No run on sentences full of “ands.” No “ums” or “uhs.” Complete sentences. Complete thoughts. A recognizable point of view. Organized content. Professional and relatable. Many KZfaqrs could learn a lot from your videos. Love your content. Keep it up.

Great video. I still remember my first proper KZfaq paycheck. I was so proud of myself. If it wasn't for my consistency (and a little bit of Famester), I wouldn't have made anything probably.

Refreshing to hear someone so well spoken. Clear, concise and articulate.

Thanks Mary for this transparence and openness! A lot of people went narcistic about their success in social media. Keep creating your music!

We make money so we can make music, not the other way around. As long as you are doing what you love and you have enough money coming in to keep doing it, then you’re doing it right 😊

Don’t ever stop making and publishing your original music, Mary. Some of us are here for it.

Mary, you are a most gracious, articulate, clear, concise speaker who is able to bring one into your space in the presentation of your topic, as if engaged within a personal communication. Thank you. ❤

I love how you articulate and describe so concisely. I wish you great success. Your integrity and authenticity will always take you far. Passion for what you’re doing is a wonderful driving force.

"...its a long road to build your audience up and the urge to quitt is going to be ever present" so true for all creators. thank you Mary for continuing your path!

I really enjoy the videos when you invite the other Mary's to accompany you. The edits are award worthy and for me demonstrate that you enjoy doing it and making it look effortless. Thank you.

What a brilliantly transparent piece. Somehow I found you because of the algorithm and you are right we just need to be ourselves and take the long view. Keep on keeping on Mary.

I stumbled across your channel. I haven’t listened to your music but I think your communication skills are outstanding. I love the no ‘fillers’, clean enunciation, and complete thoughts as someone else mentioned. Beautiful! You could go into broadcasting.

Thank you so much for being transparent Mary! So few folks are these days. Your transparency and integrity are two of the things I really admire about you, and your new music is sounding fantastic!

Mary, you're one of my 'go-to' KZfaqrs. One reason.... your videos are always well produced, no matter the content. Your mike technique, approach and style of narration are absolutely pro. I appreciate that, being a broadcast professional of 40 years. I have zero patience with content creators who sound like the mic is in a room, but it's just not the room from which they're speaking. Bad edits, no economy of words, are other turn offs. Another reason..... I really enjoy your singing. I think you have a great voice. You've heard the expression, "she could sing the phone book"? Well, although I wouldn't recommend you try it, (although it might be interesting) it's kinda like that. Third reason.... you're all in! I can tell that you're fully committed to your career, your music and this channel. I love being privy to your journey. All that being said, I'm dumbfounded by how little you've been paid for 4,700,000 views. It's just surprising. Knowing this, I'm even more impressed with your level of commitment. I wish you the best.

I just stumbled onto this... Impressed by your candor. Haven't watched anything else you've created yet, but looking forward to it. And thank you for being real 😊

I'm not a musician, I'm a flight and aeronautical instructor, but I found your video full of right reflections and valuable advices. Especially the final one, where you tell to be yourself and to continue to make videos and do what you love not for success, but to nourish your spirit. Thanks for what you said.

Well done Mary. You’re very creative and tenacious. Success takes hard work and you’re putting that work in. Keep going. We’re all behind you cheering you on.

Mary, your talent, insight, personality and professionalism are a powerful combination. Thank you for pulling back the curtain on this continually evolving world of music.

Not a musician, but a filmmaker, and you're video still resonated with me... you're right, there's never-ever been a better time to take control of your own creativity.

I don’t know how you continue to be so positive when the world at large values reviews over original music and content, but kudos to you for keeping at it ❤.

I am subscribed to both your music channel and the newsletter. Keep doing what your heart tells you Mary. You're great!

Your contribution extends far beyond music. Watching you, we get to see what honesty looks like. The level of honesty that seems so easy for you, can be scary for many of us. You're an excellent role model on many levels. Please keep up the good work.

100% the passion and time you put into creating music comes through in the gear review videos. They give credence to what you say. Glad you are getting $ and recognition, even if it's not superstardom, it's more than many can do.

This is a perfect video to show people how to be successful in almost any kind of business: Always be true to yourself and never take anything for granted. I wish your all the best Mary and I will keep watching your videos.

Mary, I've always appreciated your Honesty and Integrity in your videos. You are not only talented but real. The world needs more like you. Keep on following your heart.

This is exactly why I try to watch everything you post. I am not a musician or have any ability in that field. Yet, your advice about being who you are naturally AND about remaining in contact with your audience (customer base) works for every career path. Well done, Mary. You be you. No one does you better than you do.

I can't call myself a music person, but this video is a great motivator for me to keep trying different things to build an audience. Thank you

I am a subscriber who hasn't seen many of your original music videos, but what has drawn me to your channel is the way you are so authentic as a person, and how you give such fascinating and honest reflections about being a modern artist, as well as your revelations about the music industry as a whole. I think having a diverse range videos works well for this channel. I want to see you grow and thrive. Keep doing what you are doing!

Your talents span many facets from musician, to historian, to business entrepreneur! I love your transparency and intellect! Thank you for being you in what you do! 👏👏👏

Mary please just keep being you, doing what you do. I love your music and songwriting. You are a inspiration.

I'm neither a musician nor a YT creator, but I am a big consumer. Your presentation here is wonderful and enlightening. Thank you! I know quite a few professional musicians and they are all working very hard to make a living. Most of them can't do it by music alone. Good luck to you! :)

"The more transparency we have in this new music business the better" - totally agree. Thanks for adding a sensible and reasoned view. Now I hope this tiny drop of algorithm juice helps a little.

✍ *Sign up to the 21st Century Musician NEWSLETTER* 21stcenturymusician.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🥁 *Become a Patreon Supporter* www.patreon.com/maryspender

As many said, you are inspiring. In many ways! Keep on! And thank you for your kindness when we met at Ricks gig in Berlin. 🙂

YESS!!! Thanks for sharing with us! I'm GLAD that you start off with it's not all "sunshine and rainbows" But it's a LOT of HARD WORK!!!

Hey Mary, I can’t tell you how long I’ve been a subscriber for but I love what you do and how you go about it! From the other side of the planet and as a “hobby” musician I’ve drawn inspiration from you and your channel and thank you for that. Looking forward to the newsletter and hitching a ride on your journey! Love your work, BT!!

Hi Mary. I've always found your enthusiasm, generosity, humility and authenticity up there with the great Rick Beato. Keep on doing what you do so well!

This is why I love to watch your videos, you share so much. Thank you for the authenticity and just being a delightful host to whatever you are presenting.

I've just subscribed - honesty is a rare thing, good luck going forward. xxx

I loved watching this and give you so much credit for having the grit to do what you love!

This is something I've always wondered about... Thanks for the transparency! Very much looking forward to seeing you hit 1 million subscribers...

I discovered you through your interview with Anderton's six years ago, and I've been watching your videos ever since. I enjoy practically all of your content, and I appreciate how honest you are about how you navigate this industry. You're one of my favorite KZfaqrs.

Thanks for the straight, honest, and open sharing. Did not know people like you still existed in this world.

New Music Business. It's been a long time coming. Good luck! Found you the long way around via 16 Tonnes. Keep on doing what you do. ⭐

Your channel is one I look forward to each week. I started following you after the Rick Beato video and have not been disappointed. Not only is your music great but it’s great to see someone who is so passionate about their music and has a great on screen personality. Keep doing what you’re doing.

I love your honest take on things. You’re an awesome artist…just keep moving forward and creating great music. Much love and respect.

Thank you Mary, I spent yesterday writing a song about my enduring urge to quit, it can be quite heart breaking in its own right. This was much needed advice that came right on time.

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Very informative. 👍🇺🇸

Love the honesty of this video and the insights into how hard it is to make a living from the net. If you are still enjoying doing what you do, (and it is clear that you are) stick with it because we love watching you whether it's playing your songs, doing covers or sharing your travels. You are a born presenter and performer.

Great video as always! You have a very balanced way of seeing everything. That's also helpful to other creatives too, so thank you!

Thanks, very informative! As a KZfaq watcher of a wide range of content and curious about the process I found this video to be very nicely done. A well spoken, high quality and honest presentation from an obviously talented and passionate artist.

Nice one, thanks for sharing. I can see why I’ll never cut it on YT and you’ve helped see it differently. Interesting that it’s the ‘making of’ content that works.

I'm not a musician (lol) and I enjoy your voice, music and presented personality. Those YT metrics don't mean one single thing which measures your value. What keeps me here is you, your honesty & healthy intelligent conversations. Even though you don't see my face, I'm seeing yours and will do my best to reflect what you give every time.

hi Mary, I am a photographic artist and I've been running my own business now for 14 years. I have found that a newsletter was the most powerful way to go. I came off social media about 7 years ago and I haven't regretted it. Your words '1,000 true fans is better than 4 million casual viewers' is so true. a newsletter tends to be for those who bond with you and it's a great way of filtering out the casuals, and also in beating the social media algorithms which basically prevent you from reaching those who wish to keep up to date with you. The internet is broken - most social media platforms act as a broker between you and your audience. they choose how much of your audience you reach and that is just plain perverse.

Great advice expressed in a clear and articulate way. I respect your integrity and your musicianship and wish you well going forward in 2024. Best wishes

Eloquently and honestly put ! Just gained a new subscriber. Keep plugging away, don't give up.

Your viewer to subscriber ratio is impressive. You have a very loyal fanbase. I love that you are sticking to your guns with making music. You could just sellout and only make gear review vids. The fact that your channel is a mix of everything keeps me subscribed. I appreciate all your content.

Thank you for honesty & proffecionality. And indeed to get online require bravery. I do think your educational videos are great!

Great video on an important subject. It's the only video I have seen here on KZfaq till the end. Very honest. Bravo!

Thanks for sharing 🍸. Just found your channel. Will start with your 1st video and run thru the 66 vids🎉

I hope you never stop posting songs written by you performed by you, cause youre a great musician and it woulb be sad not to hear your music any more❤

MS, you're a breath of fresh air, always, in the YT universe. Thank you for all your good, hard work.

I found you because you collaborated with Leo on Sultans of swing. Collaborations are a great thing for expanding subs and it helps each other out.

Thank you for this honest breakdown of your analytics. It’s so helpful and revealing about how difficult KZfaq work can be.

Mary, you have no reason at all to put "artistic integrity" in air quotes - it is a quality that shines out of your work. I really appreciate your openness and the reality-check of navigating this crazy media world. You are a beacon of honest hard-working musicianship, but of course it is built on some inspired song-writing. Thank you!

I'm just discovering your channel and I saw this video before I'd heard any of your music. Wow, your voice and guitar playing are both GREAT. Your voice in particular has a lot of depth and texture. Anybody who tells you to quit doing this is nuts!

You just appeared in my feed and I happened to listen through. I enjoyed your well spoken dialogue. Thank you

Keep being you. The right way is to be true as you are. I wish more people were. Thank you for being so honest. Thank you for your authenticity and integrity. Algorithm has triumphed this time. Subscribed. Thank you

Honesty, candour, diversity of content, professionalism - these are the things that keep me coming back. Your recording technique literally makes it sound like you are here in the room, so many KZfaqrs don't pay enough (or any!) attention to this but, being a committed pro, you do, and it really shows. The broadcast quality video and editing make your content easy and entertaining to watch. And that voice - like a big mug of hot chocolate with a shot of Jack Daniels. One of my favourite channels (if you haven't guessed...) 🤩

Mary, I love your voice, your playing, your sincerity. Thanks for putting yourself out there, and helping all of us. You’re the best. Also, I accidentally referred to my band’s livestream as a “Tuesday Talks” today. 😂

Subscribed, just because of this video. I really appreciate your honesty and openness. I will listen to your music, promise!

Great video, I have learnt so much from this. Thank you for posting.👍

Well done Mary, such great info. and thoughts. Thanks!

Thank you for making this and, in my opinion, continuing to do what you for the right reasons (i.e., making music and other art for yourself and out of love for the creative process), as well as being so frank and revealing here. The quality of your videos and work in general is absolute top-tier, and what you say here makes me want to do a deeper dive into your songs. Keep being incredible. Cheers!

I appreciate your candor and honesty. I wish you the best of luck!

Thank you Mary for all the sobering, honest and eye opening insights.

Honestly coming back to your videos here and there over time while I started exploring the music world over the last couple of years, I would say your magic is the quality of your videos, your face, your honesty, and your amazingly clear well delivered speech is what makes you so easy to listen too. Your information is never too much, and always directly on point. Despite all that and without ever listening to your music as I come to you for advice, I think your video editing is your skill. The way you use lighting, and the way your person is sharp, but everything behind you has a slight softness to it . Just overall I think you sell the most premium looking advice channel on youtube. At some point I will make it to your music :)

Already subscribed, as a musician/music content creator, I can confirm the obvious: unity makes us better. Thanks Mary

This is the best vid about KZfaq vids. Not just about music but rather about how people view vids. Thank you very much. This gave me ideas on what to record to get more viewers.

I am not at all sure why KZfaq's algo dropped this video into my feed, as I haven't (yet) seen any of your others. But I love your commitment to continuing to make and post your original music. I look forward to going and giving it a listen now.

Mary, I'm just going to say this. You're a very, very good songwriter. You simply MUSTN'T listen to people who say they don't like your songs. I'm a very good but amateur songwriter and full time professor. You really have your own sound, you're a fine singer, and your songs have depth and perspective. Never stop never stopping!

Thank you for this, for us creators who just want to write our music and be successful, and to not be discouraged upon finding out what really sells

An engaging and interesting presentation, from an articulate artist with honest straight forward information, without hype or derision, and a charming personality too! I might not be your target audience, but I enjoy and appreciate learning about people who are so richly talented. Thank you.

Getting that first paycheck from KZfaq was like the best feeling for me. But I think I wouldn't have made it if I didn't use some boosting tools (my favorite one by far is to use a lot of Famester when I need to make my content go viral). Good thing is that it also works on different social media platforms, so I am not just tied to KZfaq. It's amazing, feels like I am in control of algorithm.

Even for people who may not be great fans of your type of original music, knowing that you are are a creative artist maintaining your own integrity in your own songs and videos really gives to your essays and gear-oriented videos a great and evident level of credibility, which I think must attract views and incline them to stick around. I'm very pleased to hear that you intend to keep doing you.

Your video was enlightening and revealing about the long hours and perseverance needed to succeed online. Considering the staggering number of talented musicians worldwide competing for youtube fame, 5 million views is a significant accomplishment. I hope you don't give up on doing quality covers. Every great artist in music history has paid homage to the great songs of the past. Some surpass the original. I listen to a hundred new and established artists weekly. Your version of Sultans of Swing with Josh Turner is one of my all-time favorites. I shared it with dozens of music lovers. You're young, smart and exceptionally talented. Keep your vision, Mary, you're headed for some big stages. I wish you good health.

Your on track. One hit is all it takes to launch you to the top of the music industry. Keep at it. Chance favors those with perseverance .

Your humility and transparency is a breath of fresh air. Thank you

I love that the internet lets people with passion make an attempt at things that labels who don't create or own it don't care about. I LOVE that it allows people like you a chance and an audience. I also love the honesty and openness of this video. Best of luck to you- this is a great vid and so candid and brilliant. AND it's a great way to show the reality of trying to make it this way.

I love your content, Mary. Your music is lovely.

Thank you so much for this. The musical landscape has changed so drastically and although there are now way more ways to selfpromote than ever before, going it the right way and knowing what to spend your limited time and energy on isn't that obvious. Will share this with some very talented friends, I bet we'll find a lot of value in your knowledge and experience.

This was great! We are all lucky you are here!

You're spot on - showcasing your personality creates massive human interest. But you have to have an interesting personality and I believe the person you are on the inside is far more compelling than an assumed personality. You tick the boxes, and I'm so heartened that there are people like you.

Of course you don't want to give up on your original music, and you shouldn't. Being a musician, a singer, and a song writer gives you the skills which make your other videos so compelling. It gives you credibility. It gives you the passion you exhibit in everything on your channel. Trying to put myself in your shoes, supplementing your income with these other music-related topics allows you to continue exercising your creativity and your desire to make music. It's all of a piece, and we very much appreciate what you do.

Hello Mary. Never heard of you until til stumbling into this video, which is stellar in presentation, photography, and editing. Ok, so let me go check out your music. Good job Kiddo.

Hi Mary, I don’t know how you ended up being recommended on the array of KZfaq potential watches, but glad you did. Keep at it and be successful… or more successful. PS we subscribed too !!

I think you are doing literally everything a 21st century independent musician can do. I got to meet Aaron Marshall recently and we briefly talked about how much work it is to manage your own content (audio and video), basically manage your own EVERYTHING, do your own recording and releasing, etc. You are a one-woman operation and that is HARD. I totally respect everything you do, all the attempts, the failures, and successes. This shows your passion for what you do and your desire to pave a way for others coming behind you. EDIT - One of the things that Aaron Marshall mentioned to me is that the tab books he sells through Sheet Happens are big income generators for him. He packages them with backing tracks for guitarists to play along to. I have bought two of them, so I see the attraction! Not sure if you sell this kind of merch, but something to think about.

Mary, Ignore the haters. You ROCK. Great voice, great guitar playing, great song writing. Keep up the GREAT WORK!

Mary, you are absolutely right. I watch your videos because of the totality of your work. You are one of the strongest KZfaqrs for music, and anything you say is golden to me.

Stay true to YOU. It's one of the two things that bring me to KZfaq regularly. Thank you!