Expertise Sold Here.
Somewhere along the lines, musicians have been brainwashed. I don’t mean they are now covert operatives activated by a special chord progression, but I do mean that a lot musicians today are not comfortable making money with their music. Some even have concerns playing their music so as not to impose their creativity upon others. Let’s take a look at three mindsets that could hold you back from making money with your music.
It’s Not Evil
Making money isn’t evil. Whether your a farmer, a plumber, an architect, a pilot, or a school teacher, having an income in exchange for an expertise is what this world is built upon.
One thing that the farmer, plumber, architect, pilot, and school teacher all have in common is they have all listened to musicians throughout their lives. In exchange for the expertise musicians offer (namely your music), those professionals in their fields have paid for and enjoyed the product that professionals in your field (read musicians) offer. This is what an economy is based on, we supply each other expertise. Supplying yours is not evil.
Selling Out?
Another mindset that really bothers me is this “selling out” nonsense. Somewhere along the lines, somebody thought it would be a good idea if they convince others that if a musician is making money with his or her music that they have “gone commercial” or has “sold out” and we shouldn’t be fans of them anymore. I’m not even sure what that means anymore. If it means that a band you like is now in a position to get their material in front of more fans like you… how is that a bad thing? Do you want your favorite musicians to be so broke they can’t afford to supply you with music anymore? How backwards is that. Why would I demand a prerequisite of being poor from my favorite musicians? “You better not make any money with your music or I won’t listen anymore.” How is that a good idea? Who started that? How stupid is that?
This is a crippling mindset and I suggest any musician who has a fear of “selling out” strike that nonsense from your programming. How dare someone else or a group of people make you feel that you should not have anything in return for your expertise. If I were to say to them I won’t pay for their expertise, they would laugh. Laugh off “selling out”.
Don’t Be Insecure, Your Music Has Value
Another mindset that continues from above is the insecurity musicians fall pray to that their expertise isn’t worth trading money for. Just as I mentioned before, if I told a plumber I needed some pipework done, but if they try to charge me for it I’m going to accuse them of selling out, how would they react? If I told this plumber I don’t think his expertise has any value, I’d be investing in an outhouse in no time. Music has value. It’s music that drives our morning commute. It’s music that pumps our workouts. It’s music that moves our dances. It’s music that accompanies moving pictures. It’s music that changes lives and influences our thinking. I can’t think of a more valuable expertise. One thing every expertise has in common, they all enjoy musicians’ expertise. Your music has value, ask money for it.
