Musicians aren’t any different than non-musical people in the way that they typically try to avoid experiencing pain and loss. But where songwriters and all other artists differ from the rest of the world is in the way they’re often charged with converting painful personal experiences into work that moves and relates to people.
With the start of a New Year comes endless possibilities for change, progression, and enormous growth. New Year, New You, right?
But when it comes time to put those thoughts into action, it can feel a little overwhelming, to the point it leaves you wondering—where do I start? I’m glad you asked.
Ah, the winter slowdown. Without fail, this is one of my favorite times of the year—and not just because I love the sparkle of holiday lights, or the warmth of family togetherness. It’s because it’s that glorious time where everyone is finally backing off their emails, slowing down their hustle, and taking the time to enjoy a bit of down time. Which, all on its own is an important piece of the holiday slowdown. But if you plan it just right, this can actually be one of your most productive times of the year.
Think about it—with everyone else going quiet, it gives you time to properly focus on growing your career, rather than rushing just to maintain it. So get out your calendar, your journal, and your favorite pen, because we’re about to dive into how to make the most of this winter slowdown.
Frosty, Heidi, and Frank have solidified their position as pioneers of the broadcast radio world. From their early talk radio success in Colorado to their current lights-out success of their KLOS 95.5 Los Angeles radio show, Frosty, Heidi, and Frank have been changing the game at every turn.
Most notably, the Frosty, Heidi, and Frank show has exploded in popularity with their “Stay or Go” segment, where independent artists hold the spotlight, play their song on air, and let listeners vote on whether the artist gets another song played, or if they only get that one song. The segment gives independent artists a chance to earn countless new fans, while challenging them to present their best work to the show’s listeners. They’re currently looking to feature up to twelve ReverbNation artists through our opportunity here.
Unless you’re a songwriter that happens to crank out great songs every time you make music, predictability and boredom are big challenges to cope with when it comes to how writers work and what motivates them. The process you relied on to write songs a couple of years ago might not provide the same energy and ideas you need now to write something meaningful, but dismantling the way you make music and putting it back together again in new ways isn’t easy. Here are three ways to help you get started:
The relationship musicians have with their fans is pretty fascinating if you think about it. What would music mean if it wasn’t heard by anyone other than the artist that created it? A song has a world of meanings and intentions on behalf of the songwriter, but once that song is put in front of a listener, it evolves into something else entirely. Without listeners, musicians are still musicians, but their music doesn’t have the same purpose. For musicians intent on having an audience connect with their music, being able to relate with listeners in an honest way is paramount. Unfortunately, saying it is easy but putting it into practice can be a challenge for some musicians.
At its best, touring is fun, lucrative, and creatively fulfilling. At its worst, it’s capable of bringing even the most experienced musicians to their knees. Touring can lead to disaster for musicians of every level of experience, but new bands are especially susceptible. Here are three reasons why.
Whether it’s the play-counts you rack up over streaming platforms or the amount of followers you accrue through social media, numbers and statistics have become an almost unavoidable part of being active in music today. But just because you’ve got a perpetual front row seat when it comes to following the numbers behind your music, doesn’t mean you should always be paying attention. In fact, obsessing over your plays, views, followers, and downloads can do more harm than good for your songwriting.
Blog
