Physical Danger

Artists spend a lot of time on their devices…the emailing, social media, scheduling…and even songwriting is done with a phone or iPad in hand, laptop on knees, computer at fingertips.

But as songwriting has moved from sitting around with acoustic guitars to Logic grooves and midi…artists literally aren’t spending as much time with their instruments.

So when they get on stage to play their song, instead of having played it a couple hundred times already while writing it (so their hands already have the muscle memory built in)…there is a physical estrangement of artist to instrument. 

Sure it’s subtle. But when you don’t play your instrument a lot, there is a physical deficiency.

You can say ‘it’s just like riding a bike, so no need to worry’…but then it’s also worth noting that hopefully you’re not looking to just ‘ride a bike’, you’re not looking to just remember how to do it…you’re a professional and professional bike riders ride their bikes A LOT.

It’s not about remembering how to ride a bike, but riding at an elite level.

It’s not about remembering how to play your songs, but being a world class entertainer limited by nothing.

I’m not saying it’s the end of the world to do your songwriting on computers all day…I am saying that if you’re going to do that, then when it’s time to get back on the bike, you’re going to have some extra riding to do.

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

Paradigm Shifts and Innovations

An innovation is a new answer to an old question.

A paradigm shift is a new question, and thereby a new answer.

When the first iPhone came out we were all absolutely blown away.  I had a friend named Josh who was really into ‘all that stuff’ (most people weren’t back then) and he had watched the keynote…so he informed me that we were all about to experience a miracle.  He was right.

See…the first iPhone was a paradigm shift. It was asking a new question which was: What is a phone?

Subsequent phones were ‘merely’ innovations (new answer to an old question): How do we make the phone better? 

That’s why our eyes haven’t lit up like they did the first time.  

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Another good example is Starbucks (tip of the hat to Purple Cow for reminding me of this…go read that book)…

I grew up in a very small town in Minnesota through the 90’s and early 00’s.  Coffee was for the grown ups at church and the farmers who bought it at one of three gas stations in town.

After I graduated high school and moved to Nashville, one of the first nights I was in town a new friend asked if I wanted to go to a coffee shop.

A what?

I agreed to go, but I had a lot of questions.

What do we do here? We just sit? Do I like coffee? How long do we sit here? Am I going to get in trouble for drinking coffee since I’m not a grown up or a farmer? Why are we still just sitting here?

Starbucks was a paradigm shift for asking the new question: What is a cup of coffee?

Now I get it. I love the new definition and utilize it every day of my life.

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Paradigm shifts and innovation are both crucial.

There are countless high achieving, well respected, remarkable businesses that are built on each.  And different products within those businesses that may be a result of one or the other. (i.e. The iPod was an innovation…how can we put songs in your pocket easier and cooler than the other guys?)

The simple idea is this: be very clear with yourself and with your team about which one you’re going after, and then plan and serve accordingly.


Here are a few examples in music:

Paradigm shift: Napster- What is song ownership?
Innovation: Spotify- How do we make streaming fun, easy and legal?

Paradigm shift: The Beatles- What is a band? 
Innovation: Bon Jovi- How can we be a worldwide stadium band?

Paradigm shift: Bob Dylan- What can be said through pop music?
Innovation: Chance The Rapper- What needs to be said right now in pop music?

Paradigm shift: 1967- What is a music festival?
Innovation: All the other festivals- How do we make it feel more like 1967?

Paradigm shift: Spotify- What is a Chart? What is a popular song?
Innovation: TBD

Paradigm shift: new question, new answer
Innovation: old question, new answer

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Building From The Show Up

If you start by building your career a great show, a show worth taking on the road, then when…

You’re label drops you

Or you’re agent changes agencies

Or your single flops

Or you switch management 

Or, or, or…

You can regroup with new and old team members and say…

“Things are crazy and messy and changing and uncertain BUT we have this thing called a live show that is really great, that people really like to come see, that generates great cash flow.”

No one can take it away, and you can take it with you wherever you go.

If a lot of people want to come see the show that you put on, the ‘emergencies’ of life in the music business become more like ‘inconveniences’.

*I started doing a thing on Instagram a couple times a week, kind of a short quote best of the blog. If you’re into that, follow me at gabethebassplayer

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The Top

The top is going to feel a lot like where you are now.

True, there will be more zeros in your bank account and your phone will ring more, but other than that it’ll be very similar to the slow and steady increase in quality of life you’re on right now.  There’s no big jump when you make it on top.

The quality of relationships, contentment, level of loneliness, willingness to care for others, your width and depth of wisdom…none of that changes when you’re on top.

Being on top is just another day as it pertains to the journey of all of the things that actually matter.

So don’t be fooled by the top.

But don’t dismiss it either.

You can learn and grow a lot from the top…and you can learn and grow just as much where you are today.

p.s. The Top begs the question…What are you going to do when you get there?

And the answer to that has very little to do with your achieved position (the top) and everything to do with who you are, and what your intentions and values have been all along, and how they’ve SLOWLY been evolving.


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Marketing Like Making Music

You know how to put together a song. Where the kick and snare should go, 2’s and 4’s, basic chord structures that work together pretty well and let the song flow.

Equal and opposite, and perhaps just as important…you know that there shouldn’t be 100 out of time cymbal crashes in a row while 3 different voices try and sing lead vocal, followed up by an out of tune organ solo, then half a chorus, then a key change, then a 9 bar rest, and finally a spoken word outro.

You know the flow of a good song.

Same thing should be true of your social media marketing.

The well written song is the metaphor for an artists remarkable social media. Ironic.

Instead, too many artists social media looks a lot like that 100 cymbal crash song.

Your social media should flow. Like a song.  The message on point. Clear. Concise. Smooth. A well thought out story.

You know how to write a song.  

Do your social media and marketing like that.

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Quincy Jones Interview

As I’m just about to send this out to you Lefsetz just sent out about the same thing. 

Oh well.

Great minds. Right?

You need to click through and read this Quincy Jones article.

I’ve copied and pasted a few things here, but the full article is better and has a lot more cussing.

But here’s the thing that sticks out the most…he’s 85 and answers questions freely. He’s concerned with having a quality conversation with the interviewer, not appeasing the interviewer.

Reading this gives a sense of what music culture used to be.  Bold. Sassy. Unconcerned with anyone who isn’t interested.

Read it. You’ll get it.

So yes, here’s a few golden nuggets. But it’s worth clicking though to the article.

Is there innovation happening in modern pop music?   Hell no. It’s just loops, beats, rhymes and hooks. What is there for me to learn from that? There ain’t no fucking songs. The song is the power; the singer is the messenger. The greatest singer in the world cannot save a bad song. I learned that 50 years ago, and it’s the single greatest lesson I ever learned as a producer. If you don’t have a great song, it doesn’t matter what else you put around it.

Putting aside the quality of contemporary songs, are there any technical or sonic production techniques that feel fresh? No. There ain’t nothing new. The producers are lazy and greedy.

How does that laziness manifest itself? Listen to the music — these guys don’t know what they’re doing. You’ve got to respect the gift God gave you by learning your craft.

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