Members TimmyII Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 i'm talking about people who want to make a living out of playing, but are stuck in a dayjob... how do you find the time to practise/write songs etc.? i feel like i don't have enough time to write AND practise music...(yes, i currently have a job) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members murphmusik Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 We rehearse at night after work, and I write whenever it hits me....my day job is sitting at a desk so...I can write some stuff down. Then I go home and try to make sense out of all my Post-It Notes...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted August 17, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 yeah, but don't you have a {censored}load of organizing with everything? i mean i play in TWO bands and this is busting my balls... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miles to go Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 Originally posted by TimmyII yeah, but don't you have a {censored}load of organizing with everything? i mean i play in TWO bands and this is busting my balls... Hey, no one said this was easy. Get as much help from others as you can, especially for the non-musical chores. Friends, family, street team, whoever. You also have to really start to prioritize and manage your time. Would your time be better spent rehearsing your songs, writing, promoting shows, etc. Start to think in terms of opportunity costs. Time and effort spent on one task is taking away from all of the other things you could be doing. Make sure it's worth it. Learn to make the best possible use of rehearsal time. Do you really need to go over your old, familiar material once a week? Would that time be better spent writing or learning a cover? As more and more demands are placed on my time, I find I have less and less patience for band members who don't do their homework. When all else fails, ditch the girlfriend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members murphmusik Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 Timmy II: yes I have a kid, 2 dogs, 2 cats, a mortgage, other bills, a job , ...and a band... prioritizing is key!! My guitarist and I split the booking duties and other band stuff like preparing press kits, promotion posters etc...all band members help out. And because of that...our personal lives stay sane and in order... Miles To Go is exactly right as well..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TheManichaean Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 I sympathize with you--a few months ago I was playing in two bands, but it became way too much work. I wasn't writing songs, I was exhausted, and I could barely concentrate on anything. I quit one of the bands, and now things are a lot better. I hated to do it, and I sorely miss the group. The sacrifice I made really fuels my motivation, though. On those free nights that I just don't feel like writing, I remember what I had to give up so that I could get that free time. And I'm married, so there's no "dumping the girlfriend" option for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miles to go Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 Originally posted by TheManichaean And I'm married, so there's no "dumping the girlfriend" option for me. So, you keep the girlfriend around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members murphmusik Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 hey..that was really funny!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DanteRTS Posted August 17, 2004 Members Share Posted August 17, 2004 I totally agree w/ the time management goals. My guitarist and I split the all the biz stuff, the others take care of the physical aspects (renting a trailer, making copies, flyering, press kit)...sounds familiar. . .Personally, We practice 3 nights a week, I practice my guitar for an hour on my lunch break every day. I still make time for the girl (when she becomes that important to you, you'll find the time. Other than that, keep the girlfriends on the road:)Definitely not easy. Just be hella organized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted August 18, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2004 Originally posted by miles to go Hey, no one said this was easy. Get as much help from others as you can, especially for the non-musical chores. Friends, family, street team, whoever. You also have to really start to prioritize and manage your time. Would your time be better spent rehearsing your songs, writing, promoting shows, etc. Start to think in terms of opportunity costs. Time and effort spent on one task is taking away from all of the other things you could be doing. Make sure it's worth it. Learn to make the best possible use of rehearsal time. Do you really need to go over your old, familiar material once a week? Would that time be better spent writing or learning a cover? As more and more demands are placed on my time, I find I have less and less patience for band members who don't do their homework. When all else fails, ditch the girlfriend. well said... the annoying part i usually have to keep telling everyone to do their "homework" and it pisses me off and drains my energy...i have enough {censored} to do working on my own chops etc. last thing i need is concentrate on some bull{censored}...oh well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted August 18, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2004 thanks everyone. the thing is...right now i have a job as a dish washer and i have to get up at 5:00am and i feel like i don't have the energy to practise after work...any motivational hints or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members murphmusik Posted August 18, 2004 Members Share Posted August 18, 2004 drink Red Bull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miles to go Posted August 19, 2004 Members Share Posted August 19, 2004 Originally posted by TimmyII thanks everyone. the thing is...right now i have a job as a dish washer and i have to get up at 5:00am and i feel like i don't have the energy to practise after work...any motivational hints or something? I remember reading a story about Jaco (and if it's about Jaco, it's gotta be true ) that he wouldn't wash dishes because it softened his callouses. I don't suppose that excuse would fly at your job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cavemanic Posted August 19, 2004 Members Share Posted August 19, 2004 Originally posted by TimmyII i'm talking about people who want to make a living out of playing, but are stuck in a dayjob...how do you find the time to practise/write songs etc.? i feel like i don't have enough time to write AND practise music...(yes, i currently have a job) Think that is hard to work out? (and I know where you are coming from!) Well i can't for the life of me think of how people like trent reznor, billy corgan, devin townsend etc have a life or do half the {censored} they do even when there music is there job!!!......they must have massive disipline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members geddyentwistle Posted September 5, 2004 Members Share Posted September 5, 2004 you are in a box, sort of......the same box i'm in you have music as your #1 priority outside of survival, and you deal with people who like to dick around and who donot wasting YOUR time keep looking for other situations until you find the right one or the current one gets better in the meantime, i listen to band stuff on the way to work, from work, while playing with the kids..make discs for the others and make it easy for them, even though this frequently does nothing if you are dealing with people who don't give a {censored} however, you will find those who do care and those are the ones to work with...take the singer in project a, with the drummer and bassists from project b.....don't look at one band as "the one" i look at being in a band as dating/networking...just because you're in one, you should still look for more.......try out for as many situations as possible, because the good ones are out there, you just gotta find them!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members spinman Posted September 7, 2004 Members Share Posted September 7, 2004 Originally posted by TimmyII i'm talking about people who want to make a living out of playing, but are stuck in a dayjob...how do you find the time to practise/write songs etc.? i feel like i don't have enough time to write AND practise music...(yes, i currently have a job) I don't. And it stinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted September 7, 2004 Author Members Share Posted September 7, 2004 Originally posted by geddyentwistle you are in a box, sort of......the same box i'm in you have music as your #1 priority outside of survival, and you deal with people who like to dick around and who donot wasting YOUR time keep looking for other situations until you find the right one or the current one gets better in the meantime, i listen to band stuff on the way to work, from work, while playing with the kids..make discs for the others and make it easy for them, even though this frequently does nothing if you are dealing with people who don't give a {censored} however, you will find those who do care and those are the ones to work with...take the singer in project a, with the drummer and bassists from project b.....don't look at one band as "the one" i look at being in a band as dating/networking...just because you're in one, you should still look for more.......try out for as many situations as possible, because the good ones are out there, you just gotta find them!!! thanks. that was a good advice... ...even tho, i figured out that stuff myself already. nevertheless it was a nice "confirmation" of my philosophy. you see i'm a young dude (21 yo) and i'm trying to figure out how to have a "succesful" (=not the same as getting loads of$$$) career as a musician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bassyeti Posted September 8, 2004 Members Share Posted September 8, 2004 I am about to start a full time 37.5 hour a week job, as well as continuing a 12 hour a week job and I am in a orginals band that wants to start gigging soon and practices 1 - 2 times a week. My only concern is that if we do get picked up, or at least start to get a following, I wont be able to gig outside of my home town, which has a limited originals scene as it is. How do you guys that work full time handle that side of things? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scheming Demon Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 IMO you've got to make some tough decisions and/or really put yourself on a fairly strict schedule. You've got to allow for your work, personal time, writing time and personal practice time. The good news is you are young and don't have a lot of responsibilities so you can take some chances that are not an option for others. My first suggestion is to find a job with hours more to your liking. If not then you've got no choice but to deal with it and work around it. I, personally, would get another job. It sounds like you're the driving force behind both bands. That's an awful lot. You've got to delegate some tasks to others in the band or make it clear these are your bands to run and it's ultimately your decision that will drive the band and the others must respect and agree to that. If people aren't doing their homework then you've got to tell them, either get it done or you will be replaced or you personally will find another situation where the musicians are more serious about getting somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted September 9, 2004 Author Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 Originally posted by Scheming Demon IMO you've got to make some tough decisions and/or really put yourself on a fairly strict schedule. You've got to allow for your work, personal time, writing time and personal practice time.The good news is you are young and don't have a lot of responsibilities so you can take some chances that are not an option for others.My first suggestion is to find a job with hours more to your liking. If not then you've got no choice but to deal with it and work around it. I, personally, would get another job.It sounds like you're the driving force behind both bands. That's an awful lot. You've got to delegate some tasks to others in the band or make it clear these are your bands to run and it's ultimately your decision that will drive the band and the others must respect and agree to that. If people aren't doing their homework then you've got to tell them, either get it done or you will be replaced or you personally will find another situation where the musicians are more serious about getting somewhere. i guess this was directed at me...? i constantly try to push everyone to do their part, but i realize i just don't have the ENERGY. they just don't have the work ethics i'm looking for... i'm already auditioning to another band. i'll have to see where that leads to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fllstck Posted September 9, 2004 Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 Originally posted by Bassyeti I am about to start a full time 37.5 hour a week job, as well as continuing a 12 hour a week job and I am in a orginals band that wants to start gigging soon and practices 1 - 2 times a week. My only concern is that if we do get picked up, or at least start to get a following, I wont be able to gig outside of my home town, which has a limited originals scene as it is.How do you guys that work full time handle that side of things? I think Scheming Demon's dead on. You've got to align your schedule/priorities in a way condusive to making music. I know this will make me hugely unpopular on the forum, but the thing I'm hearing with all of this is that, ultimately, making money at your day job is more important/satisfying than playing music and running a band... for whatever reason. I'm directing this at everyone, not just Bassyeti. Why 2 jobs? Why the 5 AM dishwashing job? By putting them first, you're telling yourself that they are more important. My point is that the only thing preventing you from having time is you and your own decisions. A good example is kids. If you chose to have kids or chose to have sex without birth control, you really have no one else to blame but yourself for the predicament. When I moved to Austin, I realized that the biggest obstacle in my path was myself. I made a list of things I could to do to improve the situation. Then I determined which items would have the most impact and then carried them out. They weren't easy but I did eliminate all the the things I was doing to myself that were preventing me from doing what I wanted to do. Granted, I don't make a cent playing music... but I do play in 2 bands I really like and break even, just got back from an 18 day tour I booked myself and am having a blast only working 20 hours a week. I don't have kids or a college degree, either. OH! And you also have to surround yourself with people who are helping your cause, not hurting it. The people at my job were so excited for me to go that tour that they had no problem with me leaving for 2.5 weeks. My wife LOVES that I play music and has no problem providing the primary income for us as a couple. She knows that it's a money pit but thinks it great that I wake up every day with a purpose beyond going to work and watching the Simpsons. the flakey band mates was a serious problem, too... to combat that, I started the band and then set up some standards for membership. I had trouble sticking to my standards at first. Example, I required that EVERYONE have some music reading abilities... so the first 8 months of the band were dismal. When other people finally started answering our ads, we were so thrilled that we let people slide a little on the music thing. It still happens with drummers... But eventually these things payed off. 2 weeks before our tour, we booted our accordion player and planned to go on the road minus one person. I ran a keyboard player ad stating that music reading was required expecting no answer... but someone did answer and because he could read and because we had charts, he went on the road with us and people thought he'd been in the band forever. blah blah blah... hope that answers your question! Figure out what is in your realm of control and use those things the best way you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted September 9, 2004 Author Members Share Posted September 9, 2004 I agree. i think it's pretty retarded NOT to realize that kids make things more complicated. i don't have any kids (i'm so young, anyway) and i don't even have a gf...i have pretty high standards for gf too. she needs to acknowledge the fact i'm about music 24-7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Santuzzo Posted September 10, 2004 Members Share Posted September 10, 2004 Originally posted by TimmyII and i don't even have a gf...i have pretty high standards for gf too. she needs to acknowledge the fact i'm about music 24-7. Good luck with finding a girl, dude .... you will need it when you have these 'pretty high standards' and she'll have to accept you being busy with music 24-7 .... Terve ..... Lars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TimmyII Posted September 10, 2004 Author Members Share Posted September 10, 2004 Originally posted by Santuzzo Good luck with finding a girl, dude .... you will need it when you have these 'pretty high standards' and she'll have to accept you being busy with music 24-7 .... Terve ..... Lars it's not just that...i have sweaty armpits and a severe alcohol problem. the "24-7" thing is just my excuse when people ask me why i don't have a gf. (the other excuse is "i'm gay") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members miles to go Posted September 10, 2004 Members Share Posted September 10, 2004 Originally posted by fllstck I know this will make me hugely unpopular on the forum, but the thing I'm hearing with all of this is that, ultimately, making money at your day job is more important/satisfying than playing music and running a band... I agree that it is a question of priorities, but I look at it from the other side of the coin. I realized long ago that music will most likely never be my livelihood, because I'm simply not willing to sacrifice my career or my standard of living for a shot at "making it." Don't get me wrong, I'm very serious about making music. I work very hard at it and get no complaints about my commitment level. But, my goals are different. I'm much more concerned with writing good material and building a local following than touring or landing a record deal. I'm very upfront about this with my bandmates and have told them there's a possibility that I would have to bow out if things got too big. But, I realize that the vast majority of bands self destruct long before any of this becomes an issue. It's also been my experience that 90% of the musicians who give lip service to making a career out of music aren't willing to do what it takes to really have a shot at "making it." This is not a jab at any of the posters here, but was a big part of why I view things the way I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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