Cuh-mew-nih-cay-shun 🙊

See how important it is?

All language is a lie.

The moment you attempt to take an unspoken idea and contort it into language (no matter the medium), it becomes corrupted.

…….

Anyways, have a great weekend.

……

Just kidding.

Why is this concept important?

Because it means that the most existential challenge an artist faces when promoting their art is communicating your unspoken vision as accurately as humanly possible, knowing full well that 100% accuracy is impossible (until we get chips implanted in our brain and can communicate telepathically).

So with this in mind, I want you to do a quick mental exercise with me.

This may be uncomfortable or a little “woo-woo”, but for the love of God just stick with me.

Ready?

Ok, start by thinking about a project of yours that you’re really passionate about.

Maybe it’s a new song, album, poem, painting, whatever.

And now, I want you to let go of the “image” of that project, and bring your awareness to only the feeling it arouses.

Is it dull? Is it bright?

Is it smart? Is it dumb?

Is it a sharp feeling? Is it rounded and blunt?

Whatever “it” is, hold on to that for a moment longer, and then let it fall away.

…..

Alright well have a great weekend.

…..

Just kidding again.

That “feeling” is the unspoken truth that underpins whatever creative project you originally imagined during this exercise.

That “feeling” is what your audience should be left with after consuming your art, otherwise you did a shitty job of communicating.

Now notice what I just said.

If your audience isn’t left with the intended feeling, it doesn’t mean the feeling was wrong, it means you did a shitty job communicating it.

This is an important distinction.

Almost every artist I work with assumes that if their art “flops”, it’s an indictment on their creative vision…. when in reality it’s an indictment of their ability to communicate it.

Imagine if Art Garfunkel made a shirtless TikTok of himself on the beach lip-syncing “Bridge Over Troubled Water”.

….. it probably wouldn’t hit quite the same way right?

The song is still brilliant….. but the communication of the artistic vision is horribly misaligned with the feeling that song is intended to evoke.

A song like that needs to be communicated intimately, quietly, and passionately…otherwise the audience is left with a very different feeling than Art Garfunkel probably intended.

“Michael, you’re a sweet guy but it’s Thursday afternoon and if you keep speaking in abstractions I’m going to literally kill you”

Ok, let me get to my point.

If you are reading this article, then you obviously believe that you have something worth sharing with the world.

So stop wasting your time questioning that “something”, and focus on where the disconnect in your communication is.

With that said, here are some quick ways to improve your communication:

1. Choose the right medium.

Everyone always asks me “should I make TikTok’s?”, “should I make Reels?”, “should I start a SubStack”?

And I always respond “how the f*** should I know”?

The medium you use to promote your art depends on how well you can use it to communicate effectively.

This SubStack was originally going to be a YouTube series until I realized I was incredibly boring and uncomfortable on camera….

So I found an alternate route that allows me to communicate more effectively.

Choose the medium that aligns with your vision, don’t shoehorn your vision into a specific medium just because you think you’re “supposed to”.

You’ll just waste time.

2. Consider your audience.

Effective communication means translating your unspoken ideas accurately, but it also means accounting for how those ideas are received.

For example, if I walk into a nursing home cafeteria and scream “YO MY NEW SONG IS FIRE 🔥 ”, it may feel accurate to me, but it probably won’t evoke the excitement I’m expecting…

Understanding the mindset of the audience you’re communicating with is key if you want to connect with people.

Like…. If I was just writing this article for myself, I wouldn’t need to jump through all these hoops to make it so effing charming.

I do all of this for you 🤓

I’m not saying you need to pander to your audience, you just need to understand how your message will be received if you want to communicate effectively.

3. Monitor your enthusiasm.

One more hard truth for today…

No one is going to give a crap about anything unless you do first.

If you’re dead behind every time you’re promoting your music, then it’s going to be awfully hard to get folks to care about what you’re doing.

Notice what forms of communication energize you, and what forms of communication exhaust you. Then double down on the former and completely cut out the latter (regardless of how much you’re convinced you HAVE to keep doing it).

Now, let me be clear….

I’m not saying to cut out anything that is difficult, or challenging, or hard.

I’m saying cut out anything that you are not enthusiastic or passionate about and double down on what you are.

Enthusiasm is contagious, so is nonchalance.

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I’ll wrap up this bizarre article with one final example of clear communication:

IF, FOR ANY REASON, YOU’VE READ THIS ENTIRE ARTICLE AND STILL DO NOT SUBSCRIBE TO THIS SUBSTACK…. THEN YOU ARE DEAD TO ME.

Have a good one!

Michael from MAD Records