1. Poor Attitude

Look for musicians that adopt these attitudes.

1. Joyful attitude
2. Connecting attitude
3. Creative attitude
4. Learning attitude
5. Prepared attitude
6. I may have left out other attitudes. Feel free add some suggestions.

2. Poor Skills

Most people will assume that musicianship are just musical skills alone. But… People tend to forget that we’re human beings not musical machines programmed to perform a task.

Think of your musical skills as muscles.

If you don’t keep training those musical muscles they will atrophy.

If your not sure what musical skills I’ve written 9 skills of musical awesomeness in a post awhile back. Click here and learn what they are.

Once you’ve achieved success it’s all about maintenance to keep that level of skill and achievement healthy.

Adopt an attitude of learning it will keep your motor well lubricated and lasting forever.

3. Poor Knowledge

If your goal is to learn and achieve a certain level. Maintenance is all you need to sustain the level you have attained.

Whenever a new team member joins make sure you A.S.K.

A.S.K

This is an acronym for what musicianship really is.

“A” is for attitude.

Grammy winning producer Quincy Jones states when ever he’s working with musicians and they enter his studio he has a sign at the top of his studio door that says: “Check your attitude at the door.”

I have this awesome video called “The Business of Bass” featuring bass phenom Nathan East.

Quincy Jones was interviewed and mentioned in this video:

“I would rather work with a B player with a great attitude than an A player with a poor attitude any day.”

I totally agree. I will not work with a skillful musician if their attitude is poor.
I’m looking for someone I can connect with. Don’t assume loud and obnoxious attitudes is what I’m referring to. Shy, reserved musicians are also the case.

If someone can’t open up and share than I can’t connect with them.

It goes both ways.

“S” is for skills

When I ask you to play a minor seventh flat five in a reggae pattern can you do it?

Can your fingers handle steady sixteenth note passages through the entire tune without fail?

When I ask you to lay back on the metronome do you understand what I’m saying?

Skills come with constantly practicing, learning and experiencing. Failure is a key to success we don’t if we don’t fail.

Adopt and learning attitude and embrace failure because it’s awesome.

“K” is for knowledge

Do you know what the arpeggios are of a Db major9?

How about if I plop a lead sheet in front of you could you play it?

Let’s start with the pickup note on bar 39 and let’s do it in cut time. Huh?

Now let’s begin on the 4 chord in the key of Ab. Say that again?

If you understood my instructions than you’re good to go. If not pick up a music theory book and start reading and studying. The more you know the better you can communicate and create in ten different levels.

Become a musical weed and embrace musical knowledge.

Conclusion

I hope this lesson has gotten your brain juices bubbling and please share or leave a comment below.

One question…

Tell me about an experience you had with a diva musician?

1. Leverage and flock to locations of the music industry. (L.A., New York, Nashville, World Wide Web.)
2. Audition.
3. Flock to local jam sessions and networking events.
4. Introduce yourself.
5. Network on social media.
6. Create videos for your resume.
7. Create a website for your resume.
8. You must have personality and a sense of humor.
9. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
10. Be dependable.
11. Be helpful.
12. If you’re on time then you’re 15 minutes late.
13. Be overly prepared.
14. Be respectful
15. Give ideas and suggestions.
16. Connect on a personal level.
17. Sometimes you have to do free gigs. As long as it helps your career and skills.

Remember this, these 17 keys not only require you to take action, but who you are as internally as an individual. Key #10 “Be Dependable”. Many musicians I’ve have encountered can be flakey and that is not an external problem, but an internal one.

As a professional musician to another if you feel that the gig you accepted is not in your best interest, than don’t accept the gig in the first place. Saying, “Yes” to everything may not be in your best interest. Always ask questions first (#9) and determine whether the gig will advance your goals. Flakes are a no-no!

Thanks for reading this comic. These tips seem so simple to do, but a lot harder to implement.

Remember these tips require some mental and emotional strength to get through. Some of us don’t have great social skills and that tends to become a huge barrier when we are looking to reach our goals. I myself am always working on my weaknesses.

Some folks have worked on it all their lives and it seems natural to them while others tend to keep on fighting that social battle.

Become a learner in all areas of your life. We will never be perfect because it doesn’t exist in our universe. We just strive for perfection.

That’s it folks 17 Keys to getting the Gig. Please share this comic with a musical buddy of yours or on social media and let me know what you think in the comment section below.

Do you have any tips?

Let me know in the comment section below.

1. Tony Braxton: “I owe between 10 to 50 million dollars in debt to creditors and the IRS so I had to file chapter 7 again.”
2. David Crosby: “My solo career failed so I had to file bankruptcy in 1985.”
3. MC Hammer: “I burned through $33 million and went bankrupt in 1996. It was fun while it lasted, Lol.”
4. Dee Snider: “Lawsuits over tour advances and endorsements got me.”
5. Goo Goo Dolls: “We sold over 2 million albums and we still owe the record label I wonder why.”
6. Isaac Hayes: “I started a record label and ended up owing over $6 million in debts.”
7. Jerry Lee Lewis: “I filed for bankruptcy in 1988 with over $3 million in debt.”
8. Lisa “Lefty Eye”Lopez: “I sold 13 million in album sales but I still went bankrupt.”
9. Michael Jackson: “You guys are losers, I racked up half a billion in debts. I beat you all. Lol!”
10. Willie Nelson: “I owed the IRS 16.7 million dollars in back taxes, but that’s ok. I released an album called the “IRS Tapes” and soon paid it off.
11. Meat Loaf: “I found shady money managers and never saw a dime I ended up in bankruptcy twice.”
12. Suge Knight: “I had $11 to my name after I file bankruptcy in 2006. Tupac come back!”
13. Tom Petty: “I filed for bankruptcy in 1979. No biggie, I released an album later and now I’m back.

There you have it straight from high paid dummies. 13 broke musician tips. We all make mistakes and I’m sure they all learned a valuable lesson. Debt is a huge part in the downfall of many famous musicians. I thank God I never liked borrowing. I did however had to borrow to get a car, but I didn’t know any better.

“Wise men learn from their mistakes, but wiser men learn for the mistakes of others.”

“But remember my friend it doesn’t matter now much money you earn as a musician if the four basic needs are not met than being broke is not a matter of chance but rather a matter of time.”
One last piece of advice… Never borrow money!!

Not from family, friends, coworkers, banks, boyfriend, girlfriend, neighbors, dog, cat, pet snake… You get the point.

“The borrower is slave to the lender.”

If you’re starting a business and your really need to borrow than make sure you have your ducks in a row. When a business model has been unproven to be successful in the market than it’s risky and not a good idea. Billionaire Mark Cuban said it best:

“Only morons start a business on a loan.”

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment below and let me know your opinion.

Cheers

Here is a list of all the “11 Habits of Musical Geniuses” that are in the comic above.
A genius….

1. Learns it
2. Practices it
3. Performs it
4. Masters it
5. Teaches it
6. Creates it
7. Reviews it
8. Evolves it
9. Shares it
10. Lives it
11. Repeats it

I hope you have enjoyed the comic and please share it with your friends on social media.

Thanks for reading my friend.

The biggest marketing mistake your band is making.

The reason why you’re not getting more heads to your gig or making any cash, is you’re not utilizing or you’re trying to utilize your band members to help promote the gig. But what happens? Nobody’s really willing to help promote, sell tickets or merchandise.

Why is that?

It could be that he’s just the drummer and all he does is drum. He’s not the salesman, marketer or promoter. He’s just the drummer

I get it. There was a point in time where I myself had not a clue or didn’t think it wasn’t necessary to promote or sell tickets. “I’m just the bass player and all I do is bass, get someone else to do that.”

Yes, I did have a poor understanding of team work. Many moons later now that I’m a serial musicpreneur, I can see that my attitude sucked. I’ve learned that team work is a key component for future revenues. You can’t do it alone.

Music can’t sell itself. Writing some tunes, record, mix and master a CD or an EP doesn’t mean people are gonna run to you, pull out their hard earned cash and give it to you.

You’ve got to create value by marketing and selling and utilizing your team to get the job done.

Live Shows

Advancing technologies to sell your music is just incredible, but nothing will replace the live show experience. If you’re not selling merchandise at shows, you’re leaving potential rmoney on the table. Even better, you have a great chance to really connect and build rapport with your fans. When fans like and trust you and your music they’ll run over to your merchandise table and pick up a CD.

Once you’re good at connecting and promoting to fans you can turn “losing” gigs to profitable ones and you’re musicians can still get paid. Many times your band will end up performing free gigs just to get exposure. It doesn’t have to be a loss all you have to do is promote and sell merchandise and it’s a win, win.

Here’s a few ways to sell merchandise.

1. Announce it during the show: If people don’t know you’re selling CD’s than their money is gonna stay in their wallets.
2. Giveaway: During the show give away a free CD or t-shirt.
3. Combos: CD/DVD combo for $20, T-Shirt/cap $15.
4. Upselling: Buy 2 CD’s and get the T-shirt half off.
5. Email list: The money is in the email list.

Get your band members to sell: Some members might be shy like I was, but it’s a good chance to build confidence and make some sales.
If you’re not sure what type of merchandise to sell. Read my other blog to get a list of ideas.

Before the gig it’s important to market on social media. Facebook can be a huge game changer if used correctly, but it must be used. You have a Facebook profile and fan page you can cross promote on both. But here’s the kicker, you band can also promote on their personal profile.

Many times the band would promote their show on their fan page but not on every band members profile. That’s prime real estate to bring people to your shows. The average Facebook profile user has about 300 friends. 300 friends x 5 band members = 1500 targeted Facebook friends. Plus if you promote on your fan page which could have 1000 “likes” if used properly it can draw a good crowd.

Lesson

1. Use your team to help market.
2. You can’t do it alone.
3. If you’re not selling at shows you’re leaving money on the table.
4. Market on social media.

Thanks for reading and if you haven’t already please sign up and get free comics and updates.

What issues have you faced when it comes to selling and promoting your music?

Every artist or band that’s just starting in the music business believes if they just do enough shows then people will just come and give you money.

It doesn’t work that way, you need to learn about sales and marketing.

“What?? I don’t wanna do that!”

Every artist and musician needs to adopt the entrepreneurial mentality in order to make it in todays music industry.

If you’re an artist seeking a band to perform with, I’m sure you know hard it is to get musicians to play for almost nothing. Professional musicians need to make a living too.

Young artists and bands with little to no following must understand that it’s important to your success to learn the music business.

How Independent artists can make a killing at their shows.

Create merchandise and sell it at your shows or you can cut a deal with the musicians or barter with them. Maybe offer some of your musical services in exchange for a gig. There are many things you can do.

“Okay, so what kind merchandise can I sell?”

Here’s a good list:

1. Album
2. EP’s
3. Singles
4. T-shirts
5. Baby Tees for women
6. Caps
7. Wristbands
8. Bumper stickers
9. Pins
10. Underwear (Just playing.)
11. Lighters with band logo ( I got this idea from my old band.)
12. Wallets with logo ( I don’t see too many of those.)
13. Download cards
14. USB flash drives with album
15. Posters
16. Mugs
17. Tumblers
18. Email list: This is a must to build a following.
19. Transcription books of your original music in kindle and print format. (Never seen this done before.)

Yes, you’re going to have to make an investment, but it’s worth it. If this is too much merchandise for you to handle than just start off with a few things than build from that. Don’t forget your brand must be attached on everything that you offer. Your band is a BRAND!

Artists like Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, make a killing on sales of merchandise at their shows. It’s one of their biggest cash cows.

The Lesson

1. Take care of your band and they’ll take care of you.
2. Your band is a business whether you like it or not.
3. Always sell at shows, if you have to give it away to gain a fan, do it.
4. If you want to be a major artist, think like the major artists.
5. Brand, brand, brand!

One question.

What’s a good product to sell at a show for your merch table? Gimme some ideas.

Beginnings

When I began my so-called career as a musician, all I wanted to do was get as much experience as possible so I accepted as many gigs as possible and most for free. Building connections was crucial and I did pretty well creating relationships. The issue was that I created a great network of artists that didn’t have a budget, but that was my fault. I needed to create more relationships with more established acts that had budgets.

Slowly but surely I created better relationships with music directors and producers that could get me better paying gigs. But fair warning, if your intentions to network are purely for business purposes and not to create lasting relationships than you’re in the wrong racket.

99.99% of all my gigs were all word of mouth! I didn’t hand in a resume or filled out an application. The music industry is almost predominately a relationship driven business. If you have social anxiety you must take care of that issue if you wanna be in the music business. Your talents and skills alone won’t do much.

Michael Jackson off stage was known to be an introverted shy person but he loved people and kids. Be like Mike except for the kids part. Lol.

The answer to why you keep getting that $50 gig.

The ultimate reason why you keep getting that 50 dollar gig and not that $5,000 gig is Value.

The more people value you as a person and your abilities the more opportunity comes your way. Relationship over ability is always top priority. The best musicians on the planet usually only work with their close relationships and that’s not my opinion that’s a fact.

Quincy Jones said it best, “If the musician can’t get the music right, but he has a great attitude, than I’m willing to work with him until he gets it. But if he’s an amazing musician but acts like a diva than that’ll be the last time time he gets a call from me.”

We’ll put Quincy.

The more people like you, the more you’re valued.

The Lesson

1. Increase your value by building better relationships with more connected artists.
2. Count your costs before accepting a gig.
3. Learn business.
4. Sometimes you need to accept that unpaid gig to get ahead.
5. Build a business mindset.

Feel free to leave any comments below and I hope I can learn from you as well.

Cheers.

Back in 2009 I began to research “investing” and stumbled into some books, one was Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I learned several important words that I never really heard of until now. Here they are:

1. Assets: Simply put, assets put money back into your pocket. (real estate, businesses, song royalties.)
2. Liabilities: Takes money out of your pocket. (TV’s, tablets, cell phones, consumer debt, women. Lol.)
3. Passive Income: When you work very minimal to none to receive income. (Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, The Waltons, Paul Mc Cartney.)
4. Earned Income: Where you physically have to work 100% of the time to earn a paycheck. (Most people fall into this category.)

Successful investors invest in assets that produce passive income. This was mind boggling because I thought wealth was all inherited or luck was involved. I finally realized that the opposite was true, and soon discovered that the wealthy think differently than the how the average person thinks.

“The wealthy think smarter not harder.”

Then I thought there must be famous musicians that think this way. Googling “wealthiest musicians” he found several lists of the richest musicians on the planet and realized the top musicians were on every list he found.

“Did these guys create their wealth purely on song royalties?” He thought to himself.

After studying more about these artists the research shows every music artist on the rich list invest in many assets other than song and album royalties. Though song royalties is great passive income it’s not the only form. The richest musicians on the planet learned from the richest people on the planet. Go figure.

Here is a compiled list from the 10 wealthiest musicians on the freaking planet at this moment in time 2015 among others and I learned quite a few gems.

1. Madonna Net Worth $650 million: Assets include: Merchandise Sales, TV rights and DVD sales, Material Girl Clothing Line, Truth or Dare Perfume, Smirnoff Vodka, Vita Coco Water.
2. Paul McCartney Net Worth $800 million: Assets include: Music Publishing, Apple Corps, MPL Communications, Beatles Catalog.
3. Sean Combs Net Worth $550 million: Assets include: Badboy Records, Sean Jean Clothing, Restaurants, Ciroc Vodka, Revolt TV, Enyce Clothing line.
4. Jay Z Net Worth $500 million: Assets include: Rocawear Clothing, Damon Dash Clothing, Carol’s Daughter Beauty Products, Brooklyn Nets NBA Team, J Hotels, Armand de Brignac champagne, Block Starz Music, Gain Global Investments Network LLC, Roc Nation Sports.
5. Dr Dre Net Worth $620 million: Assets include: Beats Audio, Aftermath Record Label, Hp Laptop Line.
6. Celine Dion Net Worth $400 million: Assets include: Nickel Restaurants, Album Sales, Les Productions Feeling Inc., Le Mirage Golf Club, Schwartz’s Restaurant, Pure Night Club, Celine Dion Parfums.
7. Bono (U2) Net Worth $600 million: Assets include: Album and song royalties, Clarence Hotel, Elevation Partners private-equity firm, Forbes Media LLC, Facebook stock.
8. Andrew Lloyd Webber Net Worth $1.2 billion: Assets include: Really Useful Group, Song and Album Royalties, Musical Theatre.
9. Beyoncé Net Worth $350 million: Assets include: Album Sales, Dereon Clothing, Real Estate, Endorsements.
10. Kenny G Net Worth $50 million: Assets include: Album Sales, Starbucks Investment, Stock Investments.

Wow! What a list.

Why Kenny G? Well, because he’s one of my favorite instrumentalists and his bass player is slammin’ and I recently found out that Kenny G is a stock trader and I myself in the last year have been study stock trading. So I guess we’re two peas in a pod… Kinda.

Most musicians are lazy asses and don’t want nothing to do with managing or investing money they just want to perform and receive a paycheck. That’s the way poor people think.

Here’s compiled list of books to get you fellow musicians starting in your journey. If you don’t like reading than it must suck to be you. I didn’t enjoy reading myself but when you have a thirst for knowledge it doesn’t matter what you like or dislike you’ll do it either way. There are audio books available.

1. Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill
2. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
3. Millionaire Fastlane by MJ Demarco
4. E Myth by Michael Gerber
5. Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
6. The Millionaire Mind by Thomas Stanley

Read these titles and your mindset completely changed from thinking like the 99% to thinking like the 1%. Thinking like the 1% of successful musicians will keep you moving forward while thinking like the 99% will keep you complacent.

Message:

BUILD ASSETS!!!

Roland

Pay yourself first!

Those were the words that stuck out to me from some financial guru, I didn’t get it.

Rushing to church one sunny Sunday afternoon, I was the music director and I was late. I know, I know, typical right?

Don’t worry if you’re not a churchy person this is not a churchy story.

After the music set was finished the musicians including myself usually sat down to hear the sermon. The MC (master of ceremony) began with the word “money.” First thought in my head was, “Oh great, he’s gonna say money is the root of all evil, blah, blah, blah. I’m going to grab me some coffee in the church lobby.”

But what stopped me in my tracks was he didn’t mention money being the root of all evil but rather “the love of money is the root of all evil.”

We were shown a video of this financial gurus and thought to myself again, it’s not typical of church to talk about money…I liked it.

At that moment in time in my life my finances were okay and it was also a time in life where I needed to figure out how to take charge of my “dinero” (money in Spanish). I thought I was getting ahead but after watching that video I realized my money controlled every aspect of my life and I wasn’t even in control of it.

Pay yourself first!

Now I got the point.

No matter where you live the tax boogey man is gonna get you I also realized that your impulse buying habits get you as well.

“Managing your money is 10% “how to” and 90% habitual.”

Mc Hammer made an estimated $33 million in album sales and song royalties that dude ended up spending every freaking dime. And when the IRS came a knocking for their $14 million he couldn’t pony up the cash because he spent it. Now what kind of dummy makes that much cash and spends it all on freaking parachute pants? I know what you’re thinking.

Who the hell are you to tell me how to manage my money?

Well I’m the guy who spent all my gig money and barely had enough for a cup of noodles. If my band was successful and cranking out hits and making millions, my bad spending habits would have stowed away I would have been broke like many other famous musicians. I learned from the best in the business.

Read the “Millionaire Mind” by Thomas Stanley. This amazing book gives you the insight on how millionaires think and how they stayed that way.

“It’s not how much you make but how much you keep.”

When it came to making the cash for MC Hammer it turned out he was pretty good at it, but when that paycheck came in he seemed to have butterfingers.
How to be better at managing your gig money than M.C. Hammer.

I’m gonna be pretty transparent on my finances and show you what I do to manage my gig money. I’m not a millionaire yet but if I keep on managing, saving and investing my finances correctly than…You get the point.

Managing your finances can be subjective for everyone but there are universal truths that need to be addressed. Living in the jungles of Africa to living in a home California there are four basic needs that need to be met to survive.

• Food and Water
• Shelter
• Clothing
• Transportation

These needs apply to everyone living in modernized economy. Transportation can be different though, if you’re an Eskimo maybe you need snow shoes and a dog sled to get around. If you live in the jungles of Kenya maybe you need a ride from a giraffe to get around. At the end of the day you need something to get around in.

Let’s get started:

My income is roughly 2,500 monthly. Yearly: $30,000 and growing with my current investments. I am self employed so my income can fluctuate, I’m not married I have no ball and chain yet.

2015 Monthly Expenses

Rent: $975
Gas Company: $25
Electricity: $45
Cell Phone: $70
Internet: $25
Netflix: $10
Hulu: $8
Hootsuite: $15
Mailchimp: $10
Car payment: $0
Car insurance: $70
Car Registration: $9
Car Gas: $160
AAA Roadside Asssistance: $6
Property Tax: $7
Food: $300
Total Expenses $1,735

Savings:

Retirement:,$25 (1%)
Savings: $125 (5%)
Charity: $125 (5%)
Taxes: $250 (10%)
Total Savings: $525 (21%)
Totals: $2,500 – $1,735 – $525 = $240 Cashflow

As my income increases I will be able to save more for retirement and give to charity more. My Cashflow is what’s left over for personal uses like entertainment, laundry, etc.. It’s not much cashflow right now but I know it’s going to grow so I can have little more fun. I’m not a materialist and I don’t have a need to purchase lots of plastic things that won’t really make me happy.

My biggest expense are rent, food and gas. One of these days I’ll purchase a Tesla to help me cut costs on gas one day.

Who was this financial guru?

His name is Dave Ramsey and his estimated net worth is $55 million I think I should probably listen to him. I soon discovered David Bach, “The Automatic Millionaire” and Suze Orman. Every financial guru had different perspectives but were generally the same. The similarities were to:

• Get out of consumer debt.
• Live within your means.
• Start an emergency fund.

I read all their books and took all their advice on money management and tailored it my own way and I think it works rather well for me for the time being. So far no loop holes and if I find any I’ll have to readjust.

Back to the story

After the church service I went to the lobby bookstore and found Dave Ramsey’s book Total Money Makeover. Dave Ramsey also offered a 13 week course called “Financial Peace University” for free at many church’s and other organizations.

I have to confess even though I discovered Dave Ramesy, Suzy Orman and David Bach, I didn’t put much emphasize on the plan until a year later. Stupid me.

One year later I started my entrepreneurial journey because I was fed up with the economy, and the music industry. The music school where I taught at didn’t want to give me a raise. I had to do some thing about it and I started studying entrpreneurship. After a almost a decade being self employed as a musician and instructor I had barely a clue of what were my rights as being an independent contractor. That’s how ignorant and dumb I was. Not anymore.

Since 2011 I haved read over 150 books on business and leadership and have attended many classes and seminars on business. Within last four years I have learned more about business and life than in junior high, high school, and college combined. The education system is not what it used to be.

A true music school.

Every music school must require business classes. The system is built to breed skilled players not skilled entrepreneurs. As we all know there are no big music corporations that hire musicians on staff full time. With that said it’s important to see why business classes should be required at all music schools.
Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Ca and even Berklee a School of Music all offer music business classes but they’re not requirements. What a shame…
“Habits take up 90% of our daily lives.”
If the quote above is true than spending more than we earn is a definite habit. We need to control our spending, and invest and save more.
Another thing, if music is just a hobby than you need only two things:

• The right mindset.
• The right skill set.

If music is your passion and a career choice than you need three things:

• The right mindset.
• The right skill set.
• The right business skill set.

In the far future there will big music corporations that will hire musicians on staff full time and then musicians wouldn’t need business skills and maybe I might be the guy who gets it started. Who knows…

Conclusion

I’ve been transparent and showed you my income and personal expenses and I hope you can see what “needs” need to be prioritize. After the gig once you receive that paycheck from the band leader there is no going to King Taco and spending it on that delicious Super taco with lots of guac…mmmmm yummy! Prioritizing and managing your money is first and foremost.

Besides you should’ve had cash for King Taco before you got paid.

“Building wealth is a marathon not a sprint. The key ingredient is discipline. – Dave Ramsey”

Jay-Z has an estimated net worth of $550 million dollars and invests in business like: Roca wear clothing line and Damon Dash Clothing.

MC Hammer was estimated to have a net worth of $33 million dollars and invested on luxuries for himself and his family and ending up owing the IRS a reported $14 million in debt.

Which rapper do you wanna be?

Jay-Z
MC Hammer

Let me know in the comments section below.

Geez!! I can’t stand that annoying clicking sound! Grrr!!!

My student Sandy for some reason can’t overcome the dislike of the metronome. I completely understand the metronome is very rigid and unemotional. It felt like she literally wanted to rip her ear loaves out.

“The metronome is just another musician in the room that wants to join with you and make music” I mentioned.

“Well I don’t like him, can you kick him out the room!” She blurted.

“Nice try Sandy…” I responded. “Let’s start from the top.”

The metronome or otherwise known as the “clicker” is not a new invention. It’s been around for over 200 years.

In the early 19th century Beethoven was suffering from hearing loss and connected with a man named Johann Maelzel who made him hearing trumpets to help Beethoven with his hearing. Not sure if it helped though.

At the time Maelzel was trying to perfect his own metronome but heard of a man named Dietrich Winkel in 1812 that had a far superior metronome than his own. Winkel refused to sell Maelzel a metronome.

Maelzel ending up stealing a copy of Winkel’s device and pantented it in 1815. Not Cool!

It seems Winkel and Maelzel were both in a race for the first ever metronome for musicians. In reality it was Dietrich Winkel that created the pendulum metronome that we know and love or hate today.

The metronome has helped many musicians today practically perfect the rhythm and time.

For the last 15 years I’ve taught thousands of students and if I can remember the two top issues that most students have is rhythm and timing!

The metronome is pretty much your answer.

10 Causes why your music timing sucks.

1. Identify Mistakes

If you have never used a metronome or rarely use it. Grab your smart phone, because 90 percent of all smart phones have a simple audio recording app.

Play a simple musical piece and record yourself playing with the metronome at the tempo of the musical piece of course.

Play it back! Use headphones to really hear it more clearly.

Now, if you have super Jesus powers than most likely you’ll be locked in the with the click. If not you’ll notice that your timing is really off.

Or, you’ll blame the metronome and think it’s slowing down or speeding up. If you have that thought than that means you have poor timing and rhythm.

All amateur musicians that I have played with always say this. Then they fall back and say the metronome is not natural and it makes your too rigid.

We’re inconsistent humans and we will never be as tight and rigid as the metronome.

2. Improves Cleanliness

Once you capture a recording of yourself playing with the metronome and identifying the mistakes. Now, it’s time correct them through repetitions and you’ll see the enormous difference in the cleanliness of your playing.

The metronome works like magic as long as you create and stick to a consistent game plan. Your results will shine.

3. Solid Timing

My boy Stix is an enormously talented drummer who plays for Ariana Grande. His timing and rhythm is so solid it’s ridiculous.

This guy makes the click just disappear. When I get the chance to work with him I sometimes wonder if he turns off the metronome. But the metronome is still turned on.

Stix is so locked in with the click it just fades away. He can create these amazing fills and land right back on the click like a pro.

The key to solid timing is anticipating the click and allowing it to become your practice partner. Practice, practice, practice.

4. Improves Group Playing

Let’s go back to my student Sandy.

If I placed her in a group situation she would be completely lost on where to start and end.

I guess I’m to blame in this situation I need to get her to embrace the metronome as friend not a foe.

Work in progress.

Not everyone can play with a band everyday. The next best thing are metronomes, now in today’s world we have drum machines and live backing track play alongs which are great.

I do however suggest that you start learning the metronome first, then move onto drum machines, then live play alongs.

This is my science behind it.

The sound and frequencies of a click are very thin and steady with just a simple quarter note rhythm. This will help you identify your timing mistakes easily and help you make corrections.

As opposed to a drum machine or play alongs there are many rhythms being played at the same time and can easily hide your mistakes, thus you won’t be able to identify and attack mistakes.

The metronome helps with your timing and rhythm. Drum machine and play alongs help with your rhythm only.

5. Tightens Rhythm and Feel

Like I said before it can definitely help with your rhythm even though the click is very rigid sounding.

I know a lot of people who are uptight and rigid, but that doesn’t mean they walk and talk like robots. No human being acts like this as far as I know.

Metronome apps are great. If you’re like most folks you have a smart phone where you can download apps. I recommend the Tempo app. I use this app 100% of the time I rehearse.

6. Keeps you from dragging

2007, I appeared with my band Glorforthepeople at the time on a TV show. Our drummer could not make it so we got Bo from who knows. He seemed like a cool dude.

When we arrived at the SiTV studios for dress rehearsal, we got setup and started rehearsing the tunes.

Bo the drummer starting dragging the tunes during rehearsals. “Hey Bo can you speed it up a bit it’s kinda dragging.” I said.

“Sure, whatever!” He blurted.

“Take 2!” shouted the T.V. producer. And again Bo dragged it.

“Hey bro can you speed it up a hair.” the guitar player mentioned.

“Dude get off my back!” Bo blurted. “Bro we’re going on national T.V. and the tempo is wrong.” Said the guitarist.

“Man I’ll play it like how I want to.” Bo grudgingly said.

Yes, the gig came out poor and that dude was never heard of again.

Practice with your metronome please.

7. Keeps you from speeding up

Years back I decided to become recording engineer and started getting recording gigs recording garage bands and independent artists. I still do it to this day.

I wrote a tune and hired my homie Jose to track the drums. Great young drummer coming out of the woodworks.

“You’re good with the clicker right?” I said. “No prob man.” Jose responded.

I setup all the drum mics and opened up Protools. I signaled him to be ready. He gave me the thumbs up. I clicked on the record button.

Half ways into the songs he stopped. “What happened?” I shouted. “I think the clicker slowed down.” He shouted back.

“Uh no, I’m pretty sure you’re speeding up.” I shouted back.

“Maybe you should remove the click” Jose said.

“Not happening dude. I need to edit you later and if you can’t work with the click I gotta find some one else.” I responded.

That was a very long night. Pretty please work with the metronome.

8. Perfects chops through repetition

Without a clicker you won’t be 100% sure if you’re timing is absolute when you practice your repetitive drills.

Your repetitions will fluctuate in tempo and will not be accurate. The metronome will harness that fluctuation (not the flux capacitor from Back to the Future=)).

9. Master Recording skills

The recording industry has been around since the 20’s and 30’s and it has evolved immensely. 90% of all recordings today are tracked with the metronome or some type of musical sequence.

Back in the 60’s recording with a clicker was rarely used but everybody caught on real quickly when they would listen to their playbacks and heard how badly their timing was.

Studio microphones are like a telescopic lens that zooms right into every nook and cranny of your playing where you can spot mistakes very easily.

Mastering the clicker or metronome will give you that pro edge when you walk into the studio and plug right in and nail the first few takes.

Nailing those first few takes coupled with an awesome attitude and your phone will be ringing off the hook.

10. Allows you to play with top artists

If you ever get the opportunity to perform with professional artists. I would say about 90% of all professional artists perform with click or some type of backing track live.

Don’t walk into a situation thinking the pros never use a click during a gig. More than likely you’ll fall into a situation where it will happen. Please don’t get caught with your pants down.

Been there done that.

Be prepared for all situations.

11. Allows you not to suck.

I’m pretty sure I don’t have to explain this last point. Just don’t allow yourself to suck!

Be excellent and serve others with a great attitude and God will bless you and maybe your pocketbook as well.:)

I wrote a cool tutorial that’s give some pointers on how to use the metronome with a comic twist check it out here.

Conclusion

Selfishness is rampant in our industry and it’s all about me, me, me. The day will come when you will realize it’s not about you. It’s about serving others.

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Question.

What issues are you struggling with the metronome?