What Constitutes a Professional Musician?

[CoffeeLove]

Curious what people think about this one. I usually consider a "professional" of any kind, including music, to be someone that makes a reasonable portion of their living from the profession itself (either in the past or present). Might only be 20 to 30 percent of their income (maybe more), but still a decent percentage of total income, and enough to pay their own bills.

I know a person that regularly claims to be a professional musician, and has moderate skills as a singer-songwriter, but makes very little money doing it (1 or 2 low paying gigs a month), and is only somewhat known in our area, but definitely not beyond our small town. I have no plans to burst his bubble, this just got me wondering what other people view as a professional musician.

Peace

 

[brianrost]

 

[Alkali Ike]

Spending a lot of time doing something and perhaps doing it fairly well does not a professional make. I spend many hours a week converting vinyl tracks to digital and doing the “rough assembly” of a weekly two-hour show for a community radio station. But I’m very VERY far from being a radio production pro, paid or unpaid.

 

[LBS-bass]

I've had threads on here about this and here is what I learned.

My own personal take is that you can't call yourself a professional anything unless it's something you make your living at. It's the tax return test. If it isn't what's on your tax return under "occupation" it is not your profession.

That being said, there are many here who mix it up with behavior. And that's quite a reasonable thing to do. You can behave in a professional manner, i.e. take it seriously and do all the things that show you take it very seriously as a craft, and play at a level that would get you paying gigs if that's what you wanted to chase after as a living.

Many people here will argue that this makes you a professional. I would quibble just a bit and say that it makes you pro-level in your attitude and abilities, but the word "profession" has a specific meaning. So when I say I used to play professionally that means something to you... it means I made my living in music. Otherwise the term "play professionally" has no meaning at all. It could mean almost anything.

You can be a teacher without gigs and be a professional musician if you are a music teacher. But if you are otherwise not putting "musician" on your tax return, you are not a professional musician.

My definition only (well, that and the dictionary )

 

[CoffeeLove]

I've had threads on here about this and here is what I learned.

My own personal take is that you can't call yourself a professional anything unless it's something you make your living at. It's the tax return test. If it isn't what's on your tax return under "occupation" it is not your profession.

That being said, there are many here who mix it up with behavior. And that's quite a reasonable thing to do. You can behave in a professional manner, i.e. take it seriously and do all the things that show you take it very seriously as a craft, and play at a level that would get you paying gigs if that's what you wanted to chase after as a living.

Many people here will argue that this makes you a professional. I would quibble just a bit and say that it makes you pro-level in your attitude and abilities, but the word "profession" has a specific meaning. So when I say I used to play professionally that means something to you... it means I made my living in music. Otherwise the term "play professionally" has no meaning at all. It could mean almost anything.

You can be a teacher without gigs and be a professional musician if you are a music teacher. But if you are otherwise not putting "musician" on your tax return, you are not a professional musician.

My definition only (well, that and the dictionary )

Yep, my sentiments as well.

 

[JRA]

I've had threads on here about this and here is what I learned.
My own personal take is that you can't call yourself a professional anything unless it's something you make your living at. It's the tax return test. If it isn't what's on your tax return under "occupation" it is not your profession. That being said, there are many here who mix it up with behavior. And that's quite a reasonable thing to do. You can behave in a professional manner, i.e. take it seriously and do all the things that show you take it very seriously as a craft, and play at a level that would get you paying gigs if that's what you wanted to chase after as a living. Many people here will argue that this makes you a professional. I would quibble just a bit and say that it makes you pro-level in your attitude and abilities, but the word "profession" has a specific meaning. So when I say I used to play professionally that means something to you... it means I made my living in music. Otherwise the term "play professionally" has no meaning at all. It could mean almost anything. You can be a teacher without gigs and be a professional musician if you are a music teacher. But if you are otherwise not putting "musician" on your tax return, you are not a professional musician. My definition only (well, that and the dictionary )

 

[Lagado]

Playing to eat.

 

[DirtDog]

Study for and taking the exam for PMBOK (Professional Musician Book of Knowledge). Then you will become a Certified Professional Musician™.

 

[buldog5151bass]

If it is the primary means of income, you are a professional.

 

[ArtechnikA]

There are plenty of advanced amateur players that can play circles around me, especially the 20-30 songs they play all the time; it's not just skill.
I will show up on time, dressed appropriate for the gig, with equipment that works and is sized appropriate to the gig. Complete with backups as appropriate.
I don't have to be 'inspired' or 'in the zone' to play my parts -- although it's definitely more fun when that happens!
Yes, it's what's on my tax return. (And yes, this year has been a financial disaster...)

 

[lz4005]

If it is the primary means of income, you are a professional.

By that logic if someone has 3 jobs that each make up 33.3% of their total income they're not a professional at any of them.

You're a professional when you get paid. Get paid to paint a house, you're a professional house painter. Get paid to play music, you're a professional musician.

 

[Wood and Wire]

Curious what people think about this one. I usually consider a "professional" of any kind, including music, to be someone that makes a reasonable portion of their living from the profession itself (either in the past or present). Might only be 20 to 30 percent of their income (maybe more), but still a decent percentage of total income, and enough to pay their own bills.

I know a person that regularly claims to be a professional musician, and has moderate skills as a singer-songwriter, but makes very little money doing it (1 or 2 low paying gigs a month), and is only somewhat known in our area, but definitely not beyond our small town. I have no plans to burst his bubble, this just got me wondering what other people view as a professional musician.

Peace

Replace the word Musician with Neurosurgeon, or Structural Engineer : how does that affect your poll?

 

[3684799953275]

Do you play music? YES
Do you get paid to play music? YES

Congratulations! You are a Professional Musician.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I said primary, not majority. IMO, earning ANY money doesn't do it.

Opinions and all...

 

[Lagado]

Here in the UK, if you make your earnings from a day job and in music, teaching/gigs etc., that's referred to as semi-pro.

 

[gln1955]

Curious what people think about this one. I usually consider a "professional" of any kind, including music, to be someone that makes a reasonable portion of their living from the profession itself (either in the past or present). Might only be 20 to 30 percent of their income (maybe more), but still a decent percentage of total income, and enough to pay their own bills.

I'd say that 20-30% is about right. What is the alternative? Are we gonna say someone only making 49% of their income from music an amateur?

 

[selowitch]

It’s a matter of self-designation. I call myself a professional musician. If someone doesn’t like that and wants to call me on it, fine—good luck with that.

 

[darwin-bass]

For years I considered my self a semi-pro photographer. I shot weddings and sports. I taught. I earned money through these actions. I had an official business and paid business taxes and had business write-offs. But I never came close to earning my living at it.

I was paid for photography but my day job paid the bills.

I claimed semi-pro. And it had nothing to do with skill.

As a bassist I've never been paid. Ever. Well, one time at a funeral but I was playing guitar come to think of it.

 

[Gustopher]

I vote cheesecake. If it’s in the room, I’m eating it.
On topic; people can call themselves whatever they want... but to be defined somewhat accurately as a professional, it needs to be your primary thing. I’m a working musician, as in doing a few gigs a month. It doesn’t pay my bills, only barely covers my equipment and expenses... but I would never consider myself professional.

 

[P A U L]

I'm not a professional musician, but I do play one on the internet... ...

There's too many of those.

I've had professional stints, but currently not professional. Although, I do profess to be a musician. Is that "professional"?