You may often hear the tired cliché that everyone has to start somewhere and no one is born a genius.
Well, here's the good news and the bad news: there is truth in it.
If you want to learn a new language, you won't immediately understand native speakers. If you start going to the gym, you won’t be able to push 100-kg weights straight away (or even if you try, you probably find yourself in hospital with a hernia). If you pick up an instrument for the first time, you won't be able to play Asurias or Spanish Romance, or any of your favourite songs, trust me.
Masters also started out the same way, you just don't know it. Why? Imagine the career of a professional as an iceberg: at the top you see professionalism, success, recognition and a lack of failures – it's so human that we inevitably want to show what we are really proud of, and we like to cover up our mistakes. There is nothing wrong with that. But what we often can't see out of the iceberg is under the water: struggles, rejection, fatigue, despair, piling up mistake after mistake, or questioning yourself.
So here’s the thing: You have nothing to build on without making mistakes sometimes. Look at your mistakes not as flaws, but as points of growth. Because they show how to be better and better. Give yourself permission to suck at new things.
From a very personal experience, I can tell you this: When I decided to release my first album, I had no idea what I’m getting myself into. I had to experiment with many different things: cover layouts, distributors, vinyl companies, and even though I was doing the best I humanly could, mistakes were made. Quite many, to be frank :D
Yes, the album has flaws, not everything is exactly how I visualised it. No, I’m not mad anymore: it’s the best I could do at that time and every piece sounds fantastic on it, played the best I could and mixed-mastered just perfectly for my taste.
But the thing is: as I was making all these unexpected mistakes around the CD printing causing me delays and reprints, I messed up the final order of the songs, the vinly took 8 months longer to make than I promised and so on, and I let these take away from the joy of making something I love and care for. I let it pull me down, and after some time, the album project felt like a burden. When I realised this, I took a bit back on the expectations and just allowed myself to work in my own pace, and to enjoy the process after all. Yes, mistakes were made. But they made me learn and grow so much!
Now just a short reminder that my CD-s are running out of stock, there’s only 12 copies left. Don’t worry, they are flawless. But once it’s out, it’s out, I’m not planning a reprint. However, there are still many vinyls in the shop, and by buying one you’ll get fantastic quality and also support my music and work. Think about it!
YouTube
Getting better at our craft and art takes a lot of self reflection and self determination. You have to ask the right questions every single day and have to evaluate your answers and actions critically. It’s not easy! So I’m about to premier a new video in a couple of hours on my channel where I point out a simple, easy to use method to improve your music right away!
I know I said no more clickbaits, but it’s so hard to make these thumbnails and titles compact without sounding clickbaity :D I actually do believe I deliver on the promise, watch it and let me know!
Booklet
You won't play perfectly right away when you start practising with my new booklet - but it will help you to grow and improve as a musician. Check it out on Etsy!
Hope you enjoyed this newsletter, feel free to share it with someone if you think they could use some weekly inspiration. Have a nice week, and don't be too hard on yourself when you start something new.
Hugs,
Beatrix