December 17, 2014 Are you out selling your music or are you selling out?
I participated in a twitter chat today. Normally, I love hanging with peers and discussing what’s new and what’s not! Today, though, was a little different. The subject was how to make money in music. It is a good and interesting subject but when someone suggested “To keep going where the paying music fans are. Write new songs in the style that fits their interests” I cringed a little. Was the suggestion that artists should write music for the fans? Now that might work for some and I have NOTHING against making money with music but I do believe that, for me at least, it should start with the music and not the other way around. I am the first to admit that I am completely unknown and generally write what I feel like, which is probably exactly why I remain obscure. (I will now insert a pause so all of you music marketing gurus can say “I told you so”). If that is indeed what you are thinking, I believe that you are missing the point. I LOVE having people and peers tell me that what I do sounds great and I LOVE getting that attention. BUT I don’t NEED that to write what I feel, play what I feel and record what I feel!
To me, the idea of moderating my art to please a specific audience spells the end of me as an artists and my integrity. That, unfortunately, is exactly what is still being preached to a whole host of young and impressionable musicians who just want to make it, whatever that means!
I DO NOT AGREE! I whole heartedly believe that music should come from your heart and should consist of YOU. A snapshot of what you are about and believe in. If that is booty booty booty or about the 2nd law of thermodynamics, I am fine with that as long as you mean it! Write songs, compose and record bacuse you HAVE to and not because you want to sell records and get rich! I don’t believe that will last all though there are probably examples that prove me wrong.
When was the last time you listened to other fellow artists at your own level? Which ones did you like? I’ll bet that the ones that got under your skin, were the ones that sounded genuine. Now do you really think that this artist thought about making green when writing that particular line or song? It came from personal experience and an urge to share it.
If you want to make music a career, get good at what you do. Read, listen, ask questions, study and practice. If you are a vocalist and think you are the shit, go see a vocal coach and he or she will cure you! Put in the work and trust that your skills will help you convey your message!
Don’t be discouraged when someone tells you to change your style! If you have the chops and like what you do, hell even if you DON’T have the chops and just enjoy making noises, there is a more than average chance that someone else will like what you do.
“The music industry is changing. Technology and distribution is closer to the artist and it means that there are more of us competing for the same space.”
If you record in your bedroom, that is completely useless information and an abstract way of thinking. You have NEVER had your finished song closer to your audience than you have now! Technology IS closer to the artist. That is how it should be. You should be the audience and you should enjoy the process and not think about whether ANYONE but you likes it! If you do, then you are indeed lucky and rich and the rest will follow!
Reader Comments (3)
agreed 100%. greed alone will not make art. almost every post lefsetz does will also back you up here: http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2012/01/06/originality/
Absolutely agree. If you are only making music to make money, please leave music alone and go find another job. There are far easier ways to make money, and the money motive damages the quality of music.
The "Silver Conductor" here. That is a term of the yesteryears, "SellOut" I believe it was cool back then, but in a get however you can make it work for you and what you have going especially as an indie artist. Sellout is a wrong choice, I'd use "Making it in the new today's music industry". MusicLuv.
The SC.
www.thesilverconductor.com