By what age does a musical artist need to become established in order to be successful? 18? 29? 35? Does it matter? Should it matter? Does it matter to you?  

While large segments of society may worship youth, artists worship truth. Rather than racing against time, they find their groove at each stage of life and let themselves express and reflect all of the phases, not just the early ones.  Of course, youth sells and most popular music is developed to be sold to 18-25 year olds, but none of that means that a songwriter or performer needs to stop growing or letting their music change to reflect their evolving point of view.  After all, one of the gifts of musicianship is that you get to play at any age and there is no real limit on how long you can continue to develop your musical expression. With age comes experience and with experience comes the potential for wisdom. With wisdom comes the opportunity to make music that is built to last and to cultivate creative habits that are sustainable.  

So sing your song, find your groove and listen to this SOS episode in which new models of artistic and musical sustainability are explored. You might find a way to stay Young At Heart without needing to stay Forever Young. 

 

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Performing artists, songwriters, and aspiring musicians are usually given the same piece of sage advice: to get yourself or put your work “out there” where it can be discovered. This often implies pounding pavement–moving to a big city, booking a lot of rough gigs, networking like a monster, or knocking on the proverbial door of opportunity until someone–an agent, an executive, or a “talent scout” (do those still exist?)–discovers you.

The familiar story always ends the same way: Once you get discovered–once some powerful, visionary manager or mogul is exposed to your talent*, they will make you a big star and the rest will be history…the only problem is that the eternal hope at the root of this “discovery myth” is built on rumor, not fact. How many success stories are really that simple?

Even more importantly, expecting to be discovered may lead to another unintentional problem–the common trap of leaving your center in hope of attracting someone else’s attention and admiration. Once an artist gets hooked on the dream of getting discovered, they become vulnerable to superficial flattery, neediness, and a host of manipulations. This desperate need for external recognition is so common in some industry circles that it seems completely natural–an industry standard.

However, there are alternatives: instead of perpetually seeking to be discovered, you can invest your energy into a lifelong pursuit of Self-discovery. Living with a deep curiosity about who you are and who you are becoming is a joyous journey that strengthens an artist’s resolve, deepens self-expression, and, paradoxically, attracts more attention from potential business contacts and musical collaborators.

Tune in to this Soul of Songwriting episode to learn from some of the hard lessons and foibles that have taken many a musician (including our host) down many a wrong path. Discover what treasures lie calmly in waiting once the need to be discovered is redirected into a search for Self-discovery. This is part five of the “Seven Common Myths of Musicianship and the Creative Process” series.

*For more thoughts on talent, listen to SOS Episode # 21: “Just The Way You Are: Debunking The Myth Of Talent.”

 

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Are you inspired? If so, how did you get that way? If not, what do you imagine would inspire you? The word inspiration, like the word spirit and respiration, has its origins in the Latin word for breath. But the concept of inspiration has come to suggest much more than simply breathing.

Feeling inspired often implies some kind of altered state of consciousness in which all the clouds part and the heavens open up.Artists have used countless methods to get themselves inspired (and many have worked), but the promise of inspiration often comes with a catch. What might inspire at one point –a place, a person, an experience, a journey–might eventually lose its luster and lead to less than inspiring results. Increasing your ability to observe, on the other hand, never ceases to deliver valuable experiences. Observation, unlike inspiration, is available in every moment, regardless of mood, circumstances, or state of mind.While many artists have moments of intense inspiration, artists who sustain their creative edge usually end up relying on the power of perception to deliver new insights and material, rather than emotion or imagination.

So don’t get high, don’t get low, don’t go up and don’t get down, just be where you are and listen, look around, and let the moment bring your next song. Listen to this Soul of Songwriting episode to hear about various ways that you can use your gifts of observation to bring forth an abundant stream of good material and relinquish any unconscious expectations for finding inspiration somewhere or sometime other than “hear and now.”

 

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Do you have an ultimate musical goal? How will you know if you have arrived at it? Do you think that once you reach that goal, you will be artistically fulfilled for the rest of your life?

The concepts of artistic mastery, expertise, greatness, and virtuosity are common, but not necessarily true. Musical experience, at its freest, is a journey–not a destination. Once you “arrive” at a commitment to the process of following your vision, rather than satisfying or living up to an impossible standard of excellence, you can more fully appreciate each step of the path. From this perspective, you can enjoy the adventure of your Musical Vision Quest and lay down the burden of perfectionism. 

Join this SOS episode as the belief in expertise is questioned and the practice of cultivating a beginner’s mind is celebrated. 

 

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