Tidal

Tidal has to be better for the PEOPLE if it’s going to work.  The software has to be great (at this point in the game, it actually has to be more than a tiny bit better).  

Artists getting paid (more) would just be a byproduct of lots of people subscribing to a quality streaming service.  But artist royalty rates are horrible marketing tactic (only the artists care), especially when they’re not even being transparent with the actual royalty rates.

The reason why more people aren’t subscribing to Spotify/others isn’t because they have heart felt concerns for bands royalty rates.  It’s because streaming music, and subscribing to a service isn’t as popular as it needs to be in order to become more popular…yet.

It will happen though. I’d guess pretty soon. Maybe Spotify, maybe Apple/Beats…maybe even an updated version of Tidal…but I doubt it.

I tried the Tidal free trial.  There’s nothing special about it (it’s actually somewhat klanky) and it doesn’t offer as much music as Spotify and the others.  So why would anyone choose it?

But you should check it out for yourself. Maybe you’ll see or feel a benefit that I’m not getting.

We need to encourage people to subscribe to a streaming service because the streaming service happens to be easy, intuitive, organized, convenient and fun.  It needs to be about the CUSTOMER experience.  

Build a GREAT streaming platform and they will come.

p.s. Bob Lefsetz had a pretty spot on post yesterday about the whole deal that’s worth checking out.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Writers Block

No one complains about talkers block.  Therefore there’s no such thing as writers block.

You can have an unusual amount of fear and insecurity about writing in a given season, but to give yourself a pass by saying that you have writers block is just a reaction to fear.  Writers block lets you off the hook for having to do the hard part.

Don’t even give the term writers-block a seat at the table.  As soon as it tries to get through the door, kick it out. It’s not welcome.

Every day you talk. Every day you think. There’s your material.

p.s. Here’s my little secret: I didn’t feel like I had anything to say/write about today.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Uh-Oh Moments

There are moments.  Moments where all you can say is “uh-oh”.  Saying uh-oh usually means that the only way to move is forward, but it’s not going to be pretty.  There’s no legitimate chance of turning back and you’re about to suffer a little…you’re about to earn a badge.

There comes a point around 150 or 200 shows where I hope you can (and you should able to) avoid all of the following uh-oh moments.  But if you don’t have that many shows under your belt yet…I actually wish these upon you, in the friendliest way possible.  You need to get roughed up a little.

Here’s some uh-oh moments…

When you show up to the venue on time and literally no one else is there

When you show up to the venue, one guy goes in to check-in and comes out smiling

When another band on the bill asks to borrow your bass

When the sound guys asks if you brought microphones

When you are not insanely famous and the barricade is set up 20 feet off the front of the stage

When the lighting guy thinks it’d be a cool effect to “go dark” in the middle of a chorus

When the venue manager asks if he can pay you in deer meat (true story)

When there’s not a stage

When there is a “band house provided” in the contract

When the production manager asks where the horn section is, when there’s no horn section

When the drummer expects the bass player to have extra batteries for the metronome

When the entire front of the stage is lined with peoples’ beers (spoiler: they’re eventually getting knocked into your pedal board)

When anyone asks if they can pay you later

Send me your moments, and if I get a bunch of good ones I’ll do another post with a  compiled list.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Perspective On The Rules

You have to be tall to be in the NBA
Unless you’re fast

You have to be fast to be running back in the NFL
Unless you have powerful legs

You have to be a great hitter in the MLB
Unless you’re a pitcher in the AL

This works in music too

You have to be a great singer
Unless you’re a great leader

You have to have a major label
Unless you have a great plan

You need a big break
Unless you can goals and reach them daily/monthly/yearly

You need a great drummer
Yep, that one is true

In this day and age you have to figure out which rules to break, which to bend, and which to play by.  It’s worth taking time to re-examine what rules you believe in, and asking yourself if you need to update you’re perspective.

Stretch. Push. Invent.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

Into The Wilderness Alone

If you’re not creating on your own, you’re not creating your best work.

It’s even known (years after the fact) that most of the Lennon/McCartney songs came from one of them bringing the other one an idea 70 or 80 percent of the way there.

You have to be willing to walk into the wilderness alone.

There you can wander, chase melodies, chase words, stumble, keep going, find chords, see a million mirages before finally arriving at the waterfall.

In a co-write starting from scratch it’s a victory to come away with a song that’s mediocre.  A victory for the writers, not the listeners.  (You chose to do this for a living, so you’re going to need some listeners.)

When you go it along, you don’t celebrate mediocrity as much.  There’s no one to impress, so when you arrive at mediocre you either push through or change direction…you don’t spend the afternoon gloating in it.

Write with other people, create with other people, bring unfinished ideas to people, be willing to accept help and creative direction.  But don’t forget the difficult, thankless, un-sexy, scary, time suck, amazingly life-giving and fulfilling part of mapping new territory on your own.

Tell everyone when you find something good.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com

The Opposite Of Talking

The opposite of talking is listening

The opposite of talking is not waiting

The opposite of talking is not thinking

The opposite of talking is not checking out

The opposite of talking is not getting through it

The opposite of talking is not building your rebuttal

The opposite of talking is not dismissal

Listening to the world around you will change the world around you.

I’m always interested in your perspective, whether affirming or dissenting. Continue the conversation anytime: gabethebassplayer@gmail.com