Mechanically Proficient

As artists it’s important to get mechanically proficient.

Put in the practice time, learn the moves, learn the words, know your instrument, watch the making-of videos, review all the music docs, learn how a song is put together.

But until you attach your emotion to it, with your own entry point, with your own earnest-ness, with your own insecurity…it will be just that, mechanically proficient.

»» This is typical in Nashville but sometimes it’s the other way around…all emotion and a clear lack of mechanics. Struggling to get from chord to chord is a tough way to sell your heartfelt song.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Hyped Up

If something is hyped up and still satisfies the customer…then maybe it’s a good thing it was hyped up or else we may never have tried it.

But if, say, a waffle maker is hyped up and the handle breaks off on the first use…then the hype was a trick. It’s not a product problem. It’s now a trust problem.

When hype works, the product gets the glory. When hype doesn’t work, the hyper loses the trust of the consumer.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Music Mood

If you make music when you’re in the mood you’re probably going to be waiting around most of the time.

If you make music based on your mood you’ll always have something to write about.

And if you’ll always have something to write about you might as well get going.

»» And mood is simply a great starting point because you’re always in one. Feel free to go far beyond mood.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Block Party Talk

If everyone at the block party is talking about it it’s easy to think everyone is talking about it. And if everyone is, I should be too.

It’s not hard to find something to care about. Even when we’re not looking, things pop up all the time.

Better to give our attention to what we’re doing something about rather than trying to dethrone the neighborhood know it all.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Overheard In Nashville 2

In coffee shops, bars, restaurants, parks, on the street, green rooms…people in Nashville are speaking the language.

Here are some more things overheard in Nashville…

No we flew to each date

She knows the manager

My neighbor was the main guy running things

The talkback wasn’t working

Send me the date for that show

They completely replaced the drums

Festivals are just so hot

The universal fits are pretty decent

They were at studio in Berryhill

»» Feel free to send me stuff you hear and I’ll include it

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

We're More Used To Working On it

Getting better at finishing usually means we recognize that part of finishing is feeling as though we’re not finished and/or that it’s not good enough.

We’re more used to working on it than we are to finishing it…and we want to stay in our comfort zone.

So when that scary voice arises that says, ‘I think I might be done’ don’t treat the fear as a deterrent but rather a calling into the next phase.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple