There's a 30,000 people festival coming to my humble little city, ol' Swansea Town. There's been a competition for local bands to compete for a slot with £1000 pay. We got down to the last 5 bands, and the final was tonight. Don't know who won yet, but I'm 99% sure it wasn't my band.

I'm feeling so flat right now it's unbelievable. Will post when I know what the actual result was.

PLUS I've got a maths exam in the morning. That sucks serious carrots.

hey even if you didnt win you got down to the finals which is something that some of the other band didnt do...which means you are better then some bands....

plus you will still get some recognition for being in the finals cause face it...not many people can say that they even got that far

Man, you're 16! Congrats on getting to the final 5, that's outstanding! Keep rocking and you and your band will be winning such contests in no time!

I personally think that fame shouldn't really matter. Sure, the prospect of it is exciting, but you don't need it. It's about the music, I think. Kind of a bummer, though, I can see where you're coming from.

Count your blessings, though; at least you have a band. I've been playing bass for 2 years and I have yet to find another musician who's willing to work with me; I had to resort to getting a guitar and figuring out how to program a drum machine to start making my own music. I'd kill to be in a band, I really would.

Also, good luck on your math exam.

You're going to win that one hands down, mate. ;)

Some level of fame is the only way you will make a living wage with playing music, ok there are studio musicians too but thats even more competitive because there are fewer slots.

Some level of fame is the only way you will make a living wage with playing music, ok there are studio musicians too but thats even more competitive because there are fewer slots.

Don't believe it; thousands of musicians that you've never heard of make a living, pay their mortgages and raise their children as full time musicians. Some might wear formal wear and play for weddings and society events, while others might be sitting in a pit playing a community theater production of "The Music Man". Still others may wear lederhosen and play polkas, but it's still a living.

I'd kill to be in a band, I really would.

I did kill to be in a band. Only I f@#ked up and killed the drummer. JK lol

Don't believe it; thousands of musicians that you've never heard of make a living, pay their mortgages and raise their children as full time musicians. Some might wear formal wear and play for weddings and society events, while others might be sitting in a pit playing a community theater production of "The Music Man". Still others may wear lederhosen and play polkas, but it's still a living.

you said thousands... so how many other musians don't make a living wage. I bet in Seattle alone there are thousands, probably 10s of thousands

One of the best responses I've heard from a performer when asked how things were going:

Better things than ever have fallen through for me lately.

you said thousands... so how many other musians don't make a living wage. I bet in Seattle alone there are thousands, probably 10s of thousands

What's your point?/ How many basketball players don't make a living wage? How many skiers don't make a living wage? How many fishermen don't make a living wage? How many writers don't make a living wage?

Most musicians, like most guys who shoot hoops, hit the slopes every winter or own bass boats, are amateurs. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I'd politely suggest that most of the people who own musical instruments have no real desire to live their lives as professional musicians. (Sure, some of them would be tickled to get paid for playing, but they aren't able to make the commitment that becoming a full time 'professional' takes.)

My point in contributin to this thread was that you don't have to have some measure of fame to make a living wage; there are plenty of people who DO make a living with their instruments who are not known to the public at large, and many who aren't even well known in their communities - I mean, really - how many church organists and music directors do YOU know I know a vanishingly small percentage of those in my town, yet I know a dozen or so who do those things as full time jobs.

My friend, that's making a living wage as a musician.

its underdogs that get fame, not winners ;)

My point is that if you want to make a living wage you need some level of fame for your band (someone has to know you...) Maybe not you in particular but your band. And for the type of music that I think he is referring to it is definitely true. I am guessing but I think that the OP is not playing the type of music that requires wearing lederhosen and playing polkas, or playing weddings or theatre productions.

I could be wrong again but it sounds like these guys are ambitious enough to want some level of fame and getting paid to play. I would certainly say it is a safer assumption than wearing lederhosen and playing polkas, or playing weddings and theatre productions. I could be wrong though.

What's your point?/ How many basketball players don't make a living wage? How many skiers don't make a living wage? How many fishermen don't make a living wage? How many writers don't make a living wage?

Most musicians, like most guys who shoot hoops, hit the slopes every winter or own bass boats, are amateurs. There's nothing wrong with that. In fact, I'd politely suggest that most of the people who own musical instruments have no real desire to live their lives as professional musicians. (Sure, some of them would be tickled to get paid for playing, but they aren't able to make the commitment that becoming a full time 'professional' takes.)

My point in contributin to this thread was that you don't have to have some measure of fame to make a living wage; there are plenty of people who DO make a living with their instruments who are not known to the public at large, and many who aren't even well known in their communities - I mean, really - how many church organists and music directors do YOU know I know a vanishingly small percentage of those in my town, yet I know a dozen or so who do those things as full time jobs.

My friend, that's making a living wage as a musician.

Good luck - sounds like you don't think you played well enough in the audition but I'm sure it went better than you thought. Anyway there's be other years and other gigs. I'd be delighted just to get that far! Good luck with the exam too. That added stress can't have helped!

I personally think that fame shouldn't really matter. Sure, the prospect of it is exciting, but you don't need it. It's about the music, I think. Kind of a bummer, though, I can see where you're coming from.

Count your blessings, though; at least you have a band. I've been playing bass for 2 years and I have yet to find another musician who's willing to work with me; I had to resort to getting a guitar and figuring out how to program a drum machine to start making my own music. I'd kill to be in a band, I really would.

Also, good luck on your math exam.

all about the fame - playing for music is good. but sometimes i just want be more than just another cover band.

Cheers for all the help and support from everyone in this thread - it really cheered me up to read so many positive responses.

Well, we finished 2nd. 2nd place out of 200 odd bands isn't bad, but we got nothing. Nothing at all. I didn't even get a good picture out of the night to post on the band website. I probably failed my maths too.

But life can be pretty sucky sometimes, and I did get a new song or two out of the whole affair. All in all it's one week I'd rather forget full stop.

What's so wrong with wearing lederhosen???





:hiding: :D

What a pity!

anyway, that 2nd place should teach you a lot of things, and should lift you up and motivate all of you to keep doing what you've been doing.

Go on!

Dude, you made second out of 200? That's awesome. Congrats.

2nd place out of 200 odd bands isn't bad, but we got
nothing

That sucks. Even in Monopoly you get 10 bucks for second prize in a beauty contest :hmm:

Take it as a learning experience, play better, write better, and practice harder, and you will find the winners circle