Musicpreneur: Making Money Making Music™
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Greetings and salvations everybody. This is James Newcomb coming into your ear balls, and it's a lovely Friday morning here in eco park, just on the outside of Hanoi, Vietnam. And there's something special about how the Vietnamese folks do their mornings. It's very deliberate and very intensive. And as I go on my morning walk, I want to share some of the observations I've made about the Vietnamese people and how they approach their mornings and how it contributes to them. Quite frankly, being a rather happy bunch of people. So I'm not saying it's good. I'm not saying it's bad. It is what it is. Maybe they're just conditioned from the time that they are young children to just never questioned authority. And that's why it is that could very well be what the cause of this is, but I'm just calling it the way I see it. So getting back to my observations about the mornings and how the Vietnamese. Approach their mornings. You walk outside of your apartment and this is here in eco park. It's not Hanoi, which is a huge, massive city. It's this is busy, but it's not Hanoi busy. It's very Placid by comparison, but you get outside and people are very intentional about. How they, what they do in the morning. People biking all over the place. Just all over thousands. I don't know about thousands, but hundreds of people on their bikes. First thing in the morning, six o'clock in the morning, they're going up for their morning bike ride. Another cool thing that I really enjoy. And just walking by, is people doing Tai Chi in the morning? I don't know if it's a Tai Chi or Qigong. I don't know exactly what it is, but they have, somebody will have a speaker, a wifi speaker outside, and they're hooked it up to their iPhone or whatever it is. And they've got this soothing music going and they're doing these movements. They have their mats. They're bamboo mats on the, usually on the grass or the sidewalk. And it's commonplace. It's not like it's not anything that is out of the ordinary is very much part of the ordinary. Now here in eco park there, as the name might suggest, there are a lot of lakes. There are a lot of trees, a lot of flowers. It's eco park, and it's a beautiful place. And you can hear a little bit of traffic going by but the Vietnamese people have a love of nature. They love nature and appreciate it. This is a beautiful serene setting, and we're just going to enjoy it and appreciate it. It goes deeper than that in my experience. And in my observations, people have a deep connection with nature and you often see people doing. Out for a walk, just enjoying nature and connecting with nature on a deep spiritual level. So these are a couple of my observations about how the Vietnamese people approach their morning. And this is something that I've enjoyed. For the better part of going on three years, I've been here in the last two and a half years. I've been here 60% of the time. I did the math the other day. And so it's just a, it's a lovely place to be. And so if you're wondering what it's like to live in a overtly communist society, it's not Stalinist Russia. I will say that. I'm not going to say that it doesn't have it to. It most certainly does, but it does have its merit and part of what makes it, not just tolerable, but rather pleasant is this intentional and mindful approach and way that people do their mornings. It's very deliberate. It's very intentional. And it's something that I appreciate very much and have learned a lot. In my time, living here. Thank you for listening. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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Originally published 12 December 2021 on the Trumpet Dynamics podcast /trumpetdynamics.com * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Commentary on Antonio Brown's recent exploits inspired by a quote from a Holocaust survivor. * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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Recorded July 2021; originally published on the Trumpet Dynamics podcast /trumpetdynamics.com. It's a pleasure to bring onto the show, the author of Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life https://amzn.to/3yykDrH, Hector Garcia. IN MY CONVERSATION WITH HECTOR, YOU'LL LEARN: -WHAT IS AN IKIGAI?...05:40 __ __ -WHY HECTOR IS MORE INTERESTED IN THE WORD IKIGAI BECOMING FAMOUS THAN HIMSELF... -HOW IKIGAI IS UNDERSTOOD BY DIFFERENT CULTURES...10:42 __ __ -GOOD RESISTANCE VS. BAD RESISTANCE...15:00 -HOW HECTOR DISCOVERED HIS OWN IKIGAI...19:00 -HOW TO PURSUE YOUR IKIGAI WITHOUT MAKING RECKLESS DECISIONS FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY...25:02 -WHY A "REAL JOB" MAY BE THE EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MUSICIAN...28:10 -INCREASE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY WHILE WORKING IN A STATE OF "FLOW"...30:50 -WHAT MAKES JAPAN SO SPECIAL?...37:45 -AND MUCH MORE! RESOURCES MENTIONED: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life https://amzn.to/3yykDrH Steal Like an Artist https://amzn.to/3hmpYwr * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Send an email to info@jns.media if you're interested in contributing your content to the Musicpreneur show! * See acast.com/privacy https://acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A short time ago, I heard of a composer named Daniel Elder who has thus far survived an attempted career assassination. His crime? A single Instagram post that condemned the burning of the Nashville court house just a few blocks from where he resides. Maybe the face masks were constricting oxygen and people couldn't think properly. Whatever the case may be, it got real ugly real quick. Rob Soave gives a detailed account of how a single post on social media essentially ruined his promising career. Read about it https://reason.com/2021/06/15/daniel-elder-cancel-culture-choral-composer-antifa-blm-gia/ (here). You may be wondering, "James, this is a trumpet podcast; why don't you just focus on trumpet, technique, history, forget all that stuff." To that I say, "Get your head out of the stand, buddy." Artists everywhere are terrified of one misstep on social media literally ending their careers. I think this is tragic, because art is the one medium of expression that is best suited to confront this type of groupthink. Can you name one political speech that rivals the impact of Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock, some of John Lennon's stuff, Bob Dylan and the like. At any rate, when I heard Daniel's story, I felt compelled to reach out and lend my support and ask if I could perhaps interview him about his experience. He replied that he would prefer not to do spoken interviews, but he would be happy to do a written interview so as to think carefully about what he says. Good thinking. Add Daniel's experience to the ever-growing list of reasons to stay away from social media. Facebook, Twitter and the like are useful when used responsibly - but the end result seems to lead to the climate of fear Daniel experienced, and doubtless many folks who just want to provide for their families. It's also reason #4365 to look for other options when it comes to social media. I've been experimenting with a new platform called https://sociallair.io/ (Social Lair.) It's in beta mode currently, but I'm accepting new members into my own lair. If you're of the opinion like me that responsible adults should get to use social media too, send me an email and I'll in turn send you an invite. What follows is the written interview between myself and Daniel Elder. I highly encourage you to https://danieleldermusic.com/ (visit his website) and send a note of support should you feel so inclined. JN: Can you give an account of what happened from your perspective (specifically about the IG post and the ensuing backlash)? Were you at all known for being outspoken on issues such as race, current affairs, etc.? DE: As a creative artist I have learned how to be especially sensitive to the human mind. It is crucial if I am to effectively communicate my messages through music. I had become increasingly disenchanted with social media over the past several years as I witnessed groupthink overtake the public discourse. Not just groupthink, but highly controlling, judgemental, and bullying behavior. Those engaging the most in this behavior hypocritically shouted the loudest about tolerance. These behaviors deeply disturbed me. However I had tried my best not to be public in my condemnation of toxicity online. I wasn't outspoken on political or social issues—I was fairly conservative in risking my public image. When I did criticize I usually took great care to be subtle. The hysteria that washed over my social sphere and the larger populace following the George Floyd incident was a breaking point for me. For the first time I saw a frightening mob mentality of reckless, desperate abandon, played out especially in the violent acts of rioters all across the country. That buildings were burning in my own city was but an extra, acute reminder that it was all very real. In my music I have https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRKvJ38pKtY (written) warnings on mob mentality. I watched my instagram feed flood with posts and stories suggesting racists lay...
I came to know of Abel James working on one of my podcast clients, Ben Greenfield. And then what really made me pull the trigger on contacting Abel myself was he was on another podcast that we service called Superhumanize with Ariane Sommer. And it turns out that Abel is actually pretty well-versed in the realm of music, he's actually the author of a book titled The Musical Brain and it's a kind of an academic look into how music affects the brain and host of a very popular podcast called The Fat Burning Man show. Abel and I chewed the fat so to speak (pun intended) and I think you'll dig this show. In this episode, you'll hear:-How Abel got into music...02:40 -About The Musical Brain book...07:45 -Why there's no such thing as a 4-hour workweek...13:40 -Business is like being a shark...18:10 -How Abel chose the name "Fat Burning Man" for his show...24:30 -Designer babies are not immune to getting scabies...28:55 We mentioned the https://jamesnewcombontrumpet.com/captivate-podcast/vacchiano/ (Trumpet Dynamics podcast on William Vacchiano) And Abel's books: https://amzn.to/3d3ICGV (The Musical Brain) https://amzn.to/3qhWUt0 (Designer Babies Still Get Scabies) Check out Abel's podcast, https://fatburningman.com/ (Fat Burning Man)
I've been following Marc for the longest time. He's one of the most consistent entrepreneurs I know of in the online space. And although he's the first to admit he "doesn't know a lick of music," I couldn't resist the opportunity to nab him for an interview when he said he was looking for podcasts to be on. Marc has made his bones coaching businesspeople for around 10 years, and runs a successful business teaching other coaches how to build their own coaching businesses. Think he might know a thing or two that would be helpful to us? I dare say he does. In this brief conversation with Marc, you'll hear:-How Marc got into the business of coaching coaches...02:12 -How someone can qualify themselves to be a coach with such a low barrier to entry...05:00 -Take one opportunity and run with it...08:45 -How to identify the 3 pillars to one's business...11:12 -Why you don't need to be everywhere, and all things to all people...17:45 -And much more! https://amzn.to/3xtTC8d (Coactive Coaching) book Marc mentions
I have the privilege of getting to interview someone who is a very positive and inspiring influencer in the bass community: Danny Ziemann. Danny has created a great deal of noteworthy musical accomplishments all while packaging with effective music business strategies, having written four books, another co-written for all music teachers. Danny has also three online courses available through the https://discoverdoublebass.com (Discover Double Bass website). All of which I have personally purchased and I highly recommend. Danny further expanded his music business with his online course, The First Call Bassist. One might assume these are all the results of a much older musician, but he's managed to get this done all before he turned 30. I first saw Danny at the 2019 International Society of Bassists conference at Indiana university as one of the many outstanding presenters. But it was a 2020 online based summit last summer that really drew me to him. His teaching resonated with me, transcending age differences and tapping into my curiosity; and discovering that there was so much more to learn both on my playing end, but also for my teaching methods as well. Today, I'll be asking Danny more about his approach to his music business. In this conversation with Danny Zeimann, you'll discover: -How Danny began to be branded as a musician/entrepreneur aka, a musicpreneur...02:50 -How to not sell yourself short with the services you offer...09:20 Confront negative baggage around your attitude toward money A calling does not mean you need to do it for free Never assume someone's financial situation -How a spirit of entitlement can sabotage your career...19:05 Acknowledge the difference between a creator and a business entity -How to challenge your students in a disarming manner...23:02 -Biggest lessons Danny has learned in his career to date...33:40 Your emotional commitment to something doesn't need to match the hours you invest into it -How to maximize your profits while others in your space are crushing it (and seem to be outshining you)...48:55 Resources mentioned: https://dannyzeimann.com (Danny's course, The First Call Bassist)
Host Jim Lambie shares the path to mastery of his craft as a professional bassist.
Hello everyone. This is Jim Lambie. You're about to hear my interview with a bassist who I have derived a lot of positive influences from in terms of not only his playing, but his mindset towards developing his career path. You're going to hear me use the word tenacious. He's got grit. There's something about the way he carries himself that really had an impact on me when I met him years ago. This interview is about my curiosity with how people do it, right? I've been a career bassist for 30 plus years. I've had my own business. I keep my business mindset about my own music craft and how I make money doing it. I have great employment opportunities I've been able to take advantage of with my army band experience, and now as a civilian, government employed instructor at the school of music playing bass all day and teaching. But I'm not done yet. You know what I mean? And really there's so much to learn from others. And I've got this curiosity. How did they do it? I have so much respect for so many players. You're going to probably hear a lot of bass players from me for a little while as that's kind of been my niche, but I've run into some really sharp people. Years ago I reached out to Bryan and I asked him if he'd be interested in teaching at my school for a clinic and we ended up having lunch together at this event. And I just thought, man, this guy is really sharp. And it was more than just being a fine musician, which in the music profession, isn't really special. It's assumed. So what makes somebody special in music business is a lot of other factors. And that is what I'm curious about. And I hope you'll follow along with me in the journey. And let me know what you think. Reach out to us at musicpreneur.com. Let us know if you think this has been beneficial. You're going to find that this cat has just done a lot of work and he has been really consistent with getting himself out there. And I hope you enjoy this. In my conversation with Bryan Beller, you'll hear: -Why Bryan and his The Aristocrats colleagues didn't use a label to grow their brand...05:03 -Why playing live is the heart and soul of making money making music...07:10 -The only way to do anything? Is the right way...09:02 -Creating a house concert/store clinic business model...11:45 -The four factors of success as a pro musician...14:40 Know your craft Execute on demand Be a positive communicative force w/ your band mates Delight your audience (community building) -Lessons learned from disappointing results...18:32 -What most musicians get wrong when it comes to endorsements...24:02 -Lessons learned from the pandemic experience...28:40 -Sound advice for when things open back up post-pandemic...34:30 Resources mentioned: Bryan's website https://the-aristocrats-band.com (The Aristocrats) https://www.daddario.com/ (D'Addario Strings) https://www.mikelull.com/basses (Mike Lull Basses) https://www.vai.com/ (Steve Vai) http://www.satriani.com/ (Joe Satriani) https://bassmagazine.com/ (Bass Magazine)
Jim Lambie welcomes Parma Recordings CEO Bob Lord to the show. Bob Lord is a producer, composer, and bassist based in Portsmouth NH USA. In 2015 Bob was named one of Musical America’s “30 Professionals of the Year: Key Influencers,” and as CEO of PARMA Recordings his work has been nominated for three GRAMMY Awards in 2019 and 2020. In this episode you'll hear: -When to be thick-skinned and when to be sensitive...05:50 -What keeps Bob's fire aflame...08:30 -How Bob got hooked into classical music...11:18 -How to become a problem solver for artists...16:16 -The pitfalls involved in getting a recording available for public consumption...21:47 -How to navigate an era of almost zero visibility for the future...24:30 -What not to do when a global pandemic hits...30:37 -Positives that have come out of Covid...38:45 -What model Bob has followed in his career...44:15 -Overcoming roadblocks in the first years of Parma Recordings...50:10 About Bob: “I’m a composer and performer by design, and a producer and music executive by accident,” says Lord. “But at the core of it all is my constant urge to expand the definition of creativity, of being an artist, of being a producer, of being a musician.” PLAYLAND ARCADE, Lord’s debut solo album out on April 27, 2021, is a convergence point of the disparate elements from what clearly is a remarkably diverse career. Hard-charging prog-rock blowouts, atmospheric orchestral potboilers, gauzy jazz improvisations, retro instrumental pop, straight up foley – this is a producer’s album through and through, and it reflects Lord’s own artistic experiences in a kaleidoscopic fashion. The musicianship is as accomplished as it is audacious. Highlighted by Lord’s molten, overdriven 8-string bass, the album features drummer Jamie Perkins (from the Billboard chart-topping group The Pretty Reckless) and keyboardist Duncan Watt (composer for “League of Legends”) with cameos by Ed Jurdi (Band of Heathens, Trigger Hippy), Andy Happel (Thanks To Gravity), and the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, with percussion recorded in Havana, Cuba. Lord’s resume is a particularly unusual one bolstered by some truly singular credits: with Pete Townshend of The Who, Bob co-produced the double album METHOD MUSIC by Lawrence Ball, released in 2012 on Navona Records and hailed by Pitchfork for its “wondrous, rippling, and startlingly tactile music.” He is also the music producer of WILD SYMPHONY, an orchestral suite composed by the #1 NY Times bestselling author Dan Brown (“The Da Vinci Code”) which accompanies the illustrated children's book of the same title released in 2020. The book is published in more than 40 countries worldwide. In 1996 Bob co-founded the award-winning group Dreadnaught, described by Relix Magazine as “the country's best 'pure' prog-rock combo.” The band has performed with artists such as John Entwistle (The Who), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), and NRBQ, and their 25th anniversary album NORTHERN BURNER is set to drop in Summer 2021. Formed in 2008 to present contemporary classical, jazz, and experimental music, Lord’s company PARMA Recordings features work by GRAMMY winner Richard Stoltzman, Pulitzer winner Yehudi Wyner, and Emmy winner Bruce Babcock, among others. PARMA’s music can be heard in products and projects from ABC, CBS, Microsoft, HBO, Nintendo, and many more. The company currently has more than 30 staff in four countries. As of this writing Lord has nearly 1,000 recording/production credits on his resume, including the 2016 release ABRAZO: THE HAVANA SESSIONS, one of the first productions by an American music company in Cuba following the loosening of diplomatic relations. With PARMA, he regularly produces sessions and events in the US, UK, Czech Republic, Croatia, Greece, Malta, Armenia, Russia, Cuba, Slovakia, China, and Poland. Since 2005 Bob...
Former host James Newcomb and new host Jim Lambie recount a few memories from their military careers, and Jim takes us through the journey from his earliest days in the Army to his current career as a player, teacher, and podcaster. In this discussion, you'll hear: -Community is the product of the musician... -James Newcomb begrudgingly acknowledges a few redeeming qualities of Army bands... -Jim recalls going through boot camp....twice... -The moment Jim realized the military was his future... -Military brings stability to Jim's career... -3 different types of military mindsets... -How to know it's time to leave a gig... -How to identify and avoid a spirit of entitlement... -A career vs. a calling... -The big thing that made the military a good idea for Jim Lambie... Resources mentioned: https://committedmedia.org/?captivate_podcast=steal-or-steel-how-our-outlook-determines-our-circumstances (Steal and steal podcast) w/ James Newcomb https://committedmedia.org/?captivate_podcast=commitment-and-interest-contrasted (Interested and committed podcast) w/ James Newcomb
While Slacker Jim continues getting his act together to assume hosting duties, outgoing host James Newcomb brings on Nathan Maingard, a South-Africa based musician who has successfully utilized Patreon to build a strong community of fans and followers around his music. Nathan reached out to us after we sent an email to our subscribers on the topic of why we send (almost) daily emails. He said he had been wrestling with this idea, and it seemed prudent to talk about it and share it with you guys. If one thing has proven true, it's that issues such as this are not isolated. If one person has a question on something, it's a sure bet that others have it as well. So enjoy! And remember there are more resources available for you on the free musicpreneur mobile app. Just head on over to musicpreneur.com to gain access to the app! Oh, and check out what Nathan is up to at nate.live. Lots to learn via observation on the topics of community-building, value-sharing and much more!
Welcome to the 2021 version of the musicpreneur.com podcast, with James Newcomb and co-host Jim Lambie. Today we welcome Billy Grisack to the show. Billy was a guest of the show years ago (2 years to be exact) and he joined us to discuss how he's getting back into the game after suffering several setbacks in life that would make lesser men crumble to their knees and give up. This short episode is a story of patience, persistence, and just keeping going when everything in the universe seems to say you should stop. Enjoy!
This episode is slightly off the Beatin' Path, but it's Christmas in 2020. Everything this year has been just a little bit weird, hasn't it? My wife Sana joined me for this special edition of the Musicpreneur.com podcast. She shares with us a Persian holiday called Yalda that I hadn't heard of until recently. It's a fascinating story behind it, and closely tied to how we in the West came to celebrate Christmas at the time of year we do. We also talk about new year's resolutions, and why waiting until the new year to start a new habit is the wrong answer. But mostly it's Sana and me just having a great time with each other. We wish all of you a very happy Christmas and prosperous New Year!
An unfortunate reality of being a public figure of any sort is you by default put something of a “kick me” sign on your back and open yourself up to the dysfunctional elements of society who's heads explode when confronted with an opinion that differs from their own. Whether you have a podcast, a blog, a youtube channel, or are one of those Instagram “influencers” (whatever that means, seems a bit “sus” to me but I digress), it’s just one of those things you need to accept as part of the job. On the rare occasions you do come under fire for saying something controversial, or that rattles someone’s cage, it can be either a blessing or a curse. Whether it is a blessing or a curse really depends on the mindset and skillset of the person who’s been given the tool of the criticism. Just like a hammer can be used to either build a house or tear it down, those comments on anti-social media made by people who are in desperate need of intensive therapy can be used to build your brand, or tear it down. The criticism is the tool; you’re the one using it. The question, how will you use it? Wisdom will allow you to build it up; foolishness will inevitably lead to your reputation, personal brand, etc. being tarnished and ultimately ruined. We discussed this and much more on this week's version of the musicpreneur podcast. Who's "we"? How rude of me. Jim Lambie, who's helping out with hosting duties, the legendary Jason Heath of the Contrabass Conversations podcast, and myself got together to record this show for you. I think you'll dig it.
James Newcomb here. I'm excited to share this episode with you, and also to announce that this podcast officially has a new co-host! Jim Lambie is an outstanding bassist in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. He's a former military musician, and in his civilian life continues to teach at the military school of music in Virginia Beach. In a non-pandemic environment, he is very in-demand as a player and private teacher. Jim is interested in learning the podcasting craft and business, so he's going to whet his chops helping out with this podcast. And it does need help as I've been quite busy attending to many other personal matters, so much so that this show has not been as consistent as I would like. In this freewheeling chat, Jim and I talk about things like community, camaraderie, a pleasing personality and having a strong network of like-minded people to keep you accountable. These are oft-overlooked but indispensable qualities to achieving success - and then not screwing it up once you achieve it. I think you'll enjoy it!
