We’ve all felt it.
That knot in the gut. An oafishness. The panic…
…whenever someone asks: What kind of music do you make?
How DARE they!
Oh those poor, poor people; they’re usually just being polite (as you sit there in the barber’s chair, or next to a stranger on a plane, or across from your third-cousin at Thanksgiving).
They’re being polite when they ask us to talk about our OWN music. And we pay them back with ummms and ahhhhs, awkward apologies, slapdash comparisons, or worst of all: “You just gotta hear it.”
No, they DON’T just gotta hear it.
It’s literally your job (if you’re trying to pay the bills with music) to describe your sound in a way that captures their imagination.
Instead you fumble. You kick yourself. Then you promise yourself you’ll come up with a good descriptor so you never get caught off guard again. But oh my god, here you are in the same barber’s chair, the same question comes, and still no ammo?!
We can fix that. Below you’ll find an episode of the DIY Musician Podcast where we workshop how to create soundbites and elevator pitches for your music. But first, let me assure you there ARE some things (if you can believe it) even worse than describing your own sound.
What’s more terrifying than describing your music?
1. Being a cornered animal
We’re just being asked to describe our OWN music. So why does it trigger a fight-or-flight response?
2. Keeping secrets from an investigative reporter
It’s our own music. Why do we feel guilty?
3. Advanced evil maths
Describe my OWN music? I’d rather try to destroy the moon with lazers!
How to describe your music so people want to listen
Let’s put a stop to this empty-headed terror today! You don’t have to feel chased, cornered, or confused.
It IS possible to have a ready-made response next time someone asks about your music.
In the DIY Musician Podcast episode below called “The Authentic Artist Branding Bootcamp” we lead you through a few exercises to help you describe your sound in a concise and creative way:
Try it out! Because spending the time now could save you a 1000 awkward moments down the line.
If you come up with some good descriptors for your music using these exercises, I’d love to read them.
So leave a comment below.
The post 3 Things WORSE Than Describing Your Own Music appeared first on DIY Musician.
