How to form a very specific group

[ACappellaLove]

Hi! A Cappella music is my favorite style of music. I have sung in many different choirs and am currently in a campus A Cappella group at college. The only thing wrong with this is, these people, totally reasonable, fine people don't want to make A Cappella their career. That is fine. I do. I desperately want to and it is very hard to find people. Great singers who would be awesome at A Cappella look to become lead singers of rock bands, or have a solo career. So many good Beatboxers become great rappers. If that is what they want to do, good for them. The problem is, I don't want to wait until later to pursue this dream. I am in college now, true, but the degree I'm pursuing is almost useless, and all college is doing for me is acquiring debt. I just want to have a great A Cappella group. Even if a member lives half a world away and none of us have ever met, if we meet over skype, sing some songs and record them together and sound really good, I am fine with that. Of course the point is, all group members would have to agree, if we sound good we are gonna take it to the next level, we would move to the same plàce, record our stuff and rehearse together in person and look to become a full time professional group, touring, recording and spending our lives singing A Cappella music. Does anybody know where on earth I can find people who love A Cappella this much? Are you one of those people? Any advise you can give to help my dreams come true is welcome. Thank you

[ido1957]

Why are you pursuing a useless degree, accumulating debt you imply can never be repaid?

[highmtn]

@ACapellaLove,

 

You may have to become a little more practical about how you are going to support yourself. It is difficult to make a living at music, full-time. The competition is fierce, and the number of good-paying jobs is small. Realistically, you will have to work a regular "day job" to support yourself while you make your attempts at full-time living wages as a singer.

 

The most logical place to try this is someplace with a huge economic base for the entertainment industry, such as the Los Angeles area. There are likely to be many vocalists already living there that would like to give it a go. There are also just as many places there as anywhere else to get a day job to support your musical endeavors. Anyone who would be serious about trying to make it in an acapella group would also probably consider moving to an area such as that where there would be more opportunity within driving distance to help the odds of your plan eventually working out.

 

You always need a Plan "B" when you work in the music business. Don't think for a minute that the Los Angeles area is not loaded with others already trying to do just what you're thinking of, and struggling to get by.

 

I know aspiring Actors and Actresses, great musicians, great singers, etc. that have tried for years to make it there. They all had to have day jobs and occasionally got gigs at the Hollywood Bowl, or bit parts in the Movies. One thing for certain, if you don't go to where the opportunities are, they sure aren't going to come to you somewhere else.

 

I was reading a short article earlier this evening about Stevie Nicks. Her parents were worried about her in her 20's, because she worked cleaning houses, and worked at restaurants, and worked in bands, and worked and worked and worked, to get to her dreams. It was NOT easy, and the whole thing could have fallen through for her like it has for thousands of others who did NOT make it. Even SHE could not support herself with her music, until the band (Fleetwood Mac) hit the big time. So it's just not realistic to expect to support yourself from music alone. You need a Plan B to get you through life. You need a Plan B so that you can pursue your Plan A.

 

I myself moved from an area in the central United States to California in order to put myself where there were more opportunities to play music. It was a good move. I played for years and had a great time doing so. I did, however, have to also work the entire time to support myself and my family. I've played music my entire life, (and still do) but I've also had to work the entire time, as well. As a result, I still play music, have a retirement to look forward to, own my home... Life goes by quickly. You need to get yourself out to where you want to be if you want to sing or play, and get started doing it, because the game will be over before you know it. You'll miss out, if you don't get into the game, so go for it.

 

You will have the time of your life pursuing an acapella group with some real PRO singers. Make sure you take care of yourself, though, and make a plan that will support you through the ups and downs of life. You may want to change your degree to something that you can use to keep your acapella dreams afloat, financially, and go ahead and finish school.

 

Whatever you decide to do, think it through, come up with a plan, and move forward. Just be practical about it and you can live your dreams AND support yourself.

 

All the Best to You, and may your singing dreams come true!

 

Bob

[ACappellaLove]

Hi Bob,

 

Thank you for your very informative and well thought out response. I wrote the main post on very little sleep, I know all about plan B's, here is the deal with getting a degree, my family is not wealthy, yet we are at the point where I don't qualify for nearly any scholarships. If I stay four years, I will graduate with $80,000+ dollars in debt. I had planned to get a job as a waiter, as a cashier, as a babysitter, as anything I can just to support myself so I can eat and live some place while waiting to catch a big break. I even have a plan once I find people to be in a group. There is an NBC show called The Sing Off, it is an American Idol like contest, except for A Cappella groups. I had planned to audition for the show with a group, even if we don't make it, it will get us both experience and a gauge of how good we are and how we must improve. I had also planned to take full advantage of social media, use twitter, facebook, instagram, whatever other site becomes big in the next few years to promote our group, also posting covers to youtube and sharing those hoping to go viral (youtube does pay a small wage per 1000 view, but unless a person is among the top 1% of youtubers, it's not nearly enough to be considered a living, it could be a nice bonus though.) I know the music game is rough and I know even though, I'm going to be out there as a high tenor with a ton of training and talent, there will be a ton of tenors that sing higher (and lower), have more training and raw talent, and superficially, are more physically attractive and are straight. I know it is going to take some luck on my part to get there. I am very ambitious, but I wasn't planning on just running out there and singing full time. When I said pursuing A Capella full time, I should have said "as a career". I can work as a waiter and get odd jobs in the mean time.

 

Oh, and I can't change my degree, my college is unique and only has 3 options for a degree, a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science and A Bachelor of Arts and Science. A Bachelor of Science probably opens more doors for me career wise, but I would rather just drop out now and work as a waiter than spend time struggling with math and science, two subjects of which I hate and know nothing about.

 

Thank you so much for the advice,

[PhilMoufarrege]

Great post by Bob!

Just a little something to add...if you are waiting around for the right members they will never come! Instead you must do what you can in the moment. Create the songs by layering your own voice so it's a one man acapella group for now. Post it up doing the songs you like in the style you like. Over time you will attract those who are interested in the same style. The more you get yourself out there the more people know you exist.