Three best things I learned at the Rally

[davewalton]

Quote:This is my very first post in the community of Taxi members. I have been a member for 4 years or so with a one year break to deal with a few unexpected events in my life...(long story, and yes I was framed!..haha!). One thing that I learned and do believe is that opportunities will present themselves to you if you are confident and really understand your abilities and strengths as a person as well as a creator of music. I believe that there are a large percentage of "Go-Getters" who are the overly persistent types that do everything in their power to get noticed or hunt down that next contact. Its usually these types that invest more time on the footwork of the business and overlook the most important element of the business..."The Music". I have always been one to take a back seat and really observe the events concentrating on the personalities of the higher-up's in the business. Understanding their presentation and how they carry themselves can be a big part in the way you need to approach them when the timing is right. I may be crazy but I strongly believe that having a personal confidence and casual approach to these people will show them that you have something about you that stands out from the rest. Sometimes just making a comment that isn't related to music but more of a personal comment about them will put them at ease enough to really feel like sharing a conversation with you. But timing is everything and what you learn and observe in the backseat could really be the key to getting their attention. BUT!!...careful listening to their musical expertise and really understanding the points they make is essential! Picture yourself in their shoes when it seems that everyone is after you to get you to take your CD or listen to yet another story about your music theory's...what would it take for a person to really stop and think, "Something about that person stood out to me"... Moral of the story..Yes, relationships are the key in the music business, but make sure the musical knowledge and product behind your door is.. "$$The Bomb$$" Welcome to the forums.

[aubreyz]

Quote:This is my very first post in the community of Taxi members. I have been a member for 4 years or so with a one year break to deal with a few unexpected events in my life...(long story, and yes I was framed!..haha!). One thing that I learned and do believe is that opportunities will present themselves to you if you are confident and really understand your abilities and strengths as a person as well as a creator of music. I believe that there are a large percentage of "Go-Getters" who are the overly persistent types that do everything in their power to get noticed or hunt down that next contact. Its usually these types that invest more time on the footwork of the business and overlook the most important element of the business..."The Music". I have always been one to take a back seat and really observe the events concentrating on the personalities of the higher-up's in the business. Understanding their presentation and how they carry themselves can be a big part in the way you need to approach them when the timing is right. I may be crazy but I strongly believe that having a personal confidence and casual approach to these people will show them that you have something about you that stands out from the rest. Sometimes just making a comment that isn't related to music but more of a personal comment about them will put them at ease enough to really feel like sharing a conversation with you. But timing is everything and what you learn and observe in the backseat could really be the key to getting their attention. BUT!!...careful listening to their musical expertise and really understanding the points they make is essential! Picture yourself in their shoes when it seems that everyone is after you to get you to take your CD or listen to yet another story about your music theory's...what would it take for a person to really stop and think, "Something about that person stood out to me"... Moral of the story..Yes, relationships are the key in the music business, but make sure the musical knowledge and product behind your door is.. "$$The Bomb$$" Welcome aboard Ricci! Excellent first post... and for the record, I was framed too Aub

[tedsingingfox]

Quote:Quote:This is my very first post in the community of Taxi members. I have been a member for 4 years or so with a one year break to deal with a few unexpected events in my life...(long story, and yes I was framed!..haha!). One thing that I learned and do believe is that opportunities will present themselves to you if you are confident and really understand your abilities and strengths as a person as well as a creator of music. I believe that there are a large percentage of "Go-Getters" who are the overly persistent types that do everything in their power to get noticed or hunt down that next contact. Its usually these types that invest more time on the footwork of the business and overlook the most important element of the business..."The Music". I have always been one to take a back seat and really observe the events concentrating on the personalities of the higher-up's in the business. Understanding their presentation and how they carry themselves can be a big part in the way you need to approach them when the timing is right. I may be crazy but I strongly believe that having a personal confidence and casual approach to these people will show them that you have something about you that stands out from the rest. Sometimes just making a comment that isn't related to music but more of a personal comment about them will put them at ease enough to really feel like sharing a conversation with you. But timing is everything and what you learn and observe in the backseat could really be the key to getting their attention. BUT!!...careful listening to their musical expertise and really understanding the points they make is essential! Picture yourself in their shoes when it seems that everyone is after you to get you to take your CD or listen to yet another story about your music theory's...what would it take for a person to really stop and think, "Something about that person stood out to me"... Moral of the story..Yes, relationships are the key in the music business, but make sure the musical knowledge and product behind your door is.. "$$The Bomb$$" Welcome aboard Ricci! Excellent first post... and for the record, I was framed too AubNot me. I actually did it.But I've paid my debt to society.Welcome, Ricci. that's the attitude!!! Ted

[anne]

Nice post Ricci - by the way that is my maiden name; funny, eh?But I diverge, as I'm so often likely to do - I learned also that honesty is good, but too much honesty may not be. I made the mistake of telling one library owner that I'd only been writing for a very short time (D-OH!!!) but he really liked my music anyway and asked me for the CD and a card - I say it was a mistake because that could have really given the impression that I don't have any confidence about my music (SHH - I don't yet, but I'm getting there....) and that I may not be able to repeat the types of songs that he liked (no sweat - I can do it over and over and over again.... )Learning to present myself professionally to professionals and not as I just did in the paragraph above will be a challenge to me. I'm just a casual person though, so its tough for me to be professional (because I feel like I'm "acting") and be myself at the same time. That is what I will work on at the rally next year!I'm sure most of the dots will have some advice on this

[tedsingingfox]

Quote:Nice post Ricci - by the way that is my maiden name; funny, eh?But I diverge, as I'm so often likely to do - I learned also that honesty is good, but too much honesty may not be. I made the mistake of telling one library owner that I'd only been writing for a very short time (D-OH!!!) but he really liked my music anyway and asked me for the CD and a card - I say it was a mistake because that could have really given the impression that I don't have any confidence about my music (SHH - I don't yet, but I'm getting there....) and that I may not be able to repeat the types of songs that he liked (no sweat - I can do it over and over and over again.... )Learning to present myself professionally to professionals and not as I just did in the paragraph above will be a challenge to me. I'm just a casual person though, so its tough for me to be professional (because I feel like I'm "acting") and be myself at the same time. That is what I will work on at the rally next year!I'm sure most of the dots will have some advice on this Anne, that might be a GREAT idea for a new thread. It is CERTAINLY something we ALL need help and support with, as FEW of us are really comfortable with it at the beginning.

[ckbarlow]

Three things? eee!I'm going next year. Period. I devoured every freaking minute of it this year (and would've stayed longer each night but had a free crash at a friend's friend's house and didn't want to be rude, coming in all late). In fact I'll bring the guitar I bought at this year's rally (!!!) to next year's rally and dive into some of the lobby jams if folks'll have me.As difficult logistically as it is to collaborate compared to writing alone, I need to. I find collaboration enormously fulfilling at my day job and in my more-experimental music projects; why have I not tried it with songwriting?Focus. Focus. Focus. That applies at every level, from making one song or one instrumental as good as it can possibly be; to taking the time to evaluate, candidly, brutally, what you really should be spending time on musically. OK, I'm going to cheat a little on the "3 things" part of this post. Some of my comments directly back to TAXI included:"I've always known that the music business is in fact a *business.* But I came away from the Rally with a new appreciation of that fact, and not in any demoralizing sense. It was actually somewhat of a relief. The logic says that if you approach your music (or at least your TAXI-targeted music) with a workmanlike attitude, even a healthy level of detachment, you will naturally take criticism less personally -- and how many panelists said a thick skin and perseverance were essential to success? It's not that you care any less; you just realize it needs to be about the song, not you."The listening panels made me trust my ears more. When the one or two great songs got played, I knew they were special, and many, many others in attendance did too. Perhaps it seems obvious, but I found it telling that we (mostly) all actually do know what's good and what's just not cutting it. We have to learn to hear our own work the same way. That's damned hard to do, though."I got to chat briefly with Matt Hirt; exchanged CDs. Listening to some of his work has clarified something very important for me. It made me think about where I spend the most time in my own instrumental stuff, and it's been lopsided toward compositional details to the neglect of production."There you have it - some personal, some more general.Thanks for the opp'y to comment.CK

[hookstownbrown]

I understand that I missed a great get-together... But...I heard the RR is moving to Pittsburgh next year... I'm thrilled!

[weapon]

OK here are the three best things I learned at the Rally.1. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon, all you have to do is outlast everyone else.2. People need to hear the truth more often, it would save them a lot of returns on their submissions.3. Good people find eachother, we're like magnets.

[hummingbird]

1. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon, all you have to do is outlast everyone else.2. People need to hear the truth more often, it would save them a lot of returns on their submissions.3. Good people find eachother, we're like magnets.Amen!!!!

[cassandrakubinski]

Great feedback, everyone! i'm loving reading this. i didn't get to go this year (why won't they please have one in that other coastal music mecca...NYC...), but everything you've said here echoes the same advice/sentiments of industry folks who I've met thru SGA, SHOF, BMI, and at my live shows. May everyone find more success than they ever imagined in the new year.