General Music Chat

.

http://www.amazon.com/Savvy-Musician-David-Cutler/dp/0982307500

The Savvy Musician
by David Cutler




Editorial Reviews


LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW, SEPTEMBER 2009

Cutler, an independent musician, composer, educator, and consultant, has produced an indispensable guide for the budding performer who wants to take his or her career to the next level. Filled with case histories and relevant interviews with over 165 musicians, Cutler's book focuses on the entrepreneurial side of the music business. Emphasizing the value of creativity, risk, and, yes, branding, Cutler demonstrates that many of the qualities necessary for good musicianship are applicable to the business side of an artist's career as well. Over 1000 links to additional resources: e.g., job listings, blogs, camps, homepages for interviewed musicians, lists of recommended books and magazines, networking sites are available for free on the companion web site, thesavvymusician.com. VERDICT Packed with tools and strategies for funding, marketing, recording, and performing, this is an essential read for aspiring performers who want to remove the word starving from their vocabulary. Highly recommended. --Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR

MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW, OCTOBER 2009

Doing what you want is hard when that want is playing music. "The Savvy Musician: Building a Career, Earning a Living, & Making a Difference" is a guide to the aspiring musician who wants to make their living doing what they love. A strange blend of music and marketing book, David Cutler encourages musicians to learn how to sell themselves and adapt technology to their approaches, to get themselves out there with a recognizable brand. An honest book about making it in the music industry, "The Savvy Musician" is a read that can t be missed by music lovers. --James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, Midwest Book Review



Product Description

So you're talented, well trained, and passionate about music. What next? The professional marketplace is flooded with outstanding musicians, forced to compete for a shrinking number of "traditional" opportunities. The Savvy Musician helps balance three overriding aspects of your professional musical life: (1) building a career, (2) earning a living, and (3) making a difference. Filled with clearly articulated concepts, detailed strategies, and 165 vignettes about actual musicians working to create a meaningful and prosperous career, this book examines critical elements often overlooked or misunderstood by musicians, and helps you take control of your career. Discover how to build an immediately recognizable "brand," capitalize on technology from Internet tools to the new recording paradigm, expand your network, and raise money to fund your dreams. The Savvy Musician is an invaluable resource for performers, composers, educators, students, administrators, industry employees, and others interested in a thriving musical future.

.

I am going to get this book. Thanks Craig...can't have too many of these.

I am going to get this book. Thanks Craig...

My pleasure.

I think I'm gonna get it too. If you read some of the customer reviews at Amazon, there are literally people commenting that it has changed their lives. Apparently it's a pretty good book to have!


How did your performance go?

Made it back safe I see!

If you flew there, did you notice increased security at the airport?

Since that last bombing attempt, they are supposed to be getting really strict.

.

I am going to get this book. Thanks Craig...

My pleasure.

I think I'm gonna get it too. If you read some of the customer reviews at Amazon, there are literally people commenting that it has changed their lives. Apparently it's a pretty good book to have!


How did your performance go?

Made it back safe I see!

If you flew there, did you notice increased security at the airport?

Since that last bombing attempt, they are supposed to be getting really strict.

.

Craig, the performance went beautifully. I received many hugs and compliments on it. I had an outstanding accompanist that added such a special touch. I think it was my accompanist is who you had the "vosion" of although I had another similar accurance with a family member. I will tell you more about it after I return from the grocery store.

I will also tell you about security and about the power outage that happened at the Cleveland Hopkins airport the day we returned to California.

Okay, Craig, firstly the accompanist that I spoke of came the closest to your vision. We worked together a lot back in the day and had a blast. Jack played my my wedding 15 years ago. For the next five years that followed, we played weddings, festivals, street concerts. It was great to get back together for this sad event and we had a good time. Jack and I also discussed making a CD this summer. He has a recording studio that he built 4 years ago. So it looks like we'll be recording one way or another this summer.

Now when we greeted each other it was with a hug. This also happened outside so I imagine that the windows that you saw were actually the great outdoors. Also, as you know, there was snow everywhere so I felt that was actually the lacy curtains that you saw.

However, my husband's uncle whom I met for the first time at the funeral, came up to me to shake my hand. He praised my musical presentation for his sister's funeral. There were a few windows with white lace curtains.

So, what do you think?

What we experienced at the airport was no different than before. I think the heightened security was at airports outside of the USA. However. Cleveland had heightened security because they were CLOSED the day of our departure!!! They had a water main break and a power outage...neither incident was related but it happened at the same time. Fortunately we had no idea that the airport was closed. We went there only to find darkness. Someone asked if we were going to Houston, when we said yes we were whisked into security. The checked our bags and bodies by hand. Continenetal had 2 planes that were there and about to leave for Houston. We were able to get on a half- empty plane which we boarded 2 hours earlier than planned. We had a 2 1/2 hour lay-over which was okay...it allowed us to just relax from the emotionally and physically exhausting week.

Okay, Craig, firstly the accompanist that I spoke of came the closest to your vision. We worked together a lot back in the day and had a blast. Jack played my my wedding 15 years ago. For the next five years that followed, we played weddings, festivals, street concerts. It was great to get back together for this sad event and we had a good time. Jack and I also discussed making a CD this summer. He has a recording studio that he built 4 years ago. So it looks like we'll be recording one way or another this summer.

Now when we greeted each other it was with a hug. This also happened outside so I imagine that the windows that you saw were actually the great outdoors. Also, as you know, there was snow everywhere so I felt that was actually the lacy curtains that you saw.

However, my husband's uncle whom I met for the first time at the funeral, came up to me to shake my hand. He praised my musical presentation for his sister's funeral. There were a few windows with white lace curtains.

So, what do you think?

Wow, that explains everything!

It was BOTH!!!


I just couldn't figure this out, so I didn't say too much.

My dilemma was... I just knew... I just knew... that the person who I saw coming up to you, was from your husband's family! And that your performance had opened his heart up, and it made a strong impression on him, not just musically, but made him feel drawn to you as a PERSON. And he comes up to you with a joyful feeling, like he is really glad to be able to take your hand, and express how he feels. Now, honestly, I didn't know if it was a he or she, because the view I saw, was as if I was standing BEHIND them, and a little to the side, and so, I could see YOU more clearly, and you have a big smile on your face, right away, because they come up to you, with obvious happiness in their hearts to be doing so. I can tell this, because of your reaction to them, not because I see them smiling. (since I couldn't see their face)

But your reaction made me feel they were smiling, even as they were walking over to you, And It seemed they already had their hands out from the get go, by the time they got to you. But I didn't know if it was a man or woman, I just "knew" they were older (and I think I mentioned that before) and they looked slightly hunched over... Although that could just be, because their hands were outstreched to you, which would maybe make the back look a little rounded, since the shoulders are forward to do that. But you said ONE HAND, whereas I saw them extending BOTH hands. Oh well.


But...


I didn't want to say all that before, because I also got the inspiration that a musical opportunity was coming out of all this. Yet I knew that the person who shook your hand was not involved in giving you this opportunity, so I couldn't make sense of that, and I started doubting myself, and thinking that maybe I was just HOPING that you were going to get some opportunity after people there saw you play.

But now I know why that was!!!!

YAY!!!

Cause, I got elements of TWO important events, and ASSUMED they were only ONE EVENT.

The sheer curtains would be the uncle part. Cause he was the one holding your hands at the time, and we (felt like I was there, sorry - LOL) ...we were definitely INSIDE.

When I saw this scenario unfolding... I mean, it just popped into my head from nowhere... It was while seeing the hands embracing and the smiles, that something just spoke to me, that some door had been opened to a music opportunity, and you were going to share what happened with us!

And now this all makes sense to me, because you would have shared about the PIANIST and probably not about the uncle, since we are all musicians here, and THAT is what you would have been BRINGING BACK to share with us... Something like: "Hey guys... guess what? I played with an accompanist that I have not seen in a long time, and we are planning to be recording a CD together!"

I gotta go tell my wife now!

LOL


Talk later!

Luvs to you Mary!

I'm glad it was a fulfilling event, both spiritually (family) and musically (career)!

Glad your home safe!

.

Gosh Craig this kinda cool and weird. Uncle David, like his brother, my now deceased, father-in-law both, had a slight but noticeable hunch in their back. And, I don't really remember if the hand shake was with one or two hands. I failed to notice that part. But, if you could have been there, I think that you would have left the funeral with your jaw on the floor. It's funny, when Uncle David shook my hand, I looked around for lace curtains and there they were. Aunt Marilyn would have been so in to this.

Tell me what your wife says okay.

luvs ya back, Crag

Gosh Craig this kinda cool and weird. Uncle David, like his brother, my now deceased, father-in-law both, had a slight but noticeable hunch in their back. And, I don't really remember if the hand shake was with one or two hands. I failed to notice that part. But, if you could have been there, I think that you would have left the funeral with your jaw on the floor. It's funny, when Uncle David shook my hand, I looked around for lace curtains and there they were. Aunt Marilyn would have been so in to this.

Tell me what your wife says okay.

luvs ya back, Crag

Wow!!!


I told my wife about all the other stuff, and then this follow up as well, and told her "Mary is interested in what you have to say about it!"

She said...

"Tell Mary I'm not surprised... I've seen you do this before!"

LOL

But she wouldn't be so blown away by a vision. I don't get those very often (the movie kind... where you are WATCHING what is happening) and besides, she has had visions before too, and plus, she can "TALK" to people who have died. I've witnessed this myself, more than a few times. Concerning me, I have "felt" what people who have passed over are communicating to me, but I don't HEAR THEM... but she sure does!

She can have that gift all to herself! LOL

But she -IS- a very spiritual person too. Although SHE CANNOT STAND that she has this gift, and she AVOIDS it like the plague, unless they start yelling at her, or if it is for an important reason... e.g. Like someone still with us here, really needing to get that message from their loved one.

But she and I have different spiritual gifts, and maybe that is why God cares so much about us being together? Cause I have always felt that there is a powerful purpose in God having joined us... even though, we have both tried to RUN from this relationship on occasion! LOL

But we compliment one another.

She is the female version of Phil, ready to pounce if my ego gets too big! LOL

She keeps me grounded.

And I keep her believing in God's goodness and purposes for us all.

.