{"id":16993,"date":"2024-04-12T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=16993"},"modified":"2024-04-19T09:06:08","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T16:06:08","slug":"scott-bradlee-postmodern-jukebox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/scott-bradlee-postmodern-jukebox\/","title":{"rendered":"Scott Bradlee (Postmodern Jukebox) on Jazz, Nostalgia, and Surviving the Age of Algorithms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Top 10 Classical Songs As Ragtime ft Postmodern Jukebox\u2019s Scott Bradlee\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tWOktkLbGEo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Scott Bradlee has been making viral covers since the early days of YouTube. The pianist, arranger, and founder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/postmodernjukebox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Postmodern Jukebox<\/a> music collective is known for his old-school renditions of modern hits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After filming some videos with us, we chatted with Scott about nostalgia, genre, and the struggles musicians face in the algorithm age. The following is a (edited and condensed) conversation that spans musical eras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><p><strong>Table of Contents:<\/strong><\/p><nav><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-gave-you-the-idea-to-start-postmodern-jukebox\">What gave you the idea to start Postmodern Jukebox?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-would-you-say-to-someone-who-thinks-that-old-music-isnt-relevant\">What would you say to someone who thinks that old music isn&#8217;t relevant?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#when-youre-finding-songs-to-arrange-are-there-certain-things-you-look-for-are-some-songs-easier-to-arrange-than-others\">What do you look for when you&#8217;re finding songs to arrange?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#i-was-reading-your-substack-earlier-theres-some-great-stuff-there-about-social-media-how-do-you-stay-true-to-your-vision-in-the-age-of-algorithms\">How do you stay true to your vision in the age of social media algorithms?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#do-you-have-any-advice-for-a-young-musician-who-wants-to-succeed-in-2024-but-is-nervous-about-social-media-and-the-algorithms-and-all-that\">Do you have any advice for a young musician who wants to succeed in 2024?<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><h2 class=\"has-text-align-center\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Never Miss an Interview<\/strong> \ud83c\udf99\ufe0f<\/h2><center><p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Get exclusive access to world-class pianists and what makes them tick. Subscribe to <em>The Note<\/em> today.<\/p><\/center><iframe class=\"email-form-include\" src=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/weeklyemail\" frameborder=\"none\"><\/iframe><p><small><i>By signing up you\u2019ll also receive our ongoing free lessons and special offers. Don\u2019t worry, we value your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.<\/i><\/small><\/p><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-gave-you-the-idea-to-start-postmodern-jukebox\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>What gave you the idea to start Postmodern Jukebox?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m kind of an old soul when it comes to music. Going back to high school, when my friends were listening to Sublime or Red Hot Chili Peppers, I was listening to Jelly Roll Morton and Duke Ellington. So, I\u2019ve always loved older styles of music and have always wanted to find a way to tie them into what\u2019s going on in the present. Because when I listen to those old songs, I feel like they\u2019re super fresh, you know?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a cool party trick when I was in high school where I would take a modern song like \u201cBig Poppa\u201d by the Notorious B.I.G. and play it as jazz. And my friends would be like, \u201cWow, that\u2019s so crazy! I can hear the song!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I didn\u2019t do anything with it until I moved to New York City and was, essentially, an out-of-work jazz pianist. I did some gigs here and there, but New York City is very competitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Classic 80&#039;s Hits... Interpreted for Ragtime Piano - By Scott Bradlee (Inspiration for &quot;Westworld&quot;)\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/qz-Oj2QgzYw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Classic 80s Hits&#8230;Interpreted for Ragtime Piano<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s what led me to YouTube. Those days, YouTube was mostly cat videos and it was only amateur musicians that were putting themselves on there. But I thought to myself, I\u2019ve got nothing to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I found myself with one of those cheap flip camcorders, sat at the keyboard, and played fast, ragtime versions of 80s songs like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/dont-stop-believin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cDon\u2019t Stop Believin\u2019\u201d<\/a> and \u201cNever Gonna Give You Up.&#8221; I put it online and within a couple of days, I guess it went somewhat viral. We got maybe 10,000 views very quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That number seems quaint today, but back then, that was more people than had ever heard me play piano in my whole life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I realized there was something to this idea of using the internet as a concert venue. It took me another few years to figure out what was going to be the finished product, and that\u2019s what led me, over time, to Postmodern Jukebox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"this-stuff-is-obviously-very-popular-why-do-you-think-that-is-why-do-you-think-people-like-old-school-arrangements-of-modern-music\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>This stuff is obviously very popular. Why do you think that is? Why do you think people like old school arrangements of modern music?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it\u2019s the same reason I got into old music. There\u2019s something about listening to an old record that makes you nostalgic for a time you never even lived in. There\u2019s a timeless quality about these genres of music and they\u2019re still very vital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Listen to artists today, like Raye, who are obviously very influenced by old jazz and Motown. To this day, you hear that sound coming back again and again, just in new forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve packaged this very vital music so that there\u2019s a hook for people. It\u2019s songs that people recognize, and if they love the classic sound but don\u2019t know the original repertoire, this is a gateway into all that stuff.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"Scott Bradlee: Portrait of man in khaki suit with red pocket square playing piano.\" class=\"wp-image-16995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11101916\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-153-scaled.jpg 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Scott Bradlee in the Pianote studio.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-would-you-say-to-someone-who-thinks-that-old-music-isnt-relevant\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>What would you say to someone who thinks that old music isn&#8217;t relevant?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, I think most people in their heart of hearts know that that\u2019s not the case. Old music remains vital. But if somebody was really clinging to the idea that this stuff isn\u2019t relevant\u2026or, perhaps more common would be \u201cnot marketable.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think I was even told that when I used to send my stuff to record labels and pitch ideas. Somebody would write back very politely saying they didn\u2019t see any place in the market for it. But I think people don&#8217;t realize what works until after it\u2019s happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Really, you can make any genre of music relevant. Genre isn\u2019t this fixed thing where jazz only happened from the 1920s to the 1960s. Or that rock\u2019n\u2019roll died with Elvis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These genres transcend the period of time they originated in. I think of jazz not so much as a genre but more as something you do to music. So, you can incorporate jazz into anything. Like EDM or a dance track. You\u2019ll hear samples from jazz records (or things that were influenced by jazz records) in a lot of modern day tracks. And if you follow that thread, it always leads back to jazz, rock\u2019n\u2019roll, or other great styles from the 20th century. Or classical for that matter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it just takes thinking about genre in a different way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Black and white sepia tone photo of late 30s\/early 40s man in suit and tie.\" class=\"wp-image-17026\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/11162634\/scott-bradlee-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo provided by Scott Bradlee.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p id=\"block-85f26405-1da7-41c4-91ab-989ca15e22be\">I think of jazz not so much as a genre but more as something you do to music.<\/p>\n<cite>Scott Bradlee<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"when-youre-finding-songs-to-arrange-are-there-certain-things-you-look-for-are-some-songs-easier-to-arrange-than-others\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>When you&#8217;re finding songs to arrange, are there certain things you look for? Are some songs easier to arrange than others?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I try to find something that reminds me of a record from the past. And that could be a musical element, a bass line, a guitar riff, or it could be something lyrical. Most of the time it\u2019s something lyrical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The example I like to give is \u201cSweet Child O\u2019 Mine.\u201d You look at the lyrics and it\u2019s just a blues song: the way it\u2019s written, the imagery that\u2019s used, the way it does verse-refrain-verse-refrain. It\u2019s all stuff that borrows from the blues tradition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I wanted to reimagine it as a 1920s blues piece, and the empress of the blues was Bessie Smith. She was the greatest singer from that era. So I invited a phenomenal blues singer that has performed <em>as<\/em> Bessie Smith in a one-woman show for many years. Her name is Miche Braden, and that was the sound I wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;Sweet Child O&#039; Mine&quot; - New Orleans Style Guns N&#039; Roses Cover ft. Miche Braden\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kJ3BAF_15yQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Postmodern Jukebox&#8217;s New Orleans style cover of &#8220;Sweet Child O&#8217; Mine.&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From there, I built the arrangement. Back then, you would hear a lot of New Orleans style horns. You would hear a lot of polyphony, which means they&#8217;d be improvising collectively in places. In the 1920s, you would hear a real dirty blues beat but still retain that marching band sound. You\u2019d think of John Phillip Sousa or any of those marching band composers. That sound was still happening in the 1920s, New Orleans as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we put all these elements together with the goal of taking the song back in time without tampering with the song&#8217;s actual DNA. We still retained the lyrical structure, the melody, and even the iconic guitar riff; we just put it in the horn section, instead. The goal is to listen to it, and when you listen to it in a different historical context, it changes the song a bit too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"i-was-reading-your-substack-earlier-theres-some-great-stuff-there-about-social-media-how-do-you-stay-true-to-your-vision-in-the-age-of-algorithms\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>I was reading <a href=\"https:\/\/scottbradlee.substack.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">your Substack<\/a> earlier. There\u2019s some great stuff there about social media. How do you stay true to your vision in the age of algorithms?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the question every artist is grappling with right now. Pre-social media, we had different gatekeepers. You had to get a record deal if you wanted to get heard by lots of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now the gatekeepers are digital. It\u2019s engagement algorithms. You have to understand the game, particularly on social media since that\u2019s essentially the internet now. That\u2019s how people are discovering things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Creep - Vintage Postmodern Jukebox Radiohead Cover ft. Haley Reinhart\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/m3lF2qEA2cw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Postmodern Jukebox&#8217;s most popular video to date: a vintage cover of &#8220;Creep&#8221; featuring Haley Reinhart.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But at the same time, you don\u2019t want to let that stuff influence you to the point that you\u2019re not making art anymore. You don\u2019t want to be making just content. The approach that I take is: I want to make art. That means doing the songs I want. Remaking songs in the styles I want. Recording videos in the way I want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I keep that as the top priority. But at the same time, when I\u2019m sharing clips, we still utilize those practices that allow them to be seen by lots of people.&nbsp;So, I think every artist should focus on making the work they want. But from there, you can frame that work. That\u2019s up to you and that&#8217;s where you\u2019ll wind up editing things for social media consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I never recommend creating for an algorithm because you won\u2019t feel good at the end of the day. Also, that stuff doesn\u2019t last. Trends come and go. But if you create a body of work, that can transcend time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Case in point, TikTok is the most ephemeral of platforms, right? Things go viral on there and then they\u2019re gone. But you\u2019ll see old songs or videos resurface that were created in a completely different era. Those artists weren\u2019t creating for an algorithm; they created this awesome body of work and down the road, it can be framed in so many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Wellerman (Ragtime Sea Shanty) - Scott Bradlee Piano Cover\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hy-aYX5kMoM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Scott performed a ragtime version of &#8220;Wellerman&#8221; during the TikTok sea shanty craze a while back.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box-snippet\">\n<div class=\"shadow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div><i class=\"fas icon fa-piano\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-container\">\n<b>Scott&#8217;s Favorite Arrangements<\/b>\n<p>Scott Bradlee says his favorite arrangements change week to week, but a few stand out:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3q7ExHaKt2M?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i>Friends<\/i> theme<\/a> throughout the decades:<\/b> &#8220;It was such a difficult video to film because we had so many moving parts . . . That&#8217;s one that sticks out to me.&#8221; P.S. They filmed this with the original artists\u2014the Rembrandts!<\/li>\n<li><b>Spice Girls songs like <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/u9jGGiqjwf4?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;Wannabe&#8221;<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/KWQzyl9fg1Y?feature=shared\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8220;Say You&#8217;ll Be There&#8221;<\/a>:<\/b> &#8220;I really like hearing voices in harmony . . . Those were two arrangements that I continue to be very proud of.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"do-you-have-any-advice-for-a-young-musician-who-wants-to-succeed-in-2024-but-is-nervous-about-social-media-and-the-algorithms-and-all-that\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>Do you have any advice for a young musician who wants to succeed in 2024 but is nervous about social media and the algorithms and all that?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of the big picture. Focus on doing that authentically and not letting the algorithms influence you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I came up during the early days of social media where things were pretty positive. And I was able to use those platforms to amplify my work and bypass all the traditional gatekeepers. I didn\u2019t need a record deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.musora.com\/musora-cdn\/image\/quality=85\/https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Scott Bradlee: Man in khaki and grey suit with red pocket square with hands on grand piano looking at camera.\" class=\"wp-image-17057\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/pianote-blog.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/19090520\/2024-02-09-Scott-Bradlee-105-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Trends come and go. But if you create a body of work, that can transcend time.<\/p>\n<cite>Scott Bradlee<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it\u2019s a little different for young musicians today. But I would say: just ignore the metrics. Don\u2019t base your worth as an artist on how many people watched your reel or follow you on TikTok. Those metrics are becoming increasingly meaningless. There are people who have very large followings that have no potential for touring because they can\u2019t get those people to show up in real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The online world is getting increasingly untethered from reality. A lot of artists believe that if they\u2019re not going viral, then they don\u2019t have potential. And that\u2019s completely not true. The folks that we work with in Postmodern Jukebox, a lot of them aren\u2019t even on those platforms. There are some musicians that will always have a gig because they\u2019re so talented, and it doesn\u2019t matter whether they\u2019re going viral on TikTok or doing the latest dance craze on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box-snippet\">\n<div class=\"shadow\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">\n<div><i class=\"fas icon fa-piano\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-container\">\n<b>Scott Bradlee&#8217;s Favorite Pianos to Play<\/b>\n<p>He&#8217;s really enjoying the dynamic nuances of a Steinway he&#8217;s been recording on. But the first piano Scott bought was a Yamaha G2 and he &#8220;loves it the best&#8221; for its sentimental value. &#8220;I&#8217;ve used keyboards out of necessity,&#8221; says Scott, &#8220;but my soul is analog.&#8221;\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"i-guess-the-traditional-way-of-going-to-a-bar-and-asking-if-they-need-a-cocktail-pianist-still-works\" style=\"font-size:22px\"><strong>I guess the traditional way of going to a bar and asking if they need a cocktail pianist still works!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Certainly. During this digital age, in-person stuff when people go the extra mile is much more memorable. Actually taking the time to write an email and cultivating relationships that way\u2014it holds a lot more weight than it used to. I think that there will be a return to good old-fashioned thank-you notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m also a firm believer that if someone is doing consistent, great work, they will get recognized. It may take a while\u2014and maybe it won\u2019t get picked up by the engagement algorithms\u2014but it will be appreciated.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Thanks for chatting with us, Scott! <\/strong>Make sure you catch our Pianote videos with Scott on YouTube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<span class=\"blue-text-block\"><center><h2 style=\"font-size:22px\"><b>\ud83c\udfb9 Learn Piano With Real Teachers<\/b><\/h2><p>The best way to learn piano is with real teachers, but not everyone has the time and money for a private instructor. At Pianote, you can get real feedback from real experts\u2026all from the comfort of your own home. Explore our Method and community yourself with a free 7-day trial.<\/p><p><\/p><a class=\"join\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TRY PIANOTE FOR 7 DAYS<\/a><\/center><p><\/p><\/span>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:10px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why music from the 1920s is still relevant, and how to stay grounded in the chaotic 2020s.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":17026,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1132,1108],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-musicianship"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16993"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17058,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16993\/revisions\/17058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}