We get so caught up in the details of this work, that sometimes we forget the big picture. Yes, it's important to present your brand as a musician, producer, or engineer in a compelling way. But you know what's more important? Making great music. For me, I realized that the best use of my time is almost always the thing that makes me a better string arranger. Time with my cello, listening to music, writing. You know, the actual work. But it's so easy to get caught up in the website, branding, making these videos, and the million other things that get thrown at us as musicians in 2023. So what's the big #@$& in your career? Are you spending enough time on it?

🎻 Strings are there to serve the song, not check a box ☑️ Too often I hear arrangements that feel slapped on as an afterthought. "There's space that needs filling, so why not strings?" But I believe that the real power of a great string arrangement is taking what's already there and using strings to amplify its emotional content. The cello especially has the ability to deepen the emotional weight of a song. So Music producers - whether you're working on Pop, Folk, Indie, or anything in between, don't sleep on a great string arrangement. It can make the difference between the track you're working on landing, or getting overlooked. 🎻

Real strings aren't optional anymore. No, not every song needs strings. Cello won't help everything. But if you have a song on your hands that has emotional weight, you're not going to get away with slapping some fake violins behind the chorus. When we release music, we're competing with all other music out there. We need something that helps us stand out. All these songs I just showed lean on great string arrangements to set them apart. If you're looking to have your music stand up against the best, then don't settle for half way there.

2022 has been wild. I've come such a long way, but it's easy to get wrapped up in the things I didn't pull off. I'm going to take the rest of the year to reflect on what I've pulled off in music (and outside of music) and think about what I want 2023 to look like. Be kind to yourself. We do hard work. Take a moment to be proud of what you've done, and excited about what comes next. I can't wait to play more cello, and arrange strings on more amazing songs next year. I'm endlessly grateful to each and every one of you. 🎻

Do you think this arrangement captured that feeling of being so in love that you can’t see anything else? I’m curious. Honest answers only! 🎻

Ah yes, “The Algorithm”. Every musician’s favorite invisible boogeyman. Tech platforms (like Spotify and Instagram) use algorithms to serve up the content that people are interested in. The algorithm is always changing in search of the perfect match between creators and consumers. You’re creating music. It’s for listeners. If the music you’re making is a match for what listeners want, “The Algorithm” will come to your aid. So here’s your assignment: Make something worthwhile, and get someone to care. “The Algorithm” will come to your aid in the long run if you do that consistently. It’s there to amplify good work, not to be understood and appeased. 🎻 P.S. If you’re reading this, I’m making a newsletter for people like you. It’s a little behind the scenes of the work I’m doing, and how I’m building a meaningful life in the music industry. Signup link is in my bio, and story highlights. I think you’ll like it.

It’s always fun doing something different. I was asked to create a single soaring line that pulled this arrangement together, and I had so much fun with it. @dommalinmusic and @lunakellermusic are such wonderful musicians, and an absolute pleasure to work with. Give “Overgrown” a listen, and let me know how you think it turned out! 🎻

I get exhausted by social media. I’m willing to bet that you do too. People want genuine connection, and on this platform, we’re products. That’s why I think that email still has a place for us musicians. No, email is not the perfect replacement. Not by a long shot. But you know what’s nice? Deciding that you care enough about a person’s work that you’ll communicate with them more deeply. It’s one thing to be willing to see someone’s random thoughts in your feed (hello!) but it’s another to decide to take a couple minutes to get a real glimpse behind the curtain to see what’s going on. If you decide to sign up for my email list, you can expect an email about once a month. I’m going to be sharing some highlights from the work I’ve been doing, songs that have changed how I approach string arranging, why I took a saw to my monitors (and whether it worked out), and pictures of the hummingbird we’ve named Hector Barbossa (after the captain in Pirates of the Caribbean obviously). I’m also planning on sharing deals with my email list that won’t be available anywhere else, so if hummingbirds don’t do it for you, sign up so that we can work together on your next song. Hope to see you on the list. Signup link is in my bio, and story highlights. 🎻

Just spent a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, and it’s been making me think a lot about what I’m grateful for. High on that list this year, was getting to record this arrangement for Christmases Together with @matandsavanna @therealjimbrickman @haleyandmichaels and @mikestankiewicz. It was such an honor getting to work with a group of musicians this skilled. It was about a year ago that I decided to go all in on recording strings, and I could not have imagined getting to work on projects like this within such a short period of time. Truly grateful to everyone who worked on this, and to everyone I've had the joy of working with so far this year.

Habits or Grind? This little mindset shift has changed the way I work. It’s one thing to set a goal and grind until you achieve it. I’ve done that many times, but you know what it always led to? Burnout. Now I try to think about habits instead. If I can make steady progress toward my goals, I’ll take that over huge bursts any day. Because if you zoom out to the scale of a year, 5 years, or an entire career… Guess which one is more likely to come out ahead? 🎻