Which Chorus Is It?

When I turn on the radio (and I do indeed still turn on the radio), and the song has already started, and it’s in the chorus…I can tell which chorus it is.

It’s easy to tell. You probably can too.  You’re flipping through stations and hear a Katy Perry song, or Bruno Mars, or Elton John and you’re bummed because you instantly know it’s the last chorus and the song is almost over.

You “just know”.

But when you really think about it and break it down as a musician, you know that last chorus has the extra harmonies, the high string part, the counter melody, added synths, hand claps, ad libs, more emotion and audible texture, a triangle.

Each chorus builds.  That’s partly why we like those songs…each chorus is bigger and better than the last.  It builds throughout, so there’s subconscious anticipation and satisfaction happening all the time.

Do your songs do this?

If you want big songs, it might be worth modeling that success.

If someone flipped on your song could they tell what chorus it was?

The truth is it’s not important if the general population knows if they’re listening to the first, second or third chorus when they turn on your song mid-song.  That thought probably doesn’t register on most peoples’ radars.

But as an artist, if you want big songs, it might be helpful to consider what happens in (most) big songs.

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

Here’s How The Blog Works

I write each post the same day I send it out.  Well, almost always.  Every once and a while I’ll have something pre-written.

I keep a list of ideas in the Notes app on my phone.  When I use an idea from that list, I delete it off the list.

In time, instead of having list of only ideas I’d like to have a list of fully written posts.  I’d like to write the entire post as soon as I have the initial idea, because that tends to be a very clear, inspired moment for me.

But for now…at night when I sit down to write the days’ post, the first source of inspiration is what my brain thinks of at that moment.  What do I want to say tonight? What would I want to talk about if an artist or music biz person were sitting here in my office with me?  What did I notice earlier today?

If there’s something there, that’s the idea I write. If I come up empty, that’s when I revisit the ideas on the list.  

At this point the list is very long.  

The list is long because I notice lots of things.  I notice lots of things because I write everyday.  I write everyday because there’s lots of things to notice and write about.

So I scan the list until I find an idea I can reconnect with and enter in to.

Then I write it.  If I get stuck during the writing, I start talking about the idea out loud and that usually works out the kinks.  Or I imagine if someone were in the room with me, how would I explain this?

When finished I send it out to the email subscribers first, then post it on Facebook and Twitter.

I appreciate everyone who reads the blog but the people who subscribe and get the blog posts sent to their email also tend to be the ones who respond to the posts. And I love that…carrying on the conversation.

I think getting an email is more special than reading on Facebook or the website.  It feels more intentional and committal.

I write the blog because it keeps me participating in the industry in which I participate.  Writing something everyday for my world to love or criticize has created it’s own magnetic (and un-magnetic) field.  

It’s important to me to contribute to the idea that whether you’re in the music business for two weeks or twenty years, it can be worth your time.

Thank you for reading. Lets keep going.

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

A Painter Reading The Instructions

You don’t want to see the painter reading the instructions on the can muttering “Ok how do I put this stuff on”.  

Or over hear them on the phone asking a buddy what comes after the brush work.

Because they’re suppose to know. 

YOU would read the can.  YOU would phone a friend. They shouldn’t have to. 

They’re suppose to have done this a million times before. That’s what they advertised.  

That’s why you hired them for the day.


The audience doesn’t wanna see you fumble and mumble around on stage and not know what to do up there. 

THEY could get up there and fumble around.  THEY could get up there and do something forgettable.

But you’re suppose to know what to do. That’s what you’ve advertised.  

That’s why they hired you for the night. 

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

The Moment Before You Quit

This is a powerful moment, because you’re willing to give it up but haven’t actually given it up yet.  It’s an idea I first thought about from this book.

Don’t pass up the opportunity of this moment. Don’t rob yourself of this window.

When you’re ok with quitting and ready to quit you can complete the following sentence:

I’m quitting in X amount of time unless…

And that “unless” is powerful. You have nothing to lose, so why not go for it? Why not try?

Why not shoot for the big one a few times like you’d always been afraid to do because you were holding on so tight.

Unless…

…I get to play this venue

…work with that company

…we make that type of record

…I get to take six months off

…we do these specific things differently

…we sell out the tour

You get to pursue “unless” with reckless abandon. Pure freedom and wild eyes. One more ride.  One more push to get you to where you believe you should be.

Before you throw in the towel, throw the hail Mary.

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

Does Anyone Have An iPhone 4 Charger?

Does anyone have an iPhone 4 charger?

I heard that question a million times when the iPhone 5 came out because Apple had just switched the shape of the input jack for the charger.

So some people had the 4, some people the 5.  Each with a different charger.

It threw everyone off.  Suddenly when you were low on juice you couldn’t simply ask someone with an iPhone if they had a charger that you could borrow for a few minutes.  You needed the 4 charger…and a lot of people still had the 4 but a lot of people had the 5 too.  

It was confusing because Apple lovers were playing on different technology. 

It was annoying because we weren’t all together and made it less convenient to give or receive help in the area of phone charging.

But now…I never hear people ask if someone has an iPhone 4 or 5 charger, or 6 or 7…its back to “hey man, can I borrow your charger”. Simple.

Because now we’re all converted to the NEW.  And its better that way.

For a while people weren’t on the same page but now they are.


I think we’re finally getting to the same thing with music streaming.

As streaming has come along its been confusing for both artists and fans…are we supposed to purchase the music like the way it’s been for so long, or are we going to stream and simply listen?

Should artists market “Buy our album” or “Listen to our album”.

Old vs. New

But it really seems as though in even the last six or twelve months, we’re all back on the same page again.

An artist or label or marketing team telling the public to buy a song or album feels a lot like asking to borrow an iPhone 4 charger.  

It’s a little odd. Not a crime, but certainly not a step into the future.

We’re converting (and almost completely converted) to the NEW. And its better that way.

Like the Doobie Brothers said…

“Woah-ooo-wooooah LISTEN to the music…all the time”

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

Same Song, More Money

When you know deep down your song isn’t the special song, putting more money behind it will not make it the special song.

Because even in the extreme best case scenario, the money does in fact push the song to notoriety and everyone thinks its your special song…but you’ll always know it was just the money that did it, not your genuine belief.

Making it not the special song.

Spend your money wisely.  Spend other people’s money just as wisely.

Spend your time writing songs and you’ll end up with a special one.

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