Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Your Music Context - Which One Applies To YOU?

All artists - whether musicans, fine arts, authors, or film makers - create for a specific reason. But do you know why you do? Maybe it's to reach out and inspire people. Maybe it's for expression or exploration. Maybe it's completely for you. And it's ok if you don't just yet. But there are three main groups of creators, so check it out and see which one you might fit in to!



1. The Populist: “I will create things a lot of people can enjoy. I will provide a service to those people. That will make me successful.”

Make your potential audience as large as possible. Sounds logical, doesn’t it? You don’t want to exclude anybody, and if one person likes your familiar-sounding stuff, others probably will, too. The upside of this is fewer people will misunderstand you. The downside is that little, if anything, you do will stand out as special.
Real-world populists: Maroon 5, Michael Bay.


2. The Purist: “I will create distinctive things I enjoy. I will not worry about what others think of what I do. That will make me successful.”
Stay true to yourself and your work will have integrity. This, too, is logical. You don’t want to pander to an audience that cares less than you do, and as long you’re proud of your stuff, you’ll sleep fine. The upside of this is a harmony of intent and execution. The downside is that relatively few people beyond your immediate circle will relate to what you do.
Real-world purists: Nick Cave, Vincent Gallo.


3. The Pragmatic: “I will create distinctive things I enjoy for others who like what I do. I will make things just for them. That will make me successful.”
Stay true to yourself and find others who care. This is especially logical. For every 100 people who might like your Maroon 5 impersonation, there are one or two who love that thing you do that no one else does. The upside of this is connecting with a small but loyal audience. The downside? Well, you might never have a Top 40 hit (not that you really wanted one, anyway).
Real-world pragmatists: Bon Iver, Paul Thomas Anderson.





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