How can you effectively balance feedback from multiple sources?

First off: art is SUBJECTIVE. 10 people can interpret your art in 10 diff ways. So asking someone, "What do you think?" is meaningless if you're looking for REAL feedback (and not "dope" or "trash"). Instead take note of where you are in your career: - Are you brand new / starting to learn the fundamentals of your craft? - Are you well seasoned and already found your lane? - Are you in an experimental phase and branching into a new sound? Next, ask yourself: "Where do I believe this song is the weakest?" Maybe you're questioning the EQ, drum selection, tone of voice, particular rhyme scheme, etc. Once you figure that out, get voices you trust to give you REAL feedback based on those areas of concerns to help you GROW artistically.

This is so important because friends and family tell you what you want to hear. That's not what you actually need when getting professional constructive feedback. You need to hear about aspects like production quality, market trends, and radio appeal. This integration can provide a comprehensive perspective on refining a song for both artistic expression and commercial success.

Here are the 5 people I've found to give the BEST feedback on my artistic journey: 1. a well-experienced peer in the same genre / craft as me 2. a mentor / someone that's been in the game and achieved similar successes I'm aiming for 3. my spouse - someone close to me who is not afraid to keep it honest when something doesn't resonate 4. The homie / the fan that's been with you throughout your journey and has the knowledge of your catalog for reference (be careful that they're not "yes men". I find tho they're usually the ones fighting for you to not "fall off"! ??) 5. someone that doesn't know me or my music but likes the type of genre / music I create in Get you a hand full of these and rely on them to keep you sharp and growing.

In my experience when you are dealing with great feedback sources you will definitely see overlap and patterns. People with "good ears", as we call it in the biz, will consistently identify good things that will align with your creative vision. Or, their feedback might open a new musical door. One you didn't see or hear. You will know when it makes sense.

Nowadays, this is so much easier to do. Before digital, you would have to head back into the studio and make your changes, which could be very costly, time consuming, and difficult to reverse. But with today's digital technology and in home studios, it's very easy to incorporate feedback that aligns with your vision and experiment. If the suggestion doesn't work, just hit "undo". ??