Trading What for Why
You know that terrible feeling when your friend tells you your zipper on your pants is down? That feeling of being completely caught off guard and unprepared. That’s the feeling a lot of us feel when people ask us about our music.
When someone asks a question like this it could come in several forms. Tell me about your music? How’d you get started in music? Or what’s different about your music? Usually we then spend several minutes stumbling through words that all string together in something like a sentence, saying cliches, and catch phrases we’d never say if we were prepared. Just as problematic, if someone asked that person to tell them about your music, they certainly couldn’t relay that message or story.
One of the biggest mistakes I see musicians make is telling a what story instead of a why story. One of the problems with telling a what story is that the language isn’t universal. Most listeners don’t know the difference between rock, garage rock, industrial rock, or college rock, so it’s best not to tell people what your music is or isn’t. It can be confusing. But even more so, what stories are usually information-oriented, and information by itself is rarely compelling.
A why story, on the other hand, speaks to something bigger. It has characters and a backdrop. It has a buildup and a conclusion. It is compelling. When people ask about your music, they don’t want the documentary, they want the movie trailer. Give the trailer first, then if you have a long drive or coffee, you can give them the full version, once they’ve shown interest.
Let me give you an example. If you asked me about the studio, which of the following would be more interesting:
1) I have an iMac, a few cool preamps, an 1176, a Manley Massive Passive, a Pearlman, and a bunch of other really fun microphones. Currently, I’m experimenting with a minimalist setup, and I have all my gear in a side rack, so it’s not what’s in front of me. I really like recording Country, Pop, Rock, and Folk.
2) When I was in high school and college I had a lot of recording experiences that were bummers. I remember one project where I sat in front of the soundboard with all of the faders and knobs, dreaming of touring the world with Coldplay. But after spending a bunch of money, I put the disc in my car and wanted to cry. It sounded so bad. I don’t want anyone else to have that experience. Now, I help people make something they’re proud of. More importantly, I walk them through the process of moving the ball forward to make their dream a reality. I know that these small things will make Mississippi a better place.
Now, here’s the problem with the Description Number One. It doesn’t mean much, unless you know what recording equipment is, and even if you do, most of my gear is in the boutique realm anyway. Also, the description doesn’t say anything about people. And the studio is all about people.
Description Number Two is compelling for a number of reasons. It has characters, conflict, and in this abbreviated version, it has an arc to the story. It has something everyone can relate to—disappointment. Most importantly, it has my why: I don’t want people to have the experience I had. I want to partner with artists, and I truly want Mississippi to be a better place.
The truth is people want to hear a good story. While they might ask you about the what, they really do want to hear the why. So, the next time someone gives you the opportunity to tell them a story, make it compelling. If it’s compelling, it will spread.