If You Only Have $100

You always want more money and a bigger budget.

And it’s true, more money provides you more options.   Doesn’t mean you know how to choose the right options and succeed, but at least you have more options.

But what if you have an incredibly tight budget.  Really tight.  $100 tight and it’s not getting any bigger.  

With $100, your options are limited but I want to give you a good one.

I want to build you a $100 plan.

(I will assume three things. 1. You have a car  2. You have a cell phone  3. You have a guitar)

A.  Write songs

B.  Write more songs with other people

C.  Continue steps A & B indefinitely

D.  When it dawns on you that you have one GREAT song, ask your trusted writer friends if they think it’s worth your precious $100.

(If it is, continue.  If it’s not, go back to step A)

E.  Make a demo of the song by singing and playing into your phone.

F.  Find an engineer/producer you want to work with, meet with them and play them your song.  Tell them you have a total of $100 but that you are willing to come record any hour of any day they have available.  One text or call from them, and you’ll be there.  

(If they’re the type of person who was willing to meet with you in the first place, then they’re the type of person who will accept this pitch.)

G.  Get the final mix and utilize every single free tool on the internet (because now you’re out of money): YouTube, Facebook, SoundCloud, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

If I only had $100, that is exactly what I would do.

If you have more than $100, that means you will have more options and are able to take more risks.

But even if you have substantially more than $100, this is still a pretty good plan.

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

Friday Not-So FAQ

Why do you get your Grammy sent to you 3 months after you win it?  Not able to inscribe the name plate at the venue?

Why does Apple make you wait in a huge long line when the new iPhone comes out?  Very 1992 of them.

Once and for all, who’s job is it to get artists on opening slots?  Been in this business a long time, never heard anybody put themselves on the hook for that one.

If there continues to be an upward trend in the popularity of re-mixes, would they eventually just be called the “regular mixes that everyone listens to”  and therefore lose some of the cool factor?  “Hey DUDE! Check out this regular mix I just heard!!!”

Throughout 99.9999999999999999% of history, all entertainment has been consumed through a live setting. Do you really think live show business is going away?

Why do you NEED that new guitar?  The guitar you have sitting in the corner plays the same chords as Paul McCartney’s.

Why doesn’t everyone have gear insurance?  Is $15 a month just way too much?  You can’t afford not to. HERE.  Thank me later.

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

Just A Little More Experience

As soon as you look back on an experience, whether it was 5 years ago or 5 minutes ago, it becomes clearer.

However the reality you’re currently facing…foggy.

But once time passes and you’re a little bit older, whether it’s 5 years or 5 minutes older, it becomes clearer.

You’re always just a little too young to understand the situation you’re currently in.

So you must get older to understand.

One day for a brief moment you will be the most experienced person on earth. Until then, surround yourself with more experienced people.

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

Opening Line

Walking on to the stage is a powerful moment.  All eyes on you.

Maybe you say something right away, maybe you’re the type who waits till after the second song to say anything.

But for your first line to be “Hey, how ya doin?” is a waste of a first line.

Why do you say that?  What’s the point?  

Say something that contributes to the night.  

Say something half ways unique…articulately, clearly into the microphone.

It doesn’t have to be prolific or deep or funny or witty, it just needs to have purpose.  And your purpose is unique.

A first line is an amazing opportunity.

An opportunity that you have at each and every show.

Do something with it.

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

Hearing Taylor Swift Songs

Taylor Swift plays the Bridgestone Arena multiple nights in a row here in Nashville and sells them all out.  

Tickets get expensive.  Really expensive.  Up into the high hundreds, even $1000 a ticket.

What is interesting is that on any of those given nights you could go to any number of other venues in town and hear live bands with a female lead singer singing Taylor Swift songs for $5 at the door.

Same songs.

Same city.

Same night.

$5 vs. $1000.  

Free parking vs. $30 parking

$2 beer vs. $12 beer

Manageable crowd vs. a hurricane of a crowd

The $5 show is a deal in every way possible!!!

But you don’t choose that one.

Because you want to see a star.

Because a star has power.

We want to feel the power of someone leading us.

We want to believe they know where the destination is and all we have to do is ride along.

Star power is a real thing.

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

Support Their Cause vs. Support My Cause

I moved to Nashville 13 years ago, almost to the day.

And for 13 years I’ve heard thousands of independent artists telling, pleading, begging, convincing people to buy their CD.  

“Buy my $10 CD to support me and support music”.

But I don’t buy or listen to music in order to support and enhance artists’ careers.  I buy and listen because it because it supports me and makes me feel good.  It supports my cause.

I don’t buy clothes from TopMan to support TopMan. I buy them to support me looking how I want to look.

I don’t buy chicken sandwiches from Chic Fil A to support a cause. I buy them because I’m hungry and their chicken sandwiches taste good to me.

I didn’t buy a Fender bass when I was 13 to make sure Fender kept making basses.  I bought it because it made me feel good and empowered.

There’s much more power selling something in a way that will “support their cause” rather than “support my cause”.

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