Every song works, it just has to have the right context.
If the songs is great, it can overcome a less favorable context.
If the song is just decent, it needs a more favorable context and set up in order to connect.
You probably have both types of songs and everywhere in between. So whether you’re putting an album sequence together or a live show…
What is the song and what context does it need to connect?
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A $5 ticket says: come see us play some songs (and you’ll probably attract people who want to hear some songs)
A $75 ticket says: come see a show (and you’ll probably attract people who want to see, and expect, a show)
When you’re first starting out you charge five bucks because all you have is some songs to play.
But it’s easy to get stuck in one of two places…
1. Not developing a show, therefore only ever being able to charge $5 tickets
2. Developing a great show but being afraid of charging for it because what if no one comes
If you don’t have a great show, make one.
If you have a great show, admit it by charging for it.
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The easier you make it for someone to help you, the more help you’re going to get.
Making it easier involves…
Speaking up about what you need
Being specific
Being concise
An underlying message about how it will make them look good, feel good, get credit, further their career, make them look cool in the eyes of people they respect.
Being open to their help and suggestions
Asking someone to help you with something that they are really good at helping people with.
Actually needing the help
Being polite
Being persistent, not annoying
And the list goes on…
If you don’t know where to start, start with the first one.
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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com
If you find yourself up there, then you’ve been given the authority to get up there and be the lead singer…
By the venue
By the agent
By the manager
By the production staff
By the band
By the audience
You’ve been given authority by everyone involved. Everyone wants you there. All those people.
So what are you going to do with it?
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If you jump into the passenger seat of my car and we take a little road trip down to, say, Graceland, we’ll listen to music on our way.
After the road trip you’ll probably come to believe that I know all the words to all the songs. That makes me look pretty cool, pretty respected, pretty unique, pretty musical, an expert.
How does he do it? How does he know every word to every song? This is amazing!
I don’t. It’s just that I like listening to the songs I know the words to.
I don’t have to know all the words to all the songs, I just have to know enough to make you think the number is infinite. Then I get ALL the credit… “He knew the words to EVERY song”.
This is what most of us are doing in any field we’re in. Gaining enough knowledge, skills and reputation to cause people to think it’s endless. Of course we know it’s not endless.
But if someone thinks you know all the words to all the songs the best thing is to just keep singing along.
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I was landing in Chicago from my hometown of Nashville, maybe five hundred feet off the ground, maybe less.
And as I was looking out the window I saw a billboard for a lawn care company.
I like grass. I like lawn care. I like a good lawn care company. And I like a good sale.
But that billboard was not for me. Even though it was there to be seen and I did in fact see it, I consumed it, it wasn’t for me.
Although the lawn care billboard was easy to move on from, that kind of thing happens a lot these days.
Just because it’s there to be seen doesn’t mean it’s there for us (and even more, doesn’t mean we should go looking for it)
And if it pops out of nowhere and steals a little of our attention, that doesn’t mean we need to give it more.
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Drop me an email: gabe@gabethebassplayer.com