creative deconstruction

What Do You Do When You Just Aren’t Good Enough?

Posted on 07. Sep, 2009 by refe in STRATEGY

I got a call from a friend of mine yesterday to tell me about a gig he had played the night before. He’s just getting started again after taking a few years off and has been struggling for a few months to get his new act off the ground. The gig was a simple open mic night here in Chicago. Each act got to perform a song or two and the audience voted with their applause. At the end of the night three finalists were chosen to receive prizes and chances to get a slot on a regular night. My friend was not one of those finalists.

This guy has talent. He is a remarkable lyricist and classically trained on his instrument. He writes original, beautifully arranged music. So why didn’t the audience show him love?

Having a good head on his shoulders, my friend decided to ask a few people that he trusts what they thought he might be doing wrong. Both gave him the same answer – his voice. “Your songs are great, but…” In truth, they weren’t telling him anything he didn’t already know. Yet, sometimes having a clear perspective on your music isn’t easy. What it is gets all tangled up with what you want it to be.

What do you do when you find out that you aren’t good enough? Because let’s be honest – there are plenty of fish in the sea. Musicians, songwriters, and performers all but grow on trees. If you’re going to make it you’d better either be great, or have something so compelling to say that listeners are willing stick it out in spite of the rough edges. So, assuming you aren’t there already, how do you get there?

The best place to start is to take a step back and do your best to make a realistic assessment of what you’re good at. Figure out what it is that you bring to the table that nobody else can. Everybody’s got something. Maybe you write great hooks, or build custom synths that make sounds no one’s heard before, or maybe your a virtuoso pianist. Now take a moment to feel good about yourself. Warm and fuzzy? Awesome.

Now for the fun part. Set all that stuff aside. Once you subtract everything that you already do excellently there are two remaining categories. Both categories consist of the skills that are necessary to be a successful artist that you just aren’t very good at. Could be lyrics, could be arrangements, or like my friend the problem could be with your voice. Some of these these missing ingredients are likely within your reach. The potential is already there, and with the right coaching and a whole lot of hard work you can develop and master the skill. That’s the first category.

The second category consists of the areas where you just can’t realistically expect to compete. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t make it work. Sometimes this one can be painful. But if you can make an honest, accurate assessment of what’s holding you back you will be one step closer to reaching the place you need to be.

Now take the items in the first category. Do them. Take a class on poetry, or music theory, or voice lessons or whatever it’s going to take to realize your full potential in those areas. This will undoubtedly take lot’s of time, energy and money. I realize that you don’t have enough of any of those as it is – no one does. If you count the cost and find that you aren’t willing to make the necessary sacrifices there are plenty of other industries where you might be happier. No shame in that. But if you’re serious about a career in music you’re going to have to donate the sweat.

In the meantime, take the second category and outsource it. The whole thing. Get that stuff off your plate. Find a producer, hire musicians, find someone to sing your songs. Build a team of people that can be successful together.

This can be so hard for some artists. There is a cultural perception that an artist has to be this tortured, romantic soul creating in self-imposed isolation. The truth is that while there has been some remarkable work that has been produced under these kinds of conditions I believe that it’s the exception, not the rule. Surround yourself with talented people who fill in the gaps in your skill set. You will find that you are much more successful and yes, even much more creative.

Taking an honest assessment of your skills – and involving those whose opinion and tastes you trust – is not easy. But it isn’t the biggest challenge you’re likely to face as you try to build and sustain a career in the music business. Having an understanding early on of what you can and can’t do, and what just needs some more work will set you apart in the crowded sea of new talent.

As for my friend, we talked about his situation a bit and decided on a plan. We both believe that vocal proficiency is within his potential, so he’ll be pursuing voice training. In the meantime, he’s going to be bringing on a female vocalist to carry the current arrangements. He’ll do back-up and gradually transition back to the front over time. Eventually the two of them will share lead vocal responsibilities. It’s a good plan, and I believe it will make him more successful in both the short- and long-term.

What is it that you need to improve? Is there something you need to break down and outsource to someone more able than yourself? Have you already had to make some of these difficult decisions in the past? Leave your comments and let me know.

Tags: artist resources, music, musicians