Actor Michael Caine once told a story from his early days as an up and coming actor.
In rehearsal for a play, he was attempting to enter a scene through a doorway. There was a chair blocking his path.
He sheepishly leaned his head in and told the director "I'm sorry, I can't get in. There's a chair in the way."
The director replied, "who cares? Use the difficulty."
Caine was puzzled, but the director explained, "if it's a comedy, trip over the chair. If it's a drama, pick it up and smash it."
"Use the difficulty."
Over the course of my own life and music career, I've sometimes felt that things haven't broken my way.
I've been very close to what I thought would be my "big break" many times. Sometimes it's been a potential signing with a record label that fell through. Other times a film project that didn't work out for one reason or another.
I would look around and see friends landing similar opportunities and couldn't quite understand why the best I could seem to do was a near miss.
This was leading me toward a path of bitterness and resentment, and that's not a great place to be as an artist.
I could never bring myself to quit music though, so instead I would do the best I could to carve out my own path.
As I sit here typing this newsletter, I can say that those failures have been some of the best things that have ever happened to me. They forced me to think about new ways of doing things and to learn new skills that have served me well.
It's safe to say that I would never have connected with many of you here if the easier path had always worked out for me.
Success is deceptive. Failure is a teacher.
Modern day success is often categorized as streaming numbers or view counts. There's an idea that viral songs or videos are the ultimate pursuit.
In my experience, these are the most dangerous times for me as an artist. It's so easy to learn the wrong lessons from this kind of success.
I've spoken on this in a previous newsletter about my album Sanctuary Sessions. It found success on some playlists early in my career as a recording artist.
If you'd like to read more about that you can read about it HERE.
With every failure, we have a choice:
1. Get discouraged, complain, and quit
2. Get discouraged, regroup, and try a new approach
Discouragement is an inevitable part of life. But, how we respond to it decides if short term failures become long term successes.
P.S. In a few weeks I'll be offering 1-on-1 Coaching to a few artists. There will be a brief application process and If it's a good fit, we'll take 3 months and work on YOUR music together.
I'll help you produce a track you've been working on, get it release-ready, and help show you how to get it out into the world.
I'll only have 8 spots available, and I'm offering the opportunity to people on this WAITING LIST first.
Whenever you're ready, here's how I can help you:
1. Composition Concepts for Artists - an in-depth look at the process of composition with step-by-step examples SHOWING how and WHY I make decisions. You'll learn to take an initial idea and DEVELOP it into a finished project.
2. Understanding Synthesis - learn to design your own sounds starting with the basics of subtractive synthesis and progressing to more advanced sound design with semi-modular and various forms of digital synthesis.
3. YouTube Membership - monthly livestreams featuring music making and sound design in real time. Q&As and exclusive videos only available to channel members.
4. One to One Coaching (coming soon) - work with me on YOUR own music. I'll help you take your track from idea to finished product, so you'll come out with a polished track or EP and any knowledge gained from walking through the process with me.
