Anything is possible

Sometimes I get questions in the advice series that boil down to, “Can I do this or that?” or “Can I not do that?”.

For example:

Can I send a demo track to a few dozen labels at once?
Can a DJ not post anything on social media?
Can I not use equalizer?
Can I come to the club ten minutes before the start of my set?

That is, a person has probably heard that something should be done, but is looking for a way to refute it: “Are you sure it should be done? Maybe it’s not necessary? Can we do it differently?” And that’s okay because it’s good to ask questions.

And the answer is very simple: anything is possible. Anything at all. But every choice has consequences that are worth bearing in mind.

For example:

Can I send a demo track to a few dozen labels at once?
Yes, you can, but be prepared that your demo will either be ignored or signed to some third-rate label. Here’s the best way to send a demo.

Can a DJ not post anything on social media?
Yes, you can, but then it will be harder for people to hear about you, and your audience will grow slower. Because social media is important.

Can I not use equalizer?
Yes, you can, but then don’t be surprised if the bass in your track is sluggish and dull. If you at least check and cut the extra low end, it will be cleaner already.

Can you come to the club ten minutes before the start of your set?
Yes, you can, but then you won’t have much time left for “plan B” if something goes wrong – and a lot of things can go wrong. I recommend arriving early.

Anything is possible, but it’s worth bearing in mind the consequences of the choice

Note that in the examples above, I didn’t call any of the outcomes bad. Maybe you write music purely for fun, so you don’t care about releases on credible labels, audience growth, or performances? Well, that’s fine, because those things are neither good nor bad in and of themselves.

But if you have certain career goals in mind, then you have to consider the possible consequences of any of such “yes, you can”.