When doing NOTHING with your music matters

Hi Chris, thanks for your comments which resonate with me at the moment as I am most definitely ‘waiting’ for something (or someone) to guide me! I was very focussed and creative 3-4 years ago but am currently going through a weird patch where I get plenty of initial ideas but then lose interest/faith/drive to finish them. One of the powerful things I remember Paul McCartney saying was that he and John Lennon never had a song writing session in which they did not complete at least one song in total. I wish I had that focus of late as I rarely, if ever finish a song these days. Part of my problem is learning to be a producer with my DAW and being blinded by too many plugins and too many possibilities rather than just focussing on the initial song. I need to focus and re-discover my creative excitement again and then I know I will finish what I start. Until then, I keep waiting!!

It helps to like a challenge and the music business is among the toughest I’ve encountered (tied with the film and TV industry). Investing time into a music career without anyone else, without a band or an agent or producer is almost overwhelming. Basically, I started 20 years ago just as the internet was becoming a bigger factor in music. I’ve dipped my toe in a lot of waters with some moderate success. First, just mixing on my own and uploading to myspace and another site called broadjam. I like Broadjam because their deal is simple you sell a song for 99 cents, you get 80 cents, that’s the best percentage around. However, Broadjam was never as popular as Apple music or Spotify are today. Next thing I know I’m joining Taxi dot com and a film and TV association called FMPTA to pitch my music to people making films, alas, most of the people there were doing low and no-budget films and higher budget films went through music supervisors who sometimes mined Music Xray. I still managed to get some interest and have a few tracks out there, two were purchased to use in a commercial in south Florida by a tutoring company (a company I worked for) and a few in some short films. One song recently almost got picked up by Tim McGraw, his team liked it but it wasn’t chosen. I did open mics here and there, but were rather lackluster performances that didn’t generate any buzz. Later I opted to go back to the internet, I saw Youtube and Music X-ray as options to get going. I hit a wall in my confidence, as many do, and did only minimal promoting. Problem was, I realized my productions were not radio quality or high quality. So production became the focus for a while and I learned how to mix and master tracks better. Just that part alone is hard work, but so much more has to be done, I envy those who have a team of professionals (and can afford them). Now, I’m moving on to Distrokid. Just uploaded my first single today. Will still use Facebook because my music would appeal more to older folks who still use that website. I’m also looking at Instagram, but Distrokid supposedly includes them and over a dozen other sites. I’m hoping this start-stop methodology will pay off eventually, it’s just hard to press on before success hits and that’s probably the key lesson. If you want it, then you have to keep going and improve as you go. Thanks for the pep talk.

So encouraging… It looks like all we have – lol!

Hey Chris,
Thanks for making this video. it really helps to stir up a different perspective on things for me. I just got a new guitar pedal board as a birthday gift from my husband who is also my bandmate and that has been very inspiring. And yes, waiting is a good thing of course. Sometimes I feel so impatient and want things to happen faster and feel like I’m miles behind others in my career. It’s really hard to stay mentally balanced with that mindset. It takes a great deal of patience to be an artist from writing a song to exploring new ideas to searching for other band members etc. Often I find it takes letting go and not trying so hard at times for magic to happen and things to manifest more naturally. But at the same time, we’ve got to experiment and try things to find out what fuels us emotionally or what could possibly help us in our musical path.

Hi😊 So, thank you so much for your video. I really needed this today. I have found it hard to see the path lately and it’s easy to get discouraged. It seems I’m always second guessing myself and I liked the idea of just trying new things to see if it’s the right direction. I’ve wanted to try and get a sync placement for my debut single and I’ve been looking at posting something on LinkedIn but slworry about doing it right. But maybe I just need to try and if I get it wrong then I e learned what not to do. And I need to just remember why I sing and especially singing with the students I substitute teach. They’ve been my biggest supporters here in Idaho and they lift me as much as I fit them, even more, I think. My songs are inspired so I feel like my purpose is to share them to lift. But it’s hard when you can’t always see the way forward. Your video helped me a lot today. Thank you, 🥰
https://youtu.be/WJxV0EPKpuE?si=IPfD6LO_-BIZEPoS8. This is my song and if you go to my YouTube channel you can see some of the students singing a favorite song I’ve been sharing for about five years with the kids. I guarantee it will put a smile on your face😊
Cathy Speer

Hi Chris,
Truly enjoyed your video! I’m very patient with finding the right opportunities, ( including collaborate with a trusted collaborator for sync-licensing). I mainly write orchestral music, one of my new compositions was recently recorded by Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic Orchestra.

Great video, I absolutely agree with you! I have been writing songs off and on since I was 15. I never did anything with music other than teach guitar. Last year I bought a Gibson guitar which I always wanted. I played one of my songs at an open mic last summer for the first time in years! I connected with musicians and have been going to jams ever since! I blindly entered the USA songwriting competition last year and one of my very first songs got to quarter finals! Considering I’m no where near a pro I thought this was a sign I’m pretty good at this. I’m taking vocal lessons now, and part of a few groups in the states that are very helpful! I’m re writing and writing new songs. All I know now is I love performing I’ve had great audience responses and nothing feels better then having people love what you created and being touched by what you created! I really don’t know where this is going other than I want to share my music once it’s ready.

Hi Chris
Your analogies and metaphors are interesting !
I have had some good feedback on some of my tunes (the ones that I have put out for strangers to listen to). My problems are two fold:
(a) I have to work full-time to pay my bills and support my family, and therefore finding time to focus on music / getting into synch; and
(b) it seems that there are an awful lot of hopefuls like me, wanting to break into the whole synch thing, and it’s so hard to try and get people who make decisions about what music to use or not to use even to hear what we have to offer. It may not be true, of course, but it feels like an exclusive club, and newbies ain’t in it, and the cards are stacked against them.
Thanks for the video !
Sincerely
Mark

Thank you sir I needed this. "Waiting for the Path" sounds like a perfect song title to me!

HI Chris,
I don’t think my situation is the "norm" but I think you can help me. My late husband, Butch Baldassari, has a large library of fantastic instrumental music. He received 2 Grammy nods and there is a documentary in the works about him.
All of the music is ready to go for sync, as a matter of fact, two tracks which he produced and played on were in a Woody Allen movie a few years back. He didn’t OWN those tracks but the money from that plug was great. I would like to enlist someone (and you might be that guy) to work on sync for his library.
Please let me know if you are interested and what our first step would be.
Thanks very much,
SInclair Baldassari

Nicely packed wisdom Chris.. all rings true.. And yes the waiting game, I can relate to that.. Waiting to take the right actions when you can feel the stars will align.. A institution thing. And Mastering all skills along the way,whilst waiting for those times of opportunity is an absolute must too.. I was told once by a old school legend, drummer Barrie Barlow from Jethro Tull, a great song will always find its way out to the world eventually..At the time he was referring to one of my songs.. That positive wisdom also keeps me going with the belief that one day the stars will truly align at the right time. Timing is indeed key. Thanks Chris.

This is great insight and it resonates with truth and wisdom. I’m currently in a waiting period and it’s been very interesting to come to terms with it, to be at peace with it and not be concerned. It’s a great opportunity to have some fun and get outside of your old goals and habits to see if something else might surprise you by being a better fit.

Makes perfect sense to me. Possibilities are rattling around in your head — should I do this — maybe I should do that. Maybe just wait a bit and see what unfolds….

Interesting reasoning. Right now I’m in a bit of a limbo, but I’ll take it easy and do other things until I get an idea I think is worth pursuing.

This works in business too! (Not just creating music.) I’ve built and sold a number of businesses with specific goals. They already existed in other forms – but with tiny modifications/creativity, they became successful and I was able to sell them. I’ve loved working on the briefs because, even though I’ve not had any placements from them yet, they really push me in a new direction – and it’s just super fun to test the waters. So thanks for this video and for the opportunity to chase something new (even though my timing hasn’t been wholly-perfect yet.)

Love this, Chris. Perfect timing for me to hear. I’m with you 1000%

Timing for this couldn’t be better. At heart what inspired and gives me fire is live performance. Hell even Karaoke gets me excited. I have to be honest… I have been going so hard, so fast with goals and plans that I made towards the end of last year, that I am just spent. I’ve fallen behind in the course and managed to move myself forward enough to get to the pitch sessions and have a few songs with their correct Metadata.

Since Jan 1, I joined this course, shot and released 3 music videos, filmed a tv segment, released an EP single with 3 DJ remixes, performed 3 very short live performances and tomorrow I have my first paid corporate gig. Motivation should be pumping and I just want to go on vacation. I submitted to perform for 10 Pride Festivals and got rejected by them all or no response.

I do like the idea of waiting until the wind comes for me to take my chance or another chance at flying. I am doing this, Music, so I can inspire courage, hope and unity around the world. I don’t want to have a day job or a side hustle like I do besides music. I want music to be my main business. This is why I took this course. I need this music business to stand on its own two feet cause the side hustle and the bi-weekly paycheck are barely covering credit cards and bills right now. I think it can, and I am happy to wait. I just think I need a restful vacation from my entire life lol. Thanks for the post Chris. Studio is coming together slowly but Shirley McClain 😉

All good advice, Chris, as I return to writing and making music in retirement, and now wish to explore sync opportunities. Finding a strategic balance between preparedness and action will be key. Thanks!

I needed to hear this. Thanks Chris.

Hiya Chris:
Wow, that was perfectly timed and well-said. You’re a natural teacher/coach.
For myself, l returned to music about 2 years ago after having been away for some years. I did so after receiving a Parkinson’s diagnosis as a stress reliever. I little expected it to become the healthiest thing I could do. I’ve worked hard at my craft and I’m writing and recording some of the best work of my life. I live in the California desert, where it is blazingly hot from now through September. Great, I’ll have lots of time in the studio. I’ve been asked to give the "Dexoflex Treatment" to a single from a rock band out of TX. If that works out, it may become a path for me in the future.
Thank again for a great class.

It’s always encouraging to hear when others come to the same obstacles, and to hear how they come through it. I’ve only recording my own music for a couple of years, but I’ve already fallen into a pattern of producing several songs really close together followed by a dry spell for several months. I’m starting to become more comfortable with that just because when the moments of inspiration come, things just seem to fall into place. I end up accomplishing in a couple of days what would have taken me a month before.
Another thing I think I’m realizing is that I tend to over think things, which actually works against me and slows me down.

I definitely believe in taking the time to let the path be revealed. I have been on so many paths and a little over a year ago, I took a huge detour on a path and wound up reunited with music. It always amazes me how things happen at just the right time, and usually when you least expect it. In a society where productivity is so revered, it’s easy to get caught up with producing results. In my experience, when I am consumed by working and productivity, it leads to me burning out. I have to remind myself to do nothing sometimes, that it’s OK to be still that it’s OK to just be and not do a thing. The irony is, in those times, that’s when the epiphanies come, the direction comes, and those sweet ideas that come from the ether that I can build on. Thank you, Chris for sharing these very important suggestions and reminders. It’s easy to get caught up in the hurry… I often have to remind myself to ‘slow down.’ (Beatle’s reference!)

Hi Chris . . . strong take!

For me, it’s been a "long and winding road…" Learned to play as a kid and into my teens, started writing songs at 11, recording sound on sound on a two-track reel to reel to get a feel for arranging, just taking those baby steps and learning along the way…

Played in an originals band for a while until I got married… dropped the band to raise kids, but kept practicing and writing a bit along the way – kids grew up, got back into playing with others, for about the last 25 years… decided I’d rather focus on writing and recording originals again instead of lugging equipment around, so dropped out of the band… Now that the technology and access is available to be mostly self-contained, I’ve been releasing some songs onto various platforms.

A few months after leaving the band, I came across the opportunity for the Art Of The Song Pitch, and here we are… timing is everything!

For me, the path has changed throughout the journey – but your idea of being available and aware of options and "wanting to" enough to take a risk here and there for what one wants resonates strongly. I’m excited about the possibilities of sync placements, and have made the leap to find out how…. thank you for offering the opportunity to explore this segment of my path; we’ll see where it takes me.

Glad you’re excited about YOUR path . . . good luck with your own music!

Crazy as it seems timing is and will always be everything!
I’ve been writing songs since I was 15. They helped me to get through some rough/dark patches while growing up, and still do so today. I’m just a big kid growing old. I’ve been able to keep my music dreams alive throughout the years by dabbling in various musical alternatives. I’ve been in bands, performing original material throughout my unknown career.
Have had a few small successes, I think just enough to keep my motivation sparked and inspired to get me to the next “stage” of life.
I remember hearing about AOTSP last year but I wasn’t in the right mindset or able to commit to the programs time requirements. So I waited (actually forgot) until it presented itself to me again this year. Can’t put a price on the information that I have learned or the enthusiasm that has been re inspired.. So today at 66 I’m bouncing around like a kid in a playground, having more fun learning than I ever did.
Thank youChris for your time and talent!

Thank you Chris! We all go through periods in our careers where we feel we are stagnating but it’s important to remember to keep doing you, recording new songs, performing and trying new things. I have won more songwriting awards later in life than ever before so I know my talents have improved with age and wisdom! Remember, don’t give up on your dreams, you have value, your music is important!

Makes sense to me. The more I stretch out beyond my comfort zone to try new musical opportunities, the more I understand about what I enjoy or don’t. Thanks for this!

But…but, Chris! The waiting is the hardest part!

Hi Chris,
Great observations!
Makes me think of Roman philosopher, Seneca’s quote
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”
When you’re prepared you can deliver the right track for a brief…

Thanks,
Alex

Dear Chris,
I love your videos! Yes, I agree that sometimes it is necessary to take a step back and view the forest, not just the tree. I am in the process of doing that now! Although I was a member of Platinum sync, I could not afford to continue. I am on a fixed income with physical limitations, but all sorts of catalog. Just no way to record it just now. I have slowly been gathering the equipment I need, even winning my monitors from Music Connection Magazine, and have had success with rudimentary recordings of myself. I would love to take a really rudimentary class on production. I did sign up for a couple other educational places, but they don’t really start the most basic understanding of the process, plus there are so many DAWs, even the DAW tutorials start of too far into the process for my brain. I haven’t finished all these classes, because I moved back to my property, the renters trashed it, bought a 12×28 shell that I am completing and ended up having to get a new vehicle all at once. It is taking me forever to get anything done because of the lack of $s. BUT, I wake up in a little house that is totally mine, reflects my design and tastes, and I look out on a tiny valley ringed with trees. I have deer in my yard (eating my strawberries – they ate my violets too) almost every day, up to 7 at a time. I’m still writing some. But I am nesting big time. I’ve spent my whole life doing one step at a time, and I am experienced, award winning, impactful and intend to extend my wings – when the time is right. Thank you for validating my plan!

Hi Chris,
As ever, what you say is so inspiring! You have such a special gift to inspire and motivate people – look at their stories. So great to read them, I empathise so much! We’re glad you followed the teaching path for at least a while…
I’ve followed your course advice, including being vetted and building a catalogue of my songs on Disco, gradually over the last 3 years my production has improved….My songs got noticed by Warner Chappell… have just had my artist album released in their library am proud to report!
Now must decide whether to produce more of the same, and maybe go live to support it, or to continue diversifing across the genres and concentrating on production.
I’m SO glad you’re giving this advice in support of trying new focuses, preparing, yet waiting for opportunities to take the path you need.
And good luck with your own music Chris.