with all the choices someone has, if you 
want to be one of the bands they like you have to win that slot. 

Know yourself and know your audience. They only have 
so much attention and time. Show them why 
they should give you theirs.