I believed one of these threads would be good here. The 10-year thread, and some truth bombs. We can share some of our experiences and advice for aspiring artists. Knowledge is power.
I will go first,
Know what you are good at, want to be good at, exceptional at unique at
I think it is extremely important to know what makes you exceptional and unique. While everyone is unique in their own way, how do we really pin point it and showcase it?
I learned that while I may be good at many things, singing,poker, ping pong, sound mixing, computer science, physics etc. - were they really my defining traits? While I can sing good, I am not great at it. With great, I mean, I am unable to channel my passion and intensity through it. While I can program rocket science into a quantum qubit, at the end of the day I still jump to doing what I love.
I learned that I was exceptional at writing scores but when I chiseled that further I learned that I was unique at my ability to interweave complex harmonies as background melodies. I could always add complex string melodies to current scores or songs and evoke an emotional response from the listener. Sometimes, even when they seem impossible to fit in.
For example, Paulās song āI think I am in Loveā has some of those elements. I showcased that as much as I could in most of my compositions and covers and eventually it caught the eye of someone who could impact my music career. I did that to one of his songs and he said that he had heard many versions of that song but none that made him cry like he is ten. (And no I can not share that song lol)
But here is Pauls song for those unfamiliar. @feaker
Everytime that song plays, the girls are always asking who that is, and they cant stop blushing with a swarm of memories. Paul, I think you should release that single and send it out for demos. Find someone in the country industry who would like that song.
Same effect is on Andrewās Disconnected song. That is also a classic billboard material. Needless to say there are some great songs on here, not just limited to those two.
Bottomline is, if you know what you are exceptional and unique at, you can showcase that vehemently everywhere. It is easy to get lost in what we want to be good at, that we can forget what we are exceptional at. Each artist has a unique aspect. If you can find it, you can showcase it. You can chase it. @bozmillar carry on the great work and finding what you are exceptional at! I love your work both as a musician and a tech nerd 
Work in teams and try new things
While it is a great experience to do it all ourselves. Most great things come with a great team. Whether they are your band members or friends or professionals. It is a matter of finding the right fit. Music is a hobby and an art for most of us, but maybe it wasnt always the case. Maybe we have been cornered into the hobby section because we ran out of choices. Not that music isnt a valid choice for hobby, it is a great choice that makes us happy, but it is important to demarkate whether that is your stopping point. As they say in poker, a good fold is as good as a win 
Yes I play poker, as much as it may surprise some 
I have some poker tournaments under my belt.
Social Media
While most of us despise this aspect, but do it anyway. It is a necessary evil today and the good news is, it doesnt cost a dime if it doesnt have to. You dont have to promote yourself on social media. You can be yourself and do your thing but dont just post the content and forget about it. Interact with other artists and professionals. You dont have to do all social media frantically either. You dont need millions of followers either. A few good thousand can also do the trick based on what you are passionate about. I have about a 100,000 followers across social media. In todays terms that is a miniscule amount. However, I met an amazing artist through social media, who happened to be perusing my remake of Billie Eilishās lovely song and was moved to tears from it and we have a great connection since then.
lovely
Social media can build great connections. It is a two way street.
Well enough about me, feel free to add more of your experiences and truth bombs. What has worked and what hasnt and what you would like to change.
With that said, this maybe my last post here but I wanted to add something good before I deactivate the account. For more reasons than one. It is hard to contain myself from uploading music and I donāt want to risk violating my agreements. I love each and everyone here, and I love talking as you all may have already known lol. It is also easy to get lost in discussions and more often I find myself spending too much time on recording and mixing sites, so I have decided to part ways with all such sites for my own good and focus on just a few things. I love mixing, the art of mixing and recording, and would still love to interact donāt get me wrong. If you want a personal feedback on a mix or something, or anything, you can always message me directly to my email flutecafe@gmail.com
Take care everyone!
