My emotions get the best of me.

[Karmela]

Hey gearslutz,

so I am in a little bit of an emotion funk as you can say.

I am a musician. Have been since I was a tiny lad. Took music serious all my life, but didnt do anything with it until I was in my 20's. I did many sessions, live shows etc. But at the same time went to school and recieved my degree in business.

NOW, I have to go back to work because well, I can afford not to.

I just feel like a loser in a way because I have to work from 9-6 and then focus on music. I feel bad for not wakeing up in the morning and working on music till my eyes bleed out. But what can I do? How hard does one have to work till something evolves into something bigger than expected?

I mean is it me, or are their a lot of "musicians/producers" here that do work and do music later on in the day? Why is it I feel like this?

Music is a curse i tell you

[Never1]

You are in the same boat as 99% of the aspiring professional musicians out there. The transition from day job to full time is a tough one, and needing to go back to the day job is an even harder pill to swallow.

You need to do what you have to do.

Realize what truly is important in your life, and take the necessary steps to make it happen. If your "lifestyle" is expensive and you need to work full time to pay your bills, you might want to consider downsizing and try living cheaper. To do music full time, in the beginning, you need to be able to live on next to nothing and get by on little money, purely for the sake of not having to work a day job.

It all comes down to sacrifice, how bad you want it, how much you're willing to put in to get it and how far you're willing to go to get there. It's never easy and it takes a ton of dedication and perserverance and in the end there still is never any guarantees that you'll make it.... unless you know it deep down and you're smart enough to make good choices along the way. If you've got that part, then it really is just a matter of time.

Every overnight success was 20 years in the making. What year are you on?

[Karmela]

Originally Posted by Never1

You are in the same boat as 99% of the aspiring professional musicians out there. The transition from day job to full time is a tough one, and needing to go back to the day job is an even harder pill to swallow.

You need to do what you have to do.

Realize what truly is important in your life, and take the necessary steps to make it happen. If your "lifestyle" is expensive and you need to work full time to pay your bills, you might want to consider downsizing and try living cheaper. To do music full time, in the beginning, you need to be able to live on next to nothing and get by on little money, purely for the sake of not having to work a day job.

It all comes down to sacrifice, how bad you want it, how much you're willing to put in to get it and how far you're willing to go to get there. It's never easy and it takes a ton of dedication and perserverance and in the end there still is never any guarantees that you'll make it.... unless you know it deep down and you're smart enough to make good choices along the way. If you've got that part, then it really is just a matter of time.

Every overnight success was 20 years in the making. What year are you on?

Honestly I am 29, and began really really pursing music at 26. I know laugh it allll you want, but deep down, I know I will make it.

I have a girlfriend, so it makes it a little harder not to work, because we do want to get married, and I do have a masters degree in business so its hard not to go back to work.

But I guess as you say, knowing 99% of musicians are faced with this same problem makes me feel a little better because I know im not alone.

I really thank you or anyone else who comments back for giving me advice and wise words to keep moving forward.

[vintagelove]

Maybe this will make you feel better, (I am only talking to the most recent generation, for a long time not going to college was fine) I generally (unless you are making 5 figures) think those WITHOUT a degree, who try to wake up and do music all day are losers. With a real job you can afford all the gearslutiness you desire. Or you can be a drop out with an mbox......... If you do not feel better, go get your degree in music. It will not be fun, you will learn things you never THOUGHT you wanted to learn. But when you get done you can wake up and do music all day get paid for it! Good Luck, learn to enjoy life, there are things that are AS important as gear in life, those are the things that make good music.

[Never1]

Well, here's my background just so you can take my advice as you want it.

I'm 30 yrs old and have been playing guitar since I was 11. Formed my first band at age 14 and was playing clubs by 17. I started singing at about this time and then I got caught up in working the "family business" after highschool. It's a good lifestyle with lots of money and all that but by the time I hit 22 I'd had enough of it and realized I really wanted to pursue music, full time. I moved from my small town and to the bigger urban center and formed a new band.

We spent 4 years recording and touring and building a decent name for ourselves, but as time went on things started to fizzle out. I, on a dare from one of my bandmates, auditioned for a certain popular "prime time TV singing contest" and ended up reaching 4th place and this ignited a new found sense of purpose. It taught me a heck of a lot about "the business" as far as being able to market and sell an image and it vas invaluable in that respect.

Now I've got an album coming out with my band and we're in a position to get some good press/promo, based purely on my involvement with said "contest".

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you need to recognize, seize and capitalize on opportunities in order to further your career. At the time this thing happened we were on the fritz and ready to break up, and now we've got plans for a natinal tour, major market radio play and all sorts of good stuff that only came about due to my fearless decision to go do something totally wild and out of my charachter.

Chin up dude. it will happen if it's mean't to... but you gotta work hard. period. There's no free lunch.

[Admiral James T.]

Originally Posted by charlesaustin

... I generally (unless you are making 5 figures) think those WITHOUT a degree, who try to wake up and do music all day are losers. ...

I'm a loser!

[drBill]

Back in the day, I think the stats were that only 6% of PROFESSIONAL musicians made their complete living off of music. In this day and age, I can't even imagine the percentage. It might be 1% like some have said. Not trying to kick the dog while it's down, but your best and most creative option is to get a job (good luck though, it's HARD right now) and set some musical goals and work towards them. Bumming out about it is counter productive to the creative spirit. Make a move and go for it!!!!

[drBill]

Originally Posted by charlesaustin

If you do not feel better, go get your degree in music. It will not be fun, you will learn things you never THOUGHT you wanted to learn. But when you get done you can wake up and do music all day get paid for it!

Sorry, but getting a degree in music will not help you make money in music. Been there done that. It actually took me over 20 years of being in the biz and making 100% of my income there before anyone actually asked where I went to school and what I studied. The music biz is not like walking in for an accounting interview or applying to a bank for a job. It's all about reputation and whether or not you CAN when you show up. If you want to LEARN more about music, then go back to school for it. But do not expect a degree to help you find work in the biz. That's all about contacts and proximity to others making a living at music.

[vintagelove]

very true. but you will learn more about music!!!

[drBill]

Originally Posted by charlesaustin

very true. but you will learn more about music!!!

Uh, I thought I said that.....

[Karmela]

Originally Posted by drBill

Back in the day, I think the stats were that only 6% of PROFESSIONAL musicians made their complete living off of music. In this day and age, I can't even imagine the percentage. It might be 1% like some have said. Not trying to kick the dog while it's down, but your best and most creative option is to get a job (good luck though, it's HARD right now) and set some musical goals and work towards them. Bumming out about it is counter productive to the creative spirit. Make a move and go for it!!!!

You know man,

Its hard,

I have been playing since I was a kid, cae from a musicial family. But they didnt want me to go into it because of all the trouble and strain it will have, SO WHY NOT GET YOUR EDUCATION! haha ok i did that, got an MBA, know business inside and out.

I move to LA about 3 years ago and began to do session, studio, and ultamitly began producing, but producing I have done for the past few years, and now want to focus on music supervisors so i can get music out to them.

Tried TAXI which was a complete waste of time, and i do mean COMPLETE!

But now I find myself sort of standing around and making music, and kind of goes unhear in a way. I really want to get it out to music supervisors, and everyone tells me the msuic is great.

Deep in my heart I know im destinted to do music, I can feel it, because I eat it, breath it, think it, and everything else you can do with it.

But now going back to work from 9-6, I just find myself thinking "ok back to square 1". Work full time and do music.

But I wont give up by any means. I guess I was hopeing music would have landed me somewhere by now even though its been 3 years, BUT I do now thats just a nano second in the world of music.

But when you want is so bad, you cant wait.

[Never1]

Originally Posted by Karmela

You know man,

Its hard,

I move to LA about 3 years ago and began to do session, studio, and ultamitly began producing, but producing I have done for the past few years, and now want to focus on music supervisors so i can get music out to them.

But now I find myself sort of standing around and making music, and kind of goes unhear in a way. I really want to get it out to music supervisors, and everyone tells me the msuic is great.

Deep in my heart I know im destinted to do music, I can feel it, because I eat it, breath it, think it, and everything else you can do with it.


But when you want is so bad, you cant wait.

I edited the quote for the sake of condensing it to a certain focus, but I gotta ask this:

What are you doing outside of making music in your own space?

Screw music supervisors. Screw anyone whom you might think could help you. In this day and age, the guys/gals who make it happen are the ones who are out in front of people doing it as often as possible and converting the audience into believers and fans.

You have to get in front of people and build an audience on your own terms. Open Mics, coffee houses, jam nights, gigs.... whatever.

If there's no listening audience, regardless of how good your music is, no radio station, label or plethora of other "industry folk" will give a rat's ass until there's a demand.

Create demand and you will create business.

[drBill]

Originally Posted by Karmela

Deep in my heart I know im destinted to do music, I can feel it, because I eat it, breath it, think it, and everything else you can do with it.

karmela - first, everyone who loves music feels exactly the same way. You are not unique in that. There had better be something more, or your parents fears will become your worst nightmare. Homelessness is no fun.

Second, that very passion might have served you right up and into the lofty perches of pro musicianship 10 or 20 years ago. But today, the industry is decimated. That's not to say there are not SOME opportunities, but I think Acting is an easier profession to make a living at than music right now. At least when you get an acting job, they pay decent. When you get a gig as a musician, the pay and budgets are worse than they were in the 80's. And if you take inflation into account.....

So make a plan and go with it. Maybe you can find part time work consulting for a small businessman. Or maybe you can start your own business and have someone manage it for you, while checking in 20 hours a week.

Any way you look at it, you've got to eat and have a roof over your head or you're going nowhere.

I wish the times were different, but they aren't. Any romanticising about the past will only leave you holding your head in your hands - desititute. Be THANKFUL that you have an MBA. If I had an MBA, I'd be OUT of the music biz so fast your head would spin. Then I could be doing what I wanted to do with my music WHEN I wanted without having to be waiting on cheap skate projects that pay little, and then leave you hanging for 90+ days for payment.

Good luck!!! Think Looooonnnnnnngggg term. thumbsup

bp

[k.online]

The way I look at it is that, no matter what, I am doing what I love. If I have to work a stupid job to make ends meet, so be it. I don't let it get me down. It doesn't matter. Keep your eye on what's important.

[soundrick]

Originally Posted by charlesaustin

Maybe this will make you feel better, (I am only talking to the most recent generation, for a long time not going to college was fine) I generally (unless you are making 5 figures) think those WITHOUT a degree, who try to wake up and do music all day are losers.

LOL

That's a little harsh, but I absolutely agree with you.

I'm not sure if there is a correlation, but for the last two years, I've been making really excellent money with my "day job", and I have been making the best music I've ever made. I also picked up some nice gear to record my own stuff, and since I don't have enough time to double up working at a studio, I picked up what I needed to do some freelancing on the side.

I'm much happier, I got married and the wife and I are living very comfortably with no financial stress, so we can enjoy ourselves without that bother.

It'll be OK man, just make sure you make some "me-time" so you can still work on your music. Your life now will rely a lot more heavily on a schedule for your work and YOURSELF.
Once you get into a groove, and your girlfriend (if she's cool) understands your time-table, you'll be fine. Just rest assured there's plenty of other musicians walking this path.

Good luck

[The Byre]

Every career can be exciting or boring.

Music is very exciting. Music is unbelievably boring. Standing in front of twenty thousand fans is exciting, playing the same riff twenty times in a studio is boring.

Business can be every bit as exciting and boring.

A retail management trainee can end up, stuck in Walmart in Buffalo for the rest of his or her life, or they can join Aldi and travel from China to South Africa, from the US to Germany.

I have a foot in both camps and trust me, I find business very exciting. Developing a strategy for China - what is boring about that? The language? The people? The country? The products?

People who find business boring are usually just boring people.

[Musiclab]

Karmela you never mention what instrument you play, but here's something to think about, musicians who are working are usually hustlers, by that I mean they take any gig that comes their way, casuals, singles in a restaurant, ANYTHING, often they have to play music they absolutely hate, but they work, the idea that you're going to hit the session scene and make a living probably won't happen, mainly because there is no scene anymore. I also know many people who opt for 9-5 day gigs, because this way they don't have to settle on their music. you have to do what you have to do

[fatcatstrings]

Originally Posted by Karmela

How hard does one have to work till something evolves into something bigger than expected?

You're asking the wrong question Karmela. The question is, how long are you prepared to be financially insecure in order to pursue a career music?

One big plus about being a full-time musician: we've hardly noticed the recession - we've always been financially insecure!

[emdub123]

Originally Posted by Karmela

But now I find myself sort of standing around and making music, and kind of goes unhear in a way. I really want to get it out to music supervisors, and everyone tells me the msuic is great.

Deep in my heart I know im destinted to do music, I can feel it, because I eat it, breath it, think it, and everything else you can do with it.

But when you want is so bad, you cant wait.

It seems like you're dealing with three things here: First, you love making music. Second, you want to do work that you find fulfilling. Third, you feel the pressure that most people feel in their mid to late 20s towards getting "serious" and getting a "career."

Where it gets a bit sideways, in my opinion, is the way in which you seek validation. Every artist wants/needs validation, someone to say "wow, that's really great!" We will continue to make our art without it, but we all seek it to varying degrees. You seem to be making a correlation between your art and the way you make a living. In other words, not working as a full-time musician would be a poor reflection on the quality of your music and working as a full-time musician would PROVE to the world that your music matters. Either way, your success is determined, in large part, by others.

I'm not going to make a value judgement about whether that is or isn't a good way to look at it, but I do think you should really think long and hard about how you define what it means to be "successful" in life and what it means to be "successful" as a musician. Only you can write the definition of "happiness" for your own life, is this how you want to write it? How attached are you to the idea of "success" as a musician? How happy can we really be when our happiness depends on the validation we receive from others?

I have personally wrestled with this stuff for years. Here's a good website that might get you thinking about this from another angle:

Buddhism -- The Four Noble Truths -- 4 Truths .com