If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It
I follow a independent music industry blog written by Loren Weisman. Rather than being about music, this one is about the musicians and how they can both stay independent and actually make a living at music. It’s pretty damned informative, and the information transfers outside of the music industry to almost any sector of the arts. The business planning can be used as any business planning.
Today’s entry rang extra true, especially the snarky “Can you take time away from your video game to be a success?” bit. It applies to all of us. I contacted Mr. Weisman and asked him if I could repost. He graciously assented.
Loren writes Monday through Friday.
Thanks Loren! Keep up the good work.
If It Was Easy, Everyone Would Do It
I am not sure how many musicians out there have noticed that working in the music industry is not easy. You know, all that practicing, creation of music, then playing it out. That is the fun stuff, right? That is all you want to do. That is what it is all about, right?
Wrong.
All the marketing, the promoting, the attention to detail, the problem solving, the failures, the losses, the pain, the strife . . . Damn, I sound like a Cure song.
You get the point. It’s very challenging. It is even more challenging when you are closed-minded or stubborn and do not do the things that you have to. I wish it was all about the music. I wish there didn’t have to be any business in the middle of it. I would love it if you didn’t have to deal with the politics, the outside issues that take time away from your art, but it is a part of the equation of your success.
It’s hard. It’s hard as hell. If it was easy, everyone would do it.
The point is to stop looking for the easy way out. It is going to be challenging. You are going to run in to problems when you do things right. It will take a longer time to do it if you are doing it the right way and-you’ll love this-even when you are doing it the right way, it’s still going to be a real bitch and a lot of hard work.
So, what’s the secret? There isn’t one. The stories that you have heard about those bands that just magically made it or were seen by the right person and just signed all have their horror stories as well. They are just not publicized and public. Not trying to be a conspiracy theorist, but the industry as a whole wants to have musicians believe all you have to do is just buy the right gear, play out and you will be seen and taken care of. Many companies thrive off musicians failing more so than they do with musicians that are successful. I know someone is going to give me shit about that statement but when you look at patterns and facts as well as sales, it kind of rings true.
So, back to the answer. . .
You’re not going to want to hear it, but here it is: if you want the dream, it is obtainable, but you have to work your ass off to get it. It means taking stock of the time you spend each day and how effectively you are spending it.
Can you cut back 30 minutes on your video games to do thirty more minutes of marketing?
Can you miss a TV show and spend those 30 minutes practicing?
Can you find 5 minutes here and there through out the day to pop up a blog, market your band online or work on finding a new venue or another band to work with?
The little elements can really work for you as the big ones can too.
Mostly though, The Secret if there was one is continuity, commitment, learning, patience and consistency.
Stay true to your dream but go out and learn all the elements of what you are doing and what you have to do. Take the steps each day and don’t short cut. It will be the hardest thing you ever do, but if you do it, all of it, every element and every step, you will find success. If you have not found that success, take stock and analyze what you are doing and what you aren’t doing and alter the game plan. More often than not, something is not being done. I talk to so many musicians that say they are doing everything they are suppose to be doing and then when I bring up a laundry list of approaches, they have not even touched on three-quarters of them.
Because after all, if success in the music industry was easy, everyone would be a star.
Loren Weisman, Producer
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