When you think about yourself as an artist, start replacing the word “I” with the word “we”.
“I will write songs, I will play a show and I will have a crowd come to see me.”
“We will write songs, we will play a show and we will have a crowd to come to see us.”
This way of thinking changes everything.
It keeps you mindful of the musicians in your band, but also the other musicians around you. You have all worked hard to be where you are at. Learn from each other and respect each other. Collective thinking is not a new idea, it is just a forgotten one. In tough times, people begin to watch out for themselves. It’s human nature; human nature of simpler times.
Society began to advance when groups of people started trading and sharing resources. The transfer of information brought a number of societies great wealth because they could be more efficient. Now, think of your band as a society. Bring your band into the modern times, begin to share resources and develop information together.
We have a lot to offer each other because we do not all have the same talent or skill. One band may be really great at writing music and the other, great at marketing that music. Help each other grow.
3 Ways Collective Thinking Benefits You
- The best for you, is the best for your music scene. If you have a small, or struggling music scene, I hope you are going out to shows and supporting other bands. Your mentality and behavior effects those around you. Surely everyone would love to have a thriving music scene.
- You strengthen relationships and develop trust. You may not know the bands playing with you, or you may not know them well. Time to change that. You can learn from each other and build a friendship that leads you to play 10 more shows together. Ask them who their musical influences are. My favorite question to ask is, “How did you get involved in music?”.
- Community brings people together. If the bands and the fans feel like they are in a welcoming and friendly place, shows are BIGGER and BETTER. Don’t focus on the numbers, the numbers will come. When fans experience a show that makes them feel great, they will tell their friends. When bands play a show that makes them feel great, they will tell their friends. Get excited and remember exactly why you do what you do. Fall in love with the music community you are a part of. If it’s already great, go out and make it even better.
CHALLENGE: Think of your plans for the next six months as an artist, replace the word “I” with the word “we” and think of how you can involve other musicians or bands in your plans. (Ex. Writing new music? Ask another musician for feedback. Planning a show? Ask new bands to play that show with you and get to know them better.)
There's No Money in Music 