Entrepreneur, programmer, avid student of life. I make useful things, and share what I learn.

If you don't say what you sound like, you won't make any fans

A person asks you, “What kind of music do you do?”
Musicians say, “All styles. Everything.”

That person then asks, “So who do you sound like?”
Musicians say, “Nobody. We're totally unique. Like nothing you've ever heard before.”

What does that person do?
Nothing.
They might make a vague promise to check you out sometime.
Then they walk on, and forget about you!
Why???
You didn't arouse their curiosity! You violated a HUGE rule of self-promotion! Bad bad bad!

What if you had said, “It's 70's porno-funk music being played by men from Mars.”
Or... “This CD is a delicate little kiss on your earlobe from a pink-winged pixie.”
Or... “It's deep-dancing reggae that magically places palm trees and sand wherever it is played, and grooves so deep it makes all non-dancers get drunk on imaginary island air, and dance in the sand.”

Any one of these, and you've got their interest.

Get yourself a magic key phrase that describes what you sound like. Try out a few different ones, until you see which one always gets the best reaction from strangers. Use it. Have it ready at a moment's notice.

It doesn't have to narrow what you do at all. Any of those three examples I use above could sound like anything.

And that's just the point - if you have a magic phrase that describes your music in curious but vague terms, you can make total strangers start wondering about you.

But whatever you do, stay away from the words “everything”, “nothing”, “all styles”, and “totally unique”.

Say something!

If you don't say what you sound like, you won't make any fans

Comments

  1. Mack Burnett (2008-08-02) #

    THANKS

  2. Yanick (2008-08-03) #

    Love, love the "delicate little kiss on your earlobe" approach. I will use something similar on my radio interview later. Thanks Derek.

  3. Rino (Ambraduna) (2009-03-17) #

    Thank you very much. That's very useful what you're writing. I always said or wrote: "I sound little bit like...(artist/band)". Useful site this, i hope you'll keep it up to date. Cheers!

  4. Chris Magennis (2009-06-02) #

    Derek

    You inspired me to work on my SOUNDS LIKE in myspace - check out the menu:

    A chapin fillet in beatle pastry with B S & T/supertramp stuffing garnished with a just a pinch of elvis salt and b.b.king pepper and topped off with some delicious orbison gravy on an easybeat china plate.

    Accompanied with a side dish of burrows/brubeck salad and a mild moby dressing served in a tijuana brass bowl.

    Recommended wine: A Cohen/Cave Red

  5. Roy O'Neil (2009-07-18) #

    I tell em' "Geezer Country" grown up songs for old farts who like a great story and a strong melody.

  6. Leif Nar (2010-03-31) #

    I knew a band that described themselves as "Progressive Rock". They couldn't write or play in time or be in key. Even being a musician, I have to admit, I didn't understand what Progressive Rock is. So the description didn't mean much to me. After hearing their music I thought "Progressive Crap" was a better description.

    We've been calling our style "90's Alternative". It seems to tell people what to expect. If they ask for further clarification we say we're along the lines of Gin Blossoms.

  7. Hoop (2010-06-03) #

    To quote from Alice Cooper "It's like someone pissing on your head and calling it rain".

  8. Reach (2011-04-10) #

    @ Hoop - Nice quote.

    Derek, very wise words. Acutally I can think of a few different ways to use such an approach in many different fields. Thanks.

  9. rocker (2011-08-10) #

    Like Zakk Wylde from Black Label Society said about his ultra heavy slug metal sound:

    "Well... there's Britney Spears, and there's us."

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