We were lucky to catch up with Brian McMaster recently and have shared our conversation below.
Brian, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I’ve always been a musician. Ever since I was a kid I have been singing and wanting to create music that moved others the way my favorite artists moved me. Only recently though did I take the leap into pursuing a career in music and earning a living from making art. In the words of a friend and fellow songwriter: “Fear held me back from what I wanted/What I wanted was you.” Having just turned 30 and with 2 kids and 8 years of marriage under my belt, I felt it was time to make a change. My wife and I have always wanted to live lives marked by faith. I realized that the work I had been doing in the worship ministry space, while good and fruitful work, took little faith. So, I took the plunge and have been creating, writing, working on other’s projects, and pitching my composing skills full-time. I’ve yet to find something solid, but the support from my wife and our church community has anchored me despite the fears and doubts that creep in.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I grew up in North County San Diego my whole life. I know, I’m a lottery winner. I got into music at a young age and in middle school joined the school and church bands in the percussion section and behind the drum kit. I had always wanted to learn guitar and write, which I finally picked up when I turned 18. From there I became a songwriter, fronting a band and playing guitar. These days, I’m still writing and playing out, but have turned my attention to studio work, tracking guitars and other instruments remotely from my home studio. I also produce other artists and mix the projects I produce. I think the thing I’m most proud of is the wide range of projects I’ve played on. I’ve tracked guitars for singer-songwriters, Alt-rock projects, and a couple of EDM projects with a producer named G.U.O.L. who hired my through SoundBetter. I look to serve a song so that it becomes something better than it was before. Be it a part, a tone, or something out of left field, I want what I contribute to feel like its always belonged on the project I’m working on.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Man, free advertising is huge. If you like an artist, sharing that on social media platforms is so easy and free, but it really does help in exposing those artists to people they may never bump up elbows with. I think too chipping in on Patreon or other support raising platforms. These can really go a long way in helping up and coming artists finish projects and in some cases just get by without having to scrape every month.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
The value of starting and finishing. I’m not much of a starter. I like to have everything I think I need beforehand because I want whatever I’m making to be “good.” But that’s always kept me from diving in. So I’d say starting something is the most important thing I’ve learned and the second most would be finishing. Once you pull a thread, keep pulling til it’s done! Even if the end is not what you’d thought or wanted it to be. The resilience and discipline artists need to have is hard earned, but embracing the process and growing is always worth the effort. 
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Luke Jones