Creative Service

Music making, as a profession, is both a creative industry and a service industry.

The amount of creativity vs. service depends…

If an artist is hiring you to play guitar on their song, ultimately they are the boss and you’re serving the artist through the song. But they hired you, specifically, because they like your creativity.

You might be a guitar player who likes to accommodate the artist no matter what…heavy on the service side. Or you might the type of guitar player who only wants to do your specific thing, stay true to your own artistic vision…and if the artist doesn’t like it, they are welcome to go elsewhere…heavy on the creative side.

And a thousand places in between.

The hope is that after we have gone too far in one direction or the other, or both…that we’ve found our place on that spectrum where music is both fulfilling and sustainable.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

The Problem With Singles

That’s the good thing about albums. The single comes out. The people like the single, so they want to live in that world for longer than three minutes.

Problem solved…there’s an album with nine or ten other songs that have some measure of cohesion and shared creative vision as the single.

The problem with only sharing an endless stream of singles is it eliminates a place for people to experience a longer expression of creativity from an artist from a specific time and phase.

This group of songs came out on this date. Those boundaries are an invitation to the type of listener who likes what you do.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

More Than What You're Known For

Of course you are. We all are.

But your hit, your niche, your style, the special way you do that thing you do …that’s why everyone shows up. That’s what you’re known for and it’s an honor to be known for it.

No one thinks that’s all you are. But that might be all they’re looking to you for.

The chef at the asian fusion place can make great spaghetti.

The professional athlete is passionate about bracelet beading.

And of course…the famous with all the hits wants to be known for their deep cuts.

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Trusted For The Gig

It’s not whether or not you can play the gig. You probably can.

It’s about do they trust you to play the gig.

And can they trust you to still play the gig when things are not optimal? In-ear problems, set list change, there wasn’t much rehearsal time, broken strings or sticks or keys, a special request, you don’t feel well, dinner didn’t show up, there was an argument off stage, wardrobe puts you in a silly jacket.

(Almost) Anyone can learn the gig. Very few can earn the trust.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Turning You Down

When you didn’t get the gig.

When the labels didn’t sign you.

When you didn’t get the agent.

At the time the rejection feels real and personal.

But looking back at all the times you got turned down…why were some of them right for turning you down?

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple

Go With The Flow

And I’ll let you know what the flow is.

Not a great way to lead.

The price of delegating is letting go of part of the outcome. And the only way to achieve your grand vision is to delegate.

Hum Love on Spotify and Apple