"Musician Time" is one of the most frustrating aspects of dealing with musicians. Load in time says 7 so, the average person would assume you should show up at 7.
Nope.
Bands and everyone start sauntering up to the venue maybe 7:45 to 8. And this happens every time. Being as punctual as I am, this constantly drove me insane. It wasn't until I read Zimbardo's The Time Paradox and took a class on international strategy that I finally got it.
People's different beliefs in time affect their behavior and interpretation of the world. The conditions someone live and work in shape the person. It's simple, but often overlooked.
In Project Time, a product is done when it is absolutely perfect and has spent the last few months being tweaked. This is why albums take so long to put out, there's no concrete schedule (in most cases) other than when an artist thinks his work will be "ready'.
In Linear Time, a product is done when it's time to ship. This would be many business situations, where if you don't ship your product on time you're out of a house. Sure, there'll be bugs, but it's more important to be on time.
(Roughly) Most musicians live in Project Time, and most businessmen live in Linear Time. Being aware of the time perspective of who you are dealing with will make life much easier. Always understand how these differences in time perspective may affect people's behavior. If you think linear, (like myself), it's easy to get frustrated that nothing is ever on time with music, but by understanding the project viewpoint of "hey, as long as I'm on stage when it's stage time, we're good" it makes it much easier to work with.
Regardless, I'll still be waiting outside the venue at "load in time". It's how I think.
7/22/10
7/19/10
Science: How To Improve Your Practice
Practice is more effective if you vary between different tasks, such as between dexterity and improvisational exercises.
Courtesy of The Situationist:http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/the-situation-of-practice/
“While it may be harder during practice to switch between tasks … you end up remembering the tasks better later than you do if you engage in this drill-like practice,” Winstein said.
Courtesy of The Situationist:http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/the-situation-of-practice/
“While it may be harder during practice to switch between tasks … you end up remembering the tasks better later than you do if you engage in this drill-like practice,” Winstein said.
7/15/10
Sustainable Fan Growth
Getting people to come out to your shows is the name of the game, but who you bring is just as important as how many you bring. Fan growth has to be sustainable for you to have a future in music.
Lately I've seen some local bands that miss the "sustainable" aspect of this formula. The band just printed off a new set of t-shirts (that look quite fantastic!) to help cover costs and plan for their next album. Cool, so I helped them out and bought one.
As we talked, however, I started to realize that the only people they were selling t-shirts to were other bands, not approaching new fans at shows.
It's not that it's bad to give and receive support from other bands, it's quite important actually. But this isn't sustainable fan growth. Musicians, (surprise!) have limited time and cash. There's a limit to how much each person can give.
Selling one shirt to another band will make you a couple bucks. Selling one shirt to an honest fan will make you a couple bucks now, plus increased devotion to your band. The real value in selling merch is helping your fans express their fandom to others. (Remember my post on fan identity?)
You've only got so much time and energy to sell, make sure you focus your efforts on the long-term. Are you selling to the right people?
Lately I've seen some local bands that miss the "sustainable" aspect of this formula. The band just printed off a new set of t-shirts (that look quite fantastic!) to help cover costs and plan for their next album. Cool, so I helped them out and bought one.
As we talked, however, I started to realize that the only people they were selling t-shirts to were other bands, not approaching new fans at shows.
It's not that it's bad to give and receive support from other bands, it's quite important actually. But this isn't sustainable fan growth. Musicians, (surprise!) have limited time and cash. There's a limit to how much each person can give.
Selling one shirt to another band will make you a couple bucks. Selling one shirt to an honest fan will make you a couple bucks now, plus increased devotion to your band. The real value in selling merch is helping your fans express their fandom to others. (Remember my post on fan identity?)
You've only got so much time and energy to sell, make sure you focus your efforts on the long-term. Are you selling to the right people?
6/24/10
Everything That Went Right At The Granada
I saw Sage Francis on his last tour at The Granada in Dallas and I was once again reminded why I love that place. There's a reason they're the best music venue in Dallas for three years running; they know how to do the business side of music without ruining the music itself.
On the back of a cocktail napkin I wrote down everything I saw that The Granada did right that night.
-Whenever the bands are loading onto the stage, three giant projector screens display upcoming shows in a genre similar to the artist on stage, music videos for those artists, and various ads for local eateries. I'm especially fond of the music videos aspect, as it takes a captive audience and exposes them to new music they're likely to enjoy. Brilliant!
On the back of a cocktail napkin I wrote down everything I saw that The Granada did right that night.
-Whenever the bands are loading onto the stage, three giant projector screens display upcoming shows in a genre similar to the artist on stage, music videos for those artists, and various ads for local eateries. I'm especially fond of the music videos aspect, as it takes a captive audience and exposes them to new music they're likely to enjoy. Brilliant!
-At the door when you get your ID checked, the staff urges you to sign up for the email list for this show to get free pictures of the event emailed to you the next day.
-There are separate email lists for indie, hip hop, country, etc. You only sign up for the genre you're interested in.
-It was a smaller show so they roped off the balcony. It might not seem like much, but having a smaller packed venue is more important than a larger sparse venue.
-In the lobby area they serve super-greasy bar food, ideal to capture the post-concert drunk-munchies before any other restaurant gets their cash money.
-The patio / smoking area is giant and open, which encourages fans to "hang out" there before and after shows. This helps both to build social proof and place the Granada in the fan's mind as "a place to hang out". Many venues don't have "chill" areas like this that enable it to become a "scene", so to speak.
-They give away earplugs at every one of the bars. That makes me smile. DON'T GET TINNITUS, IT IS NOT FUN. WEAR EARPLUGS.
-When Sage Francis walked off stage to greet everyone after the last song, the venue was cool with it. They turned up the house lights so everyone could see, no bouncers hustling people out of the doors at all. It seems simple, but events like this a fan will remember. It doesn't matter that it made the venue close down much later than it would have; you've just attached your name to a powerful fan memory.
I really, really dig this venue both for business and music purposes.
6/23/10
A Change of Direction
So I'm cutting the "Influence" articles idea. My number one priority is to not waste your time. After reading through the book again I realized that for music, many of these truths are a little obvious and I've already harped on them a million times before (social proof, I'm looking at you).
Sometimes a song isn't good. Simple as that. Go write a new one.
Back to business.
Sometimes a song isn't good. Simple as that. Go write a new one.
Back to business.
6/10/10
Influence Applied to Music: Reciprocity (Part 1 of 6)
Reciprocity: People tend to return favors.
Simple. Profound.
The best way to get help is to give it first.
When you play a show for a new promoter, print up fliers with your own money and pass them around, making sure that the promoter knows you were the one who did it. Then talk to them after the show and ask "Hey, can you guys put us on with the next national act that comes though?" Not only does the promoter know you'll help them do their job and thus make more money, there's the social obligation to pay back those who help you. Don't underestimate this effect.
Simple. Profound.
The best way to get help is to give it first.
When you play a show for a new promoter, print up fliers with your own money and pass them around, making sure that the promoter knows you were the one who did it. Then talk to them after the show and ask "Hey, can you guys put us on with the next national act that comes though?" Not only does the promoter know you'll help them do their job and thus make more money, there's the social obligation to pay back those who help you. Don't underestimate this effect.
6/3/10
A Shotgun of Persuasion
Robert Cialdini is the man when it comes to persuasion. This short video is a shotgun blast of information on how to be a more effective communicator. (For a more in-depth view of these arguments, read his book.)
Watch this video, and in the following weeks I'll explain how you can apply this knowledge to your music.
BECAUSE SCIENCE IS COOL.
Watch this video, and in the following weeks I'll explain how you can apply this knowledge to your music.
BECAUSE SCIENCE IS COOL.
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