The Career.

[JMacBass65]

so what if my goal was to make music a steady career like every adult has and make a beautiful family?

That's great, have a backup plan.

 

[onionpuzzle]

i'm sorry, what?

translation for those who don't speak Bronx...."the more you learn the more you earn"...

there are SO many paths to take....if you choose to be a BASSIST and not just a "rock bassist" you will have learned to read music, and fit into any environment. You then will expand your earning possibilities.

This has been covered ad infinitum on TB........the chances are percentages of percentages of making it "big", so if you want to be a professional musician (and earn a living doing it) give yourself the best chance by learning theory.

....and have a back up plan of earning income...

 

[Sounbwoy]

I've been playing for over 20 years now, but it's never been my main source of income. Just never worked out that way. I've always had a job so even if I have a dry spell I haven't had to worry (as much). I would like to get out on the road for more than just a weekend here and there and record more, but right now it's not going to happen..the local scene is decent and actually thing are looking good for next year. I'm in two bands and about to be in two more...

 

[JxBass]

i'm actually only 17 this year, going to have to pick a college to go to real soon and i'm really not sure on which path to take..

Going to college and getting your degree should be your next goal IMHO. Having that degree is something no one can take away from you and the odds are that it will serve you well, regardless of your career choice.

I know some folks will say they know so-and-so who made it big without a degree. Sure. But I'm talking about improving your odds and an education is one of the best ways to do it.

 

[pasta4lnch]

I see soo many threads like this and I wanna grab the kid, shake him and yell RUN!! I guess because I'm down on my chips, and feeling a little despair on the current state of things in this industry. . . that, and I was grabbed and shook when I was young and didnt listen either

actually the best thing you can do is ask, listen, learn and decide for yourself. . .

my dad used to tell me the entertainment industry was like a pyramid - little room at the top, and LOTS of room at the bottom. try to talk to people at all levels or you'll end up w/ bitter folks like me who long for better days bitching about this or that

 

[troy mcclure]

I am not earning my living from Music, however must I have met that do:
either 1)Have a degree in Music so they can teach as well as perform.

or 2) Sing well enough to do a solo act a few days a week.
Most players that make a solid living play music at a local level play multiple gigs a day.

Unless you are playing on fairly large stages or high dollar private events there is not enough money or gigs in most parts of the country to make a real living performing.

I would guess that Pete Wentz makes a better living than Jeff Berlin and that sums up the music industry. As much as I love playing music, I am not sure I would want to rely on it for my income under those conditions. I am not as pretty as Pete Wentz and I have 1/1000 the ability of Jeff Berlin ( who I notice I bear an uncanny resemblence to)

 

[JimmyM]

dang troy, i never thought of that...you do look like jeff berlin

 

[t0t0m]

What I've laid out here is nothing new, I'm sure. But I'd like to add that these things really take their toll over the years. Looking back, I wish I'd trained for a different career and kept active in music as a secondary source of income. I may still take steps in this direction, but it is much harder to do this at 42 than it is at 18.

Thanks for sharing your experience...I salute you

Youngsters like me, like to look cool in front of stage showing off little chops skill and don't think about the future ahead. Nobody know hows their future gonna end up, but will be wise if you plan it ahead accordingly.

 

[ihs0y]

Going to college and getting your degree should be your next goal IMHO. Having that degree is something no one can take away from you and the odds are that it will serve you well, regardless of your career choice.

I know some folks will say they know so-and-so who made it big without a degree. Sure. But I'm talking about improving your odds and an education is one of the best ways to do it.

yea, that's exactly what i wanna do. prob is, what degree?
i've been looking at choices for going for double degree but there's a lot out there saying it's pretty hectic

 

[JxBass]

That's a tough one as it's really a personal choice and there are so many choices! The degree, regardless of the major, is priority #1. I've known many a music major who wound up in high-tech, marketing, and any number of other fields; just as I've known many people with engineering degrees who eventually wound up in sales. A bachelors degree is becoming what a high school diploma was years ago, something of a checklist item to qualify for a decent job, regardless of the field of endeavor.

If music is your ultimate goal a degree in Music Education is a good idea, IMO. That way you can get a music-related day job with benefits, retirement plan, etc. that will allow you to support your family. You can still pursue your passion to perform on nights and weekends.

 

[BASSDROID]

Bassdroid, where do you play? Have I seen you? Did you hang out at LDS any back in the day?

pm'ed you

Thanks for sharing your experience

Don't mention it.

yea, that's exactly what i wanna do. prob is, what degree?
i've been looking at choices for going for double degree but there's a lot out there saying it's pretty hectic

I have fairly strong opinions on this subject, biased though they may be. A Bachelor of Music degree in anything except for Music Therapy, Music Ed, or possibly Music Tech is a poor financial investment IMO. I'm referring to Performance degrees in particular. As long as due diligence is exercised (research+practice+experience), a college degree is not necessary to learn how to play or write music, nor will such a degree add much in the way of clout to your resume.

Even Music Ed degrees no longer guarantee the levels of job security/employability that they used to. Witness all of the funding cuts in public schools, and the fact that the arts are usually the first thing targeted.

If I had the chance to do it again, I'd research emerging fields in science, energy, or in the medical professions while minoring in music. Seems like a better chance of a return on the investment.

 

[JxBass]

If I had the chance to do it again, I'd research emerging fields in science, energy, or in the medical professions while minoring in music. Seems like a better chance of a return on the investment.

+1. That's what I did.

 

[onionpuzzle]

another good option is a "trade" of some sort---usually a day job that will allow nighttime music making, and a steady income. Trade schools or an Associate Degree will cost less and take less time than a 4-5 year college.

The economy as such (mentioned) there is no guarantee that a degree of any kind will get a decent paying job anyway.

PICTURE YOURSELF GETTING UP AND GOING TO WORK---WHERE DO YOU GO ? get the degree that will make that true.

 

[ihs0y]

okay, so i asked myself last night how much exactly do i want to get involve in music.
i answered, actually just as long as i get to jam/gig on a regular basis.
getting an ordinary day job with some time at night to do some gigs a few times a week sounds pretty good enough to me
big events once in a while is a good idea too but this other thing i'm wondering is,
is a BM degree still minimum to promote myself into these situations or do i just get lucky?

 

[Sounbwoy]

You might get to do enough of it where you decide you want to play more than a few times a week..maybe even full time. THINGS CHANGE. If you're at the point where you CAN go get Music Education, I say do it (read post #71 again) but be realistic. As you play more, you get more experience and along with the education, it can't hurt.
I'm self-taught and I do wish I had taken SOME kind of formal education to give me a better foundation. That COULD have made the difference between playing weekends or full-time.

 

[corinpills]

As someone who makes a living playing music, a few things spring to mind:

Imagine one line going up: music you love, another horizontal line: music that you can get paid to play. You have to find the spot in that vector that works for you. For me, it has turned out to be music that I can appreciate but that average people will pay to hear. Sometimes I play music that I don't like, but that's OK if it causes a positive reaction in the audience. I think very few people get paid to play the music they love. Unless they love really commercial music (no judgement, that would be great).

I am a broken record on this subject, but if you have an interest in making a living as a bass player, being able to sing will increase your value by at least 10 times. An OK bass player who sings is worth much, much more to a band than an absolute virtuoso who doesn't.

Also, try not to be a douche. Nobody wants to play with someone with a bad personality, it doesn't matter how fast they can play (and nobody wants to hear your bass gymnastics on the bandstand anyway).

Lastly, you gotta go to where the gigs are. That's not to say you should move to LA, NYC, London or Nashville- all four of those places have plenty of amazing players trying to get the same gigs. A good secondary market with a casino or resort is an option. It's a very big world, there are a lot of places to play, but you can't sit where you are and expect the gigs to come to you. It's not a good career for anybody who really likes chilling on the couch. You have to really be OK with more time traveling to gigs than actually playing.

=

 

[onionpuzzle]

+1