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I want to work at a music store

free_Bassd

free_Bassd

Guest
Feb 20, 2012
234
1
San Antonio, TX Area
www.reverbnation.com
#1
I am currently a lab tech at the local dental school. I am looking at making a drastic change to my life. I want to get a job at a music store and live my twenties how I want to live them.

first, I love music, always have always will. I'm very timely, I wake up early, and am hard worker as long as there are things to do, idle hands..... anyway. also I am generally not a shy person and get along with most all people I meet! I'll help load unload trucks or vice versa, or whatever, b*tch work is fine with me!

I know that there are lots of different types of music stores (GC, Sam Ash, luthier shops, small local places, CD stores) I'm good with any as long as music is what it's about! I have a pretty strong science background although electro physics is a weaker point it wouldn't be too much to brush up on it. I've been looking at lots of schematics online of pedals and cabs and am fairly confident that with some soldering practice I could repair a pedal or speaker, not too sure if I could build one yet though.

I'm just curious if anyone works at or owns a music store and can give me a few pointers of what they are looking for as far as employees go. or if you know the best way of actually going about getting a job of this type. all advice is welcome!
 
#7
To get into jobs like this you need to know somebody.
There are so many people that want to work there.
Start hanging out at some of the places you would like to work at and get to know the manager. Do not bring up the fact that you would like to work for them until you really get to know them. Don't quit the job you have now until you have the new one in the bag.
 
#8
So you want to move into retail sales? that is what im hearing.

I say keep the more specialized job ... that sounds like it probably takes some training that others won't have. Think of where you want to end up though. Which career path is going to afford you the ability to play music when not working. Which is going to give you extra cash needed to buy gear and gas to get to and from a gig.


i'd advise against it... keep the tech job... when you leave that job ... make your second being a musician. You will need a good paying day job to support your music. A good paying day job isn't going to happen at a music store unloading trucks.
 
#12
free_Bassd said:
I'm just curious if anyone works at or owns a music store and can give me a few pointers of what they are looking for as far as employees go. or if you know the best way of actually going about getting a job of this type. all advice is welcome!
Click to expand...

If you love music, and you can't yet make a living wage as a musician, the next best thing is a job in close proximity to the music industry.

Yes, it's still a job with the same pressure, stressors, and demands of any other job, but the advantage is, you are working with music lovers. Would you rather be selling plungers at the hardware store, or guitar strings to noobs? I'll take the latter.

And they're not all noobs and time wasters. Some of the people you end up working with have a lot of valuable real-world experience in the music industry. It's a great networking opportunity.

I worked in a music store for several years, and I loved the experience. I learned a ton about the music industry, stuff that has served me very well. I now make a living wage as a musician and entertainer, and while I was gathering the nerve and experience to make that move, my music store job was an important part of my development.

Also, there are some great perks to working a music-related job, i.e. access to gear, discounts, freebies, etc. I cleaned up big time during my tenure at a music store.

It's the same mentality at a CD outlet, sheet music store, whatever. The perks outweigh the drawbacks. If you have to work a "real job," may as well make it as proximate to the music entertainment industry as possible.

As for landing one of these jobs, just go in and tell them all about how much you love music, musicians, and music-related merchandise. In addition to your other fine qualities that would make you an excellent employee in any endeavor (responsibility, reliability, punctuality, flexibility, positive mental attitude, you know the drill here), keep tying it into your love for music and your personal experiences as a musician and music lover.

I say go for it, and good luck to you.
 
#15
electracoyote said:
Yes, it's still a job with the same pressure, stressors, and demands of any other job, but the advantage is, you are working with music lovers. Would you rather be selling plungers at the hardware store, or guitar strings to noobs? I'll take the latter.
Click to expand...

that's what I was thinking! I basically make 100 bucks a show + tips 1-3 times a week which is a pile of money compared to what all my musician friends make actually playing music.

I figure that at the very worst I'll have human interaction with people who are at least curious about music
 
#17
turbo chicken said:
I still say keep your job... join a band to get the other you are seeking.
Click to expand...

don't get me wrong, I love the guys in my band, they are awesome! but I need a little variety you know? I want to live in an apartment and have a snake, not a family in the suburbs. my life is stale and being in this band and giging and being on the road all weekends made me realize that. I'm 22. the world's about to end anyway ya? ;)
 
#18
Just jump in the pool at home and start tinkering:

Look for a boss pedal mod kit on ebay that perks your interest. Then search a pedal out: stop at local shops, talk to them to develop relationships over a non-job conversation. No luck, get one on ebay. You'll know right away if you want to start soldiering when you spend 8 hours cutting tiny pieces of metal out of a small circuit board, and then cleaning holes and soldiering new! Let alone trouble shooting it after...(watch your ears when they go!!!). They also have a BUNCH of DIY pedal kids on the 'net...

Also, find a "summer project" bass on here or ebay. Start changing tuners, pickups, pots, caps...I learned a TON just converting a messed up active bass into a passive one, and re-hardwaring-ing the whole thing. Get elbow deep into a bass and see if you can stomach it.

Hit the ground running on your own. Then talk to your musician friends (and students!) about your journey. Next thing you know, they will have you work on their stuff. Then you have a skillset...time on track...vocabulary from experience...people who know your work...local community to pull from...

Then start gigging your own modded basses/pedals/etc. Then your work starts speaking for you.

Next thing ya know, we'll be shopping at free_Bassd Freq Shop!
 
#19
free_Bassd said:
I am currently a lab tech at the local dental school.
Click to expand...

Your current career trajectory has much more long-term promise than your proposed employment change. Having a solid job to fund musical endeavors, gear, and general fun is going to be much more rewarding than working retail, even if it is in the "music business".

But what do I know. I'm just an old guy. I've never been your age.
 
#20
EricF said:
Your current career trajectory has much more long-term promise than your proposed employment change.
Click to expand...
it's really not. I basically clean and order things. it's really time to move on. I just want to live a little, then finish up my Bio degree and then do nothing with it because I won't be able to find a job. but I digress, what I need is a day job, and I'd like it to be at a music store.
 

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