"making music that sells" is a bad goal

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Holistic Songwriting is the most relevant resource for modern Songwriters/Producers on the net.
Friedemann Findeisen is an award-winning songwriter and the author of the bestselling book "The Addiction Formula". As a musical profiler, he coaches some of the biggest producers in Germany.
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[@kcsubdued]

Lex man.. with these 19 mins you've given me all the confidence I neeeded. After spending like half a decade perfecting and learning everything, the artistic approach I should take was becoming a big hurdle in my psyche and process. This video just cleared it all up. Thanks a lot

[@Holistic-songwriting]

That made my day, thank you!

[@heartshinemusic]

It's simple: make the music you want to hear. Give it your best! And a great quote I heard a while ago: If your dreams (= goals) don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough.

[@deadsoto]

Man I haven’t even watched the vid yet. But just want to express my gratitude for everything you’ve done in HSA. Just co wrote a song with the things I’ve learned from you and it’s my best yet. Thank you!!

[@--Mano--]

Great message and hilarious graphics. Keep it up!

[@vitormoraes3401]

Thank you for telling me what I was needing to hear!

[@charleshammell]

Thanks for this common-sense encouragement. Fortunately for me, I've only ever been walking an original path, not focusing on commercial viability. I can only create music that's original and moves me. I can't crank things out. My mind and soul won't let me.

[@dougfury]

AMEN! Thanks for finding such a concise way to explain this. You rule Friedemann. 🤘🤘

[@FX-ri3dn]

Great motivational video, thank you. I find myself falling into this. When I have a idea for a song, I present it to others and compare it to other songs. It makes me thinking that I should change it based on the feedback. I’ve done that and lost my own vision.

[@DJBONEZDIEZ]

'you get to decide who your fans are' nice !

[@CherieO]

Great speech. You have such a way with words. I have never been able to make commercial music anyway. I have not really found my own sound either. I like variety too much. I am a big fan of all styles of music. I fear I am a hopeless case.

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Not necessarily. I think there are ways in which we can have the variety without giving up a clear image. It's what I tried with my second album, Only The Good Things. It does require a strong vision though.

[@victorsakshin]

You’re a hero 🔥

[@Songhelden]

So gut! Das ist wahrscheinlich einer der wichtigsten Messages für schöpferisch tätige Musiker...Danke für's Teilen deiner Gedanke in diesem Video...Top! 🙂🙌

[@mariusg5713]

It´s all about being truly unique and relatable - in every aspect. One could still cross-reference his / her musical influences in the art as a thankful homage. I like to show where I´m coming from. This also helps the fans to identify your artistic alter ego. Even when I´m not trying to define myself by genre cause I like to express myself by how I feel. And my emotions are constantly changing.

[@Mad_Sanctuary]

Love this video

[@beyojr]

I'm a simple man, i see that you've uploaded a video, i watch said video 😂 I think you're really, really funny and inspirational. I love your videos a lot

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Thank you! :)

[@daveedwards1257]

Most excellent info 🕺🏻Thanks for much clarity and time saving honesty 🎶 ✌️😇🥁💕🎷🎸💙🌎👍🌲🌲🌲🤗 Bongo Dave - Good Happens / Love Shall Prevail

[@Bodyknowledge77]

Art and commerce can work together, but work *better* and **best** when the focus is on the former rather than the latter of what was first typed. If allowed it all falls together in the end..

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Agreed. I think if the mindset is right and the focus is on sharing value and making something that is unique and engaging the money aspect *almost* takes care of itself.

[@QualifiedUmbrella]

I don't make any music 😅 but these videos are so interesting and I love getting this insight

[@sergeistern2012]

I think AB started much earlier in history : ) Compare Handel and Mozart. Or even Medieval Gregorian Chants - there were rules for writing these religious chants, specific "devices", and you couldn't go much creative with.

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Hm, I doubt Handel had a pianist playing Mozart for him while he was writing though. And the rules you are talking about, Counterpoint, were created by these composers, so yes, they are rules, but they had to be creative to create them in the first place.

[@sergeistern2012]

@@Holistic-songwriting Pianist was not required. These composers had great ears and also handwritten scores of each other. Compare a random Handel piece and a random Mozart piece - it is really hard to distinguish one from another. One could argue, where is the creativity in these pieces? The harmony, rhythm, and orchestration are the same, cause that's how people wrote during that time. There was a trend. Well, the melodies are kinda different... but melodies are also different in the recent Top10. Is it enough for the melody to be different to call the piece "creative" or a new genre should be imposed with each piece? But then, a lot of composers everybody knows are not creative at all. If not genre, then a new Sound with each piece? But if the Sound is the element that makes the piece creative, then a lot of composers we know are not creative again! It is an interesting topic to reflect on if we go really deep. As far as the counterpoint, there was no counterpoint in Gregorian Chants - they were monophonic, sung in unison. Counterpoint techniques/rules came much later. I'm talking about the religious canon that prescribed the composers to write a certain way and not stray during the early Medieval Ages. The composers couldn't even put their names on their creations as the purpose of music creation was not for egoistic reasons but for God service only. Similar canons could be observed in visual arts of Medieval Ages, Ancient Egypt art, and others. So AB principle of copying what's "hype", what's "in the air", or "how it is supposed to be" and "easier to be consumed by public" takes roots much deeper in history. History is fascinating and can explain a lot of stuff happening now as, obviously, everything goes in cycles, and human nature hasn't changed during the last 40k years ) Enjoyed your video! Please post more!

[@9thmaggot]

jumped straight to spotify to listen for Subface 🤘

[@genuinefreewilly5706]

Music is a serious hobby and cathartic, intellectually and emotional. I suppose I've expanded my scope of currency or payment. Over the past 6 months getting a composition or cue placed anywhere (derivative media), even without payment is currency. I am happy with that There are new content creators growing exponentially that need all manner of musical and auditory content, (not AI crap). There are far more content creators than musicians It was an epiphany to me. Write music in earnest everyday even in smallest chunks and it will add up

[@alyde]

Great video, i totally agree with the basic sentiment, but it comes across a bit black and white to me so I feel the need to make a point in defense of commercial/popular music. I think looking at trends in pop music doesn't only have to come from looking for an easy route to make as much money as possible. If it were just for that I'd agree with your very negative take on doing that. (Not because I think it's bad to want to make money with music. It just shouldn't come at the cost of sacrificing the art.) But there are two reasons why I think that (looking at trends) is super important. 1) Every great music ever has been influenced by what has been popular at the time that it's been made. That is one of the reasons I love music (and art in general). It's kinda like an iterative, collaborative system that always grows on top of what is already there. Of course we need originality and new ideas for it to not become boring and meaningless. But music that isn't rooted in existing culture is never good imo. Now granted that existing culture doesn't have to be mainstream but I don't see anything wrong with it being mainstream either. 2) To create that meaningful personal experience for the listener, they must be able to understand the music. I've worked with so many musicians (myself included) who are so scared of being "too mainstream" that they overcomplicate their music by so much that nobody except themselves can understand it and connect to it anymore. I myself struggle with making four chord songs because of the voice in my had telling me that's been done before and is commercial. I try to silence this voice as often as possible because trying to not make commercial music is equally as destructive to writing a song as trying to perfectly fit in with every trend. I like to think of trends in popular music the same way I think of music theory. It's not rules, it's more explanations why some things work better than others. It's not a good idea to follow them just for the sake of following them. But it's great to look at them for inspiration or to rely on them as widely shared vocabulary to make sure the messages and emotions I want to get across can be understood by as many people as possible.

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Totally agree with your second point and conclusion :)

[@javascript6948]

I agree for the most part but aren’t we all influenced by artist and that culmination of influences is the result of what our music is. Not imitating but taking a little from each influence to create something unique with our own experiences and voice .

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Of course, and that's completely natural and fine. It's when we consciously start copying, AB-ing as I say in the video where problems arise.

[@vishu7076]

Video full of treasure inside..

[@mattc12345]

isn't it ironic that this video talks about doing your own unique thing, and the teaser for the next video is "the swift formula". ;)

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Haha, fair! :D

[@solarnewborn]

Ayo, been a while since I’ve seen you. Hi!

[@kellustzall3057]

Lol the thumbnail is literally a hipster I’ve already imagine the roast in the cmt section

[@cocorococoon]

Nice job targeting this video to Anthony Fantano's audience with that yellow flannel. I instantly clicked. That being said, i enjoy your content :)

[@augi_v]

I agree with the title but frankly I find this video terrible. You’re telling your audience what they want to hear: “your music is special. If you’re not successful, is probably because your taste is so special, people don’t get you” There are so many things I disagree but I’ll focus on 3: - your whole description of what commercial music means and who does it screams “I’m an academic who thinks I’m better than everyone and im not commercially successful so what’s successful sucks” . Is Billie Eillish/Fineas “unobtrusive” or “easy to replicate” ? Is Kendrick Lamar for people “who don’t care about music”? There are so many exemples - many songwriters/producers go out of their way to make their music appealing. John Mayer, Ryan Tedder, Max Martin etc all explicitly said they go to the charts to understand how this can influence their music. Are you gonna argue they are uninspired songwriters? - “what’s popular now takes years to make”. This is not true AT ALL, but if it is true, which is it? Is popular music complex and hard to replicate? Or is it simple and can be done by anyone? In summary, you’re encouraging people to go on their high horse, take forever to make music (because after all, great music takes a lot of time, right), shut their ears to what's relevant and get high off of their own artistisc egos, and when their work flops they can go back and say “who needs the charts? My music is special, not everyone gets it” sorry but I hate this message

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Hey Vitor, let me answer each of these one by one, because I actually agree with all your points. I think the biggest misunderstanding is that "charting artists are exclusively copycats", which I don't believe. I would argue that Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar are spearhead artists who have done their own unique thing at a time when nobody did what they did. There have since been lots of copycats, but I consider them unique. And yes, like anyone, they can be replicated. As for John Mayer etc, I think again, these are inspired, unique artists so far down the other side of the spectrum that they can easily get inspired by the charts without losing their unique touch. As for the music that takes years to make, I was talking about spearhead music, things that are new. Copying others can be as quick as a day or two. Am I trying to encourage people to get on a high horse? Well, I'd rather have you up there than down in the dirt copying others for a living, thinking there is no other way. Like anything, it's a spectrum. I've met a lot of people who are deeply unhappy, and this video is directed at them.

[@sylentstorm8422]

Apparently, Germans say radio channels, instead of radio stations… Interesting

[@Holistic-songwriting]

Haha, apparently this one does ;)

[@skerieb4dmon438]

First to comment in or maybe 2nd idk!

[@ClydeCyrus]

Making money is never a bad goal, no matter how you do it.

[@Holistic-songwriting]

I wouldn't be so sure about that, especially in the field of arts. Mindsets matter. There are a number of fascinating studies done on the effects of money on the mind (called "priming" in behavioral science), and it seems to make us more egocentric and less willing to help others.

[@ClydeCyrus]

@@Holistic-songwriting you're speaking from a place a privilege, whether you realize it or not.

[@thrownstair]

There are plenty of bad ways to make money. Human trafficking is very lucrative, but I'd rather not do that.

[@solarnewborn]

Tf do you mean “no matter how you do it”?? Crazy 😂

[@Holistic-songwriting]

@@ClydeCyrus I certainly am, but imho you shouldn't pick music as a career path if you need to make money quickly.