Podcasts have been beyond influential for me… They have educated me in ways I never thought possible, and connected me with people I would’ve never been introduced to any other way.
Long ago – it seems – I began consuming podcasts as I was doing more pursuit of work as a professional horn player. This was, in actuality, probably 6-8 years ago.
One of the first shows I came across that I began listening to obsessively was The Brass Junkies… In each episode I learned more and more about what it’s like to be a full-time, professional brass player – currently. After a while I became a patron of the show’s. In doing so, I was “rewarded” with a phone call with both hosts, Lance LaDuke and Andrew Hitz. Those conversations both led to incredible new places – Lance telling me about Eric Branner and Fons, which I’ve been using in private instruction ever since – and Andrew coaching me in music business pursuits, since then.
I would continue to pursue horn playing and listen to podcasts – you can learn so much while you’re simply doing busy work around the house! I will often be gardening, etc. Why not also be learning, at the same time? Ultimately, my work life changed gears, and I was beginning a patron-supported concert series of my own. I learned of Andrew’s other podcast, The Entrepreneurial Musician. This show suddenly became a fixture in my life – along with a host of others. Here are some favorites:
- Break the Business
- The Accidental Creative
- How I Built This
- Beyond the To-Do List
- How to Build a Sustainable Music Career and Collect All Revenue Streams
Starting a podcast of my own was inevitable, for WMV. I’m very proud of the quality of programming, topics and listenership that has been built up through The Musician’s Venture. I hosted the first couples seasons myself, but now am simply a contributor (kudos to our primary host, Nick O’Brien, for his great work). Please consider listening, if you have not.
The access we have to information and people – whether it be for music, business, personal matters or beyond, is just unreal. A big shout out to the podcasters, today… Many of us wouldn’t be the same without you!