First off, I read a lot of internets.  I frequent dozens of online blogs, websites, etc.  that detail the business end and sometimes I get caught up in the number crunching and PR work and forget that the most important thing is the music.  You MUST continue to practice, no matter what.  There’s an important concept being thrown around, that of the 10,000 hours.  Here’s a great blog post to get you introduced: 10,000 Hours.

If you’re like my earlier self, you might be intimidated by the concept of having to work 10,000 hours to be great at anything, but it’s a generally understood concept in the creative arts field.

I graduated with honors from U of MT with a degree in Creative Writing.  Kevin Canty said to the effect that in order to get to the good writing one must write approximately 1,000,000 words of shit, so you best get started on clearing out your sewage tunnel.  The same is true for doing anything.

Sure, we’ve all had that creative burst when we first start out that seems to dry up not long afterwords.  And that’s perfectly ok.  I think there should be a weeding out process between the amateurs and professionals.  This cycle of creativity is something that will always occur, but even if we don’t feel creative enough to finish a product, it is imperative that we continue to practice.  The more you practice, the more creative you’ll become.  It’s just like any kind of exercise.

The reason I bring this up is not to discourage anyone, but to urge all musicians to continue to hone their craft.  Playing shows in Montana inevitably means playing with younger bands who would make the most ardent noise rocker cringe.  Hell, I’ve been accused of this myself numerous times.  Rather than discourage me, I’ve taken it as a mandate to hone my craft and give the audience what they paid for: a great evening of entertainment.

That’s the biggest reason why it’s important to practice a lot.  Every show you play is another crowd you must win over.  Even if only one person comes to your show, you owe it to yourself, to that person, and to every DIY musician to not ruin the experience of live music.

Why the Malleable Musician?  Because musicians today need to be flexible.  It’s not enough anymore to expect any kind of label to find you, swoop down, and elevate you to stardom.  We all need to take the steps necessary to ensure that we can make it as musicians or entertainers.  If this means that I throw all my dogma out the window, so be it.  Over the last few months, I’ve had a multitude of epiphanies, so many that I’m beginning to think that sudden illuminations are not the execptions they once were, but are becoming the norm.  

The  Malleable Musician will hopefully link to articles, videos, and blogs that I think point to the future of the gigging musician, and I’ll be adding my own two cents to the discussion.  My opinion is going to be very biased.  I play guitar in a metal band from Missoula Montana.   My homestate is fairly isolated from and seemingly disparaged by the rest of the world.  Being the outsider always gives one a different perspective as to what’s going on.  It can, unfortunately, also breed sameness, as we provincials constantly try to break into the “mainstream”.  

So, feel free to lurk, comment, agree, despise, whatever.  Hopefully, we’ll find some few like  minded souls out there.