ABOUT PICK YOURSELF
BUILD A MEANINGFUL LIFE, BASED ON YOUR PASSION FOR ELECTRONIC MUSIC
I believe that every music producer has a unique talent that just waits to be unleashed. That's why I've made it my life's mission to help underground artists like YOU discover their true potential, get on a path of personal growth, and build a meaningful life based on their passion.
“If you want to be responsible for making music, make music. If you want to be responsible for writing, speaking, making change happen, go do that. Waiting to get picked is a form of hiding, not realism.
No, it’s not always possible for everyone to succeed by being the most popular, the most clicked on, the most liked. In fact, it will never happen. No one is promising that, I hope.
What pick yourself means is that it’s never been easier to decide to be responsible for your own work, for your own agenda, for the change you make in the world. To have a chance to matter. Not to be finished right now, but starting now..”
- Seth Godin, whose fantastic ideas inspired me to start “Pick Yourself”
Unlike most music-related blogs, Pick Yourself is not about the latest hack to gain more followers or the flashiest studio gear to impress your peers with.
Instead, Pick Yourself is about building something meaningful, playing the long-term game, and becoming the best version of yourself.
My goal is to help you gain the skills to ship remarkable creative work consistently and adopt a healthy mindset that is designed for success in the long run.
It all started with my own struggle
I felt trapped. How the hell did I end up in this place? I was looking around in the office and everything seemed so incredibly pointless.
Right in front of me was a screen with Power Point slides I had designed to impress yet another corporate client of the marketing agency I was working at. The title of the presentation had something to do with "authentically position the brand in the underground music space".
In the end, all I was doing in my job as a creative brand strategist was to help big brands unlock the key to subcultures that were near and dear to my heart: Music, Skateboarding, Modern Art, Design, you get the idea.
I could have had an amazing career in the marketing world. Being one of the top graduates of a so-called "elite" university, immediately hired by one of the top marketing agencies, working with brands like BMW, Mercedes, RedBull, Ray-Ban, etc.
But all I could think of was my studio...
Living a double life and hitting rock bottom
I've always lived a weird double life. On the surface, I was doing what I was "supposed to do" by our society's norms. But in reality, I was constantly daydreaming of music and music production.
Looking back now, I simply didn't have the courage to build the kind of meaningful life I desperately wanted.
That was until I collapsed.
Diagnosed with depression and anxiety, my life took an unexpected turn. I found myself unable to continue on that path. I simply couldn't lie to myself anymore.
After more than two years of therapy and all sorts of personal development, I started to pursue a life worth living.
With music production at the center of everything.
Goodbye, golden handcuffs
I finally had the courage to quit my job and leave my hometown to start a mixing and mastering studio in Berlin, specializing in electronic music.
Despite all the financial insecurity, I felt relieved by finally doing what I love.
It sounds strange but I'm really grateful for the dark years that came before. They helped me find out who I truly choose to be and brought me on a journey of ongoing self-development.
The joy of mentoring artists
After a few years, my studio had developed serious traction in the scene. I had the privilege to work with A-list artists and labels (I spare you the name-dropping here) and more importantly, I was able to help underground artists break through.
I soon realized that besides mixing and mastering, I was constantly coaching the artists I worked with. They came to me with all sorts of questions about music production but also about things like promoting their releases and growing their fan base.
So I decided to create something helpful.
Creating content that makes a difference
Based on all the questions I got from my studio clients, the Pick Yourself Podcast was born. My goal was to create a no-BS resource that helps artists build a meaningful life, based on their passion for music production.
But I also knew that I wanted this to be different from any other blog or podcast out there. I wanted it to be the ultimate resource for self-empowered artists.
So I came up with three important principles that are the foundation of Pick Yourself until this day.
THE PICK YOURSELF PRINCIPLES
To become a successful artist,
you have to create remarkable art
The music industry is a notoriously tough business. Contrary to common belief, it's neither luck nor supernatural talent that's responsible for success. If you want to be among the few artists who "make it" out of the millions who don't, you have to have a great strategy and the grit to execute it.
Based on more than 15 years of experience in the music industry, I have distilled three essential principles that I believe make a difference.
FIRST Principle
Create music that matters and find your unique artistic voice
The world doesn't need yet another mediocre copy of your favorite artist. Be audacious and dare to carve out your own sonic niche.
Second Principle
Grow a tribe of 1000 true fans instead of social followers.
With a loyal audience who gives a damn, everything is possible. Serve your true fans, lead your tribe, but don't chase Instagram followers.
Third Principle
Focus on strategies, not tactics, and play the long-term game.
It's easy to get distracted by the latest hack, the newest tool, and the flashiest headline. Focus on what's essential in the long run.
About Philip Röder
Philip Röder is a music producer and runs a professional mixing and mastering studio in Berlin.
He started Pick Yourself with the mission to empower the next generation of electronic music artists to take matters into their own hands.
Hey there!
I’m Philip, and all I give a damn about is help you build a meaningful life, based on your passion for electronic music.
It truly breaks my heart to see artists like you struggle with things like finishing songs, promoting and releasing them, growing a fan base, and overcoming mental barriers such as perfectionism and impostor syndrome.
My mission with Pick Yourself is to help you become the best version of yourself and develop the skills and mindset you need to succeed in today’s music industry.