Here is a little chapter for all the indies out there who have noticed the little and irritating thing people do when you say you make music (but haven't released it yet) or when you share the music you have already released. You get royally dissed. We music creators need to remember that our music is never about us if we want people to take us and our music seriously.
Illustrating the problem
As an indie musician/producer, If I am asked what I'm doing and start to share, it often happens that people quickly begin to talk about others' music, their favourite bands, Spotify lists. etc. It's as if my music isn't important to them (and I guess it isn't and that's o.k.).
Let me illustrate sort of goes like this: (F = fan/friend or newcomer; M = me)
"Hi , what do you do for a living?" (F)
"I am a musician, singer/songwriter and a indie music producer." (M)
"Oh, wow! That is so cool! Do you have any music out on Spotify I can listen to?" F
"Not yet. I am working on it and hope to release some soon." M
"Oh, uh, eh. what kind of music do you do?" F
"I work in multiple genres, country, gospel, electro pop rock, to name a few. Each song needs it's own framing." M
Then F goes immediately to talking about others' music, the weather, or their own guitar efforts and all interest in the subject of my music is lost.
What really is going on here?
As I started on my path to creating original music, I noticed that people who asked about what my occupation is had a strange tendency to do one thing very often and they still do (more often than not). They are very positive and think it is cool that I am a music producer in the making, but, as soon as I talk about the process of making music, or the music that I haven't yet released, they change the subject. Why is this?
1. Most people do not make music. They consume music. They can't consume what does not exist, therefore they can't relate to your music if you haven't released it yet. Plain and simple.
It is like saying, "I make the best pecan ice cream in the world" but you don't let them taste it because you haven't made it and packaged it yet. Get it? Or, it is like I say that I know how to repair a certain motor (theoretically), but I haven't put my hands into it yet. That kind of information is like a fact (the sky is blue) they take a glance and then they move on ."Meh!", they say. I don't blame them.
So my take is this: understand that you won't be able to impress anyone or get them to take your music seriously unless they see you play live or can listen to something you've posted on the Internet: YouTube, Spotify or SoundCloud, for example. Even then, the vast majority will quickly move on to something else when your song(s) are done, even when they like what you do.
Don't talk about your recording process, the latest plugins you bought, your choice of DAW, etc. Make everything you say about making your music be about filling a need your fans have.
People don't want and they don't need to hear about your music making process. They need to and want to be inspired, loved, entertained and comforted through your music. Never forget that! So, until you release your music, talk about your vision to meet those needs instead.
2. Most people will be quick to compare your music to others' music because they want to understand where you are coming from and what you are doing. They are not dissing you. The mind needs to clarify things and distinguish between songs/artists in order to understand the music and make choices. Does your music remind someone of Taylor Swift or Lill'Nas? Then they might hop from your music to the latest Taylor Swift's or Lill'Nas they've heard. It's not that they don't care about your music.
Don't get angry when you hear people talk about other artists as soon as you share a song or talk about what you are doing in music. Even if you have released the music and they like it they are inevitably going to compare your music with the industry standard and their music/artist experiences. It is just the way it goes. Don't forget to ask them why they like the music they like. You can learn and grow from that information.
Take some time to listen to the music that people tip you about. Learn from the good stuff in those artists' work and apply what you like in your music process. Thank people for every tip.
No, it's not because they don't care about you or your music. They actually do care when they are comparing you to some other artist. They just want to make sense of all the music they hear and try to encourage you that you might be on the right track.
3. Most people are into theirselves - musicians too. The need for the niche.
We musicians are so into ourselves. We dig deep to find emotions and feelings, create stories and songs to express those and hope that people will like it. We produce and then we put a plate of music on the table hoping that they will eat. If they refuse us we feel rejected. Get used to it.
In order to get the positive and constructive feedback you desire, you need to niche into the flow of a certain type of message/music that suits you and your music. We need to understand how to relate to our listeners' needs. What are they hungry for? We need to dig deep but also spice the music in the right way and place it on the table where people are hungry for it. Niche and dig deeper.
What I am trying to say is share your music in the right chatrooms and on the right place so that the ones that are hungry for your music will "eat it". Don't throw it out on every table in front of people who aren't interested. If someone is into heavy metal and you do classical, don't be surprised if they change the subject quickly. Just saying. If you niche correctly and keep releasing new music, learning as you go, you'll find some soulmates for sure.
3. Releasing more often increases the engagement. How can I get them to stay interested in the music I do and expectant for the new things I will be releasing? By releasing more often.
I started back years ago brushing off my old songs, and writing new ones. It took me a few years to learn to work with a producer and then to evolve into my own producer, learning mixing and the music business as I went along. (I am still learning, btw.) Looking back it would have been better to wait to go public with the Change My Mind album until now, July 2019, (when I have a only a few songs left to adjust up to commercial quality and most of the songs ready for mastering). I made the fatal mistake of telling people in 2016 that I was going to make an album and started a crowdfunding page to get the money to do the mastering. It is 2019 and I'm still not done. Not many gave money then and many of those who followed my music making process tired of the lack of production and stopped following my work.
But every time I release something of quality the interest spikes. And it causes increase in subscribers, followers and likes.
This summer I plan on releasing a Swedish song (single) and then the album as I continue to release other singles. The idea is to change the narrative from I am a music producer that is making music to "Listen to my Spotify channel and follow me there if you will."
Releasing a single on Spotify makes it possible to create an artist's account there and then that makes it possible to create a pre-sale/pre-save through Show.co. That is why I am releasing a single first. Then I am releasing an album because I have promised to do it. Thereafter, I will release singles to keep the interest up.
In conclusion: these are the ways to avoid being dissed as a music creator
If you haven't released music yet, get it done and release it asap. Don't be like me - afraid that it is not good enough so you tweak it forever. Get it out there, take the criticism and move on to the next song.
Before you release, don't talk about you and your music making process unless they ask specifically. Keep it short and sweet and all about them. Ask them why they like the music they listen to and learn from that. Go take time to listen to those artists and see where you can improve. Be inspired. Thank them for the tip, too!
Don't be offended if they change the subject. Don't make it or take it personal. It's usually not. Stay humble.
Have the right motives: Make music to heal, help, encourage, entertain, lift up and calm people. Don't ever do it for the money or the fame - something that only comes to a few who sold their souls.
Keep being devoted to your music creation process no matter what and take rejection as a possible sign that you need to go in a different direction or into a different niche.
Keep learning and growing in your understanding of music/songwriting. even when they diss you. Do it for yourself and for them - "serving" your music where people are hungry for it in a way they like it. Niche is king.
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Other links to my music, blog, etc: https//www.featherheadmedia.com
Whatever you do. Just keep going...
Until next time.