the first 15
Published July 09, 2021
Imagine me putting on my best Don LaFontaine movie trailer voice-over voice:
In a world where music flows like cheap wine from every speaker connected to the internet, one artist rises above. In a world where seemingly no one can rise above the noise floor known as the world wide web, one artist breaks through. In a world where loudness wars and televised singing contests determine what new music sounds like, one artist refuses to play their silly games.
You know that whenever we latch on to a new artist (go ahead, think about the last new artist you fell in love with), we stay because of their artistry and authenticity, but we noticed them because either someone recommended them to us or we heard something unique or unusual in just a short part of one of their recordings. If I’m wrong, go ahead and write me back, or better yet, challenge me to some discussion in our facebook group.
And very often, that special something happens in the first 15 seconds of a recording.

Even if I LOVE Joni Mitchell (which I do) and everything about her, and just bought the newest “Archive” boxed sets (which are stunning, BTW), if I hear a new artist and they sound very much like Joni Mitchell, without something unique sounding or new, I’m very likely to turn it off in the first minute or so unless something grabs my attention and pulls me in.
I invite you, rather than to bemoan this tendency in humans, to instead embrace it and to lean into it. It’s really not that hard to find the stuff that’s new + authentic in your music. You mainly just need permission and a sense of play.
Go for it.
You got this,
Gary
for golden lotus studio
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Gary Grundei, founder | composer
There’s a magic that can happen when you put creativity, growth, authenticity, generosity, and community all together in one virtual environment. golden lotus studio was established as an online community in 2018 to fill a need for composers and songwriters of all walks of life and experience and training and styles to be able to support each other in their creativity and growth.
Friday Afternoon Songwriting Club (FASC)


