What, Why & for Whom?
A few weeks ago I had dinner with my wife Valerie, and an entrepreneur who has become part of her vastly expanding network of inspiring people.
At one point, he asked me a few questions about my music.
These were not the kind of questions I am used to getting - what tunings do you use? why do you play upside down? who is your biggest influence? etc...
Instead, he wanted to know how many CD sales I get from having videos on YouTube.
I answered that there's no real way to know for sure. People arrive at my CD Baby page from all over the place. CD Baby only tells me the link they came from directly. So while the number of people that come directly from YouTube is low, it doesn't mean that Youtube wasn't in the chain that ultimately led a person to my CD Baby page.
Then he asked me who my "target audience" was. Target audience? Uhhhh I don't know.
I know it's mostly bass players who have bought my music and come out to see me play live. But I don't think I've targeted them intentionally.
I made my CD, Outre for me. Since it's solo bass I guess it's natural to think bass players would be most interested in it. But I've never really marketed it or sent it out to magazines for review etc.... Nor have I tried to expose it to wider audience.
Anyway - there were more questions like this. The kind of questions which only a business perspective would inspire. It caused me to think in a way I had not yet really considered.
The ultimate question his inquiry was really trying to answer was - "Is Solo Bass a business?" Or more specifically, is "Jeff Schmidt - Solo Bass" a business?
It's not something I'd ever asked myself seriously. I have only considered the art of it - never the commerce.
I didn't get back into music to find a way to make a living - but as a way to feed my soul. I need to create. I need to experiment, push boundaries & buttons and try new things and put it out into the world. If I can't do that, I get cranky.
This is an entirely different mindset from one that says - I need to create a product that appeals to lots of people.
Or is it?
Perhaps that's a false dichotomy.
Anyway - this kind of questioning has made me think differently about what I'm doing. Why I'm doing it. And WHO I'm doing it for.
It's pretty easy to see that most art would never happen if it were forced to meet the "Is this a business" test.
But I have a hard time believing that kind of thinking should be removed from the artistic process entirely.
What do you think?
Comments
I would pay $15 for each sixty minutes of the 666 minutes of "jamming" you refer to in your blog. What few parts you played I consider as valuable as any track from Outre. Seriously, just rip it all onto DVD or send it to me as mp3s and I'll pay whatever you want, you songwriting beast.
#1 True Fan
Posted by: #1 True Fan | May 20, 2008 11:25 PM
Great thoughts - we're overdue a podcast talking about this stuff! :o)
Posted by: Steve Lawson | May 21, 2008 12:35 AM
Really interesting blog Jeff. I think that the artist should only focus on what he loves the most: Creating Art while other people should focus on what THEY love the most: Buisness, Commerce, Album Design, Booking etc. If the artist focus on something he don't really enjoy, it will have an impact on his music, on his art. For exemple, if a musician want to make music for his living, he will spend alot of time doing publicity, finding shows, promoting his reccords, etc etc. So he will have less time to concentrate on his main goal: MUSIC.
So, let's leave the buisness to buisness people and let's keep rocking the stage out with our 4 string lover.
:)
Posted by: Marco Rodi | May 21, 2008 08:20 AM
to #1 True Fan: - thank you! you rule! I haven't forgot about that stuff.
I will revisit that material. I want to get some more solo bass recordings out this year. I'm just taking a bit of a detour ;) I'll edit out all the boring parts for you!
to Lawson: I'm good when you are - lemme know what works for you.
to Marco: Hi Marco - thanks for your thoughts. I think the heart of what you say is totally true. We have to enjoy what we do or what's the point.
Part of the new world indie musicians find themselves these days is in having to lots of the extra business stuff themselves. it's a distraction from the music - yes. But it's also necessary.
I think Steve Lawson is a perfect example of an indie artist who tackles the business side fully while also pursuing exactly the kind of music he wants to play. Not an easy task.
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | May 21, 2008 08:38 AM
oh Marco - I forgot to tell you.
I played a show last week and in the audience was a wonderful couple that came down from Oregon. They rushed up to me and said they wanted to shake the hands of their top 5 bass players. Me, Manring (who was also playing) and YOU. (i forget the other 2 - but they were obvious choices)
thought you'd like to know. gotta get on a show together!
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | May 21, 2008 08:49 AM
The two you forgot were Bromberg and Wooten. See you soon Rodi! No need to edit out the boring parts.
#1 True Fan
Posted by: Forrest | May 21, 2008 04:46 PM
thanks Forrest!
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | May 21, 2008 07:09 PM
Wow! Thank you Jeff and to the couple who shook your hands! You guys made my day!!! Offcourse it would be an honor to share the stage with you!
Posted by: Marco Rodi | May 22, 2008 10:42 AM
just looked at your blog, jeff - very interesting indeed!
whilst reading it, i was thinking about the marketing and business side of music not for the sake of making a profit, but instead for the purpose of sharing what you have to say to the world. however corny this may sound, creating a piece of music and inspiring someone (certainly like how you've done for me), or making their day better, or making them view the bass in a different way, perhaps is more fulfilling than making money.
i think you're lucky to be in a position where you can separate your music from earning a living, so you can appreciate the other stuff more. you really are changing people's lives, jeff. especially lots of kids who first see your stuff on sites like youtube. in my eyes, having this effect on the world is most important - and if you affect more people, maybe it could be an even more fulfilling experience.
take care,
zander
Posted by: zander | June 17, 2008 03:49 PM
hi zander. great thoughts- thanks for sharing them.
Those "intangible" benefits of creating music that touches and influences others are certainly important and quite humbling to me. I don't ever discount it.
I'm reminded of the Jaco Pastorius instructional video from the mid 80s. (i'm sure it's on youtube)
Jerry Jemmott was telling Jaco how much influence he's had on countless musicians and how much everyone talks about him being the greatest.
Then Jerry asks Jaco - "what do you think about that"?
And Jaco says - "great . . . . how bout getting me a gig man"!
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | June 17, 2008 11:44 PM
Duke Ellington was being dropped from his label. The label head was a friend, but also a businessman, and sales were less than stellar. I believe this was the 1950s, but I can't be sure. Anyway, the following exchange ensued (or something very like it).
Bob: Duke, I'm sorry but I have to let you and the band go.
Duke: Hmm. May I ask why?
Bob: Well, this is a business and you aren't selling records.
Duke: Ah, Bob, there's the problem.
Bob: Oh?
Duke: Yes. I make the records. YOU sell them.
The label kept Duke.
Posted by: Peter S. | August 8, 2008 11:31 PM
That's a great story Peter!
Of course, the modern day label would say - uhhh - yeah - that's nice Duke - now go try to make some records I can sell.
Isn't any surprise 50 years later you get Britney?
;)
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | August 9, 2008 11:32 AM