I am so far below you in the musical pecking order, it seems comical to me that I'd have anything to say about this at all. Except that I'll quit when I'm dead. Playing music that makes people happy is what gives my life meaning.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Anyone thought about giving up music?
- Thread starter TagoMago
- Start date
What are you doing now, to pay your bills?
You really screwed the pooch when you gave up that full scholarship. I know it was years ago now, but damn. Had to be said. People who say "I have no regrets in life" , IMO are idiots who haven't learned anything.
Yes, I've thought about giving up music. And I don't mean as a day job. That's never happened. I mean just give up entirely. I never have, but the thought has crossed my mind.
I guess it just comes down to what do you want to do in music? There are many options. None are easy, but you are clearly a top dog. You have connections many of us would envy.
Right now, since you didn't mention one, I assume you are unemployed. So get a job. "You gotta serve somebody" But never give up. Off the top of my head, you can -
play for a Church , can be decent PT income
compose for video games and film
build a private teaching business. I know people who have done this, particularly with piano.
also, online teaching. Youtube teaching. (just don't play any covers, even in very clear Fair Use, it's no longer safe to do so for the foreseeable future)
wedding band
tribute band
music therapy (this is , after a fashion, where I ended up. Music in human services.)
and don't limit yourself to one such avenue. So , the R&B band didn't shake out. You lost a few fake friends. Yes, they were fake friends, I'm sorry, but it is true.
But did you try again? You seem like someone who has had great success, but when something went sour, or wasn't quite right, you bolted every time. The college wasn't soul-ful enough, so you quit. The band went nova, so you didn't start another. I don't blame you for leaving the cruise ship business, but now here you are contemplating quitting music entirely. Buck up!
And don't give up! A tiger is only successful on the hunt 5-10% of the time. Even the specialist tigers only get a kill around 20%. (thank you, National Geographic)
You are too good to quit. Persevere!
You really screwed the pooch when you gave up that full scholarship. I know it was years ago now, but damn. Had to be said. People who say "I have no regrets in life" , IMO are idiots who haven't learned anything.
Yes, I've thought about giving up music. And I don't mean as a day job. That's never happened. I mean just give up entirely. I never have, but the thought has crossed my mind.
I guess it just comes down to what do you want to do in music? There are many options. None are easy, but you are clearly a top dog. You have connections many of us would envy.
Right now, since you didn't mention one, I assume you are unemployed. So get a job. "You gotta serve somebody" But never give up. Off the top of my head, you can -
play for a Church , can be decent PT income
compose for video games and film
build a private teaching business. I know people who have done this, particularly with piano.
also, online teaching. Youtube teaching. (just don't play any covers, even in very clear Fair Use, it's no longer safe to do so for the foreseeable future)
wedding band
tribute band
music therapy (this is , after a fashion, where I ended up. Music in human services.)
and don't limit yourself to one such avenue. So , the R&B band didn't shake out. You lost a few fake friends. Yes, they were fake friends, I'm sorry, but it is true.
But did you try again? You seem like someone who has had great success, but when something went sour, or wasn't quite right, you bolted every time. The college wasn't soul-ful enough, so you quit. The band went nova, so you didn't start another. I don't blame you for leaving the cruise ship business, but now here you are contemplating quitting music entirely. Buck up!
And don't give up! A tiger is only successful on the hunt 5-10% of the time. Even the specialist tigers only get a kill around 20%. (thank you, National Geographic)
You are too good to quit. Persevere!
I'm not even one of those folks who thinks that I AM music, it's just a hobby, but...
after only 3 months w/o a bass around & I was looking to buy another bass.
Quit if you like, but keep enough gear around to get back in when the mood strikes.
after only 3 months w/o a bass around & I was looking to buy another bass.
Quit if you like, but keep enough gear around to get back in when the mood strikes.
I will never plan on quitting music. I have no idea what the right answer is for anyone else, but for me, music is something I do for its own sake. I am not interested in injecting any sense of competition into my playing or allowing it to become drudgery by making it my vocation. My pacing is slow but steady. YMMV.
You sound burned out. Why not take a break for a while?
You can always start playing again later.
You can always start playing again later.
