Here’s the problem: if I tell you how long I’ve been involved with music, it will give away my age. But if I lie and tell you how young I am, you won’t believe I know what I’m talking about.
So let’s just skip that part.
Anyhow…hi, there! If you’re an independent musician, or even if you just like music in general, this blog is (hopefully going to be) just what the doctor ordered. Let me tell you why.
Before there were bajillions of musicians out there competing for the public’s attention–back when performing artists were still “discovered”–artist development was part of the package when you got signed to a record deal. Even if you weren’t ready to step out on the national stage but still had potential, the label would go ahead and sign you, taking it upon themselves to make you ready. This involved coaching you as a musician, honing your skills, teaching you stage presence, working on your public image–all the things that make for a professional performing artist.
These days, artist development is a shadow of what it used to be. These days, the labels have so many people banging on their doors, and they are so disinclined to take risks, artists have to be pretty much self-made before the labels will even take notice. At that point, “artist development” becomes simply a matter of making you conform to whatever cookie-cutter image the label thinks will sell records.
So whether you sign with a label or not–when it comes to true artist development, you’re pretty much left to find your own way. If you happen to come upon the right combinations on your own, you might get hooked up with a label.
Good luck with that.
Perhaps as an indie artist or band, you feel like you don’t need anyone to “develop” you. Maybe you don’t even want to get signed. Perhaps you think you have a handle on all this, and maybe you do. I’m not here to presume what you know, and what you don’t. But if you’re a performing musician out there, let me ask a few questions:
- Are you reaching all the people you want to reach?
- Are you happy with your current fan base?
- Are you satisfied with the size and number of venues you’re playing?
- Are you happy with the money you’re making as an artist?
- Are you content with your record sales, or merch sales?
- Are you personally and creatively fulfilled as a musician?
- Do you feel no barriers or resistance to your artistic growth?
If you answered “yes” to all those questions, you can probably move on–or just use this blog as cheap entertainment, if you like. But if you answered “no” to any of them–you would benefit from some input.
That’s where I come in. I’m here to solve all your problems, and meet all your artist development needs. I’m what you’ve been waiting for, your key to guaranteed success.
Not really. 
In fact, I’m not even an industry pro. (Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.) What I mean is I don’t currently have any industry connections to give you if you cozy up to me. (Maybe I shouldn’t have said that, either.)
But I do know a little bit about what makes good music good, and I know a little something about helping good artists develop into better ones. And while this blog can’t substitute for a full-fledged artist development program, perhaps I can at least be an ally along your journey, sharing some encouragment, advice and resources, so you don’t have to figure everything out on your own.
This is what The Developing Artist is about: we’re going to talk about things like stage presence, song choice, singing on pitch, songwriting, do’s and don’ts of live performance, how to stand out as a performer, all that jazz. How to make people remember you when you walk off that stage–without eating live bats or taking off your clothes. (Or interrupting Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech.) It won’t just be me on my soapbox, either; I know some people who know some things, and I think I can twist their arms to write a guest post or two. And we’ll pass on any other helpful information we come across, to keep a variety of sources in the discussion. Anything that might help, that’s what you’ll find here.
Anyone can be famous with the right amount of hype, but hype only lasts for so long, and if there is no substance, there will be nothing to keep you successful if you do become famous. True artist development is about what goes into being a high-caliber performing musician, so people will keep buying your records for years to come. We don’t just want to improve your chances of standing out–that’s the easy part. We want to focus on something more: the things that can improve your chances for lasting success.
I hope you’ll get in on the conversation that’s about to start here–and that you’ll invite others to join in as well. I think it’s gonna be a good one.
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