House of Love Records - i Magazine

OMG…I’m the Grasshopper

by Kyran

Recently engaged, I am sorting out my old life, as I start to build my new one. I was reminded of the story of the grasshopper and the ant and surprised by the realization that I am the grasshopper.

I am educated, well traveled, full of colorful stories and still struggling to balance my income. Now I'm not living beyond my means but I am simplifying my life, which is the first step to recovery.

As an author and an artist I have accomplished much but I should have more to show for of than I have. I realize as I grow and pursue my dreams that I have bought into the fantasy. I was thinking like an artist and not a producer and that difference changed my world.

In all of my efforts to make an artistic contribution I have failed to think of the business of art. They needn't be mutually exclusive concepts. I had always thought of myself as savvy and somewhat thrifty. I had no choice. I had to be to execute my vision. However, as you invest in your work there are several things to observe.

The first being, what exactly are you investing in? While most people invest in things, they rarely analyze their long-term value or weigh the possible return on the investment.

Per project I was investing in things that would be useful to my projects but that were one-time expenses that would outlive their usefulness. I noticed early in that I could not guarantee a return on any investment outside of myself and my focus shifted as new gifts emerged.

It became a question of managing skills that would prove more valuable to myself and others than any single artistic expression. It would hit me years later that I was becoming as valuable as my art.

Tip: Always invest in yourself. You can always guarantee a return on the investment.

My next concern grew in later years...what is your risk? Many people produce art for art's sake or they pursue it as a mercenary and go to the highest bidder. To create a legacy and a catalogue of meaningful work requires heavy patronage or a source of income to allow artistic freedom. I have noted that most will sell the skill.

I am not in favor of straying from a vision to work for hire. There are two types of artists, in any medium; there are people that live it and people that make a living at it. It is the difference between the musician and the composer. While one may play beautifully, even the musician will concede the importance of the composer in furthering the art. Without the visionary there can be no interpretation of vision.

At minimum, look to break even on your projects. To have them finance themselves and profit is ideal but the struggling artist must take note of this point in order to keep producing. You should invest in things that can sustain their own growth and creation.

Avoid risking more than you can afford to lose. While great risk can bring great reward those stories are not the norm and credit does not replace a sound strategy...just as hype does not replace substance.

Risk is more than weighing present concerns. Think of it as building a structure and imagine what you want to end up with at the end. I have made a rule not to have a hand in building my own prison. Every piece that I put into place is weighed to see what impact it will have on my goal. The adage is true that all that glitters isn't gold. Some things that seem to be good turn out not to be in the long run.

Weigh future returns as well. This will save you from costly mistakes in the future. In other words do the math. Help comes with strings attached. Make sure you do not become a puppet for them. Percentages will add up. Make sure there is enough for yourself when everyone else has been fed.

Read everything and educate yourself so that you know what rights to protect. Imagine a thread on a sweater that once pulled unravels the garment. It is the piece that has made and broken many people. It is rare that you will get second chances and no one will point out their advantage to the uninformed.

Do you need some real world advice? Write with your questions to webmaster@houseofloverecords.com

Follow my journey into music production in the Electronic Music Production Program @ Dubspot.

Articles March 2009 - Issue 1, vol. 1 The Business of News The Other Woman State vs. Private College Where Have All The Newsmen Gone? Hype and the Improper Brand Who's Pulling The Strings? Voyeurism and the Modern World The Thinker The State of Broadway	OMG…I’m the Grasshopper by Kyran Recently engaged, I am sorting out my old life, as I start to build my new one. I was reminded of the story of the grasshopper and the ant and surprised by the realization that I am the grasshopper. I am educated, well traveled, full of colorful stories and still struggling to balance my income. Now I'm not living beyond my means but I am simplifying my life, which is the first step to recovery. As an author and an artist I have accomplished much but I should have more to show for of than I have. I realize as I grow and pursue my dreams that I have bought into the fantasy. I was thinking like an artist and not a producer and that difference changed my world. In all of my efforts to make an artistic contribution I have failed to think of the business of art. They needn't be mutually exclusive concepts. I had always thought of myself as savvy and somewhat thrifty. I had no choice. I had to be to execute my vision. However, as you invest in your work there are several things to observe. The first being, what exactly are you investing in? While most people invest in things, they rarely analyze their long-term value or weigh the possible return on the investment. Per project I was investing in things that would be useful to my projects but that were one-time expenses that would outlive their usefulness. I noticed early in that I could not guarantee a return on any investment outside of myself and my focus shifted as new gifts emerged. It became a question of managing skills that would prove more valuable to myself and others than any single artistic expression. It would hit me years later that I was becoming as valuable as my art. Tip: Always invest in yourself. You can always guarantee a return on the investment. My next concern grew in later years...what is your risk? Many people produce art for art's sake or they pursue it as a mercenary and go to the highest bidder. To create a legacy and a catalogue of meaningful work requires heavy patronage or a source of income to allow artistic freedom. I have noted that most will sell the skill. I am not in favor of straying from a vision to work for hire. There are two types of artists, in any medium; there are people that live it and people that make a living at it. It is the difference between the musician and the composer. While one may play beautifully, even the musician will concede the importance of the composer in furthering the art. Without the visionary there can be no interpretation of vision. At minimum, look to break even on your projects. To have them finance themselves and profit is ideal but the struggling artist must take note of this point in order to keep producing. You should invest in things that can sustain their own growth and creation. Avoid risking more than you can afford to lose. While great risk can bring great reward those stories are not the norm and credit does not replace a sound strategy...just as hype does not replace substance. Risk is more than weighing present concerns. Think of it as building a structure and imagine what you want to end up with at the end. I have made a rule not to have a hand in building my own prison. Every piece that I put into place is weighed to see what impact it will have on my goal. The adage is true that all that glitters isn't gold. Some things that seem to be good turn out not to be in the long run. Weigh future returns as well. This will save you from costly mistakes in the future. In other words do the math. Help comes with strings attached. Make sure you do not become a puppet for them. Percentages will add up. Make sure there is enough for yourself when everyone else has been fed. Read everything and educate yourself so that you know what rights to protect. Imagine a thread on a sweater that once pulled unravels the garment. It is the piece that has made and broken many people. It is rare that you will get second chances and no one will point out their advantage to the uninformed. Do you need some real world advice? Write with your questions to webmaster@houseofloverecords.com		Available online and in stores now www.kyranbooks.com


	Columns
	Follow my journey into music production in the Electronic Music Production Program @ Dubspot. www.dubspot.com	Do you need some real world advice? Write with your questions to webmaster@houseofloverecords.com