How much does music contribute to your overall income?

jnevi9nr · #1 12-17-2009, 07:43 AM

I am in an International or national touring band only
I am in a Regional touring band but also have a 9-5 music related job
I have a 9-5 regular job with a small band on the side
I have a 9-5 regular job with no band on the side
I am unemployed with a band on the side
I am unemployed with no band on the side
Other – please explain

poll is private

southernrocker · #2 12-17-2009, 08:31 AM

Any money we get is put back into gear and gas.

qball26 · #3 12-17-2009, 08:33 AM

I voted other. I work 10 - 6, (when I feel like it...I manage the in-laws company), and for about 4 months a year I go on business trips.

As for the band, last year we played about 40 - 45 weekends locally and across the province of Ontario. This year, we had a messed up year. :-(

But as for band income, it pays for my rent, and all my musical gear. I never spent a dime of my "real" income on gear, that's for traveling and bills.

Work: www.mogmoc.com
Band: www.euphoriarocks.ca

Lichtaffen · #4 12-17-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southernrocker

Any money we get is put back into gear and gas.

Don't you mean G.A.S.?

TortillaChip520 · #5 12-17-2009, 09:47 AM

Music contributes negatively to my income

Valerus · #6 12-17-2009, 09:56 AM

Nope, but I'm still in college.

deaf pea · #7 12-17-2009, 10:51 AM

I voted "other" as this poll dosen't offer MY particular situation . . .

"I am in an International touring band but also have a 9-5 music related job that allows me time off for gigs and practices"

.

T-MOST · #8 12-17-2009, 11:08 AM

I couldn't live on it but it's enough to buy really great gear.

HailCorduroy · #9 12-17-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TortillaChip520

Music contributes negatively to my income

That was the option I was looking for.

the art guy · #10 12-17-2009, 12:15 PM

I see I'm in the majority so far (9-5 job with small band on the side).

On a related note, at our last show we made 20 bucks. Four of us, we each walked home with a 5. Nice. (That was our cut of the door......very small club, not well-attended show with 3 bands.)

JoZac21 · #11 12-17-2009, 12:17 PM

I have a 9-5 regular job with a small band on the side as well.

I like my job, though, and strangely, I've met more great musicians selling wine than playing shows. Weird.

Gawd · #12 12-17-2009, 01:21 PM

I'm a music major, currently looking for a job, living off of student loans. So right now music is actually taking from my overall income, which is 0.

Calebmundy · #13 12-17-2009, 01:48 PM

Another TB poll with fantastically simplified choices.

I work a 9-5 day job, and I also work many different, mostly local gigs. I don't tour nationally with big artists, but I pull in about 1/3 of my income here in town. Once or twice a month I am out for a weekend.

Blueszilla · #14 12-17-2009, 01:56 PM

I'm a 9-to-fiver, have two steady gigs a week, and pull in 2-3 fill ins/sessions/other stuff per month. I do fine in my day job, but the gig money amounts to $1.2 to $2k a month, not insignificant. Hell, most months it pays my mortgage, but my extended family is a responsibility, so a lot of those funds go to their assistance.

Life is good, even in a questionable economy.

jnevi9nr · #15 12-17-2009, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calebmundy

Another TB poll with fantastically simplified choices.

I work a 9-5 day job, and I also work many different, mostly local gigs. I don't tour nationally with big artists, but I pull in about 1/3 of my income here in town. Once or twice a month I am out for a weekend.

whats the issue? you are:

"I have a 9-5 regular job with a small band on the side"

ok, so you may have a couple of local bands and you go out of town every once in a while. this is still your group.

Calebmundy · #16 12-17-2009, 03:04 PM

Because I don't have a "small band on the side". I am in 5 bands, plus a TON of one-off work. Some of those bands pull in $5000 a gig, and some of the people I play with are major working guys. "Small band on the side" implies something very different.

Calebmundy · #17 12-17-2009, 03:06 PM

And in general there seems to be a really unrealistic trend in there kinds of "working" questions that have these hard definitions between things that are in fact, often very fuzzy.

For a while I was making most of my living from playing musical theater-how would that fit in? What about players like my middle school band director who took his summers and made a killing playing trombone for the circus?

Calebmundy · #18 12-17-2009, 03:11 PM

I'm sorry, I'm a ****. Just read back.

etechstan · #19 12-18-2009, 12:51 PM

I don't get paid for playing, I play for a church.

Febs · #20 12-18-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calebmundy

For a while I was making most of my living from playing musical theater-how would that fit in?

I agree completely. It seems to me that a lot of people here at TB have trouble understanding that there are music opportunities that do not involve a "band."

I have a full time job. I also am a very busy musician. According to my tax records, out of approximately 175 gigs and (mostly) paid rehearsals I played in 2009, only about 25 were with my regular band. The rest were theater gigs and other freelance gigs. I don't consider that to be "a small band on the side."

I know a number of people who make their living working as accompanists and music directors. They are freelancers. They make their living via music, but they do not have a 9-5 job and are not in a touring band. Where do they fit in this poll?