If You Want Downloads

If you want people to download your next record, start giving them a string of free downloads now.  Groom them.

People are used to listening for what feels like free to them: Youtube, Spotify, Apple Music, etc.

So when you release your new record and you throw up a bunch of stuff online about “Go Download My New Record!” it throws a wrench in the norm of day to day listening.

You are not Adele.

Adele isn’t throwing you a bone by not having her record on streaming right now.

She’s throwing herself a bone, millions of them.  But 25 will be on streaming soon enough.  Just like the stars and whoever else who was sticking it to the man by not having their music on iTunes ten years ago. Every single one of them does now.

As for you “Go listen to my record” sounds a lot more hip than “Go download my record”.  Downloading is old. Listening is forever.

But if you want the downloads, it must become part of the culture of your fanbase and you need to start early early early in solidifying that element.

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

Inches And Miles

Better to have ten great ideas, or carry out one great idea?

Better to have a three hour meeting rehashing the plan, or to take three hours and start carrying out the plan?

Better to have a million dollar idea that you won’t do, or a ten thousand dollar idea you will do?

The first parts of all these questions are romantic, fun to talk about, stimulate the senses, makes you feel like you did something.

The second parts of all these questions are all about the real work.  The work that doesn’t let you make excuses or mark yourself as the victim.  They are a lot scarier because they feel more real.

All the ideas and all the planning and all the money are great but…

…on your way to carrying out ten great ideas you must first carry out one

…on your way to a long complex plan you must do simple things today

…on your way to a million dollars you will first have ten thousand

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

Scary Email

I have written a lot of emails that have never been responded to.

Emails that if I told you who I wrote some of them to you’d definitely say I was crazy for thinking I’d get a reply.

But sometimes I do get replies.  And those replies open up new conversation and opportunity.  Maybe not the opportunity I was hoping for, but certainly more opportunity than before I wrote and sent the email.

I believe in writing good emails, emails from a thoughtful place, using words you can stand behind, writing emails when you’re in a good, applicable head space for the person you’re sending to.

I don’t think you should send a message to everyone under the sun asking for something, but if you haven’t rolled the dice in a while…if there’s a specific name that comes to mind for a specific reason, and you feel a specific fire…do it.

You never know when Puff Daddy is bored on a private jet, thumbing through emails and decides to read yours instead of deleting it.

Write a genuine, thoughtful, specific email to someone you currently believe to be out of your league and you don’t think you’ll get a response from.

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

New House On The Street

Recently they knocked down a house on my street in order to build a brand new one.

I’m excited about this because it will undoubtedly make my property value rise.

So I drive past it every single day to view the progress.

So far?

I can’t see anything.

They poured the foundation what feels like a million years ago to me, and nothing has happened since.

And I’m getting restless.

I guess they’re waiting for the foundation to dry, to be ready to build on top of.

It’s like they know the foundation is the most important part even though no one sees it.

It’s like they know only when the foundation is ready can they build something of value.

It’s like they know that all the impatient, nosey people like me think they’re dragging their heels, when really they know exactly what they’re doing.

It’s like they know the most long lasting beautiful homes are built with more patience than haste.

It’s like they know even if a nasty storm comes and tries to ruin the house, as long as the foundation is good, it’s worth rebuilding.

It’s like they know if you don’t have a rock solid foundation, you have nothing.

It’s like they know a rock solid foundation takes time and it’s impossible to rush.

I want it all and I want it now.

They want it all and know how to get it…later.

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

Scattered And Diversifying Energy

There’s a big difference between being scattered and diversifying your energy.

Scattered is running around from thing to thing, completing nothing, feeling everywhere and nowhere at once, lack of purpose, willy nilly, chasing squirrels.

Diversifying your energy might look similar to the untrained eye, but is very different…  

…While diversifying your energy, as you’re running around from thing to thing you know exactly how many things are on your plate, you give all of them some of your time, and the time you spend with each one is valuable to both you and the other party.  You’re all in with the time you spend there.  It’s meaningful.

Diversifying your energy makes you tired from doing so many things well.  Being scattered makes you exhausted while not remembering anything you did.

The person diversifying their energy is often time aware of it.  And they either love it and want to do it forever, or they’re in a season of it as a means to hone in one thing in particular as new opportunities open up.

The scattered person is most likely unaware that they are, indeed, scattered.

Viewing these two people from 30,000 feet, you probably couldn’t tell a difference.

Viewing these two people 30 years from now, worlds apart.

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

Give Them A Picture

In this day and age in the music business, you’re an idiot if you don’t have a moment in your show thats worth taking a picture of.

An idea or two in your back pocket that you pull out each night.

For better or worse, people are dying to snap a hot pic of the band they’re listening to.

LEAD THEM TO THE WATER!

If you think of your last gig and nothing sticks out to you as “yeah that would have been a cool picture”…you need to figure it out.

Even if your band sucks but at the end of the show the lead singer stands on his head spits jelly beans….there’s some excitement there!

And with a lot of the shows I’ve been to, you wouldn’t even have to do all that much.  Walk into the crowd, stand on a speaker, stand on the bar, lay down on the stage, stick something up your nose, put the guitar player in a head lock.

Now your turn…

p.s. Maybe you think you’re exempt from this kind of intentionality because you don’t know how many people are going to be in the room, or how they’re going to like your music.  You’re not exempt.  You’re afraid of getting laughed at, which is understandable.  But a consequence of fear is mediocrity…enjoy that.

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