Know Instead Of Hope

Walking on stage knowing you have a good show.

Not merely hoping you’ll have one.

It’s possible to walk on stage knowing you have it…not wondering if you have it and whether or not it will show up.

But it takes a lot of intentional work. And most artists don’t want to do that work.

Intentional work on writing songs you believe, work on how to perform them, the arrangements, work on the set list, the transitions, the talking points, the grand finale.

Pay attention. Do the work. Play the shows and take the time to learn from them. Do the rehearsals and take the time to learn from them.

Dig in and build the show.

Know instead of hope.

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

Changing Mindsets

You thought you were going to write an uptempo song, but now you have to write a ballad.

You were grocery shopping but now you have to go sing a last minute vocal.

You’re tired from working out but now you have to get on the phone with your agent.

You had to hurry but now you have to wait.

You were on vacation but then a huge co-write came through and vacation is over.


Changes like these can be jarring.

It’s hard to change your mind when you don’t want to change your mind, when you’re not in the mood to change your mind

But having practice changing your mind makes you better at changing your mind…and once you change your mind into doing the new thing you’ll probably be better at the new thing.

You were in one mindset but you have to switch mindsets.

So there’s three elements here: the first mindset, the switching, the second mindset.

Most of us are good at more than one thing, we have no shortage of mindsets…it’s the switching that’s hard. Or at least hard to do quickly.

If you get better at switching when switching is necessary, you’ll have a lot more value to offer in any given situation.

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

Play Four Songs In The Dressing Room

A lot of artists say it takes a handful of songs to really get into the show.

Well, if it takes till the fifth song to get in the zone…play four songs in the dressing room before hand :)

Especially when an artist is opening and only doing 20mins…I always hear ‘by the time we were really into it, it was over’.

What a waste of an opportunity.

From the second you walk on stage, be in it.

Five songs is way too long.

Build a routine, a ritual, a series of small important things that put you in your zone right BEFORE getting on stage.

That way the first four songs aren’t just you warming up.

***It also helps to pay close attention to what the elements of the beginning of the show are.  The way you walk on stage, getting the instruments, the first sound, the first sights, the first physical movements, the first song, the first words…the most important thing for you to do in a live show is to use all of these things to make sure you’re mind, body and spirit are in it from the start.

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

Your Market + a Bonus

Is there an existing market(s) for the music you make and the artist you are?

If the answer is yes…Who is it? How big is it? Is it big enough for you to have a career too? How will you tap into the existing market(s)? How long will it take?

If the answer is no…1) you can change what you do in a way that allows you to participate in a beneficial way with markets that already exist…or 2) create a new markets

Creating new ones is harder. But if you create them, they’re yours (at least for a while)

Creating markets or participating in existing ones…both can work, but it’s a good idea to decide which way the ship ought to be steered.

***A pal of mine did a bunch of the voice over work in the new Queen moving coming out this fall. I think this videowill explain why…and make you smile.

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

A Working Toilet

When your toilet isn’t working you need the plumber to come to your house now, not next Wednesday.

So you call your plumber, tell of your emergency and now the plumber has a choice to make.

1. Stick with the existing schedule for the day and see you next Wednesday

or

2. Make an exception and carve out some time for you NOW

A really great way to make sure the plumber picks choice number 2 is to have added a little extra to the check last time he did some routine maintenance on your dish washer. And the time before that and the time before that.

When you call with an emergency and need him to take exceptional care of you, you want the plumber to think of you as someone who takes exceptional care of him.

If you can become known to the plumber as a customer who always pays a little more than expected, you’ll always have a working toilet.

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

Key For Success: More Barbecues

A really good way to develop your team into a team that works hard even when it’s not fun and exciting is if everyone knows each other.

Beyond just each other: the wives, the husbands, the kids, the dogs.

Because when the going gets tough, it’s the connection that gives grease to the wheels.

In short…

Have more backyard barbecues. Get everyone together more often. Get everyone on Slack or at least a group text. Send a daily morning email to everyone one the team with something funny or interesting or personal or a daily question.

Know when birthdays are…and buy a gift. Don’t let their calls go to voicemail and answer with a smile.

Take the time to care about your team and for your team.

That way when the first, second and third singles tank, everyone will be just as pumped up for number four.

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