Running Order

It is once again clear who the album is for: the type of people who are interested in engaging with a ten or twelve song project. ie. Your fans.

You no longer have to put the singles at the beginning of the running order. You get to make a running order that is best for the album listener.

But oh no! The singles must go first! We have to make a great first impression! And if the common listener isn’t drawn in by the first song we’re screwed!

It used to be that way and now it isn’t. Thanks to Spotify top tracks.

The singles you release will end up on your top tracks on Spotify, which we all know is the first thing on top of your page. Your top five single songs are as far as the common passerby will get to.

So it your single fits best on the album at number 8, it can still sit atop your top tracks ready to draw in the common listener.

If you’re going to make an album make it for the type of people who want to engage with an album. 

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Crazy Indoor Water Park

By the Minneapolis airport there’s a hotel with an indoor water park.

I’ve never been there.

So how do I know this?

I know this because tubes of the slides come out of the hotel, twist and turn and then go back inside. It looks like life size hamster cage.

Every kid that goes past that hotel wants to stay at that hotel. Not because the beds are comfortable and the the breakfast is good (which might be the case), but because of what they see when they drive past.

So what do people see when they drive past you?

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Getting The Ace

If the dealer doesn’t deal you the ace you need…you probably don’t take it personally.

You understand how cards work and that getting the ace or not getting the ace based on pure luck. It has nothing to do with you. But you signed up for the responsibility of what to do next…and that has everything to do with you.

So yes, you must play the hand you’re dealt.

But more importantly, if you’re going to have to deal with luck and unluck, are you playing the game you want to be playing?

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

The Power Of Music Can’t Be Had

Music doesn’t guarantee you anything. It doesn’t guarantee you a career. It doesn’t guarantee you admiration for doing it right or playing the right notes.

The magic of music can’t be cracked. With all the answers modern technology has brought, music maintains mystery.

You can get better at it but you will always be harnessing and directing the power of music as opposed to having the power of music. It can’t be had.

And the journey continues to be worth it.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Three Syllable Chant

Three Dog Night.

Violent Femmes.

Talking Heads.

Passion Pit.

Aerosmith.

When we chant we really like three beats and a rest.

So if you want people to chant your name…

***Ok so you already have your artist name and it isn’t three syllables. Who is the most likely to start the chant? The insiders. And the insiders are willing to take cues. From you. Maybe Lenny Kravitz starts signing his VIP merch bundles as Lenny K. Who buys VIP merch bundles? The insiders…the same people who start the chant.

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com

Optimism And Avoiding Pain

Optimism is different than pain avoidance. But they can look the same.

Optimists think it’s going to work out, believe in the best case scenario, but have to be willing to be disappointed. That’s the price for optimism, living in a certain degree of letdown.

A pain avoider thinks it’s going to work out because it’s too painful to think otherwise. So when the letdown or disappointment come it gets side stepped for the sake of moving on to the next thing that hopefully won’t be painful.

Optimism can be very painful.

Which can lead to pain avoidance.

But then

Pain avoidance can be very painful (in the long run).

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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com