Making a living with music?

[solderjunkie]

The band I'm playing with is "on the edge" of turning a decent profit, but I still haven't seen any real returns yet.

 

I have had offers to do session work and play with other bands (and other genres of music) as a "hired gun". I've also been offered spots in other bands. I was an orchestra player (Horn and cornet) for several years as a teenager, so that is an option as well.

 

Music seems more like a very expensive hobby to me at the moment, but I would like to ditch the day job eventually.

 

Those of you making your wages from music... how did you arrive at that career, and how did you know when it was right to quit the day-job???

[ModmanQ6]

Tough road to travel unless you are very good and have great connections to keep you busy working... I did it back in the 80's, but I had my own PA system that I rented out as well as being a FOH engineer. Even then, I relied on very inexpensive rent and eating cheap. The money was always hand to mouth, feast and famine. In today's economy I think it would be much harder IMHO... 2c

 

Good luck!!

[ZedsDead]

Playing Music is only 1 part of making a living with music.

 

Recording Engineering

Producing

Live Sound Engineering

Teaching

Selling Gear and/or Rep'ing

 

Music is everywhere.

 

I have a local band that gigs 2-3 times per month. I also do session work for a local studio, do contract work for a production company, sub for several touring artists and teach.

 

A friend of mine did much the same but constantly auditioned for national groups. He ended up landing a full-time gig with a very popular Jazz/Fusion group and pulls well into the 6 figures.

 

Every musician that I know, that makes a good living by Playing music, started by playing with as many people as they could... as often as they could. This often means playing 4-5 times per week, in different cities, with different genres.

 

Do a little research. Pick someone who is doing exactly what you want to do and find out how they got to where they are. Most professionals will respond to emails like this and offer advise. The most important advise to retain is pitfalls they encountered along the way.

 

You may also want to do something that makes you stand out... like cross-dressing or jazz interpretive dance while you solo or wearing aviator goggles... or all of it at the same time. wait, no.

[Hotblack]

Just a couple tips if you decide to make a career of it:

 

1. If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late.

 

2. Always be polite and professional. If it's between you and and someone else, the tie-breaker can be, "Who is the better person to work with?" (Also, see rule #1.)

 

3. Sell yourself, but don't brag. You can't be too humble, but you don't want to be a blowhard.

 

4. If you're going to turn down a gig, have the courtesy to call. This is not dating. Don't leave it up to someone to "get the hint". When you call, see rule #2.

 

5. Be willing to try gigs outside your comfort zone.

 

I know, simple stuff, and stuff we should all know, but it's just a reminder should you go down the "music as career" road. Personally speaking, it can be difficult, but I find it very rewarding.

[J-chot]

the biggest hurdle I've found in making money off of music is that the general public's perception of the value of music is low...

 

thanks big 4...you ass.

[solderjunkie]

I don't have the chops to teach...

 

I don't know if session work, recording, and gigs can pay the bills.

[Renfield]

 

I don't have the chops to teach... I don't know if session work, recording, and gigs can pay the bills.

 

 

Rarely but it can. And you will work your butt off for it.

[fingeringam]

I don't have the chops to teach... I don't know if session work, recording, and gigs can pay the bills.

 

solution: teach guitar

[NSPBass]

I'm assuming you're trying to make a living playing bass. I'm also assuming that you're at least a decent bass player, if you're playing regularly and do some session work.

 

That said, here's my background. I make my living as a french horn player. I have a Bachelor's in Music Performance from Arizona State University and graduate studies at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and the University of Louisville. I've played with the Phoenix Symphony, the Louisville Orchestra, the Virginia Symphony, and the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops Orchestras. Lot's of great experience with great ensembles and musicians.

 

However, whilst gigging with all of these great groups, I was also working nights at UPS from 11PM to 3AM. I also taught private lessons and worked with various high school band programs. And every once in a while, if I was lucky, I'd actually get to practice my instrument and try to get better at it. All this work and I was making approximately $15K/year. Not. Enough. Especially when $50,000 in student loans came due.

 

Now, I'm making about $40K/year playing my horn (with an almost guaranteed raise every year, opportunities for promotion, great benefits, and PLENTY of time to gig outside of work).

 

What is this super awesome, wonderful, magical place of employment? That's right, the US Army.

 

I've always aspired to be an orchestral musician and generally looked down upon the military as an avenue for musicians. To some extent, I was right. There are some really poor musicians employed by the Army. However, I have found that there are some absolutely fantastic musicians in the band field as well. I would like to think that I'm one of them. Fortunately, the band that I am in has a specific standard that one must reach on an audition to be considered for assignment.

 

I had some MAJOR misgivings about enlisting as a bandsman (who really WANTS to go to Iraq?), but with the kind of debt I was looking at and the responsibility of taking care of my wife, I was in a position where I pretty much had to take the risk, and I'm extremely glad I did. I get to play with some great musicians and I get a paycheck on the first and fifteenth, regardless of how many concerts I've played or didn't play. Also, there are ways to avoid deployment, if you're so inclined.

 

You may wonder what a bass player can do in a military band. Well, to be honest, our bass players have a much cooler gig than I do as I horn player. We've got the big band, the jazz combo (that recently toured to Puerto Rico and will be returning in the next couple of months), the dixie band, and the rock band (that just got back from a tour to TX). They even get to play in the concert band.

 

Here's what you would be looking at if you were to join up and be assigned to my band (oh yeah, you get to pick which band you go to, depending on where there are openings):

 

Starting salary: $1750/mo (to go up by 3.9% in 09)

Housing Allowance (if you're married): $1137/mo

Food Allowance: $250/mo

Bonuses: Civilian Acquired Skill - $5000; 60+ hours of college credit - $6000; Enlistment bonus for being a bass player - $4000 (3 year enlistment - if they let you enlist for longer, it's more).

College Loan Repayment up to $65,000, or GI Bill up to $81,000

Plus, Tuition Assistance pays for 100% of educational expenses while on active duty.

 

Again, I highly recommend the Army Band system.

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

 

matt

[Renfield]

...What is this super awesome, wonderful, magical place of employment? That's right, the US Army. Again, I highly recommend the Army Band system.

 

And what bonus do you receive for recruting somebody in? :poke:

 

This isn't one of those pyramid schemes is it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ender_rpm]

NSPBass!! Glad you're doing well my man!!! I remember when you were auditioning and such. You're not too far from me now. I agree, if you have the reading skills and chops, the military band systems are a GREAT way to play for a living. Plus, if you're lucky, you get to go some cool places and play for some people who desperately NEED a good time. I speak from experience that I genuinely appreciated the Army musicians and bands I encountered over seas.

[jonathan_matos5]

just around the corner for me. i have paying gigs starting at the end of this month.

[Billystrat]

best advice I can think of is; have a serious practice routine and get out on the scene. When I look for artists or get asked by artists to play, most of the times it's just seeing people out.

[NeonVomit]

Our drummer is the dictionary definition of a professional musician. As his headline on his myspace states, 'Drumming isn't a hobby, it's a way of life!' and boy does he mean it. It really is a way of life.

 

He's much in demand as a session player in both Greece and Cyprus, and he works as a hired gun. He finds it gratifying, but he says that he hasn't sat at the drums to play for his own enjoyment in the last five years. He really enjoys playing in the band, but he has difficulty seperating work from enjoyment anymore.

 

It's that last point that makes me not want to ever have a career as a pro musician.

 

On the upside, he gets to play music as a job.

 

Think about it long and hard. It's not an easy road to go, even if you're sucessful.

[NSPBass]

And what bonus do you receive for recruting somebody in? :poke: This isn't one of those pyramid schemes is it?

 

To be completely forthcoming, it is possible for me to get $2000 if I refer someone to the Army and they join and get through training. However, I simply speak out of an understanding of where this guy is coming from and how hard it is to make a living that way. I do that for free.

 

 

....but if you are seriously considering it, let me know....

 

...no, seriously, let me know...

 

matt

[Renfield]

To be completely forthcoming, it is possible for me to get $2000 if I refer someone to the Army and they join and get through training. However, I simply speak out of an understanding of where this guy is coming from and how hard it is to make a living that way. I do that for free. ....but if you are seriously considering it, let me know.... ...no, seriously, let me know... matt

 

That's cool. Honestly, not surprised there is incentives. It's smart. You're on the inside, you can offer a valid opinion on whether it's a good lifestyle choice or not.

 

And thanks, but no. For one, I'm Canadian. For two, just plain no.

[NSPBass]

That's cool. Honestly, not surprised there is incentives. It's smart. You're on the inside, you can offer a valid opinion on whether it's a good lifestyle choice or not. And thanks, but no. For one, I'm Canadian. For two, just plain no.

 

Dude, I totally understand. Saying "please" and "eh" just doesn't get too far with the Taliban.

 

In all seriousness, I do understand why many wouldn't want to take the chance of joining the military, especially now that we are in an "era of persistent conflict" as the talking heads like to say. But, let me tell you what my day is typically like:

 

0700: Get to work to practice my horn for an hour

 

0800: Check my work email

 

0830: Formation (gathering of everyone in the band to put out info that everyone needs to know, and to make sure everyone's there - that's a pure military thing, we rarely have any problems like that)

 

0900 - 1130: Rehearsal/more practice time/"shop" time (we're a self-sustaining unit so we have our own supply office, operations office, etc)

 

1130 - 1300: Lunch

 

1300 - 1600: Same as 0900-1130

 

1600: Go home

 

That's my typical day. Of course, there are days that we're much busier than that with ceremonies, but those days are relatively few.

 

One word of caution, however. The day that I just described is typical of my band here at Fort Monroe. We're what is known as a "MACOM" or Major Command Band. So, we work closely on a regular basis with 3 and 4 star generals. There are bands that are part of combat divisions, such as the 101st Airborne or 10th Mountain Division who have a much different life than I do. Their days consist of sometimes 4 ceremonies a day. Plus, being in a combat division means that they deploy when their divisions deploy. I have friends who are in Afganistan and Iraq.

 

So, yeah. Again, if anyone has any questions about life in the Army Band, please feel free to ask. As you can tell, I do enjoy discussing it. Later!

 

matt

[mlwarriner]

one word of caution, though, if you're thinking of the army band...

 

(speaking at least from my own experience)

 

 

drill sergeants at basic training HATE the band guys. you can likely expect even more mocking, teasing and general torture than the rest of the 'boots.

 

 

 

(at least it was that way in my BT platoon)

 

:D

[NSPBass]

one word of caution, though, if you're thinking of the army band... (speaking at least from my own experience) drill sergeants at basic training HATE the band guys. you can likely expect even more mocking, teasing and general torture than the rest of the 'boots. (at least it was that way in my BT platoon) :D

 

I would venture a guess that this is probably true in most cases. My favorite was, "You're in the band?! Damn band! You play the french horn? Why don't you play the American horn?!" However, I did my very best to give them as little to make fun of as possible.

 

That's why I ran a sub-13 minute 2 mile. That's why when everyone else was on pull up number 3, I was on 30. That's why I did 96 push ups in 2 minutes when 77 is all it takes to get maximum points on the test. And I'm not one of those 6 foot 3, 150 lb guys, either. I went into basic at 5'8", 197. Physical fitness is HUGE in the Army, and if you're good at that and work really hard, that goes a long way. My senior drill actually ended up calling me out as the only person he respected because I'm a hefty guy, but I still ran faster than just about everyone else.

 

I also served as our Platoon Guide (basic training's version of student leadership) for the last month and a half of basic. The guys that got the worst of it, besides the platoon retard, were the guys that were going to Officer Candidate School after basic. On dude in particular got stuck with the name Lieutenant Dan (from Forrest Gump). It was not a compliment. Of course, he ended up washing out of OCS, but whatever. At least in my experience, if you work really hard and aren't completely stupid, you'll be fine.

 

The main reason drills have a problem with band guys beyond the typical band nerd crap that we've gotten since junior high, is that we come in at the rank of E-4 (specialist), which is a lot better than the no rank private they probably came in as. Plus, as is becoming more and more the case, we are generally much better educated than most enlisted people in the army. Most bandsmen have at least 1 degree if not 2 or 3.

 

Anyway, I'm just relaying my personal experience. It's different in every basic training company.

 

nspbass