Job or Hobby?

[Egg250]

I said "mostly for fun" but it's really for sanity.

 

[rtslinger]

Fun, I enjoy performing and playing bass guitar

 

[Bringindafunk]

I've always been a hobbiest and would turn down a gig offer if it wasn't to my liking no matter the money. I usually get paid, but I've done a number of gigs where the band gets a percentage of the door that resulted in not very much, if any, money.

For me the line is when we have to provide our own PA. If we don't have to setup the PA and run our own sound, my band tends to be a bit more forgiving where money is concerned. We still expect to be paid, but will take a bit less if the venue is a fun place to play with a good, built in crowd.

 

[Wasnex]

Hi guys,

a lot of times, when discussions come up, I find myself thinking "Well, that depends if I am playing music professionally or just for fun". But I find that fact gets overlooked quite often.

In fact, at TB, my impression is that there seem to be a lot of pros and a lot of hobbyists who are nevertheless looking to make some money. So discussions where a distinction between hobbyists and pros might make sense, more often than not lean in a certain direction. Myself, after I had finished school, was looking to make a career as a recording engineer. However, I was not only disillusioned about the job as such, but after a while discovered that I was about to lose my passion for music because of it. So I decided that I would look elsewhere for a career and do music purely as a hobby. But, I feel I am very much an outsider with that point of view.

So, fellow TBers, let's see some numbers in the polls! Who is doing their thing for the money, who is in it for the fun?

I suggest researching how pay changes and effects intrinsic motivation. If you focus only on the joy playing brings, you may love playing for your entire life. If you make it even partly about the Benjamins, you are more to become ambivalent or grow to hate playing music. I have seen a lot of outstanding musicians loose the desire and completely give up music. I have also come across quite a few people who continue doing a half "A" job, despite hating it, because money is the priority.

This relates to and extends Herzberg's motivation/hygiene theory. The joy of playing would be considered an intrinsic motivator. In other words, the joy of playing provides actual motivation.

Money would be considered a hygiene factor. Hygiene factors do not increase motivation. Rather they must be present in sufficient quantity or motivation is degraded.

There is believed to be sort of an ironic link, where getting paid (an extrinsic/external factor) erodes your intrinsic motivation. I have seen this called "over justification effect".

If the joy of playing is your compensation, your motivation is only dependent on intrinsic motivation. So the overjustification effect does not occur.

I played music because I loved it, but I got paid. Eventually (after about 15 years), I lost the interest and drive. But I had a fairly long and successful career as a military musician. Also I controlled my emotions and did not get to the point of hating it. Instead, I cross trained into running audio full time and had a blast for a few more years.

Still own my basses and a bunch of gear, but I have no desire to perform. Running sound could still be fun under the right circumstances (which are unlikely).

 

[Father Gino]

I made a conscious decision to not try to play music professionally when I first started to play bass. I’m mostly happy with that decision. I have no doubt that I would be a much better musician had I seriously tried to do it for a living, but I’m not sure I would still enjoy it as much low these many years.
I guess you could say it’s a hobby for me, but I take it pretty seriously. I’ve played thousands of paid gigs, mostly in the bar scene and I’m still doing just that because I want to. I wouldn’t take it as seriously if I was doing it for free and I suspect I would not be able to accept the caliber of musicians that do so. Maybe that sounds a bit harsh or conceited and I’m sure there are exceptions, but that’s been my observation.
There was a point about 15 years ago that I found myself unemployed and obsolete. I went back to school to learn a new trade. I joined a local trio that played 3 times a week like clockwork. I made a whopping $300 a week like clockwork. Not enough to live on, but it sure helped out for a couple of years. The BL was an abusive butthead (I hear he’s better now, but I don’t really care to find out for myself) and it became very much a punch the clock kind of situation. That being said, I still enjoyed playing and it was a way better part time gig than working at Home Depot (I think).

 

[dreamadream99]

When I was young I played music professionally, for a living. Now that I am retired and living in a different country, it is more of a hobby.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hi guys,

a lot of times, when discussions come up, I find myself thinking "Well, that depends if I am playing music professionally or just for fun". But I find that fact gets overlooked quite often.

In fact, at TB, my impression is that there seem to be a lot of pros and a lot of hobbyists who are nevertheless looking to make some money. So discussions where a distinction between hobbyists and pros might make sense, more often than not lean in a certain direction. Myself, after I had finished school, was looking to make a career as a recording engineer. However, I was not only disillusioned about the job as such, but after a while discovered that I was about to lose my passion for music because of it. So I decided that I would look elsewhere for a career and do music purely as a hobby. But, I feel I am very much an outsider with that point of view.

So, fellow TBers, let's see some numbers in the polls! Who is doing their thing for the money, who is in it for the fun?

At age 70 I look at musical pursuits as a means to support my habit. I have zero allusions I'm going to "Make it Big". So my goal is to cover costs + a little extra money to pass on to the Mrs for trips, dinners out and such.

 

[pepj]

If it is rubbish, then money can't disguise that.
But I'm not working free either.

 

[Mark 63]

I don't play for the money. My day job pays for my hobby.
But working musicians are struggling, and me playing free would increase their difficulties. So if I'm playing in a commercial enterprise, they need to pay the band.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

It's a hobby, but if the band is being paid, I want to be paid. Not because I need the money, just out of principle. I would play the Super Bowl Halftime for exposure. Heh.

 

[Marko 1]

I have to say it's a hobby.

I get paid, but being the PA guy (which I also enjoy), I'll never actually make a profit on it.

I do enjoy gigging and rehearsals, the band provides a great hang,

and being retired with an otherwise stress-free life, I think a bit of stress is somehow good for me.

 

[JC BASS 91]

I'm in it for the fun of it, but if someone puts some green in my pocket for doing it, I am certainly not going to stop them.

 

[LBS-bass]

Some of us make a living at music just fine. But I personally couldn't have my comfortable lifestyle from just playing bass, I had to diversify - composing, producing, mastering, music editing, etc. Sometimes I wish I could just play bass and make what I make from all the other combined income streams, but that's pretty darn hard these days, if not impossible. Doesn't help that I hate touring.

Yep, there are a few out there who have figured out how to make ends meet, mostly by diversifying in how they do it. I have good friends who teach, some at the K-12 level, some at the university level, and others who eke out a more meager living playing in multiple bands and offering private lessons. It's possible, but it's rare you find someone who is making their entire living playing shows. It's even more rare to find someone who has been able to successfully sustain themselves over the years doing that.

For me it worked for about 12 years and I got tired of the grind when I hit 30. Then when I came back to it in a serious way after I retired, a whole lot had changed. Adapt or perish. It's what we do.

 

[wilberthenry]

Playing for fun can be done in a variety of settings including at home. If I am playing in public at an establishment, I expect to be compensated.

While it is usually fun, the hassle of getting there, setting up, dealing with inevitable issues with sound, personalities, alcohol soaked patrons, then breaking down takes a lot of time and energy. That time can be spent doing other things, including playing music at home.

 

[Lucas Carioli]

I would love to live of music, but only with music that i like. Here in Brazil this is absolutely impossible unless you have the luck to be famous someway. Otherwise you will have to do any job that appears wich means a lot of dreadful work. I already mixed passion with work in other forms and the results aren't so pleasent that i thought. I think to work with music in this form would ruin my love for it, so now its just my fun, my escapism, my balm.

 

[Major Seven]

Hi guys,

a lot of times, when discussions come up, I find myself thinking "Well, that depends if I am playing music professionally or just for fun". But I find that fact gets overlooked quite often.

In fact, at TB, my impression is that there seem to be a lot of pros and a lot of hobbyists who are nevertheless looking to make some money. So discussions where a distinction between hobbyists and pros might make sense, more often than not lean in a certain direction. Myself, after I had finished school, was looking to make a career as a recording engineer. However, I was not only disillusioned about the job as such, but after a while discovered that I was about to lose my passion for music because of it. So I decided that I would look elsewhere for a career and do music purely as a hobby. But, I feel I am very much an outsider with that point of view.

Saw this coming in 1975. I was in a bar rock band. Disco was happening. The work was dwindling.
We didn't want to go near that stuff. I became an automoblie mechanic instead.

So, fellow TBers, let's see some numbers in the polls! Who is doing their thing for the money, who is in it for the fun?

 

[pbass2]

YIt's possible, but it's rare you find someone who is making their entire living playing shows. It's even more rare to find someone who has been able to successfully sustain themselves over the years doing that.

I'm friends with and have been lucky to work at times when some heavy-hitter session and touring players. Even these guys all do the diversification thing as well--you simply have to(unless maybe if you're an actual rock star type, like you're in U2 or something). The Pinos of the world are few and far between. Heck, for all I know he's got his fingers in other pies as well.

 

[vindibona1]

Right now I'm not playing anywhere for money. But I used to do some musical theater for some cash. But you know what? The money ruined it. Considering the amount of time, days, hours rehearsing performing I was being paid chump change. I actually resented the money and would have felt better about it if I were playing for free and my playing, time and dedication were appreciated rather than having those who payed scraps think they were doing ME a favor.

 

[Eidolon0274]

Jobby.

It’s always been a hobby, but I don’t move my gear for less than $150, and not further than 30 miles, and not for longer that 4 hours, and not outdoors unless the weather is great, and need meals comped for me and my wife, and close/ free parking, and, and, and, etc…

Yep, sums it up for me.

There is a sliding scale for me, from "my best friends band is playing my favorite music for the rest of my best friends in a museum/concert hall" to "I hate these people and it's musical theater in an area I can't leave my car overnight".

One I'll do for free, the other would take 4 figures for me to get my gear into the car and NOT run it off a bridge on the way there. Man I hate musical theater.

I've been a "pro" for 15 years and am looking forward to the day when I can just play great music for minimal cash at my leisure (additional pay would be a bonus)

 

[Phaidrus]

It's all about fun for me. As Damian Erskine has put it, I am an 'enthusiast', not an amateur or hobbyist.

An enthusiast myself. Haven't earned any money playing music, have spend lots of money buying gear to play music.