Why do Musicians Need Coaches?

Why do Musicians Need Coaches?

by | May 13, 2023 | Creativity

I am often asked:

“I don’t get it. Why do musicians need coaches? Do they need help with their performance or something?”

Yes. But that’s not all:

Most musicians will leave school knowing how to play an instrument, sing, write, and compose music, or some combination thereof. And if they’re lucky, they’ll have built a handful of valuable connections.

But they will leave school WITHOUT knowing how to brand themselves, build a website, grow a social media following, book gigs, market their music, and more.

Diving deeper, and you will discover that many musicians, even professional ones, are untrained.

Well-known musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Jack White, Prince, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Dave Grohl, Kurt Cobain, Elton John, and many others are famously untrained (many of my favorites).

Imagine starting a career in music without any knowledge of how music works, no idea how to market yourself, and no resources or connections… that’s where MOST musicians are starting from.

If musicians want to take their careers seriously, they can’t count on some chance meeting with an A&R rep. This very rarely, if ever, happens anymore.

If musicians want to take their careers seriously, they can’t count on some chance meeting with an A&R rep. This very rarely, if ever, happens anymore. Click To Tweet

Musicians require comprehensive business plans, marketing strategies, branding know-how, and much more, to be an independent success in any capacity.

Next time you’re talking to a musician friend, ask them how their career is going and listen intently to their answers. Are they stuck? Feeling frustrated? Getting nowhere fast? If you dig beneath the surface, you will find most of them are having trouble making forward progress.

Put those friends in touch with me. I help artists just like them.

Being Hyper Focused on Your Niche as an Artist

Being Hyper Focused on Your Niche as an Artist

by | Nov 19, 2021 | Creativity

I remember sitting at a songwriter’s workshop, listening to the presenter share about how she had interest in a variety of musical styles, and was even capable of playing just about anything.

“But identifying my niche,” she said, “helped me create an identity. My fans knew what to expect when I came out with a new release, instead of being thrown off by my latest flight of fancy.”

She stuck to her guns and went onto play the big stages a few years later. And her success continues to this day.

Now, this might sound like “okay, I need to stick to one genre for the rest of my life.”

That’s not what I’m saying.

What I’m saying is that you need to know what your identity is. Your identity will inform your musical choices.

Look at the late David Bowie. He didn’t stick to one musical genre. He would create new personalities every few years and concept albums around them. That was the norm for Bowie. It’s what you came to expect of him.

So, we can play multiple genres. But we need to be smart and calculated about it.

Even a band like Van Halen went through some massive changes through the decades, especially as different singers started fronting the band. Yes, it was still Van Halen, but it was different enough that it ended up alienating some fans. And that is a risk you take when changes occur.

As a Van Halen fan, though, regardless of preference, I can honestly say I still listened to everything. Because the essence of the band was mostly preserved through the years.

When you’re getting started, you want to become known for one thing. It’s incredibly difficult to try to become known for multiple things. Once you’ve built your reputation, there will be an opportunity to diversify. But if you can be finely targeted in the early stages, you will experience more early success.

When you’re getting started, you want to become known for one thing. Click To Tweet