Archive for March, 2010
The Indispensable Musician – Part 1: Introduction
- by John on March 27th, 2010
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In his book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, Seth Godin makes a solid case that to be indispensable one must unleash the artist within. Well, how does that apply to people who already claim to be artists, like me? After all, didn’t I unleash my art during my CD release party? What about my CDs and MP3s? Doesn’t iTunes unleash my art for me?
In this series of articles, “The Indispensable Musician”, I am going to share my ideas–and experiments–on what it means for an independent musician to really unleash the artist within. Combined, these ideas generate a fresh paradigm that respects and promotes the uniqueness and value of each independent artist and of each fan.
I will be so bold as to say that the musician who successfully practices these ideas may only require 100 true fans to eek out a living. (See Kevin Kelly’s 1000 True Fans.) I will also say that the first online music store to incorporate these ideas into their system will win. We shall see.
First Things First
- by John on March 21st, 2010
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Re-evaluating priorities and rethinking the purpose of my music
For the past 20+ years I made it my goal to make a living from my music, yet God hasn’t seen fit to bless it in that way. Instead He’s blessed me and my family through software and web development.
If I can find a web/software job, I’m taking it and staying there until God peels me away from it. I’d rather provide for my family everything I am capable of giving them than pursuing a dream that God doesn’t seem to agree with me on. The latter leaves my soul lean.
So I am letting go of the goal which has robbed me of my joy and consumed my mind to the exclusion of more important things. I will still compose and produce music, but only because I enjoy it. It will be a hobby to share, and not so much a business to run.
What does this mean to you, my friends?
The biggest change is in my mind. The second biggest is allowing my fans to pay what they want for my downloads (including FREE), and to share it freely with their friends. I will still sell sheet music, CDs, licenses for business use, piano tributes (portraits), etc. Please stay tuned over the next week as I implement this change.
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Better to forget the things we THINK will make us happy than to forget the things that ALREADY make us happy.
Another thought that has haunted me over the past few months is that I only have seven more years with my oldest daughter. She’s had a father who is preoccupied mentally and emotionally with his dreams. What she needs is a father who cares more for her than for himself.
Whatever we can dream up will last for a moment, but children are eternal.
Pursue them first, and then when they are gone, pursue your dreams. If they are good dreams, they will rise again.
The world says pursue your dreams at any cost; but it is far better to enjoy what God has already given to you with contentment, joy and peace.