“I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”
-- Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965As some here know, I've been in the ad music biz a long time. I've never been fearful of whether a client will like my work, because 99% of the time, they want rock or pop music, and that's easy for me to write and deliver. School of Rock is a musical show, not a real deal thing (and yeah, I know, there's a chain of music lesson places, and OK, but...). I've been well paid for over 32 years to write, play and produce that stuff.
Orchestral Music?
Well, brothers and sisters, that is a horse of a different color.
It took me a long time to work up the courage to put my orchestral work out there in the world. I mean, you put music out that you're not 'qualified' for, and who knows what can happen? People might tell you that you suck!!
I'm not conservatory-trained in orchestral music. But, the things you learn from kids...
I was having a discussion with my daughter, who's a visual artist, about my talented granddaughter, who's doing professional musical theater. I was saying how much I've learned from my little 11 year old sweetheart about 'putting it out there'.
Something she said last summer really caught my attention. After completing a season (80 shows) of professional Sound of Music performances in Chicago at the Marriott theater, instead of performing a role or singing something she'd already mastered, she did a tap dance performance at her summer camp on talent night. She was a beginner at tap.
I asked, "Weren't you a little nervous just being a beginner?"
She said, "So what? None of them can do it."
The things you learn from the honesty of little kids. She isn't afraid to put it out there! And why should she be?
Then I thought not only about myself, but about other people who might be shy about posting their music here or elsewhere. And you know what? None of us can be you. You're unique. Your music is unique. You have instruments, Chances are, you're pretty good at using them.
Fear is the mind-killer. Record your stuff and post it. Ignore the fear of criticism. No one is going to tell you it sucks. None of us can be you!
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