Musicpreneur: Making Money Making Music™: Recent Episodes
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Greetings and salvations everybody. This is James Newcomb coming into your ear balls, and it's a lovely Friday morning here in eco park, just on the outside of Hanoi, Vietnam. And there's something special about how the Vietnamese folks do their mornings. It's very deliberate and very intensive. And as I go on my morning walk, I want to share some of the observations I've made about the Vietnamese people and how they approach their mornings and how it contributes to them.
Quite frankly, being a rather happy bunch of people.
So I'm not saying it's good. I'm not saying it's bad. It is what it is. Maybe they're just conditioned from the time that they are young children to just never questioned authority. And that's why it is that could very well be what the cause of this is, but I'm just calling it the way I see it.
So getting back to my observations about the mornings and how the Vietnamese. Approach their mornings. You walk outside of your apartment and this is here in eco park. It's not Hanoi, which is a huge, massive city. It's this is busy, but it's not Hanoi busy. It's very Placid by comparison, but you get outside and people are very intentional about.
How they, what they do in the morning. People biking all over the place. Just all over thousands. I don't know about thousands, but hundreds of people on their bikes. First thing in the morning, six o'clock in the morning, they're going up for their morning bike ride. Another cool thing that I really enjoy.
And just walking by, is people doing Tai Chi in the morning? I don't know if it's a Tai Chi or Qigong. I don't know exactly what it is, but they have, somebody will have a speaker, a wifi speaker outside, and they're hooked it up to their iPhone or whatever it is. And they've got this soothing music going and they're doing these movements.
They have their mats. They're bamboo mats on the, usually on the grass or the sidewalk. And it's commonplace. It's not like it's not anything that is out of the ordinary is very much part of the ordinary.
Now here in eco park there, as the name might suggest, there are a lot of lakes. There are a lot of trees, a lot of flowers. It's eco park, and it's a beautiful place. And you can hear a little bit of traffic going by but the Vietnamese people have a love of nature. They love nature and appreciate it.
This is a beautiful serene setting, and we're just going to enjoy it and appreciate it. It goes deeper than that in my experience. And in my observations, people have a deep connection with nature and you often see people doing. Out for a walk, just enjoying nature and connecting with nature on a deep spiritual level.
So these are a couple of my observations about how the Vietnamese people approach their morning. And this is something that I've enjoyed. For the better part of going on three years, I've been here in the last two and a half years. I've been here 60% of the time. I did the math the other day. And so it's just a, it's a lovely place to be.
And so if you're wondering what it's like to live in a overtly communist society, it's not Stalinist Russia. I will say that. I'm not going to say that it doesn't have it to. It most certainly does, but it does have its merit and part of what makes it, not just tolerable, but rather pleasant is this intentional and mindful approach and way that people do their mornings.
It's very deliberate. It's very intentional. And it's something that I appreciate very much and have learned a lot. In my time, living here. Thank you for listening.
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Originally published 12 December 2021 on the Trumpet Dynamics podcast
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Commentary on Antonio Brown's recent exploits inspired by a quote from a Holocaust survivor.
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Recorded July 2021; originally published on the Trumpet Dynamics podcast.
It's a pleasure to bring onto the show, the author of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life, Hector Garcia.
In my conversation with Hector, you'll learn:-What is an ikigai?...05:40* Life and "worthwhile" * Not limited to humans * "That thing that makes you look forward to waking up in the morning"
-Why Hector is more interested in the word ikigai becoming famous than himself...-How ikigai is understood by different cultures...10:42* A compass
-Good resistance vs. bad resistance...15:00-How Hector discovered his own ikigai...19:00-How to pursue your ikigai without making reckless decisions for you and your family...25:02-Why a "real job" may be the exactly what you need to be a successful musician...28:10-Increase your productivity while working in a state of "flow"...30:50-What makes Japan so special?...37:45-And much more!Resources mentioned:Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Steal Like an Artist
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Send an email to info@jns.media if you're interested in contributing your content to the Musicpreneur show!
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A short time ago, I heard of a composer named Daniel Elder who has thus far survived an attempted career assassination.
His crime? A single Instagram post that condemned the burning of the Nashville court house just a few blocks from where he resides.
Maybe the face masks were constricting oxygen and people couldn't think properly. Whatever the case may be, it got real ugly real quick.
Rob Soave gives a detailed account of how a single post on social media essentially ruined his promising career. Read about it here.
You may be wondering, "James, this is a trumpet podcast; why don't you just focus on trumpet, technique, history, forget all that stuff."
To that I say, "Get your head out of the stand, buddy."
Artists everywhere are terrified of one misstep on social media literally ending their careers. I think this is tragic, because art is the one medium of expression that is best suited to confront this type of groupthink.
Can you name one political speech that rivals the impact of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, some of John Lennon's stuff, Bob Dylan and the like.
At any rate, when I heard Daniel's story, I felt compelled to reach out and lend my support and ask if I could perhaps interview him about his experience. He replied that he would prefer not to do spoken interviews, but he would be happy to do a written interview so as to think carefully about what he says.
Good thinking.
Add Daniel's experience to the ever-growing list of reasons to stay away from social media. Facebook, Twitter and the like are useful when used responsibly - but the end result seems to lead to the climate of fear Daniel experienced, and doubtless many folks who just want to provide for their families.
It's also reason #4365 to look for other options when it comes to social media. I've been experimenting with a new platform called Social Lair. It's in beta mode currently, but I'm accepting new members into my own lair.
If you're of the opinion like me that responsible adults should get to use social media too, send me an email and I'll in turn send you an invite.
What follows is the written interview between myself and Daniel Elder. I highly encourage you to visit his website and send a note of support should you feel so inclined.
JN: Can you give an account of what happened from your perspective (specifically about the IG post and the ensuing backlash)? Were you at all known for being outspoken on issues such as race, current affairs, etc.?
DE: As a creative artist I have learned how to be especially sensitive to the human mind. It is crucial if I am to effectively communicate my messages through music. I had become increasingly disenchanted with social media over the past several years as I witnessed groupthink overtake the public discourse. Not just groupthink, but highly controlling, judgemental, and bullying behavior. Those engaging the most in this behavior hypocritically shouted the loudest about tolerance. These behaviors deeply disturbed me. However I had tried my best not to be public in my condemnation of toxicity online. I wasn't outspoken on political or social issues—I was fairly conservative in risking my public image. When I did criticize I usually took great care to be subtle.
The hysteria that washed over my social sphere and the larger populace following the George Floyd incident was a breaking point for me. For the first time I saw a frightening mob mentality of reckless, desperate abandon, played out especially in the violent acts of rioters all across the country. That buildings were burning in my own city was but an extra, acute reminder that it was all very real. In my music I have written warnings on mob mentality. I watched my instagram feed flood with posts and stories suggesting racists lay in wait around every corner. I saw this hysteria as a fatal step too far in the gradual advancement of illiberalism, especially toxic to my artistic field.
I chose to make my post not in a moment of weakness, but as an important message to my brothers and sisters—YOU ARE LOSING YOURSELVES. I crafted it carefully. I tried to be generous but firm. I strove to convey insight. I wanted to help. (I had conveyed to my wife that I was recklessly tempted to go downtown to try and put myself between the rioters and police, to risk my safety to deescalate the situation. She was my voice of reason. I restlessly stayed put.) My risky post was important enough to me that I didn't mind if I got pushback for my words. I didn't expect to go viral, however. That was a symptom of the very hysteria I observed—that at the time real activists lay in wait to slay any racist demons they perceived. As it turns out, I stepped right into their trap.
I didn't apologize because I deeply felt I had nothing to apologize for. Coerced public apologies unfortunately do very little to assuage the online mob. Additionally, I felt it vital not to empower this mob further by validating their accusations. However, I did explain myself in a three-page document I sent to my colleagues at GIA Publications and a couple close friends. With my consent one of these friends leaked it to a choral Facebook group for public exposure. I clearly outlined what I intended with my words as well as what I didn't intend, additionally including a warning about the dangers of cancel culture and mob mentality. It had no effect. The next day GIA, having read my explanation, nevertheless issued their public condemnation. After that single attempt to reason with the public, I chose not to parley further. I have no regrets about not apologizing. I felt it was not only the right thing to do, but was a vital thing to do.
JN: Good on you for seeing the futility of issuing an apology that is clearly not yours nor sincere. That no doubt would have made you appear weak in the mind of “the mob”, and more important would have compromised your own artistic integrity...
I was especially troubled by the reaction of GIA Publications. It seems fear ruled the day. Perhaps they felt their own business and reputation was in danger because of the backlash you were receiving. It’s very difficult to think rationally when your nervous system is on high alert like that.
What is your take on their reaction, motives, etc. Were you at all surprised when they more or less coerced you into doing this? What do you think they thought they had to gain by taking this action?
DE: Exactly—Fear did rule the day. I believe GIA felt tremendous pressure because the online mob, in entirely predictable fashion, was starting to call for boycotts of my employers. GIA rushed their statement through very quickly. It was the same behavior a couple other colleagues demonstrated—an eagerness to wash their hands of guilt by association as quickly as possible. In this period of time in our country, everyone was terrified of bloodthirsty activists. GIA's intentions were not malicious. But I wish they had chosen patience over panic; our relationship was a lucrative one.
JN: You make it sound as though the attack on you was organized to some degree. Do you have any insights on the level of coordination that was required to carry this out? And what would anyone stand to gain by taking down a composer of sacred music who until that moment had no history of social activism and kept his social profile on the DL?
DE: All this new activism is organized. "Call out culture" thrives on the strategy of individuals publicly amassing others to target someone ("hold them accountable"). The coordination isn't complex—it merely takes the right facebook post or tweet to be widely shared, perhaps with my email address or website contact page, and a call to action. From my perspective outside social media the attacks always came in concentrated volleys, and so I have always assumed they tend to arise from small pockets of social media activity like a single particular post.
As to your second point, that's the particularly twisted way activism has morphed in the present. When George Floyd died (mind you, there was never any proof of racial motive) many people immediately took as fact that "Officer Chauvin is racist" and "racism is everywhere," therefore "racists must be everywhere," and finally "we must find who the racists are." Overnight innocent people became suspect of hidden racism. With this logic it doesn't take someone actually having a track record of any misdeeds; it just takes them satisfying one wrong present criterion.
JN: It's easy to get caught up in the emotions of something like this, fancy one's self as a white knight of sort and play the role of peacemaker. But the reality that many don't understand is that when a mob gets worked up into a frenzy, it's almost impossible to reason with them.
What advice do you have for those who feel a need to be a voice of reason, on or off social media, but to do so in a way that encourages honest dialogue. And what should one do should they find themselves in a predicament similar to what you endured?
DE: First, I agree it's ineffective to combat an online mob. One is best off remaining consistent and calm, and to not engage in fighting the criticism. I chose to combat the mob merely by remaining silent (and leaving social media was a major aid in this). My lack of apology was the only statement needed. I feel that's often the most effective strategy.
Second, my advice to any inspired to be a voice of reason is this: stay respectful, be patient, but don't compromise. Obviously I don't speak of having a curious and open mind; I refer to those beliefs that are foundational to ourselves. Those are the ideas being threatened by the mob, and they mustn't be surrendered.
If anyone should find themselves in a similar predicament to mine, all I can offer is the simple but ardent promise that taking the harder path is worth it in the end.
JN: What avenues of sharing your music, making a living etc. have you discovered since all this went down a year ago?
DE: The only avenue I've discovered and pursued in this time is the blog page I've started on my website. It isn't making me money, and it isn't adding to my music catalogue. However, it's served as a vital way for me to communicate certain deep messages I otherwise can't, considering this past year's lack of performance opportunities. I've used my blog to share poetry, opine on the critical issues of our field, and speak of my deepest visions for my art.
I landed in particularly hot water with my essay advocating equality of opportunity, but I regret not a word. It's my humble attempt to nurture the health of the arts—even and especially when unpopular. You could say this blog has become my temporary artistic outlet while music hasn't been possible.
If you enjoyed this article, I encourage you to subscribe to my daily e-newsletter, where I share thoughts, musings and what not with anyone who's willing to listen.
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I came to know of Abel James working on one of my podcast clients, Ben Greenfield. And then what really made me pull the trigger on contacting Abel myself was he was on another podcast that we service called Superhumanize with Ariane Sommer.
And it turns out that Abel is actually pretty well-versed in the realm of music, he's actually the author of a book titled The Musical Brain and it's a kind of an academic look into how music affects the brain and host of a very popular podcast called The Fat Burning Man show.
Abel and I chewed the fat so to speak (pun intended) and I think you'll dig this show.
In this episode, you'll hear:-How Abel got into music...02:40
-About The Musical Brain book...07:45
-Why there's no such thing as a 4-hour workweek...13:40
-Business is like being a shark...18:10
-How Abel chose the name "Fat Burning Man" for his show...24:30
-Designer babies are not immune to getting scabies...28:55
We mentioned the Trumpet Dynamics podcast on William Vacchiano
And Abel's books:
- The Musical Brain
- Designer Babies Still Get Scabies
Check out Abel's podcast, Fat Burning Man
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I've been following Marc for the longest time. He's one of the most consistent entrepreneurs I know of in the online space.
And although he's the first to admit he "doesn't know a lick of music," I couldn't resist the opportunity to nab him for an interview when he said he was looking for podcasts to be on.
Marc has made his bones coaching businesspeople for around 10 years, and runs a successful business teaching other coaches how to build their own coaching businesses.
Think he might know a thing or two that would be helpful to us? I dare say he does.
In this brief conversation with Marc, you'll hear:-How Marc got into the business of coaching coaches...02:12
-How someone can qualify themselves to be a coach with such a low barrier to entry...05:00
-Take one opportunity and run with it...08:45
-How to identify the 3 pillars to one's business...11:12
-Why you don't need to be everywhere, and all things to all people...17:45
-And much more!
Coactive Coaching book Marc mentions
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I have the privilege of getting to interview someone who is a very positive and inspiring influencer in the bass community: Danny Ziemann.
Danny has created a great deal of noteworthy musical accomplishments all while packaging with effective music business strategies, having written four books, another co-written for all music teachers. Danny has also three online courses available through the Discover Double Bass website. All of which I have personally purchased and I highly recommend.
Danny further expanded his music business with his online course, The First Call Bassist.
One might assume these are all the results of a much older musician, but he's managed to get this done all before he turned 30.
I first saw Danny at the 2019 International Society of Bassists conference at Indiana university as one of the many outstanding presenters. But it was a 2020 online based summit last summer that really drew me to him. His teaching resonated with me, transcending age differences and tapping into my curiosity; and discovering that there was so much more to learn both on my playing end, but also for my teaching methods as well.
Today, I'll be asking Danny more about his approach to his music business.
In this conversation with Danny Zeimann, you'll discover:
-How Danny began to be branded as a musician/entrepreneur aka, a musicpreneur...02:50
-How to not sell yourself short with the services you offer...09:20
- Confront negative baggage around your attitude toward money
- A calling does not mean you need to do it for free
- Never assume someone's financial situation
-How a spirit of entitlement can sabotage your career...19:05
- Acknowledge the difference between a creator and a business entity
-How to challenge your students in a disarming manner...23:02
-Biggest lessons Danny has learned in his career to date...33:40
- Your emotional commitment to something doesn't need to match the hours you invest into it
-How to maximize your profits while others in your space are crushing it (and seem to be outshining you)...48:55
Resources mentioned:
Danny's course, The First Call Bassist
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Host Jim Lambie shares the path to mastery of his craft as a professional bassist.
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Hello everyone. This is Jim Lambie. You're about to hear my interview with a bassist who I have derived a lot of positive influences from in terms of not only his playing, but his mindset towards developing his career path.
You're going to hear me use the word tenacious. He's got grit. There's something about the way he carries himself that really had an impact on me when I met him years ago.
This interview is about my curiosity with how people do it, right? I've been a career bassist for 30 plus years. I've had my own business. I keep my business mindset about my own music craft and how I make money doing it. I have great employment opportunities I've been able to take advantage of with my army band experience, and now as a civilian, government employed instructor at the school of music playing bass all day and teaching.
But I'm not done yet. You know what I mean? And really there's so much to learn from others.
And I've got this curiosity. How did they do it? I have so much respect for so many players.
You're going to probably hear a lot of bass players from me for a little while as that's kind of been my niche, but I've run into some really sharp people.
Years ago I reached out to Bryan and I asked him if he'd be interested in teaching at my school for a clinic and we ended up having lunch together at this event. And I just thought, man, this guy is really sharp. And it was more than just being a fine musician, which in the music profession, isn't really special. It's assumed. So what makes somebody special in music business is a lot of other factors. And that is what I'm curious about. And I hope you'll follow along with me in the journey.
And let me know what you think. Reach out to us at musicpreneur.com. Let us know if you think this has been beneficial. You're going to find that this cat has just done a lot of work and he has been really consistent with getting himself out there.
And I hope you enjoy this.
In my conversation with Bryan Beller, you'll hear:
-Why Bryan and his The Aristocrats colleagues didn't use a label to grow their brand...05:03
-Why playing live is the heart and soul of making money making music...07:10
-The only way to do anything? Is the right way...09:02
-Creating a house concert/store clinic business model...11:45
-The four factors of success as a pro musician...14:40
- Know your craft
- Execute on demand
- Be a positive communicative force w/ your band mates
- Delight your audience (community building)
-Lessons learned from disappointing results...18:32
-What most musicians get wrong when it comes to endorsements...24:02
-Lessons learned from the pandemic experience...28:40
-Sound advice for when things open back up post-pandemic...34:30
Resources mentioned:
Bryan's website
The Aristocrats
D'Addario Strings
Mike Lull Basses
Steve Vai
Joe Satriani
Bass Magazine
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Jim Lambie welcomes Parma Recordings CEO Bob Lord to the show.
Bob Lord is a producer, composer, and bassist based in Portsmouth NH USA. In 2015 Bob was named one of Musical America’s “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers,” and as CEO of PARMA Recordings his work has been nominated for three GRAMMY Awards in 2019 and 2020.
In this episode you'll hear:
-When to be thick-skinned and when to be sensitive...05:50
-What keeps Bob's fire aflame...08:30
-How Bob got hooked into classical music...11:18
-How to become a problem solver for artists...16:16
-The pitfalls involved in getting a recording available for public consumption...21:47
-How to navigate an era of almost zero visibility for the future...24:30
-What not to do when a global pandemic hits...30:37
-Positives that have come out of Covid...38:45
-What model Bob has followed in his career...44:15
-Overcoming roadblocks in the first years of Parma Recordings...50:10
About Bob:
“I’m a composer and performer by design, and a producer and music executive by accident,” says Lord. “But at the core of it all is my constant urge to expand the definition of creativity, of being an artist, of being a producer, of being a musician.”
PLAYLAND ARCADE, Lord’s debut solo album out on April 27, 2021, is a convergence point of the disparate elements from what clearly is a remarkably diverse career. Hard-charging prog-rock blowouts, atmospheric orchestral potboilers, gauzy jazz improvisations, retro instrumental pop, straight up foley – this is a producer’s album through and through, and it reflects Lord’s own artistic experiences in a kaleidoscopic fashion.
The musicianship is as accomplished as it is audacious. Highlighted by Lord’s molten, overdriven 8-string bass, the album features drummer Jamie Perkins (from the Billboard chart-topping group The Pretty Reckless) and keyboardist Duncan Watt (composer for “League of Legends”) with cameos by Ed Jurdi (Band of Heathens, Trigger Hippy), Andy Happel (Thanks To Gravity), and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, with percussion recorded in Havana, Cuba.
Lord’s resume is a particularly unusual one bolstered by some truly singular credits: with Pete Townshend of The Who, Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.”
He is also the music producer of WILD SYMPHONY, an orchestral suite composed by the #1 NY Times bestselling author Dan Brown (“The Da Vinci Code”) which accompanies the illustrated children's book of the same title released in 2020. The book is published in more than 40 countries worldwide.
In 1996 Bob co-founded the award-winning group Dreadnaught, described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo.” The band has performed with artists such as John Entwistle (The Who), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), and NRBQ, and their 25th anniversary album NORTHERN BURNER is set to drop in Summer 2021.
Formed in 2008 to present contemporary classical, jazz, and experimental music, Lord’s company PARMA Recordings features work by GRAMMY winner Richard Stoltzman, Pulitzer winner Yehudi Wyner, and Emmy winner Bruce Babcock, among others. PARMA’s music can be heard in products and projects from ABC, CBS, Microsoft, HBO, Nintendo, and many more. The company currently has more than 30 staff in four countries.
As of this writing Lord has nearly 1,000 recording/production credits on his resume, including the 2016 release ABRAZO: THE HAVANA SESSIONS, one of the first productions by an American music company in Cuba following the loosening of diplomatic relations. With PARMA, he regularly produces sessions and events in the US, UK, Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Armenia, Russia, Cuba, Slovakia, China, and Poland.
Since 2005 Bob been the Music Director for the New Hampshire Public Radio/The Music Hall series “Writers On A New England Stage” in Portsmouth NH, where he has shared the stage with Margaret Atwood, Salman Rushdie, Patti Smith, Tom Brokaw, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Alan Alda, Judy Blume, and others.
Lord composed the theme song for NHPR’s morning show “The Exchange” in 2005, and the music is still featured on the program to this day. He is President of the Zagreb Festival Orchestra in Zagreb HR, a member of the Board of Trustees of The Music Hall in Portsmouth NH, and on the Advisory Board of the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra, also in Portsmouth.
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Former host James Newcomb and new host Jim Lambie recount a few memories from their military careers, and Jim takes us through the journey from his earliest days in the Army to his current career as a player, teacher, and podcaster.
In this discussion, you'll hear:
-Community is the product of the musician...
-James Newcomb begrudgingly acknowledges a few redeeming qualities of Army bands...
-Jim recalls going through boot camp....twice...
-The moment Jim realized the military was his future...
-Military brings stability to Jim's career...
-3 different types of military mindsets...
-How to know it's time to leave a gig...
-How to identify and avoid a spirit of entitlement...
-A career vs. a calling...
-The big thing that made the military a good idea for Jim Lambie...
Resources mentioned:
Steal and steal podcast w/ James Newcomb
Interested and committed podcast w/ James Newcomb
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While Slacker Jim continues getting his act together to assume hosting duties, outgoing host James Newcomb brings on Nathan Maingard, a South-Africa based musician who has successfully utilized Patreon to build a strong community of fans and followers around his music.
Nathan reached out to us after we sent an email to our subscribers on the topic of why we send (almost) daily emails. He said he had been wrestling with this idea, and it seemed prudent to talk about it and share it with you guys.
If one thing has proven true, it's that issues such as this are not isolated. If one person has a question on something, it's a sure bet that others have it as well.
So enjoy! And remember there are more resources available for you on the free musicpreneur mobile app. Just head on over to musicpreneur.com to gain access to the app!
Oh, and check out what Nathan is up to at nate.live. Lots to learn via observation on the topics of community-building, value-sharing and much more!
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Welcome to the 2021 version of the musicpreneur.com podcast, with James Newcomb and co-host Jim Lambie.
Today we welcome Billy Grisack to the show. Billy was a guest of the show years ago (2 years to be exact) and he joined us to discuss how he's getting back into the game after suffering several setbacks in life that would make lesser men crumble to their knees and give up.
This short episode is a story of patience, persistence, and just keeping going when everything in the universe seems to say you should stop.
Enjoy!
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This episode is slightly off the Beatin' Path, but it's Christmas in 2020. Everything this year has been just a little bit weird, hasn't it?
My wife Sana joined me for this special edition of the Musicpreneur.com podcast. She shares with us a Persian holiday called Yalda that I hadn't heard of until recently. It's a fascinating story behind it, and closely tied to how we in the West came to celebrate Christmas at the time of year we do.
We also talk about new year's resolutions, and why waiting until the new year to start a new habit is the wrong answer.
But mostly it's Sana and me just having a great time with each other. We wish all of you a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!
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An unfortunate reality of being a public figure of any sort is you by default put something of a “kick me” sign on your back and open yourself up to the dysfunctional elements of society who's heads explode when confronted with an opinion that differs from their own.
Whether you have a podcast, a blog, a youtube channel, or are one of those Instagram “influencers” (whatever that means, seems a bit “sus” to me but I digress), it’s just one of those things you need to accept as part of the job.
On the rare occasions you do come under fire for saying something controversial, or that rattles someone’s cage, it can be either a blessing or a curse. Whether it is a blessing or a curse really depends on the mindset and skillset of the person who’s been given the tool of the criticism.
Just like a hammer can be used to either build a house or tear it down, those comments on anti-social media made by people who are in desperate need of intensive therapy can be used to build your brand, or tear it down.
The criticism is the tool; you’re the one using it. The question, how will you use it?
Wisdom will allow you to build it up; foolishness will inevitably lead to your reputation, personal brand, etc. being tarnished and ultimately ruined.
We discussed this and much more on this week's version of the musicpreneur podcast.
Who's "we"?
How rude of me. Jim Lambie, who's helping out with hosting duties, the legendary Jason Heath of the Contrabass Conversations podcast, and myself got together to record this show for you.
I think you'll dig it.
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James Newcomb here. I'm excited to share this episode with you, and also to announce that this podcast officially has a new co-host!
Jim Lambie is an outstanding bassist in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. He's a former military musician, and in his civilian life continues to teach at the military school of music in Virginia Beach. In a non-pandemic environment, he is very in-demand as a player and private teacher.
Jim is interested in learning the podcasting craft and business, so he's going to whet his chops helping out with this podcast. And it does need help as I've been quite busy attending to many other personal matters, so much so that this show has not been as consistent as I would like.
In this freewheeling chat, Jim and I talk about things like community, camaraderie, a pleasing personality and having a strong network of like-minded people to keep you accountable. These are oft-overlooked but indispensable qualities to achieving success - and then not screwing it up once you achieve it.
I think you'll enjoy it!
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**This interview aired originally on the Trumpet Dynamics podcast. I wanted to share here because what we talked about is very relevant to entrepreneurship in general. jn
Conversations like this inspire me to pick up my horn, turn on my iPhone camera and just hit "record" and see what happens.
Floris Onstwedder is a trumpet soloist based in The Netherlands and Switzerland. In normal circumstances, he plays the finest concert halls in the world with his stunning virtuosity and lyricism on the trumpet.
In "other than normal" circumstances, Floris remains undeterred from sharing his gifts with the world. And although the present conditions are far from optimal, he has discovered new ways to share his gifts and build a following around the world.
Here are a few highlights of the conversation between James Newcomb and Floris Onstwedder:-Adjusting fire with coronavirus lockdowns...04:05-A thorough smackdown of the "let's wait for the government to validate art" argument...13:43-New opportunities to reach an audience thanks to the lockdowns...21:43florisonstwedder.com
trumpetdynamics.com
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The following is written by Allison Ross, who I interviewed after a well-meaning, but tragically misguided attempt at resurrecting a symphony orchestra's performance schedule in wake of COVID-19....
"I set down my violin case, give a signed form to the nurse, and take a needle prick to the finger. How will that feel while holding the bow at this evening’s rehearsal?, I wonder. But there is no choice – a COVID-19 serology test is a requirement to play this concert. Next, the pre-service health screening: symptom inquiry, temperature reading, N-95 mask distribution.
We should be in the city’s performing arts hall; instead, rehearsal is held at a public-school sports complex. For the next few hours, our music director will compete with the volume of a booming voice announcing the football game on the other side of the wall.
I navigate to my seat and realize that we aren’t assigned stand partners. Each chair is placed exactly six feet apart, and we are admonished not to budge them at all or the stage manager will have to readjust with his tape measure.
We’re also told that our issued masks must be worn absolutely at all times. A wind player is called out for having crossed the area with his mask dangling from one ear. Winds are only allowed to remove their masks once they are seated with an instrument to their lips. For string players – even the bassists, naturally distanced due to the size of their instrument – the mask is to remain on from the time we enter the building to the moment we exit.
The situational protocol is not simply annoying. Performing masked means an erasure of basic communication: facial expressions, rhythmic breathing, and necessary cues. When the connection is already lost between performers seated mere feet apart, it’s reflected in the entire orchestra’s cohesion.
Lack of a stand partner is highly disruptive. Most instrumental sections (especially strings) rely on a hierarchy of passing notes: the principal turns around to relay bowing or phrase changes, and their message slowly ripples through the section. This method allows for the edited content to reach every player efficiently and with minimal distraction from the conductor. Additionally, with a stand partner, one player can continue playing the material while the other turns pages and pencils in markings.
But tonight, we are each responsible for our own stand. In the time spent taking down a note, while making sure not to budge our chairs an inch, we’ve missed playing an entire phrase. There are awkward gaps and missing themes as each section player hastily turns pages for themselves and scrambles to rejoin the flow of the music.
This situation will worsen the following day. Since the arts hall is off-limits, our dress rehearsal takes place in the middle of a baseball field, allowing the attendees to remain socially distant. (Though outdoors, we are still required to wear masks for the entire duration of our time
onstage.) The whipping wind gusts cause pencils, music, phones, and sunglasses to go flying across our playing area. Even with clothespins, we spend as much precious time unclipping and refastening our music to the stand than with the bow to the string.
The operations manager makes the call fifteen minutes into rehearsal: this is unsustainable. Everyone go home and we’ll hope things die down before the next service.
His words are a chilling microcosm of the larger issue: Playing orchestra music under restrictive virus protocol has become increasingly difficult – and sometimes impossible.
“It’s better than not playing at all,” has become the habitual response, accompanied by a wry smile and a shoulder shrug.
I do not accept this.
I am no longer willing to make concessions that hinder our work for the sake of nonsensical policies. When musicianship is compromised, it defeats the purpose of taking precautions at all.
Let us play.
Symphonies everywhere are in deep trouble. Some of my musical friends and colleagues have gone a long period without work. Many have isolated and spiraled into deep depressions. Others, already accustomed to struggling as freelancers, have been forced to quit music altogether and look for other opportunities.
In the face of those circumstances, my colleagues at this weekend’s performance consider themselves lucky to have a gig. Sure, the protocol is excessive, but it’s better than not playing, they repeat.
That’s not a valuable tradeoff for me. I will not be made submissive, helpless or desperate. I am not willing to sacrifice my livelihood for these draconian measures.
This is the collateral damage: Empty galleries, bare halls, quiet stages. For many organizations, it’s not precautionary – it’s permanent. We already know how the lockdown situation is going (hint: nothing is going) on Broadway.
There exists the hopeful oasis of the Internet, where musicians’ innate creativity and flexibility shines. The summer boom of virtual performances helped reach those who couldn’t attend live shows. Porch concerts, pre-recorded material, and socially-distanced live shows enabled possibilities for music not to be stilled completely.
That makes sense to reach elderly or high-risk patients. Not entire audiences. And a laptop speaker certainly doesn’t take the place of the brilliant acoustics of a performance space. No one knows when we’ll again hear the gorgeous resonance of Helzberg Hall.
Who makes virus policy decisions? Maybe orchestra management, out of fear of litigation should an outbreak be traced to one of their events. Maybe we’re forbidden from using the concert venue and that spirals into more difficult logistical decisions that then need to be made. But I suspect it actually points back to a bureaucratic authority figure, most likely at the state government level, who knows nothing of the intricacies of music performance. It is despicable that they have the power to allow or forbid us our livelihoods.
So personally, I’ve had it with the open-ended waiting. Two thirds of a year of destroying our industry is long enough. Let us play.
Those who don’t feel comfortable can opt out. Individual choice is the most freeing option in an uncertain time.
We hold the power not to let a health phenomenon erase whole concert seasons and put musicians and artists out of work.
If you believe your duty is to protect the elderly and immunocompromised, you’ll be interested to learn this: Among my daily medications is a potent immunosuppressant. Illness from a virus could seriously impact my lung function. I am high risk. And I’ve decided that the chance of contracting a virus I will most likely recover from far outweighs the alternative: life, work, and social connections eradicated.
The person who best knows my situation and is best equipped to handle decisions for my health is me. Not a symphony board, not arts management, and certainly not state or federal orders. Me.
I choose to play.
If my only option is to perform under these draconian policies, I decline to play at all. Half-hearted attempts to resurrect our craft with whatever resources are left over isn’t worth it for me.
What I will consider is forward-thinking terms that allow us to return to the actual normal: sold-out halls, proud symphony players, inspired audiences. Seats filled.
If we want a return of the arts, we’re going to need other solutionaries to speak up with actionable terms. The longer we allow restrictive protocols to remain, the easier it is to accept them as routine – to shrug our shoulders and simply comply. The result is shattered music, demoralized players, and disappointed audiences.
It’s soul-crushing. We can do better than this.
Yes, it’s a risk to hold live events these days. But the risk is marginal compared to the fallout.
Every action in life is a risk."
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It's been waaay too long since I did a podcast for musicpreneur.com. I've done countless podcasts for clients of mine, as well as a weekly show w/ my decent and sturdy wife, Sana.
But sometimes you've got to indulge and do something for yourself. Today was that day. I asked my friend Jason Heath of the Contrabass Conversations podcast if he'd like to do a call, and of course he was happy to do so.
Funny thing, we didn't get around to actually talking about music. But we did cover plenty of preneur - so the mission was 50% accomplished.
In this wide-ranging, and dare I say, entertaining, edition of the musicpreneur.com podcast, Jason and I discussed:
-Why a podcast is like your baby...8:00
-People are into you, not the topic...10:30
-Why put out content when there's already so much out there?...13:00
-Your hero podcaster didn't start out as a rock star...16:00
-The true meaning of entertainment...21:40
-How to kill your credibility while pitching your product...32:10
-An unconventional route to success in the digital media world...43:15
Check out Jason's work at contrabassconversations.com
And James' at musicpreneur.com
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“I’m not good at sales,” many people say.
The truth is, if you have a pulse, you sell. It may not be selling real estate or toilet paper to the local shopping mall, but you’ve got to sell. It could be a child selling his parents on why a cookie before dinner is a good idea. It could be a job interview where you’re selling the person or people on why they should pay you for your services.
It seems that some people are “naturals” when it comes to selling. While these people perhaps have a certain charisma in their personality that others lack, the truth is truly successful sales people have learned and mastered 6 attributes. You may use different words from what I’m using, but it’s the principles I want to focus on, not semantics.
These attributes cause people to Know, Like and Trust (KLT) you. The more of them you can employ in any situation where you’re selling yourself or a product/service, the better off you’ll be.
I liken this to a vehicle. Think of the KLT as the model of the car you drive while you're selling - be it a job interview, selling a course, an audition for the community theater production, lining up a gig at the local coffee shop, selling coaching services, you get the idea. It's what gets you from Point A (no sale) to Point B (the other party is buying).
Any product needs this vehicle. And the higher the value of the product, the more reliable it needs to be.
Now, there are 6 attributes, or elements which I liken to the "fuel" for your KLT vehicle. These things are indispensable for powering the KLT vehicle, and the more of them you can use, the more reliable the vehicle will be. I realize that other words could be used in their place, and there may be one or two other attributes you can think of that I didn't. Whatever the case may be, this list does a good job of summing up the issue.
So here they are:
- Expert authority
- Likability
- Commitment and consistency
- Reciprocation
- Social proof
- Scarcity
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When I interviewed Matt Steady on the podcast a couple of years ago, I was so impressed with his humility, talent, and cultivation of genuine community among the people who listen to his music.
So when I was thinking of people I could interview for the new version of the podcast, on the topic of building community as a foundation for the musicpreneur, Matt was one of the first people that came to mind.
Since we last spoke, he's released a brand new album: an intensely personal and therapeutic project that he's shared with whoever wishes to partake. You can listen for free at mattsteady.com.
In our discussion, you'll hear: -Matt's transition from corporate middle-manager to studio musician living off the love (financially and otherwise) of those who love his music...4:27-The first steps Matt took when he left his corporate job to be a full-time musician...8:30-Why musicians are different from other entrepreneurially minded people...16:15-Why Matt uses streaming services (Apple, Spotify, etc.) even though he knows it's killing the music industry...25:00-How community will ultimately keep musicians and the worthwhile venues alive...32:45-And much more!Check out Matt on the web at mattsteady.com
Episode sponsor: Beatin’ Path Media
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My wife, Sana Dorry, was so taken by our previous conversation on how musicians relate to their music as a "product", that she wrote down some thoughts of her own on the subject.
Here they are:
- Intangibility
- Inseparability
- Heterogeneity/diversity
- Perishability
I wasn't sure how this would go, as it seems that Sana's expertise in the field of hospitality and tourism (which she teaches at the university level in Hanoi, Vietnam) doesn't gel with the needs of the musicpreneur. But we found a level of heterogeneity with the two topics that I think you'll find works quite well :)
Got a question or comment for Sana or me? Join the discussion at the musicpreneur.com mobile app! Just type in musicpreneur.com/app to gain access!
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Jason Heath of Contrabass Conversations and I got on a call the other day and recorded this podcast for you.
I don't want to oversell it, but this could very well be the most important information you hear this year.
Jason refers himself to a "community organizer" within the world of contrabass (upright bass) players around the world. He began his podcast purely as a passion project, and after seeing people were still interested in what he had published after a 5-year hiatus, he knew he was on to something.
So, in his words, he said, "Let's see what happens if I make this thing a business."
Let's just say the podcast has done well. It's highly sought after within his niche, and it has created many professional opportunities he would not have had if he stuck with the "safe" route of gigging and teaching.
Well, here in August 2020, nothing is safe as we've learned.
Jason is always a blast to talk to, and we had a blast recording and are happy to share it with you all!
Here's a little taste of what you'll hear in the show:-How Contrabass Conversations came to be...5:45
-Painful lessons in the early days...10:30
-Turning a hobby into a business...17:30
-To feature or not to feature (yourself)...28:00
-A community begins to take shape...31:00
-"Every niche has its rock stars"...36:20
-Trying to monetize too hard...42:30
-How the community sustains itself during a pandemic...51:34
QuestionWhy are you listening to this podcast on Apple or Spotify? Did you know that musicpreneur.com has it's own app? You can listen to all the episodes and a whole bunch more free blogs and courses. Just type in musicpreneur.com/app on your phone or computer, follow the simple directions, and you're off to the races.
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Welcome to the show
James and wife Sana talk about the introduction for the MUSICPRENEUR.com podcast, as well as foundational ethics and philosophy related to making music a business.
Down the FREE musicpreneur.com mobile app today! Visit musicpreneur.com/app for more information.
Episode sponsor:
Beatin’ Path Media - Specializing in podcast production, voiceover and narration, mobile app development, graphic design, and much more!
musicpreneur.com
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James Newcomb and wife Sana Dorry discuss how our reactions and our mindset determine how our circumstances affect our quality of life, particularly when circumstances go awry.
Check out more free podcasts, courses, articles and much more on James Newcomb's personal smartphone app! Type in beatinpath.media/app into your phone's browser and you're off to the races.
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