Meet Michelle Pietrafitta | Drummer & Booking Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Michelle Pietrafitta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Michelle, how do you think about risk?
Risk, from my perspective, is most often about taking artistic and professional leaps. Which is absolutely necessary in order to push yourself forward. Taken from here, the only real risk is not taking them.

When I am faced with something that might be considered risky for my career (artistically or businesswise), that is a complete ‘yes’ for me, I always bring it back into perspective by asking some questions. What is the risk here? What can be gained if it goes well? Oftentimes, the risks are mostly fears designed to keep me in my comfort zone. Our brains are wired to do that. The potential payoff typically far outweighs these risks.

When I consider the option of holding back from showing up fully, so that I can feel more accepted or safe in the world, that feels riskier to me than taking a chance.

It’s also important to note that knowing that at some point you will fall on your face in pursuit of your dreams, and being okay with that because it’s the only way to get there, is vitally important.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My story as a musician is a scrappy one. I started pretty late compared to most of the musicians on the path. For quite a long time I felt like I was playing catch up, pushing myself hard in order to get where I wanted to be. Seeking teachers, emulating the music I loved and often feeling like a boat without a paddle. Eventually, I came to a breaking point where I realized that I needed to create a paddle or it wasn’t going to work. I would call this my dark night of the soul.

I learned in this period of my life that sometimes, you have to let go of the way you think things are supposed to go, surrender your vice grip on the way things currently are, and make an honest assessment of what needs to happen. This is the point where I REALLY got in the shed and started doing real, focused work. I started not just practicing, but practicing the art of practicing. I started making lesson plans, taking notes, recording myself and training hard. I took it to a whole other level. This training will always continue throughout my journey, no matter what level of success I achieve. There is always a deeper level of musicality, of speaking the language. The deeper you go, the more fun and interesting everything gets.

One thing that has been really important to my personal approach to music, is that I value working with a group of people over a long period of time. I think sticking with a group and growing and developing as musicians and songwriters together is an incredible way to build a career. The music begins to take on something special and unexplainable when it is created by a group of people who know each other very well, and who have gone through highs and lows together.

Another incredibly important thing to my music career is that I took the time to learn the business. From the very beginning I was booking shows. It started with breweries and small venues, which turned into small mountain town runs, to regional runs and has now grown into full national tours. This has allowed me to truly build a career playing music. Sometimes I feel like I’m just a kid who figured out how to keep playing with her toys – playing drums will always be fun, playful and joyful. The business aspect is how I have been able to create the continued space in which to play.

I have begun teaching musicians how to create this space for themselves. I see so many artists creating incredible music and yet feeling stuck in their career. It’s a mission of mine to help pull musicians up into a space where they are consistently working and thriving with their original art. It’s so much more possible than a lot of people think, to make headway as independent artist without management or an agent.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are so very lucky in Denver. I’d show them my three most favorite things – the rocky mountains, the music venues and the night life. We’d do a camping trip in Estes, or somewhere out on the western slope, as well as mountain gaze (and people watch!) Cheeseman Park. We’d see shows at Red Rocks, Cervantes and Dazzle to get the full spectrum of music venues. Red Rocks for the grandeur and caliber of music. Cervantes for their homey vibe and incredible shows. Dazzle for deep listening and high quality performances. We’d also check out Vesper Lounge, Meadowlark and The Roxy for weekly jams and vibey drink spots.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to shout out Bonnie Simms. She is an inspiration to me for what is possible and I am so inspired by her musical skills, her perseverance and her energy.

Website: https://michellepietrafitta.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michelle.pietrafitta.drums/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.pietrafitta/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUcjPO3fTPj1tzRmYsXP9kQ/videos

Image Credits
Backstage Flash
Shared Views Media