The musician enablers

Support and help can be a funny thing. If some one offers to help someone, most would hope that they are helping to get that person moving forward to a better place, closer to success. Or perhaps delivering some of the tools or resources (including, yes, money) that will lead to bigger and better things. However, there are those that become enablers. Their intentions are good, but they may end up hurting more than they help.

Everyone has heard the old joke, “what do you call a drummer with no girlfriend? Homeless!” It’s funny but also, in a number of cases, true. There are numerous aspiring musicians are supported by their family, their girlfriends, their boyfriends and plenty of others when it comes to money. That is not always a bad thing. If communication is good, if expectations are clear, and the guidelines for support are set in place before a dollar changes hands, that help can be worth its weight in gold. That help can bring the artist to the next level if they are struggling. It can make things a little easier. It’s not a golden ticket, it’s not a back door from paying dues and learning invaluable lessons. It simply makes a long hard road a little easier for a few miles.

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Endorsements

Free stuff! Everybody wants it. Getting free gear and being able to say “I endorse so and so” is a very interesting topic, and one that is often approached from the wrong angle with the wrong intentions that deliver the wrong results. First of all, a lot of people talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. These people claim to endorse companies that have no idea who they are. There is a fine line and a fine, keen difference between a musician that exclusively uses a product and that musician actually endorses a company. I find it completely foolish when people lie about their endorsements, or overly advertise that they are endorsed, but do not mention any of the elements that are involved in endorsing a product.

Simply put, whether we speak of you endorsing a product or a product/company endorsing you, we are talking about you as marketing avenue connected to that product/company, an avenue from which they can gain exposure and revenue. It is the endorsers’ responsibility to exclusively use a given product, of course, but also to use it in a way that showcases the quality of that product and the quality of the player (ie: you!) that is now associated with the product. An ideal endorsement is more than the sum of its parts: both sides gain.

It’s not all about a free ride

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Have I got a bridge to sell you.

It seems everyone has an advertisement up for some kind of teaching/ consulting thing when it comes to music. I scan some of the classified sites online as well as in the papers and occasionally visit a couple websites and am always blown away by the people that not only claim they can make you an amazing player in a few weeks or give you all the tools to be successful in the music business. Then of course you have those that cannot only teach you to sing, but can also teach you stage presence, marketing, booking, promoting, style, and much more. One advertisement I saw in the north east was from a guy that could give you everything you needed in the music industry as well as do tune ups for your car and band photos.

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But it makes sense to me

There are a lot of musicians and groups that artistically want to stretch people’s minds and make people think, figure out and really dive deep in to the meanings of their songs, their name, their image, different elements of their marketing and other underlining elements that many artists think will add that hip or cool edge to them. The problem that can occur though is flat out confusion or actually deterring more people away from your music and you than helping bringing them to listen to you and want to find out more about you.

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So now you get it, but do you really?

It’s a hard thing to admit when you’re wrong. Whether it’s in an argument or approach, at work or at play, it can be incredibly challenging to suck it up and admit that it’s not someone or something else’s fault, but your own. You know the people who have a thousand reasons for why they’re not getting somewhere, and the reasons always have to do with all these other people and all these other things, but let’s be honest: the world at large is seldom solely to blame.

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First Impressions are now more important than ever.

Everyone is tired of that same old  phrase “you only get one chance to make a first impression”. It is repeated ad nauseum from business schools to beauty pageants and everywhere in between. As much as I would rather say to throw away the stuffy old phrases, parables and sayings, this is one that seems to grow more and more true every day. Especially in the music industry.

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Ten Tips that Every Musician Should Apply to Their Career

As the holiday season approaches, and we get in to that thing about good will to all, all those other quips about being better people for a moment—which personally, I think should go through out the whole year and not just the shopping season (sorry, holiday season), I wanted to put out a quick rant (speaking of Good Will) that I’ll call Ten Tips that Every Musician Should Apply to Their Career. These apply to both the music and business sides of he equation. Many apply to those who are not musicians but work in the music business.
Hell, a few apply to anyone working in any business. So, New title: Ten Tips for Everyone Alive on the Planet

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What are you listening to when it comes to music?

What music did you listen to today? Was it one of your favorite songs, albums or compilations? Was it something you listen to often? Once you’ve got that figured out, ask yourself a few more questions. Beyond practicing your instrument, writing your music and managing the business side of things, how are you nurturing your ears and your inspirations? Just as you needed books in school to provide you with a vocabulary that would allow you to write, you need to listen to music in the same way. It’s about connecting with what you like but also listening to where it comes from.

In some ways it’s like vitamins—musical supplements. While you might prefer big band jazz, it can be educational to listen to other styles, like pop, country and Latin, to name a few. Even crooners like Frank Sinatra listened to and even covered artists like the Beatles. It’s about understanding what inspires you, but also about being a student of music, which means listening to as much as you can, even the stuff you don’t like.

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Posting and announcing your gigs.

So you have a show and you want to promote it. Many artists take this pretty simply. They post on their website, announce it on Myspace, share it on Facebook, sometimes list it on Craigslist and then maybe send it to a local music magazine. There is this idea that people will just make the effort to find out about you. Now in some cases that can be true, but with each gig and show it is much more effective to pull those that already know you, reach out to those that might be some what familiar with you and connect with people that have never heard of you before.

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Ending agreements in the beginning for bands.

Many musicians feel like the band they are in is destined for success and that the group will never break up. Even after being a part of a number of bands, there is still that glimmer of hope—which is not a bad thing, but often times it can set you up for problems further down the road. Imagine that things are really starting to take off, money is coming in, you have forward motion and momentum. At this point, things feel good, everyone is happy, decisions are made fast, and quite possibly, never formalized in writing.

Now fast forward two years. For some reason, whatever reason, someone is leaving. The band is breaking up. If there was already fighting going on, it escalates: arguments over who gets what, who is owed what, and who has rights to what. Everything is twice as challenging and twice as hard. In a lot of cases, people hate each other, the fights get louder and harsher. This is not an atmosphere in which any equitable decisions can made.

Simple Solution

It really comes down to a very simple solution: In the early stages, while the band is new, while things are getting ready to happen, and most of all while everyone is happy and friendly, work to set up your end agreements then.

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What happened? A rant about the work ethic of many musicians

What ever happened to true effort, the desire to learn and develop ones ability? What happened to the problem solvers? What happened to the ones that could look at a problem or at something going wrong and continue on in the mode to make it right or at least better? What happened to the hunger that was followed with the effort to do that extra work, take that extra step or go just a little more above and beyond? When did the laziness set in, the complacency, and when did the expectations grow to the point where some think it should simply come their way and they deserve all they want with as little effort as possible.

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Cancellations and Rescheduling

So the show got cancelled. Whether it was your fault, the venues fault, the manager’s fault or the weathers fault, it really doesn’t matter. It is strange to me that when something goes wrong, people seem to be much more about figuring out who did something wrong and assigning blame over the much more obvious and much more effective problem solving and doing what you can to make the best out of the situation.

Gigs are going to get cancelled or rescheduled. Times are going to occur when you are going to be double booked. You can take the right steps to organize and track things the best you can, but problems occur and sometimes they just can’t be helped. I have heard bands scream and moan about this booking agent or that manager messing up. Then I have seen the online postings where bands blast venues and then the venues go back blasting bands. This really doesn’t solve a single thing and it keeps you further as well as takes up time you could use to reschedule, take steps to make sure it does not happen again and reach out to your fans and people that were going to come to the show.

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Drive and determination are far from enough.

“I will make it in this business because I believe in myself. I have the drive and determination to be a success. Plus, I have great songs and an amazing band!” Hey, while we are here, let’s add, “I’m smart, talented and, gosh darn it, people like me.”

Reality check, people: it takes a lot more than drive, determination, a positive attitude and believing in yourself to make it in the music business. I’m not saying you don’t need those things. They’re helpful, but they are only one small piece of the whole.

Talk is cheap

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Honor as a musician and a business person.

All industries have liars and the music industry is definitely no exception. Many people do not follow through on their word; many people lack honor, consideration and professionalism. It’s unfortunate that those who do lack honor—who lie or skip out on promises—grow defensive about their lack of honor when called on it. Instead of righting wrongs or taking steps to modify their actions, they give excuses and reasons why it is okay for them to be dishonorable.

In the arts, as in any other profession, you must have professional abilities and skills, but today, with so many artists going after the same jobs, the same tours, the same records, it takes ability, professionalism and honor for people to call on you and continue to call on you again and again.

Your word, it is that simple

This is not rocket science. In fact, it shouldn’t even need to be mentioned. But honor is an issue. False promises, outright lies, back stabbing and just plain absence is a problem in the industry, but the industry is getting more and more fed up with it. While many superstar names have been troublesome in the past and put up with these days, with the economy, time restraints and other issues, more people are leaning towards working with those who can not only play, but also have the honor to show up, perform, follow through and deliver. Attitudes, egos and lack of professionalism are not tolerated like they used to be.

When you give your word, follow through with it. Honor it. This will lead to more work than you know.

Your actions

When you are booked for a session, a show, anything, be there and be there on time. If you are going to be late, call. If there are things that are going to keep you from fulfilling your obligation or your promise then do everything in your power to remedy the situation with a replacement or some kind of fix.

I am amazed at how people give up with no consideration of the person who has booked them or what ever the agreement or contract situation is. I, for one and I speak for many, do not call people back that flake out, blow off or bail at the last minute. This adolescent behavior is unprofessional, dishonorable and disrespectful. This also makes me, as the producer, look bad to the artist or the client with whom I am working. I don’t care how good a musician is. When they show a lack of respect or consideration for me, the artist and the promise they have made, then I am done with that person.

Things do happen.

Now I am not saying things don’t happen that you can’t control. Car problems occur, accidents, emergencies, etc. can prevent anyone from being able to honor his or her word. When it comes to professionalism, honor and respect, it really isn’t as much about how you behave when everything is perfect. It is about how you behave when problems occur.

When anything, or everything, goes wrong, how do you problem solve? What kind of effort do you put in to rectifying the issue? If you get into a car accident and you are okay, but stuck waiting for a tow truck, are you the type to call and say you can’t make it and leave it at that? Or are you the type who either tries to find another way to get to the session or makes calls to the studio or producer asking if they can call anyone else while you, yourself, are working to find a way to get that session covered?

Your follow through

It comes down to the follow through, and while a solution will not be reached every time, if something has to change or a commitment has to be broken, I know that the person I hired did everything they possibly could to make it right. That is honor. That is professionalism. That is follow through.

You say you are going to be some where = Show.

You say you are going to do something = Do it.

You say you are going to pay some one = Pay them.

Honor your commitments, your promises and your own goals. If something goes wrong, do all you can to make it right.

Too easy. Really!

Regardless of the booking, the gig, the contract, the promise, as long as you do what you say you are going to do or make every effort to resolve an emergency situation, then you truly are a professional with honor in every sense of the word. You want to have a reputation of a skilled, competent professional whose playing matches his or her honor.

Be the person who follows through on commitments, takes care of business and can be counted on when things are going right and even more so when things go wrong. Be the dependable, honorable person. It can make all the difference in the world. When people know they can count on you through thick and thin, your reputation will spread like wild fire but don’t forget, the same thing goes for the opposite as well.

© 2009 Loren Weisman

www.braingrenademusic.com

Watch out for Loren Weisman’s “Realistic Music Careers 101 Seminar” coming to a city near you and Loren’s book “The Artist’s Guide to Success in the Music Business” coming in 2010.