On Learning. . . ALWAYS

It happened at NAMM.

In the midst of the overwhelming shit-show that it is, I was lucky enough to be included in a meeting with the head of a truly innovative virtual instrument company (I’ll leave his/their name out of this for now, suffice it to say I use his stuff all the time and can’t wait to use ALL of it). Just moments into the conversation I had the opportunity to tell my “story,” but not where I came from or my ongoing melee with the music industry… that’s boring. I got to tell him about what I love most about my current work: The chance to EDUCATE young artists. This goes far beyond boilerplate dreck about copyright or Performing Rights Organizations or why your radio hit shouldn’t be 6 minutes long. It’s my moment to help young artists navigate the wreckage-filled waters of “careers in music.”

In what could very well have been a simple nicety, he suggested that I might want to blog about it – maybe even for his own use. Now, he was probably kidding. He might not even remember saying it at all. But it stuck with me. My production process involves disseminating wisdom wherever it is useful, but unless I write it down, it’s sure to be lost to the short-term memory of every scared, excited artist that comes through my door. So I’ve taken it upon myself to do just that. Write it down.

This is the first blog in what should be a consistent series of insights On Something.

Here’s the plan. I’ll focus on a specific topic related to the music industry. I’ll distill the information into easily consumable portions, and I’ll spell out everything I know that might be deemed helpful to my own clients, which might in turn be helpful to you. If I don’t know enough right now, I’ll learn. And when I don’t really know enough about a topic, I’ll find someone who does and direct you to them. That, in all likelihood, will be the easiest part about writing this blog. Learning… ALWAYS, is incredibly important to my career, and it’s just as important to yours. Believe me.

In the meantime, please message me with music-related topics that interest you, and I will do my best to include it in one of my musings. Thank you all for your friendship, your interest, and your art.

~O

Owen Sartori is a 35-year veteran in the music industry as a musician, songwriter, and producer. Currently, he is a co-owner of F5 SoundHouse in Minneapolis, MN and helps mentor, produce and write with/for artists wherever he is needed.

For more, visit f5soundhouse.com.