Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Talent - The Main Ingredient

If you're an artist or band, you're hearing a litany of advice about how to do-it-yourself without a label, use social media to build you audience, develop you mailing list, improve your website, crowdfund, and just about every other buzz word that applies to online music these days.

Some people that you read or listen to have good advice, some have dated advice, and some just repeat what they've heard from somewhere else.

Regardless who you listen to or study from, you're no doubt feeling overwhelmed. What should I do first? Am I doing it right? How often should I do it? Do I need to do everything? Why can't I get everything I need to do finished by the end of the day.

Yes, being a musician, artist, band, producer, engineer or manager in our Music 3.0 digital music world is a handful. But here's the catch.

If you don't have the talent first, that special something that only stars have, none of it will work no matter how much time you spend on it.

There's more competition than ever, and most of it is mediocre. You can't just be good, or really good, or really, really good anymore - you've got to be GREAT! to break through.

Sure, who's to say what's good? Chances are no matter what you do, you'll find at least a small audience, but will that make enough money for you to quit your job? Will it even be enough to make all the hard work worth it?

That's why it's important to never forget why you're doing all this - it's for the music. If you find that you're spending more time working the social networks than writing, rehearsing, or practicing, you've got your priorities wrong. Because if the music isn't great, none of the other stuff will matter.

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3 comments:

Ivo Siemonsmeier said...

I know this kind of dilemma and chose the musician´s road.

If you feel that networking isn´t your type of thing concentrate on the music. It´s more fun in the end. If you don´t get famous, try to settle down and remember why you started making music. If it´s the chords, melodies, rhythm and sounds than you are on the right track.

I had to deal with my envy for over a decade. I asked myself why some guys made some gigs despite their lack of talent as a musician. I don´t let it bring me down anymore. Instead I stay at home and listen to music that I enjoy and can learn from.

Don´t be angry. Sometimes it´s not meant to be. If you feel some grieve not being a star than you should question your motives of being a musician.

NathanWillsMusic said...

Well i've been making music for 10 years, too scared to do anything about it. Though I faced my fears, a few years ago, did a video on youtube. then I connected someone who was famous on youtube. We got on well. I now have about 20,000 subcribers on my youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paradigma

Nathan

That's the way i did it. :) Follow your heart, energy and the love to be able to create music.

BeHyped said...

This is so true Bobby!

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