Music Business Exposed ? Trust, Trusting, Trust me, Patience, Proof and Lying.
Trust is a scary thing in the music business. Hell, trust is a scary thing in any business or any relationship. It is something that should be developed over time as well as developed over reasons and proof to trust someone, their word and their work. Trust, to me in a way, is giving up control or sharing the control with some one else involving things that are very important and crucial to you, your career and your future. At least I guess that is blind trust in the business sense of the word. When the Music Business is exposed, you can see how much trust is an issue and a problem.
Yet, so many people ask for trust so fast. In this ADHD, fifth gear, Facebook updating, Twitter posting world we live in, people are asking others to trust them right out of the gate. They are looking for full compliance and get upset when some one doesn?t believe them or trust them right after meeting them. If that does not raise a red flag for you, you are in a lot of trouble and probably one of those people that will buy a bridge. Shortcutting here will short cut any chances for your success in music.
When it comes to clients that I produce, consult or work with, one of the first things I say in the initial consultation is don?t trust me till I have earned your trust. Ask questions, have doubts, but work to move forward. Do your research on me, on what I am saying you should do and why other methods might not work or how certain once effective methods do not work anymore. To me, this helps build the foundation of trust and it gets the artist to do some homework and get in to a mode of checking out other people and companies before they choose to hire, follow methods or sign on the dotted line.
There are still chances that things can go wrong with those that you have checked out, researched or taken time and have found trust with, but you lessen the chances of a bad situation greatly if you do your homework.
Keep a mindful eye, especially if you are asking the question about how to make it in entertainment?
Some of the key things to watch for when you are talking to someone that you are getting involved with on a business relationship of any kind in entertainment is getting the questions you have answered in the best way possible. Now that doesn?t mean if you ask a questions that can?t be answered, you get all worried. As long as the reason why that question can?t be answered is covered, then you are in good shape.
Perfect example? As a music consultant, I am asked all the time ?How much does it cost to make an album with you as the producer??
Answer: I have no idea. But I will tell artists that all the variables need to be covered and uncovered. What kind of album? How many songs? How many instruments are being tracked? How much time are you allotting for the sessions? How is the endurance of your vocalist? Are we adding in postproduction, duplication, graphics and the initial launch? Is there a preset budget? Are you going to raise the money? And about thirty other questions.
Then I offer to help by offering an artist a 1 to 2 hour blast consult, where we lay out a basic budget and get a sense of what different possibilities, options and avenues of revenue as well as what they want to how much it will cost. Then from there, they can talk to me about production or they can go to another producer but at least they walk away with the foundation and blueprint of a budget and an attack plan. That is much different than some producer that says sign on the dotted line, pulls a number out of thin air and stays very vague with everything. It is also my most popular service. (And, yes..that was a plug. Shameless huh?)
You are not stupid, so don?t act like you are.
Ask questions. Ask for the details. If something is confusing, then tell the person you are talking to it is confusing. If you are about to spend money with anyone, you should know exactly what you are receiving, how you will receive it and what your responsibilities are as well. Trying to act all cool and nodding your head when you don?t know what is being said or you are unclear with the details makes you look like a clueless bobble head doll that is a prime candidate to be taken advantage of.
If the person you are asking questions to gets frustrated or gives broad, vague or confusing answers. Hoist another red flag. The devil is in the details but she also hides in the broad strokes as well. Then when you look closer, there is nothing there.
The big mouth or the one that delivers the red carpet dreams in his words but has nothing to back it up with is another one to watch out for too. If you are being told all this great stuff is going to be given to you and this person has a wealth of knowledge, experience, connections and happy clients, then go out and contact them. See if they are happy or if he actually knows these people. People can only bullshit you as much as you want to be bullshitted. Even if they are holding the sliver platter with all your dreams that you have fantasized for so long about, you need to be the one to lift up the plate covers to see if there is anything there.
The last red flag is what I mentioned in the beginning. Watch out even more so for the people that use the words ?Trust Me? right out of the gate. The ones that get offended when you say that you would like to have time to grow trust and the ones that want to believe them immediately. Words are nothing. They are easy to say, they are easy to write and they are easy to sell. Actions are what trust should be based upon. Patience and growing an understanding as well as seeing an ongoing pattern or patterns of promises that become truths.
I am not saying doubt the world and be the non stop pessimist, I am saying that you should honor yourself, your music and your art by giving trust only as it is deserved and earned.
L
Loren Weisman is an accomplished music producer, author and music consultant. He is the author of ?The Artist?s Guide to Success in the Music Business?, a book to help independent artists, musicians, bands, labels and managers achieve self sufficient and sustainable success. For more info on Loren and music consulting services, visit: http://www.lorenweisman.com
Advertisement
joe philbin miss america pageant 2012 shipwreck jose aldo vs chad mendes lana del rey john 3 16 alex smith 49ers
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.