Friendliness in the Industry

[Fliko]

Hey JMJ,
I recently posted on a forum about joining the industry as a record producer, and how to go about that. Basically I got told to go do something else and record on the side due to it being nearly impossible to get in.

But that's not why I'm posting here. I'm posting here to ask you a question that really warped my vision of the industry and what little of it I have had. It seemed everyone on the forum I posted on just ragged on the unfriendliness in the music industry, and how there is always someone who is looking to screw you, or to make you work unpaid. I was wondering what your view on this is, and how friendly or unfriendly the music industry has been to you.

It's almost devastating to hear that an industry that I experienced constant friendliness through is just out to screw me. Although the forum was most likely just pointing their fingers to the record labels, I'm curious on the perspective of a session player like yourself.

Thank you!

[jmjbassplayer]

Man, I just don't see it that way at all. As a producer, as a session player, whatever. There is sporadic "haterism", but if you keep your nose clean, it's not that intrusive into one's life.

Most importantly: having a personal policy of NOT dissing others is really key. Those conversations between tracking songs when the engineer is setting up the drums and the producer starts talking about so and so and his drug habit. You know the deal. Anyway, it's just best to remain apart from that stuff. A good deal of "he said, she said" does happen, I will agree to that. So the most you can be autonomous from that, the better it is for your health.

JMJ

[pbass2]

Originally Posted by Fliko

I recently posted on a forum about joining the industry as a record producer, and how to go about that. Basically I got told to go do something else and record on the side due to it being nearly impossible to get in.

I might just add my two cents, addressing the first part of your post: IMHO now more than ever, somebody telling you it's impossible to "get in" to the music industry is, well . . . just plain wrong. And out of touch. There are more avenues and vehicles for working in the music biz at all kinds of levels available to folks these days than ever before.
You WILL work for free a lot for starters(and even later on--"spec" is part of the game, big time my friend, even for top dogs these days), but if you can manage that, don't let it stop you. Don't listen to those cranky haters. "Keep your nose clean" as Justin says, so nothing can bite you on the arse, and do good work.

[Fliko]

Thanks, it's a relief to hear this, I'll definately go straight on into what I wanted to do instead of diverting into something that I didn't want to do.

[Tusknia]

Do you still speak with Brian Burton now and again?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by pbass2

I might just add my two cents, addressing the first part of your post: IMHO now more than ever, somebody telling you it's impossible to "get in" to the music industry is, well . . . just plain wrong. And out of touch. There are more avenues and vehicles for working in the music biz at all kinds of levels available to folks these days than ever before.
You WILL work for free a lot for starters(and even later on--"spec" is part of the game, big time my friend, even for top dogs these days), but if you can manage that, don't let it stop you. Don't listen to those cranky haters. "Keep your nose clean" as Justin says, so nothing can bite you on the arse, and do good work.

Obviously it's not "impossible" to get in. Many people actually do get in. It's just next to impossible to get in at a major level and make Bob Rock-style money. So Fliko, if you want to get into it, my advice would be to do it because you love it, and not because you're looking to make a killing, because the odds of you making a killing are very low, especially in today's world where record companies are making a fraction of what they'd have made 15 years ago with a hit album.

[Fliko]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Obviously it's not "impossible" to get in. Many people actually do get in. It's just next to impossible to get in at a major level and make Bob Rock-style money. So Fliko, if you want to get into it, my advice would be to do it because you love it, and not because you're looking to make a killing, because the odds of you making a killing are very low, especially in today's world where record companies are making a fraction of what they'd have made 15 years ago with a hit album.

Definately. If I was looking to make a lot of money I'd become a doctor. I just want to be able to feed myself while working in the music industry in some form.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Fliko

Definately. If I was looking to make a lot of money I'd become a doctor. I just want to be able to feed myself while working in the music industry in some form.

Problem is, so does everyone else in the music industry, and there just aren't a lot of jobs. So even that minor goal becomes a bit lofty when you consider that yes, there are people out there looking to screw you, and I've met and worked with plenty. However, the higher up the food chain you go, I think the less there is of that. You'll always have some "haterism," as Justin says, or some clown looking to stiff you, but if you allow your BS detector to do more of the thinking than your youthful idealism, you'll be OK. Keep the idealism because people love someone who has lots of enthusiasm and doesn't complain, but try to be a good judge of character.