What do you see in your future as a musician.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 29 Jul 2008 3:22 pm

Ideally: playin in a local band with FRIENDS, one or two gigs a month, one or two SHORT road trips a year. writing my own music at home every day. releasing an album every other year. progressing on my instruments, getting better..for as long as i am able to do so.

thats my dream.
there never was a "plan A" that invovled actually making money/career playing music...luckily i wont be disappointed then when the limo doesnt pick me up for my next gig or the road crew eats my deli tray.

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 29 Jul 2008 3:36 pm

Don't feel bad. I quit school 40 years ago, and I've been learning less every year since. At this point, I've forgotten more than I ever knew.

I don't care where you come from....but that's funny right there.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 29 Jul 2008 3:40 pm

A divorce lawyer and a psychologist.

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 29 Jul 2008 7:27 pm

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 29 Jul 2008 9:54 pm

About 4 years ago I quit the band that I played in for 10 years cuz the guys wanted to bring one of the guys daughters in and start doing "Shania" songs...I told them that I didn't think it was a fit with our "Classic Rock & Country".

My son asked me what iI was gonna do and I told him that I was gittin' a bit long in the tooth to be Rockin' "N" Rollin'! He said "Hell dad, your people invented Rock "N Roll"...Good point...

I decided that I'd go down swingin... so I found a really fine singer and we put together a classic rock band called "The Weezul Brothers" and are playing out often, getting a bit of a following and some good gigs here, doing casino gigs, clubs and private parties. The money's been helpful, the music's good and it helps me stay active and feel good "Rockin' out".

www.weezulbrothers.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YstD3DR3R2c

Roual Ranes · Post by **Roual Ranes** » 30 Jul 2008 3:48 am

If you just want to WORK, buy a Tele and all the stomp boxes you can find along with the loudest amp you can find and go to work........somebody will hire you..........FUN........well, that is another story.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 30 Jul 2008 4:26 am

I have been doing shows since I was "nine' I am not going to say how old I am..because I am an old woman now

been there,done that opened for stars,closed for stars ect...played for weddings,divorces,and what have ya?The only regret I have to this day is not getting to meet "John Hughey". He was playing fifteen miles from me, and I was ill and could not make the show.So...my future as a musician now is watching this forum and learning what I set out to do seven years ago "Playing My Steel" Thanks to "Bobbe Seymore" and his U_tube lessons...who knows?Mabe in a few years from now I will be able to play a few songs for my friends at "The Home"

Karen

Brian Kurlychek · Post by **Brian Kurlychek** » 30 Jul 2008 4:39 am

Karen, I just wanted to say that you have a fantastic voice. Cheers.

Karen Lee Steenwijk · Post by **Karen Lee Steenwijk** » 30 Jul 2008 6:08 am

Thank you "Brian" and "A Big Welcome" to you. I see you are a new member,this is the place to be."Great Friends" "Great Pickers" and loads of "Learning".
Hope you have a good time!

Karen

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 30 Jul 2008 6:18 am

What do you see in your future as a musician?

In the end, we're all dead.

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 30 Jul 2008 6:36 am

Jim Cohen wrote:
What do you see in your future as a musician?
In the end, we're all dead.

Come on Jim, don't be so remorse, lets have a drink.

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 30 Jul 2008 9:20 am

I'll drink to that.

Karen's already getting the drinks for us.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 30 Jul 2008 9:40 am

i made better $$$ as a roadie & doin' sound than i have playin' musik
goes to show where my talent lies...
busking in Paris was quite good at one time
i make my livin workin' on homes doin electrics, dry walling, tiling, roofing, etc
when i do get out & play, i'm just havin'a good time w: my fellow musicians & the audience
the $$$ i make off that go into gear & strings
pros here are having a hard time here too
scuffling fer gigs to maintain the employed status & reapin' it's benefits
there's a future in survival

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 30 Jul 2008 10:15 am

Ron, I visited a fortune teller today seeking a clue to what my future holds as a musician, I mean hacker. Anyway, as she dealt out her tarot cards, they all had the same PIC, posted below:

So Ron, where is the party?

Ron ! · Post by **Ron !** » 30 Jul 2008 11:05 am

At the neighbors house Gary.She bought some balloons.....specially for you.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 30 Jul 2008 11:21 am

When faced with the choice of music only (e.g., going to Berklee with my friends in the early 70s) or doing both Plan A AND Plan B, I went for the latter, studying physics, math, engineering, philosophy, and music. Disco hit, I hated what one had to do in the music biz, took several years off playing, and eventually came back to it with the 80s blues revival.

Fast forward to the early 90s - I needed a break from the hard sciences. So for most of the 90s, I played music for a living, with a sideline of running a vintage guitar shop by day. I was working constantly to make a go of it, but I really loved it.

At the end of the 90s, I felt the handwriting was on the wall. I wasn't getting any younger, the music biz seemed to be getting increasingly difficult, I was studying science problems again on my own just because I like it, and if I waited to go back into science/academia, it would be impossible. So I did. No regrets, I think I made the right choice for me.

Within reasonable limits, I play what I want, when I want, and with whom I want. Of course, I'm bound by scheduling somewhat, and it does limit my ability to travel and therefore play with musicians who want to tour a lot. But I don't consider that a problem at this point.

To answer your question directly - I would tell my own kid to have a solid Plan B. But even with that - if someone was truly committed to music even with eyes fully open with clear knowledge of what the real deal is - I would tell them to go for it full steam ahead.

To me the Plan B vs. NOT Plan B is like asking whether it's better to have a diversified investment portfolio vs. investing everything in one high-risk/high-return stock. IMHO, there IS time to develop the skills for a backup plan and still throw oneself into music. Many universities with good music schools offer double-majors with maybe a year's extra time. I've even seen people pull it off in four years. If you want to make it in the music BIZ, how bad could a music/business double-major be? With the emphasis on technical things in the real music BIZ, why wouldn't music/science, music/engineering, or music/computer-info-sciences be useful?

I think it depends on how you view music. To me, all these other skills can complement a musical career, and certainly don't need to interfere with it. My opinion, of course.

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 30 Jul 2008 3:28 pm

Ron and Karen,are you still on the steel guitar room. Joe

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 30 Jul 2008 3:54 pm

Dave Mudgett wrote: Many universities with good music schools offer double-majors with maybe a year's extra time. I've even seen people pull it off in four years. If you want to make it in the music BIZ, how bad could a music/business double-major be? With the emphasis on technical things in the real music BIZ, why wouldn't music/science, music/engineering, or music/computer-info-sciences be useful?

We've had to confront this question with my son, who has just finished his first year as a saxophone performance (mainly classical sax) major at the University of Michigan. He is indeed in a 5-year dual degree program, so he'll get a Bachelors in Music and another BA in the College of Literature, Science & Art, in an as-yet-to-be-determined second major. (My wife and I keep hoping he'll get interested in something that pays better than $50 a night for his second major!)

The trouble is that the first 2 years of the music major are so structured in curriculum that there's only 1 or 2 slots available each term to take something else to find out what else interests you, other than subjects you already encountered in high school. So, it's kind of slow and frustrating for him to figure out what he wants to do his second major in. But, when all is said and done, he'll have both degrees. And if he ends up, as he currently hopes, landing a University teaching position that still allows time for high-level performing, I think he might be very happy at that.

We'll see what happens...!

Bob Hoffnar · Post by **Bob Hoffnar** » 30 Jul 2008 5:59 pm

I'm not so sure going the safe and secure route is so safe and secure.

Also musicians do not have a higher rate of divorce or more substance abuse issues than the general population. Although.... it has been proven by multiple double blind scientific studies that musicians find it very easy to steal other men's girlfriends and wives if they feel like it

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 30 Jul 2008 6:07 pm

You guys who are making all the wise ass jokes...how about removing your posts so the seriousness of this thread can prevail. We are talking about players making a living, supporting families, working on their lives and their music and you guys are acting like some mindless teenagers. You should be ashamed for putting up this worthless crap.

If you have something meaningful to add that might actually help someone out or add something worthwhile then please do, but if you don't, go spin your worthless drivel someplace else.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 30 Jul 2008 6:52 pm

I'm not so sure going the safe and secure route is so safe and secure.

From what I've seen the traditional careers aren't secure in the least. It's not like the old days when you went to work for say, GM or IBM, gave them the best years of your life and they gave you a pension and retirement in return. Now, pretty much everybody is disposable labor.

I have friends that still do the crazy hours in the entertainment business. I used to do that, where an 18hr day was normal, 7 days a week. Although those jobs were usually only 6 weeks long, at a time, whereas, on the lots, it was 12hrs a day, 7 days a week for months on end. I ended up with a nifty drug addiction.

So, from the actuary tables, a man who works his entire life and then retires when he's 65 can expect to collect a total of 33 SS checks, before the exit. The guys that do the crazy hours can expect to collect 4, if they live that long.

What's my point. Since there isn't a lot of security out there, you might as well be doing something you love to do, that you think has meaning and that gives you some personal validation.

After surviving a rather horrendous car wreck and realizing that it can all be taken away in a moment, I went back to school when I was 24 to study music, which is what I had always wanted to do. Then I took up the pedal steel when I was 30. A lot of people said, "but you'll be 40 before you know how to play it". I was planning on being 40 and I wanted to know how to play one. Best thing I ever did.

Larry Scott · Post by **Larry Scott** » 30 Jul 2008 7:18 pm

If i work hard and follow my dreams.............

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 30 Jul 2008 7:31 pm

I have several friends who have gone the college prof. route. You HAVE to have a masters and a doctorate to get those gigs. The guys who want those gigs and can really play and could impart more knowledge to students...they can't get them. You can be a half baked player and if you have the degrees and can jump through the hoops of the academia in charge of the music dept. you can get the teaching job over the pro. A few years, you have tenure, you got a gig for a long time. I don't know if I could do it. I would feel too responsible for the students, many of which I would know would never make it out there in the real musical world.

I know there will always be the die hards like some of us here that really don't have any other choice but to play. I am just glad that I came up during a time where I could actually make a decent living doing it. I never thought twice about making a living playing. There were just too many opportunities in the 60s and 70s and into the 80s to work.

Terry Winter · Post by **Terry Winter** » 30 Jul 2008 7:43 pm

I guess I will play with various little country groups as long as I can, my only regret is that I didn't start learning steel early enough even though it has been 34 years.

We played last week on the outdoor stage in the beautifull Cypress Park in S.W. Saskatchewan and after we were done three people came to me and commented that they loved my playing however two of them asked what kind of and instrament I was playing!! All those years and I'm back to reality.

Terry

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 30 Jul 2008 7:46 pm

I'm not so sure going the safe and secure route is so safe and secure.

I don't think there's any absolute "safe and secure" system in the world. But doing multiple interesting careers semi-concurrently gave me several things:

1. Options - I can say "NO" if I need to - that goes for either area - plus the obvious ability to move to Plan B if necessary. So far, I've never really needed to use Plan B, but did so for my own reasons.

2. Diversity - multiple areas that I really do enjoy working in.

3. Perspective - a different view of each area that I work in, outside the usual reference frame that most people in those fields look at the world from.

4. Interest and Excitement - I can take a "sabbatical" from one if I want or need to. Both the fields I work in require creativity. The work-a-day aspect of any line of work can just be soul-sucking at times. Sometimes - to me - it's better to take a breather and throw myself into something else for a while.

I expect this isn't for everybody, but I like it. It is a bit intense. Over the years, there have been times when my work schedule has been pretty overwhelming. The fact that I took a break in each area probably affected my ability to become a high-profile superstar. For me, that's no problem - I just like my work and do it. Status and high profile would be an albatross around my neck. High Profile = High Expectations, and those expectations aren't always in line with what someone wants to do.

From what I've seen the traditional careers aren't secure in the least. It's not like the old days when you went to work for say, GM or IBM, gave them the best years of your life and they gave you a pension and retirement in return. Now, pretty much everybody is disposable labor.

Totally agreed, but it's not exactly new. The work-a-day world has always been somewhat mercenary, but I do think it's gotten increasingly so the last 30 years or so. The world changes at a dizzyingly fast rate now - there's much less long-term memory. "What have you done for me lately" is more and more the watchword. IMO, the key to survival in any area is adaptibility, which is precisely why I advocate keeping one's options open. One can do that within a field, or bridging more than one field.

I suppose one could consider that I've occasionally used music as my "Plan B". I dunno - I just know I do things that I really love, and opportunistically try to find a place in those worlds.

I have several friends who have gone the college prof. route. You HAVE to have a masters and a doctorate to get those gigs.

Yup, that's true with extremely RARE exception, I don't care what field it is. Actually, a doctorate in most fields that aren't arts oriented. It's just a type of "union card". If you can get that calling card without letting it suck the soul out of you, it's not necessarily a bad option. Well, I'm biased.

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