Pro and cons of being a full time musician

[Iv@N]

Hello everybody,
I'm about to finish high school and studying music is one of my options to study.
My parents support me, but sometimes they feel like being a musician is probably not the best idea.

What are the positive and negative aspects about dedicating full time to music?

Thanks,
Iván

[CapnSev]

Pro: Get to do something you love.

Con: Live like/be a homeless person.

[TheBasicBassist]

i think you need to define professional musician.

are you wanting to be a rock star?
a composer?
a classically trained upright bassist?
a schooled jazz musician?

personally, i'm in the process of completing the
last of the four. there's an arduous road ahead of you
but at least for me it's well worth it.

if your going to be a professional musician,
i recommend going to a college or university
for at least an associates, otherwise your more than
likely destined to 'live like/be a homeless person'
as CapnSev stated.

best of luck,
john

[countrybassist]

It's tough man. I'm glad that I have a job when I'm not playing. There are alot of touring Nashville musicians that have to work day jobs while not on tour. Do you know what the difference is between a large Pizza and a Nashville bassist? The large pizza can feed an entire family! lol!!

[AlembicPlayer]

Three guys are sitting in a bar:
Guy #1: "Yeah I make $175,000 a year, after taxes."
Guy #2: "What do you do for a living?"
Guy #1: "I'm a stockbroker. How much do you make?"
Guy #2: "I should clear $160,000 this year.
Guy #1: "What do you do?
Guy #2: "I'm an architect."

The third guy has been sitting there quietly, staring into his beer, when the other two turn to him.

Guy #2: "How much do you make per year?"
Guy #3: "Gee...uh...I guess about $13,000."

Guy #1: Oh yeah? What kind of strings do you use?"

[zachbass02]

Originally Posted by countrybassist

It's tough man. I'm glad that I have a job when I'm not playing. There are alot of touring Nashville musicians that have to work day jobs while not on tour. Do you know what the difference is between a large Pizza and a Nashville bassist? The large pizza can feed an entire family! lol!!

haha...know how to get a Nashville bass player off your doorstep? ........pay for the pizza!

Know how you can tell you're talking to a Nashville bass player?......he's the one taking your order....

Know what the difference between a flute player and a Nashville bass player? ...the flute player has a gig tonight.

ditto on the job thing. tons of "working" guys here in Nashville that hustle gigs at night and work at a desk during the day to pay bills. It's tough no matter which way you slice it.

[Iv@N]

Thanks for the replies so far.
The music teacher of my school, who is also a bassist, is giving me private lessons to be able to apply to a music college in germany to study jazz.

[dougjwray]

Here's a con: You'll spend way more time than you expected simply trying to find gigs-- selling yourself. If you're not much of a "people person" and hate networking, "doing the hang", etc., you won't like it very much. Trust me.
Another: Expect to play some music you don't care about. I knew a drummer who was so burned out playing his wedding gigs that he actually started bringing a little television set to sit on his bass drum so that he could watch TV while playing "Satin Doll" for the 2,000th time!

A pro: Not having a day job does mean that you can spend the non-business hours of your day practicing, sleeping, listening to music, reading, or whatever.

[Lesfunk]

Pro: You do something you love
Con: It can turn in to something you hate, like a job...

[beggar98]

If you want to make music your career, I suggest looking into ways you can make money off music besides performing. Teaching is very popular, especially in the jazz world. If you can get a gig teaching at the university level or even at a performing arts high school you can have some real financial stability, not to mention that these types of jobs expect you to also maintain a healthy performance schedule.

[Steve]

Pro:
Work 4 hours a night.
Get a 15 min. break every hour.
Free draft beer.
First crack at the cocktail waitresses.

Con:
Pretty much everything else.

[M0ses]

If you measure sucess by how much money you have, being a musician is not for you. Even if you end up making a lot of money.

I'm studying to be a luthier/tech. Everyone tells me that I will make no money and...I don't care. If I got a high-paying job, I'd spend my days doing stuff I didn't like and my nights spending money on music stuff. With this job, I spend my day doing stuff I love, and I don't NEED money because my job is building/repairing musical equipment! Which is what I would buy if I had money!

So uh.....basically in my opinion, if you are a musician, you know you're a musician. And that's all that matters.

[VroomVroom]

I dreamed of being a full-time musican when I was young, and even took the leap for about nine full months. You know the most valuable lesson I learned? That I enjoy music MUCH more when I don't have to rely on it to pay the bills. I felt trapped because I couldn't say no to any gig. Everyone is unique, so take this is a grain of salt, but for the people I meet who genuinely love music, I strongly encourage them to find another means of economic support so they can devote attention to their music without compromise.

Obviously I'm oversimplifying things a bit. Nowadays I still take the occasional gig I'd rather turn down, but I do it for the people involved, not because of the paycheck. However, I wouldn't give up the luxury of having the option to say, "No thanks" for anything.

[bass_snake]

Originally Posted by M0ses

If you measure sucess by how much money you have, being a musician is not for you. Even if you end up making a lot of money.

Right on! There' s a saying: "Do what you love and money will come." Definitely agree with that saying.

Fred

[scott reed]

But if you love anything as much as or more than music - do that too! Get as many arrows in your quiver as you can. These days, you just never know.

[cassanova]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

I dreamed of being a full-time musican when I was young, and even took the leap for about nine full months. You know the most valuable lesson I learned? That I enjoy music MUCH more when I don't have to rely on it to pay the bills. I felt trapped because I couldn't say no to any gig. Everyone is unique, so take this is a grain of salt, but for the people I meet who genuinely love music, I strongly encourage them to find another means of economic support so they can devote attention to their music without compromise.

Obviously I'm oversimplifying things a bit. Nowadays I still take the occasional gig I'd rather turn down, but I do it for the people involved, not because of the paycheck. However, I wouldn't give up the luxury of having the option to say, "No thanks" for anything.

+1

I used to do music as the only sourse of income for many years and people that never have done it don't realise something about the profession. It is a lot of work, eventually it gets tiresome, and most importantly, no matter how good you are there is no benefits or job security, you are always 2 weeks away from being unemployed.

[T-Funk]

Originally Posted by VroomVroom

I dreamed of being a full-time musican when I was young, and even took the leap for about nine full months. You know the most valuable lesson I learned? That I enjoy music MUCH more when I don't have to rely on it to pay the bills. I felt trapped because I couldn't say no to any gig. Everyone is unique, so take this is a grain of salt, but for the people I meet who genuinely love music, I strongly encourage them to find another means of economic support so they can devote attention to their music without compromise.

+1

In my early 20's, I left college to pursue a gigging musician and club DJing career, in addition to working on a solo music project. Two years later, I had to admit that I made a major mistake, and I returned to college to finish a business-related degree.

Although I had been involved in music since childhood, it had always been a productive hobby to have fun, stay active and keep out of trouble. However, when I relied on music to pay the bills, the fun was quickly taken out of being a musician.

Conversely, my brother attended college and earned a degree in music performance (piano). He is solely reliant on music activities to generate income.

While he does not make a lot of money, I honestly do not believe that he would be happier doing anything else in life.

With that said, it boils down to the individual and what he or she wishes to achieve and do in life. There is really not a "cookie cutter" approach or answer.

[Leftybass12]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Here's a con: You'll spend way more time than you expected simply trying to find gigs-- selling yourself. If you're not much of a "people person" and hate networking, "doing the hang", etc., you won't like it very much. Trust me.
Another: Expect to play some music you don't care about. I knew a drummer who was so burned out playing his wedding gigs that he actually started bringing a little television set to sit on his bass drum so that he could watch TV while playing "Satin Doll" for the 2,000th time!

A pro: Not having a day job does mean that you can spend the non-business hours of your day practicing, sleeping, listening to music, reading, or whatever.

Holy crap, that is hilarious!!!!

[MKoby]

If you want to study music that will enable you to be a good player, that is fine. Then plan on learning something to make a living.

If you are sure you want to do something in music, go right off for an accounting degree. Do the books and taxes. Or get a law degree. All bands and players need someone who knows something.
I have played with too many really fine players who never made a living and had to stop. I play in their orchestra, having left pro orchestras (National symphonies, opera orchestras, ballet troups regional orchestras, taught at universities and conservatories. They have toured with major bands, famous singers and solosits, been members of top groups, some of whom wrote hits).
They deliver the mail, work as secretaries and personal assistants, install computer networks, or are buyer for clothing store chains.

Being a musician is a niche spot as an entertainer. Limited employment, marginal pay, short, unstable careers.

Unless you or your spouse are very wealthy, things will be extremely challenging. That is why your parents are not happy about your first career choice. If you study mucis, it will most likely not be your last job, even if you are one of the best players.

Learn accounting, nursing, engineering (Tom Schotz, Mark Knofler), history David Leibman, education Robert Pollard, Rendy Ross. Madonna studied dance in college (but the campus was big I never knew her the year we overlapped)

Ask your parents why they are concerned.

[TortillaChip520]

Con: you will end up being in lots of bands with lots of complete idiots who THINK they are musicians.