In A Year It Will Be A Year From Now

We dream big and bold but act inconsistently.

It’s fun to talk about plans but a long and thankless process to see them through.

We want the least bit of work for the most glory.

We want the excitement and immediacy of winning the lottery but the honor and respect of having earned it.

In a year it’s going to be a year from now. In five years, five years from now. And the most likely scenario is that you’re going to live to see it.

Do something, start something, see something through that will make it better for you and your world.

Don’t miss a post. Sign up for free.

Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

But I Can Drop The Price

Too often freelancers take on the perceived burden of their prospective clients’ financial situation and they don’t need to.

It sounds like this…’I charge $1000 per track but let me know if that doesn’t work for you and I’ll drop the price’

You’re already assuming your client can’t afford you. You’re taking on the burden of their financial situation (assuming they don’t have enough money) before you even know their financial situation.

It’s disrespectful to make that assumption and you don’t need to do that to yourself.

Their financial situation is theirs. Your price is yours. If they bring the truth of their financial situation to you, have that conversation and adjust. But if not, give them the respect and dignity of simply quoting your price.


***I know. It scary for you. Because maybe they had $995 (so close!) and because you didn’t present any wiggle room in your pricing they walked away. You missed the sale because you were charging five bucks too much. And maybe it’s a tight month and you would have taken what they had.

So you add the ‘I’ll drop the price’ language back into your pitch next time.

But the next client passes on you because they came in wanting to spend $1000 per track and got weirded out when you were so quick to drop the price if needed. It cheapened their perceived value of you. They thought you were the thousand dollar guy and it turns out you’re the pay-what-you-want guy.

(And then there’s the client who doesn’t even want to talk to someone who only charges a thousand dollars per track.)

Decide what you’re going to charge and stand behind it. If someone asks you to wiggle, you can make that decision then.

Don’t miss a post. Sign up for free.

Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Time In The Day

It’s not that there’s not enough time in the day, it’s that it’s hard to change your mind and switch gears to the next thing.

You’ve been writing all day and now the dishes need to be done. It only takes ten minutes and it’s not difficult. But it’s incredibly difficult to get into dishes mode.

Also…

It’s not that there’s not enough time in the day, it’s that it’s hard to give up the things that are instantly gratifying for the the things with long term returns.

***On a different note, Apple Music is (finally) offering its music analytics dashboard to artists. Claim your page HERE.

Don’t miss a post. Sign up for free.

Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Most Artists Don’t Care Enough

I went to a really great club show tonight. A couple of fantastic Nashville acts.

That doesn’t happen a lot (that is, the performances being fantastic in a club on a Wednesday night).

The only way to have a great show is to care enough prepare one beforehand.

These acts did that. Most don’t.

Most artists just don’t care enough.

Don’t miss a post. Sign up for free.

Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

You Don’t Need To Love Your Songs

If writing, recording and playing songs you merely like causes you to achieve the life you love, then maybe you don’t need to love your songs.

In the same breath, if songs you like are giving you the life you love, that might make you love the songs more.

Living in Nashville I have been in the ‘you gotta love your songs’ camp for a long time.

But I’m not sure. Maybe you don’t. Maybe you don’t have to love all your songs. Can you be a true artist only only love some of them? None of them?

Maybe it doesn’t have to do with liking or loving but simply depends on what you decide the songs are for.

I don’t have a great closing statement here. I’m somewhere in the middle.

Don’t miss a post. Sign up for free.

Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com