The FaceTime Angle

As a culture we’re getting a ton of reps in live-via-the internet performances. As performers and as the audience.

That camera angle isn’t great, it’s not flattering but we’re getting used to it, it’s getting normal. You know the one. The camera is a little below you so you’ve gotta look down a bit. In the last few weeks you’ve seen everyone at that angle and they’ve seen you. For better or worse.

But the good thing about both normal and repetition is that out of it will come variance and better ideas.

Artists will come up with better ways to live performances and more creative ideas. They already are.

Everyone will learn how to position the camera to make the Zoom call more pleasing.

Zoom and all the others are racing to fix that latency problem and the video hiccups.

We are all in this together. That is: the middle of a crash course on how to make live video communication and connection better.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Better Than Nothing

I hung out on Zoom last night. Not a meeting, nothing work related, just some of my best pals chit chatting away.

Hanging out on Zoom for fun isn’t amazing, but it’s certainly better than nothing. Actually it’s a lot better than nothing. And right now better than nothing is great, it’s what we have.

In this case having the attitude of ‘its better than nothing’ works to our advantage because it delivers something beneficial while not at all inhibiting a better alternative.

On the other hand…

You’re an artist and you need a new booking agent. You take a meeting with one. It doesn’t seem like a great fit but the agent is willing to bring you on.

So you sign on because having an agent is better than not having one.

In this case ‘better than nothing’ inhibits a better solution. If you already have an agent (even one you don’t think is great) you’re less likely to search for a better one. And if you’re off the market, other agents are unlikely to hit you up.

Having nothing can be better than something. Nothing can create the necessary urgency and vision to find the right solution. Nothing creates a void, a felt need, a known need that is much more likely to get your best attention.


Sometimes the temporary answer is better than nothing.

Sometimes the temporary answer keeps you from better.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Things Might Not Ever Be The Same

You’re right and time will tell and we can’t know now.

A couple things…

It’s easy to associate ‘Things might not ever be the same’ and ‘There is no end in sight’.

But it’s important to distinguish between the two.

The end doesn’t need to be in sight for us to know there to be an end. There’s always an end.

Things MIGHT not ever be the same but there WILL be an end to this.

By ‘end’ I mean a point at which the culture doesn’t revolve around it and the effects of it get absorbed into normalcy and we don’t think about it. (consider 9/11)

Things might not ever be the same, there’s no end in sight!

The end comes when we redefine what same is. And we always do.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Abs In A Day

Every time I work out it’s been a while since I’ve worked out.

If there was a way to get washboard abs in one day I would do it. 8hrs, 10hrs doesn’t matter. I would commit and see it through.

But that’s not how abs work. Abs are 10mins a day everyday. Much more difficult.

So the goal isn’t to max out on sit ups today, the goal is to do sit ups again tomorrow.


Know when to surge and know when to pace.

Know when to go extra hard because it’s the right thing at the right time and when you’re just trying to get abs in one day.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Price Is Right

You don’t go on the Price Is Right to be contemplative and dig deep and be the smartest about what the answers are. ‘That’s not what we do here’.

And they’re ok with that.

Everyone at that show somehow showed up with the same excited attitude, wanting to wave their arms and shout numbers and have a fun time. ‘That’s what we do here’.

Your show isn’t the same as Price Is Right show, but you put on a show too.

If everyone was 100% on board with your show, what would that look like?

***You probably already know at least part of the answer. Now it’s time to crank up those knobs and be ok leaving the others behind.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Marketing Right Now

The only way to market and promote right now is through your existing culture.

Your culture + consistency is the only thing that will work (and by work, I mean beneficial for both you and them).

The only people listening are the people who already want to listen to you because of the culture and vibe you’ve already created coming into the month of March.

To target people beyond that, you will stick out like a very unwanted sore thumb.

Shouting louder just doesn’t work right now. Shouting at strangers is more pointless than ever. The only people you will effectively communicate with right now are the people who are already gathered around you.

That’s ultimately a good thing.

***And culture isn’t something you can fake and it’s not something you can develop quickly. i.e. all the emails we’ve all gotten this week from companies who care about us but we haven’t received a valuable email from them in years. When times get tough it becomes really important that you started developing your culture (and who you want to be during tough times) a couple years ago.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com