Colin Thomson: Do More

Key Take Aways:   We’re often asked (and we ask ourselves): What does it take to make it in the music industry? There is a common quote that can be applied to the music industry very well: “Only the paranoid survive.” If you want to “survive” in the music industry - you’re probably going to be a little bit paranoid This applies to your thoughts and actions - wherever you are and whatever you’re doing There is a “paranoid” mindset that is going to make the difference in what you are able to accomplish While there exists no really shortage of success, it’s often helpful to keep in the back of your mind what your “competition” is doing to get where both they and you want to get Sometimes I think about someone who I may be in a bid against someday - for a job or anything else. Not because everything in life is a competition, but because it helps me. Say sometime, far down the road, I will be in competition for a music composition job (just to make it personal to me) - and then I think about what that person is d

Andy Fling is the owner of the website MakingMusicFun.net. In 1992 he began teaching music at a small Christian school, and an excitement for teaching kids and music education began. Offering instruction for general music, band and choir to thousands of elementary aged kids in School, his excitement for teaching music to kids is stronger than ever. He currently teaches to a studio full of private music students, offers weekly homeschool classes, and shares the fun though this website. Key Take Aways: Put up blog posts, make them specific and keyword-targeted, and it will build up over time Don't neglect Pinterest! Large websites (lots of pages) do better on Google search results Whatever you do, try to be very focused on whatever goal you have setup. It's far more difficult to make multiple things successful at the same time Creating different pages for each specific item improves your visibility on Google Get links coming from everywhere that you possibly can - both inside your own site and outside There wi

Shannon Curtis is an independent songwriter, singer, performer, recording artist, and author, based in Los Angeles. Curtis is currently on a 70-show nationwide house concert tour in support of Connections. Curtis’s groundbreaking use of the house concert touring format has taken her on extensive nationwide house concert tours, and she has become a popular speaker on the topic at music industry conferences. Curtis's how-to book on house concert touring was published in February 2014, debuted at #1 on Amazon’s Music Business Best Sellers list, and has been featured in major national publications like The Huffington Post and American Songwriter Magazine. Curtis’s music has been featured prominently in independent film & in TV shows such as ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and MTV’s The Hills. Key Take Aways: There's not set path for how you can become a "successful" musician - everyone has to figure it out for themselves It is an important mindset shift to start to rea

A long-time veteran of the music industry, Bobby Owsinski has worked as a producer, recording engineer, guitar and keyboard player, songwriter, and arranger for a variety of major and minor recording artists, motion pictures, and television shows. One of the first to delve into surround sound music mixing, he has worked on a range of surround sound projects and DVD productions for such diverse acts as Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Willie Nelson, Neil Young, The Ramones, and Chicago, among many others. Bobby has penned several hundred audio-related articles for a variety of popular industry trade publications. He has also authored a number of books that are now staples in recording programs at colleges around the world, including “The Mixing Engineer’s Handbook,” “the Mastering Engineer’s Handbook,” and “The Recording Engineer's Handbook,” in addition to the “How to Set Up Your Surround Studio” DVD. Key Take Aways: Take every opportunity you can to work on good gear, and get experience in general - it will do

Key Take Aways: A lot of people and artists try to approach creativity with no sense of structure A lot of artists think that the only way to be creative is to do away with structure Structure gives you freedom in creativity - the boundaries that you are allowed to be completely free inside If you completely understand the structure, and the agreed upon norms when it comes to art, you understand how and when to do away with them for the sake of your creativity But structure is two-sided: Structure helps with productivity as well as creativity And to the creative person, structure is the best way to make sure that they stay creative - and produce creative content on a regular basis Map out your day - consider recording your time to find out what is going where (be VERY honest if you decide to do this) Make specific plans about how you are going to spend your time - from the time you get up to the time you go to bed - and include the time that you are going to spend creating music Of course, this lifestyle is

Gail Fischler is an MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher, and a past president of both Arizona State Music Teachers Association and Tucson Music Teachers Association. Gail currently teaches private piano, a pedagog and piano literature seminar, and community class piano at Eastern Arizona College and maintains an independent studio in Tucson. She collaborated on, Latin America, a volume of music with Neeki Bey of Piano Accents. She continues to focus on creating arrangements of folk music and original compositions based on musical heritages from around the globe. She is a contributor to The Piano Bench Mag, an eMagazine by Karen Gibson. Gail also runs Piano Addict, a website for piano students, teachers, and avocational players and The Musical Adjectives Project, an interactive Wiki to aid pianists and musicians in describing and understanding the emotions and character within repertoire. She is the inventor of the popular board game Musical Words which is based on the descriptives found on the Musical Adjective

James is a professional trumpet player. Currently stationed in Seoul, Korea, he is preparing to finish his service as a musician in the U.S. Army and reenter the civilian world. In 2012, James founded Musica Missio, a charitable venture that enabled him to perform great pieces from the trumpet repertoire as well as build awareness for charitable endeavors. James is also the host of the Outside the Music Box podcast, which celebrates innovation, entrepreneurship and the language of Music.   Key Take Aways: You need encouragement from outsiders - the people who know what they're talking about, and know good music when they hear it Understand the value in what you're doing as a musician, and do not underplay it Spend more time learning music in general, than your specific instrument. At least early on, it is more important to have a broad understanding of music before doubling down Don't hone in so much on what you're focusing on that you close off all other areas of consideration. Learning more things, unrelat

Rod Thomson is a former award-winning daily newspaper reporter and editor with nearly 30 years of experience working for newspapers in Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa and Florida. He has been published in national publications such as the New York Times, Newsmax Magazine, People Magazine, Picture Week, National Review, Focus on the Family and many others. He became Executive Editor of the Gulf Coast Business Review in 2006 and oversaw an expansion in circulation, size and scope of the weekly publication, which covers the Florida east coast. Rod now runs a PR company out of Sarasota, Florida called Thomson PR, and is co-host on the popular podcast “Grow the Dream Show.” Key Take Aways: There are more opportunities than ever for smart musicians today Messaging and communications make a huge difference for anyone who is trying to promote their own content Your audience needs to be made aware of your music Take the time to sit down and strategize who you are as a musician, like what it means to you, and what it says a

 Moral Obligation     Does your music have value (musician, composer, engineer)? Is there a compelling reason that people should want to hear your music? Are there people out there who would appreciate hearing your work? If there are, than it is your moral obligation to give them the opportunity to experience it. This is not selfish or self-centered. If you firmly believe that others will enjoy it, then it is selfish not to share it Ask yourself the above questions, and if you strongly believe that the answer is yes, then there is only one solution - you have to get your music out to as many people as possible So what can you do? Treat your music like a business (lots of tools throughout TMMS interviews) Mindset is the important thing here. Artists hate to think of anything they do as a business But if your work has value, and if other people will enjoy it, and if treating it like a business is the way that you can get it out for them to hear it, then you must treat your music like a business This means all

Pianist Hugh Sung has been an active soloist and chamber musician ever since his debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra at the age of 11. He has performed at Carnegie Hall, Weill Hall, Wigmore Hall, and many others around the world. He served as Director of Student Recitals and Instrumental Accompaniment at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia for 19 years, and was the co-founder of AirTurn, a company that makes cutting edge tech accessories for musicians. He currently runs the website www.hughsung.com, where he teaches piano online to students from all around the world. Key Take Aways: The best business ideas come from solving a problem, often one of your own problems Commit to a regular schedule in anything that you do. Especially online, this improves your "snowball effect" tremendously Take some time to create a good thumbnail for your YouTube videos Study your YouTube analytics - and understand what people want from you Look for what separates you from other musicians, what makes you special, an

Shawn E. Okpebholo is a widely sought-after and award-winning composer, whose music can be characterized as diverse, dynamic, and genuine – comfortably composing in various styles and genres. His music has been performed all over the world, in five continents, in over thirty states, and in nearly every major U.S. city. He earned his masters and doctoral degrees in composition from the University of Cincinnati, College-Conservatory of Music where he also studied music theory. He currently teaches music composition at the Wheaton College Conservatory of music. Key Take Aways: Understand and be fully aware that making a living as a musician is a lot of hard work. This doesn't mean you shouldn't pursue it, but you must understand this Ask a LOT of questions. Always be curious. The person who is the most curious will often get the furthest Don't be afraid to call people - even your heroes - and ask for advice You must not be afraid of failure. If something seems like a long shot - just give it a try! Rejection is

Doug Adams is a Chicago-based author and one of today’s leading film music advocates. In 2001, Doug was invited by Howard Shore to observe and document his work on Peter Jackson’s motion picture trilogy of The Lord of the Rings, during which time Doug Adams was given total access to recording sessions, original scores, and the composer’s archives. This project culminated in the release of The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films, a comprehensive account of the scores. As the acknowledged authority on Howard Shore’s music, Doug has become a regular at concerts and events across the globe. Doug is also the author of the upcoming Impossible Silence, chronicling the early history of music in film. Key Take Aways: Take initiative. This will position you for opportunities to come your way Finish what you start Everyone has ideas. Execution and the ability to stick with it is what can separate you You're part of your product - and part of why people will hire you There is such a thing as being too narrow in your mi

Do you think you can make it alone? How important do you think other people are to what you’re doing? Whatever level of importance you just assigned - double it You CAN’T do it alone, and even if you could - would you want to? Think about anything you’ve already accomplished in your life - can you honestly say that you made it happen by yourself? Other people are almost ALWAYS involved So... Commit to meeting new people. If you want to start easy - make it 2 a week. You BETTER be meeting at least 2 a week. Better yet - how about 7 a week? Why not? But don’t just shake hands - what you’re looking for is a REAL and LASTING relationship This doesn’t mean that you’re best buds, hanging out with you every weekend Rather, develop a real relationship to the point that they actually WANT to help you out. This is the whole trick, isn’t it? When someone has mastered the art of making others WANT to help them - there is no limit to what they can accomplish How do you do this? - NOT by being fake. “How to Win Friends an

John W. Snyder is an active composer and pianist in Los Angeles. He has received numerous academic and composition honors, including induction into the Wheaton Scholastic Society, UCLA’s Henry Mancini Award, and an honor by the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards. He has also scored numerous films, documentaries, and commercials for clients such as Capitol Records, Chevy, VW, the Affordable Care Act, Disney, Lenovo, and many others. Snyder holds degrees from Wheaton College, IL (B.M., summa cum laude) and UCLA (M.M.). Key Take Aways: Know Yourself - What you can handle and what you cannot However difficult you think the music industry will be, multiply it by 10 In order to find business - a lot of times your networking must be outside of your comfortable circle of musicians At the end of the day, you gotta deliver In Hollywood there is only one rule: You can't miss deadlines No matter how small the opportunity, when you get it, you've got to deliver. Even if it's not a project that you're super excited

Recognized for his energetic and fun approach to ensemble direction, Ryan Guth is the owner of VoiceWorks, a performing arts school for young singers, actors, and [strangely enough] handbell musicians. In addition to running the company, he directs two of VoiceWorks’ high school ensembles: Viridis, a classical choral ensemble, and Impulse Handbell Ensemble. Groups under Ryan’s direction have been featured on radio stations throughout the US and Canada, in the Huffington Post Online, PBS, the Today Show, and on professional stages around the US. Impulse Handbell Ensemble, his most sought-after performing group, was recently featured on the cover of “Overtones” magazine, the official publication of The Handbell Musicians of America. They also played the opening concert at the 2014 Handbell Musicians of America National Seminar in Atlanta, GA. Ryan is a sought-after clinician in the world of handbells and music entrepreneurship. As a baritone, Ryan often sings as a soloist in choral-orchestral oratorio concerts.

Hailed as a “music-theory expert” by Rolling Stone magazine, guitarist Desi Serna is the author of the very popular Fretboard Theory line of guitar instructional material, as well as Guitar Theory For Dummies and Guitar Rhythm and Technique For Dummies. He is known for his practical, hands-on approach to music teaching, with a focus on the guitar fretboard and emphasis on popular songs. Desi honed his craft through decades of teaching, performing, and publishing. He’s online everyday posting lessons and discussing various guitar-music-related topics with his fans and followers. In 2014, he relocated from his hometown of Toledo, Ohio, to an area near Nashville, Tennessee, to be closer to Music City and its community of guitar players. Key Take Aways: Look for ways to make music theory concepts easy to understand and intuitive Look for ways to brand yourself, and then stick with that brand until it makes sense to break out of it Understanding business and having a strong work ethic is absolutely essential to t

Very far-reaching principle, applies to a lot of things This is why it’s so important to take small actions - on a schedule - consistently Was recently asked best tool - Consistency Cognitive bias - we don’t want to do something unless we have a lot of time More valuable to be consistant than super intense and burn out The slow burn over time is one of the most powerful tools The internet has too big for us to comprehend it, or understand the effects of our actions on it When you make the decision to be consistent, and follow through on it, magic happens Down the road, all of these actions, taken on a consistent basis, online and offline, start to come back to you in ways you never thought possible Action: Decide on one activity, that, if done 15 minutes, could have enormous impact down the road Don’t think about down the road, just do it today You have no excuse to not continue doing it each day as you go forward. After all, who doesn’t have 15 minutes? - Make it happen   Shownotes: modernmusician.co/009

David Johnson is passionate about entrepreneurs and the businesses they own! He has spent most of his adult life serving entrepreneurs -- as a marketing strategist, consultant, and trainer. Along the way, he’s been increasingly asked to speak, write, and coach as well. He and his wife co-founded Grow The Dream in 1998 as Epiphany Marketing, and since 2010 they’ve been building a world-class content marketing team exclusively devoted to business owners and their teams. In 2015, he created the Grow The Dream Show with co-hosts Rod Thomson & Josh Muccio. Grow the Dream Show is a podcast devoted to helping business owners & their teams navigate the fast-changing and even mystifying world of growing your business with digital marketing, content marketing, and other online and offline marketing techniques. Key Take Aways: Find ways to give away valuable content for free, to grow your audience and develop a fanbase. But be creative in what you give away - music is not the only, or usually the best, option Y

Bio: Sam Rao is the Founder of PRACTICIA.com, a comprehensive mobile and cloud based platform that enables teachers to engage students in practicing like never before. Sam brings a long and diverse background in music performance, pedagogy, and entrepreneurship to PRACTICIA. He studied at composition and conducting at Oberlin Conservatory and at the Aspen Festival. He also co-founded his own music school and grew it into the largest in Northern Ohio. Key Take Aways: View your teaching as more than generic music lessons, but focus on ways that you can make real change in students Charge what you're worth, and what the value of what you are providing is worth. Think about the value of a music education, and don't sell yourself short Understand the value of what you as a teacher are providing Don't assume at-home practice is happening, or being done in an effective way Understand the value on holding your students accountable Put the most effort into creating the kind of experiences that students and their f

Bio: Chris Davis is the host of the popular podcast, Behind the Note. He is a trumpet player with a degree in Jazz Studies from Northern Illinois University. Chris has been a full-time musician for 9 years, and been involved in music for over half his life. He is the leader of a group called the Chris Davis Jazztet. Chris has a passion for educating others, whether it be about music, business or life. Key Take-Aways: It's gonna take everything you have, and more. Go into the music industry with this mindset Understand the business side of things. Unfortunately, you are probably going to have to spend more time on this even than your music Showing up on time, and being dependable overall, will get you ahead of some people, even if you have similar musical abilities People hire who they know. They don't hire the best player, they hire the best player that they know. So at the end of the day, you've got to know people Creating small habits can get you ahead a long ways in the long run Anything that is worthwhil