💡✍️ADN #064: The Idea Test

Hey Friends -

Welcome to the Artist Development Newsletter.

Every Sunday, I send an email providing actionable tips for artists and industry on one area of the music business.

Last week, we talked about how to co-write with your heroes.

You can re-read last week's newsletter here if you want to refresh.

Today, I want to tell you about "The Idea Test."

Let's go — ->

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Recently, I went to a songwriter round.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept, it typically looks like this:

3–4 artists or songwriters playing songs in a circle or a line for an hour or two.

It's a great way to test out new material.

On this evening, a friend was on stage, and I knew he planned to play new songs.

I sat back and watched and decided to note the audience's reaction.

When you're in the room, you can feel which lines land and which don't.

This is "The Idea Test."

You have an idea of what you think is suitable for your song, but until you get it on unfamiliar ears, you don't know how it will land.

His new music had a great reaction, and he left the show with confidence that the songs were close to completion.

There were a few places he realized he could tighten up a lyric or a melody, and he went home and worked on those moments.

What I love about this is that the audience thought they were just watching a show.

But my friend was playing a show and running a test.

He needed feedback to decide if the songs should be considered for his next album.

He left with the answers he was looking for, and the audience left with their heads full of great new music.

You can apply this same concept to social media.

Write a chorus to a song, post it on TikTok or Instagram, and send it to your fan club or your email list.

Why sit by yourself wondering for months if your idea is ok, good, or great?

Try "The Idea Test" and find out right away.

The result you want is a visceral reaction.

• A head nod
• Tears
• A standing ovation
• Reposts
• Comments
• 🔥 emoji's

The sooner you test your ideas, the sooner you can improve them or find out they are ready to be released.

Action item: Give it a try this week.

Take an idea you've been sitting on and let someone hear it, share it on social media, or if you have a show, play it out.

That's it for today.

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See you next Sunday!

Neil Mason

Artist Development

P.S. I gave you a first look at something I have been building last week.

Lyric Copy

Lyric Copy is a 10-day email course built to teach you how to learn tricks from the world's greatest songwriters quickly.

Every morning for ten days, you'll receive a PDF with one great lyric in your inbox.

You'll set aside 20–30 minutes per day.

Then, you'll get out a pen and paper and handwrite the lyrics delivered to your inbox.

This will help you feel great writing flow from your pen to paper.

I have made notes on the PDFs highlighting the songwriter tools and tricks used in each lyric and have recorded a short video to accompany each where I break down the writing.

We already have 20 people running through the course.

If you love songwriting or are just starting, you'll love LYRIC COPY.

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