Insights for Succeeding in Today's Music Industry: A Conversation with Carl Bahner - Part 2

Audio Branding

“The way to get your rates up is to make them realize that you’re like the supply, and demand works in your favor if the supply is one, right? If you’re the only person doing this thing, not the only person mixing, not the only person doing, I don’t know, a Scottish Gen Z accent, I don’t know what the equivalent would be. It’s not just the only person doing that service, it’s the only person doing that service but from your set of experiences and perspectives, people are a lot more willing to pay for that. Because they’re not just getting your unique taste, your unique, like, approach to it, but it’s the peace of mind, knowing that you’ve got their back.” -- Carl Bahner

This episode is the second half of my conversation with musician, mix engineer, and sonic wizard Carl Bahner as we talk about the true purpose of music producers, the importance of enthusiasm when it comes to branding, and what it takes to succeed in today’s post-Spotify music industry.

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(0:00:00) – Artist’s Guide to Music Business

The episode begins with Carl’s biggest piece of advice for up-and-coming artists: “Know what you’re signing up for.” As he puts it, record labels are in the business to make money, not to necessarily make things easier for the band. “They think that having a label is going to solve all their problems,” he says. “They can just be themselves, do what they want, and everybody has to listen to us. And that’s not how business partnerships work.” We talk about building your brand and professional relationships, and being recognized for what you have to offer. “It’s not about changing who I am to try to fit what I think that they want,” “he explains. “It’s just saying, okay, the people that are going to find the most value in what I do are going to find the most value in who I am and why I do what I do.”

(0:13:07) – Pricing Strategy for Creative Freelancers

We discuss finding your passion as a freelancer and the importance of bringing that sense of enthusiasm and genuine interest into each project. “What is it,” Carl asks, “that I just absolutely have the most passion, just, like, pouring out of me when I’m doing it, and then ask yourself, okay, well, if there’s a market for that.” He shares what he’s learned about the value of networking and building a reputation for reliability and trustworthiness, and the new role of music in today’s digital gig economy. “Your music is no longer the product or thing that you create,” he says. “Your music is advertisement for you. The music that you make on social media, it’s the music that you make and, like, a social media post that you make to promote it. The music itself is not going to pay the bills.”

(0:29:55) - Navigating the Modern Music Industry

Carl emphasizes that, in a world of streaming audio and online platforms, a career in music has to offer fans something more than tracks and albums. “You have to do social media,” he explains, “and you have to do concerts like merchandise, and live events like the experience, like the tangible things and the experiential things are where the money is.” We discuss the process of building a community and engaging with fans, and Carl shares how listeners can find him online. “Come say hi,” he says. “I don’t bite. It’s physically impossible to bite somebody through Instagram. I’ve tried.”

Episode Summary

• Carl’s advice on navigating the music industry, self-promotion, and networking.
• The value of interpersonal connections, trust-building, and building a fan community.
• Selling a brand and an authentic experience in the streaming-music industry.

Connect with the Guest

Website: http://www.carlbahner.com/

Connect with Carl Bahner on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlbahner

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Editing/Production by Humberto Franco - https://humbertofranco.com/