A TIME FOR CHANGE
With the election of Barack Obama, our nation indicated that it’s ready for a change. Well, with the holidays upon us, you should also be thinking about changes you might want to make. You could reflect on what you’ve accomplished or didn’t quite get to in 2008; and, devise a new game plan for 2009. In fact, this is the perfect time to do just that.
With industry attention elsewhere and less people going to clubs, artists can take advantage of this lull in activity. One of the first things you can do is take an honest appraisal of the past year. Did you accomplish everything you wanted? Have you made real progress? Did you notice any problems you had trouble overcoming? Did you do everything you could to advance your career? Did you take care of business, or did business take care of you?
There’s almost always room for improvement. But, you have to be willing to admit that. Ask friends and fans for their opinions. You might be surprised by their answers, especially if you give them the freedom to state their mind without fear of offending you.
For starters, make sure you’ve taken care of the fundamentals. Have you registered your songs with a Performance Rights Organization (BMI, ASCAP)? If you write with others, do you have a co-writer agreement? Are your copyrights filed properly to reflect that understanding? These are easy things to overlook, but they’re essential if you want to be a professional.
This is also a great time to work on new material. However, make sure it’s better than what you wrote last year. It shouldn’t be the same old stuff or just OK. Every song should be better than the last.
What about your live performance? Has it gotten stale or mechanical or just too comfortable? If so, change it. Stop doing the same things during the same songs all the time. That gets boring for everyone, including your fans.
Maybe you had trouble getting people to your shows. There is a good reason for that. But, you have to look at yourself to find the answer. And, often, that’s hard for artists to do. Confidence and ego are part of this biz, but sometimes they’re also blinders to reality.
If there are goals you haven’t achieved, you have to realize that you can’t keep doing the same things the same way and expect a different result. That’s how ruts are formed. Think about the New Year as a new chapter in your career. If you approach the process in the right frame of mind and with the same creativity you apply to your music, you can renew your dream and forge your future in any direction you want.
Think about it. A most unlikely candidate won a presidential election – and his mantra was one every artist should take to heart… Yes you can.
–Bernard Baur
Tags: A TIME FOR CHANGE, baur, bernard
December 10th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Thank You for the good advice.,. Happy Holidays…
Ajay
December 24th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
on target again, Bernard. have a glorious holiday and superbly happy new year!
December 24th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
when we change our thinking to a positive frame of mind and refuse to listen to the negatives, good things happen!
January 5th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
YS0106A6 The town’s poor seem to me often to live the most independent cheap air jordan shoes lives of any.May be they are simply great enough to receive nike air max shoes on sale without misgiving
January 5th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
S0106A2 No man or woman is worth your tears,and the one who ed hardy coats is ,won’t make you cry.
January 6th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
YS0107A9 A friend walk in when the rest of the world walks out.Sometimes in ugg adirondack boots sale life, You find a special friend; Someone who changes your cheap ugg elsey boots life just by being part of it. Someone who makes you laugh until you can’t stop ugg broome boots sale ; Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world. Someone discount ugg ultra short boots who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door just waiting for you to open it. This is Forever moncler jackets Friendship.when you’re down, and the world seems dark and empty, Your forever friend lifts you up in spirits and makes that dark and empty world suddenly seem bright and full. Your forever friend gets you through the hard times,the sad times,and the confused times. If you turn and walk away, Your forever friend follows, If you lose you way, Your forever friend guides you and cheers you on. Your forever friend holds your hand and tells you that everything is going to be okay.
January 6th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
YS0107A8 A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your cheap hockey jerseys heart.There’s always going to be people that hurt you,so what you have to do is keep on trusting nfl jerseys and just be more careful about who sport jerseys you trust next time around.Make youself a better person and know who you are discount nba jerseys before you try and know someone else and expect them to know you mlb jerseys on sale.Remember:Whatever happens,happens for a reason.How many people actually have 8 true friends Hardly anyone I know.But some of us have all right friends and good friends.
January 6th, 2010 at 9:02 pm
YS0107A7 There are gains for all our losses. There are balms for all our pain; But when cheap ugg adirondack boots youth,the dream,departs It takes something ugg coquette clearance sale from our hearts, And it never comes discount ugg mayfaire boots again. We are stronger, and are better ugg elsey boots sale, Under manhood’s sterner reign;Still we feel that something wholesale ugg broome boots sweet Following youth, with flying feet, And will never come again. Something kids ugg boots sale beautiful is vanished, And we sigh for it in vain; We behold it everywhere, On the earth, and in the air,But it never comes again!