Ryan's Take on Music

Who doesn’t like semi-informative parodies?

Bands should make at least one album where the lead singer has a cold. They would cut their cancelled tour dates in half. 

Knowledge 

A therapeutic reminiscence of the days surrounding college graduation and the beginning of the “real world” we all hear so much about. A look into the future for college students and the past for post-graduates. 

The highly anticipated second single from my upcoming album, “This Side of 25.” It will be available 03/12/13.

The first song off of my upcoming album titled “This Side of 25.” It’s an internal reflection of a dog looking at a passing squirrel from inside the living room of a suburban home. 

Going to be posting a song off of my upcoming album tomorrow. I realize the amount of interest generating on tumblr about this new album is staggering. 

Take a deep breath. Calm yourselves. 

I will guide you through the online frenzy to a beacon of musical light that is my first single. 

-Ryan, the humble tumblr, Montalvo 

i laughed

(Source: anggggg, via alydee)

DON’T BE OFFENDED 

If you are easily offended then making music isn’t your thing. Unless of course you plan on keeping your music horded on a computer in a basement somewhere, in which case, by all means.

I can’t tell you how many emails I’ve sent, phone calls/texts I’ve made, or contests I’ve entered without receiving a response.

It WILL happen. People WILL blow you off. And you WILL get offended.

The trick is to let it go. If people don’t want to work with you then oh well. If fellow artists don’t answer your emails then stop emailing them. If you don’t win a contest then it’s probably FREAKING RIGGED.

No, just kidding. It probably means you need to work harder so you can win the next one.

The point is, don’t take everything people do, or especially don’t do, to heart. Silence for an analytical songwriters mind often leads down a very negative and self-loathing path. You won’t go there though, because you know better now.

-Ryan  

Advice to Other Artists #31

You Are NOT your favorite artist

Say that out loud. Really. TRULY. Say it. Because without hearing it from your own mouth it may be one of the most detrimental forces to ever fight against your creativity.

Say it. I’ll wait…

If you’re like me then you’ve listened to a certain album over and over and one day decided you would never be as good as him or her. I’ve deleted entire folders, snapped cd’s, and even torn up pages of lyrics because the feeling of inadequacy was so overwhelming. It feels like you’re seeing the end of your artistic existence.

But do you know what that moment really means? It means that with the recognition of greatness comes the recognition of how hard we really have to work.

And it’s scary.

But what’s scarier? Having to work hard to perfect your craft or having to work hard to forget that you didn’t.

-Ryan