Is it good to have a back up plan?

[learn_to_f1y]

Since age 12 ive wanted to be a musician.. for the rest of my life.

Now that i'm 19... i'm in collegee. going on the second year for IT work.. In a band.. just getting started. But let's face reality the odds of making it "big" or making enough money to make a living off of music are pretty slim. But it is still what I dream of and want to do. Has anyone faced the decision to drop out of college to get a job and to spend time on their instrument and band work rather than going to school? I believe its good to have IT as a back up plan.. but sometimes its all or nothing. Of course if we were going to hit the road and tour and such i would drop out in a heart beat.. but still. i dont think i could ever be happy not playing music for the rest of my life. i guess there comes a time when ill get older and say "eff it" ive thought about switching majors to something musical.. but its not so much i want to be have a job in music.. just be a musician. plus im scared on wasting all this money because i have a change of heart in majors.

 

anyone ever in my shoes?

[defense_1]

I am 21 now and felt absolutely trapped when I was in school a couple of years ago because I dreamed of being a rockstar. I decided to work real hard and get my associates degree (in 2 years) and work hard at my job. Keep in mind that I was in school originally to get my masters or at least a bachelors. After I got my associates a few real cool oppertunities came up which involved travelling around the world a handful of times. I took them up and put a hold on school. Now that I am home I feel clear headed and prepared to make good decisions. I had some great experiences and am ready for more if some connections pan out but if not I can settle down and get a decent job with my degree or I can go back to school. There is no harm in taking a year off especially after you have an associates degree (they transfer easily wherever you end up settling down) and school is not a race. Good luck making your decisions.

[jaxn slim]

I did IT and accounting in school. I played in a band all the way through it. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't change a thing... well maybe a few things. But I would have still finished school and gotten a real job.

 

If you do IT, you will have the best of both worlds. You will have a job with benefits, so you can pay all your bills. Then you will have nights and weekends to work on your music. You can take a week or two vacation here and there to go on tour.

 

My advice is to stay in school and get a job right out of school. It never gets any easier to get a job than when you have all your school's resources right there. Once you are established in the working world and have a year or two of experience, you can re-evaluate whether you want to take a year sabbatical from work to pursue your music - or something like that.

[masterbuilt]

Jax, excellent advice. The degree opens doors.

 

Remember, lots of musicians were very well educated... bands like Rush, Queen, Boston, and several other major record sellers over the years have people with post-grad degrees.

[germs]

Most musicians in college do the weekend warrior thing during the semester and play on the weekends. During summer and winter breaks, they try to line up indepenent tours. Some of the one's I've known to do this end up giving up the band a few years out of college because they realize just how hard it is to "make it".

 

Reality is, your music "carreer" won't likely take off until your mid to late 20's. So you have the time to put into your degree, if you wish to pursue it.

 

I only wish someone had told me this when I was your age. I'm in my late 20's now and am only recently experiencing "success" in the music world.

 

Everybody's story is different, that's what makes life interesting. Good luck with whatever decision you make, just understand that if you do choose to persue music stardom as a carrer and not a hobby, the road ahead is difficult and unpredictable...to say the least.

[BlueStrat]

Is it good to have a back up plan?

 

I dunno. Is it good to have a parachute when you jump out of a plane?

[jaxn slim]

Reality is, your music "career" won't likely take off until your mid to late 20's. So you have the time to put into your degree, if you wish to pursue it.

 

Well put.

[desceneisvals]

As someone who did it, stay in school.

 

I'm 23 now, I'll be a senior in college next year and I plan on getting my MBA the year after.

 

After my first semester of college I stopped going, dropped out and got a job. I moved back to Gainesville to live near the people who I wrote music best with and I gave it my all. 2 1/2 years later, I realized I didn't want to wait tables for the rest of my life and play small gigs and I went back to school. I had a good time and I'm more focused in school now because of the time off, but when I look back I realize that I could have done everything I did musically then and gone to school and been just fine.

 

I'm in a band now, going to school, and I would also drop out of school (not in the middle of a semester, probably not in the middle of my senior year at this point) if I had the chance to tour. But I'm doing everything I was musically now just the same as I was when I was working 35 hours a week instead of taking my grants, scholarships, and loans and going to school. I probably actually have more time for music now that I did when I worked.

 

I can't tell you what to do, but always have a back-up plan. It might suck, especially if you have to work and go to school (I did it for all of my AA after I went back while playing in a band), but suck it up and finish your degree. Then you won't be stuck working at Guitar Center, playing bar gigs every night, and going nowhere. And, once you graduate and get a job you'll have nights and weekends to play music because you can work a nice 9-5 and you'll actually have money for decent gear.

 

Good luck with whatever you choose. It's hard to give up a dream, but don't see it as that. Just see it as a nice little mod to it. I love being educated, and right now I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

You also to have think about the fact that unless you make a MASSIVE amount of money playing music even if you get famous now, you're still going to need something to fall back on unless you can become someone like Clapton.

 

If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I've basically just done all this and I'm just a few years ahead so I see where you're coming from. All the best.

[BlueStrat]

 

As someone who did it, stay in school. I'm 23 now, I'll be a senior in college next year and I plan on getting my MBA the year after. After my first semester of college I stopped going, dropped out and got a job. I moved back to Gainesville to live near the people who I wrote music best with and I gave it my all. 2 1/2 years later, I realized I didn't want to wait tables for the rest of my life and play small gigs and I went back to school. I had a good time and I'm more focused in school now because of the time off, but when I look back I realize that I could have done everything I did musically then and gone to school and been just fine. I'm in a band now, going to school, and I would also drop out of school (not in the middle of a semester, probably not in the middle of my senior year at this point) if I had the chance to tour. But I'm doing everything I was musically now just the same as I was when I was working 35 hours a week instead of taking my grants, scholarships, and loans and going to school. I probably actually have more time for music now that I did when I worked. I can't tell you what to do, but always have a back-up plan. It might suck, especially if you have to work and go to school (I did it for all of my AA after I went back while playing in a band), but suck it up and finish your degree. Then you won't be stuck working at Guitar Center, playing bar gigs every night, and going nowhere. And, once you graduate and get a job you'll have nights and weekends to play music because you can work a nice 9-5 and you'll actually have money for decent gear. Good luck with whatever you choose. It's hard to give up a dream, but don't see it as that. Just see it as a nice little mod to it. I love being educated, and right now I wouldn't have it any other way. You also to have think about the fact that unless you make a MASSIVE amount of money playing music even if you get famous now, you're still going to need something to fall back on unless you can become someone like Clapton. If you have any questions feel free to PM me, I've basically just done all this and I'm just a few years ahead so I see where you're coming from. All the best.

 

 

+1000

 

Great post.

[germs]

Good points here. Of all the people in the world, I believe it was actually Courtney Love who pointed out the realities of the music industry. Years ago, she said that most performers only take in on average 40K or so a year, a far cry from the millionaire rockstar image.

 

Don't know how this holds up today, but I wouldn't be suprised if it were a lot less. Also, I really don't think that there's much chance of becoming the next Nickelback, Foo Fighters, or Tool anymore. Record companies today are using such slash n' burn tactics so that there's really no longevity left in the business on the artist's side. Hell, even as recently as 5 years ago a weak first release would probably garner enough to get a second shot, but these days, it's do or die right from the start. For some of us, it's as soon as you pick up your first guitar...

 

So yeah, get educated. Or alternately, learn a jobskill or trade if a four-year program isn't for you. Just have something in place so that when you decide it's time to settle down, you're not stuck sweeping the parking lot at Taco Bell when you're 38 because you've never had a real job before.

[Instrospection]

I'd stick with a career mostly and then do the music thing as much as time (ie: money losing and at best, breaking even) will allow. Every big band started off massively in debt to the record company for recording/ pressing/ promo/ fancy amps and guitars and instruments/ tourbus/ A&R/ distribution.....it just depends on how much you personally want to be in debt.

[BlueStrat]

 

it just depends on how much you personally want to be in debt.

 

 

Yes, and the reality is, the bands that are good enough to go 'all the way' with the right songs and the right personnel are very few.

[music321]

learn to f1y, you sound like me 5 years ago. I told people that "i probably wouldn't make it but", all the while believing that I WOULD make it.

 

I made it to the point where I was really close to being offered an unpaid internship. It then hit me that I wasn't in "show." i was getting involved in "show business." (well, sort of, since it was unpaid). I also wanted reasonable income in 5 years, not a chance at millions in 20.

 

music can touch lives, but it is just music. I wanted to really help people. (not to offend anyone, but it's not on par with things like clothing the poor, curing cancer, etc).

 

"Rockstar" is just about the perfect job. money, fame, mind-altering stuff, women- it has it all. but the reality is that it's work, too. and very few get rich. which of these things interests you? the music? money? women? etc?

 

college is expensive, and it's no place to be if you're not focused. sure, take a chance, explore for a year or two. in that time, take it all the way. in fact, i would do it more for touring, etc., than anything else if i were to do it over. i wasted too much time trying to craft songs. it was fun, but it wasn't touring.

 

As far as a music career goes, well i personally wouldn't invest in a business (it is show "business", remember this) that has a 99% chance of failure.

 

 

HAVE a backup. also, read "blue strat's" stuff.

 

if you want women, money, etc., there are far better ways to get these. A steady job can buy lots of gear, also.

 

and remember- warnings aren't from people who have cast aside our dreams- we've defined different ones.

 

 

good luck

[Alan Roberts]

Stick with college. Having a career as a musician, or even a career in this industry, is not too lucrative at the moment. Get your degree now and flirt with the music industry later.

[David Hooper]

Check out some of the shows at Music Business Radio because this is something that comes up a lot. I remember one with Dez Dickerson (of Prince) and he said, "When you have Plan B, you use it."

 

That pretty much sums it up.

 

If this is what you want to do, go for it!!

[David Hooper]

 

Stick with college. Having a career as a musician, or even a career in this industry, is not too lucrative at the moment. Get your degree now and flirt with the music industry later.

 

 

If you look at it that way, it has NEVER been lucrative. Musicians have starved since the dawn of time.

 

But, if you go at it hard and you're meant to do it, you can make money. Don't let the fact that most people fail keep you from doing it. Most people don't really want it.

[richardmac]

Can you make a living as a musician? Absolutely. What does that look like? For most, it means you do any and all work you can related to music. Give lessons, sell instruments, fix instruments, play in different groups, write and sell songs, etc. The other route is the academic route, where you go off for 4 years and get a degree and then teach full time somewhere, and if you want to, you gig at night and on weekends.

 

Some musicians are able to play in bands that make enough money that they don't have to do the other things. But it's rare for such bands to last for one's entire working career, say, life from 21 to 55. At some point, you're going to be doing some other things to make ends meet.

 

The idea of making enough money in a short time span to be able to make it last the rest of your life (ie rockstar) is borderline impossible. Some folks make it sound like you just have to want it BAD enough. That's not true. Or if you just work HARD enough, you'll get there. Also not true. If you want it really bad, and you're willing to work really hard, and you're really GOOD, you can get to the point where you develop a following. But to take the next step and end up John Mayer? The odds on that are mind numbing and getting smaller every year.

 

One of the best singer/songwriters in the world is Jonatha Brooke. She writes fantastic music, her last CD was produced by Bob Clearmountain, and she had Neil Finn sing a duet on one of her CD's a few years ago. She's one of my favorites. I got a chance to see her in Tampa recently. At a place with something like 300 seats. Which was not sold out. She can't afford to bring her band to many of her shows, so she plays solo. Jonatha is making a living as a singer/songwriter, and she tours all over the world, but it's lots of small shows and when you total up her career earnings, she'll maybe make a little more than I make in public education over the course of my career. Jonatha's level of success is hard to achieve, and you have to be really really really good, but that's the level that's possible. IF you write music that isn't flavor of the month and can last over time. And if you're willing to go that route and not look back or give up. And your music is absolutely fantastic and inspires loyal fans that will listen to you their entire lives. In other words, this ain't Fallout Boy level catchy flavor of the month gone in 5 years music.

 

So if you're willing to do whatever it takes to do music for living, meaning you're willing to sell instruments or give lessons or whatever in addition to the "band" thing that the odds say won't work out, then that is one way to go. If you go the other route and do music as a hobby, to me, it makes more sense. You can end up either giving lessons or selling instruments all day, or working a much higher paying job all day. Either way. The more important question might be, do you really enjoy your day job? That's what I always wanted and what I have - I love my day job. And I love music and that's my hobby.

 

Summary - Unless your music is absolutely fantastic, get a real career and do music as a hobby. But make sure you really enjoy your career. That's my advice after all those words.

[BlueStrat]

 

If you look at it that way, it has NEVER been lucrative. Musicians have starved since the dawn of time.

There was a time not long ago when musicians could earn a living playing 6 nights a week. I did that for 4 years in the early 80s, as a 25 year old kid making about 4-500 a week in 1980 dollars, more money than my friends were making working construction. I worked 24 hours a week and rehearsed 3-4. And that was a cover band, not trying to 'make it'.

 

Getting rich in music has always been tough, but it's much harder to make a living at it than it used to be.

[timrocker]

I have to kind of dissent just a little bit here. With the tiniest "bear with me a moment" type of qualifier.

 

If you have something to fall back on, that's what you're really doing, and what you're really going to get for a result. If you are actually going to do anything, you need it to be one thing.

 

When I was a young man first getting interested in music, people often advised me to have something to fall back on. So I've mostly done music in the margins, after the day job has provided the necessities. (Although in the early 80's, like the previous poster, I was a full time cover musician. When there was such a thing. ) I believe that, if my peer advisers had been wiser about human motivation, their advice would have been: Have something specific, something real, and something attainable to Reach For Right Now. Look at where you are right now, and set a goal to what's next that you can actually see from here. Once you've attained that, do it again. Always look ahead, but act in the short term for goals that add up to cumulative progress.

 

I am not saying by any of that that You Are A Potential Rock Star. That would be ridiculous. Nor am I saying that a day job or a college degree are bad things. Those are good things. I'm saying that everything that you do today matters. The mental clarity to proceed on a definite goal is what's really missing in many many scenarios. Talent is so not relevant. The world is teeming with absurdly talented people. Clarity is a little harder to come by.

 

I'll probably stir the pot a bit with this post, and there'll be a lot of talk about the odds of making it astronomical as they are and on and on. All true. Just think about motivation though. For completeness' sake.

[amnosis]

I registered on here just to make this post. This is my friends band. I knew one guy in high school and met the rest of the guys, ended up running lights at a couple shows, or just being a groupie/roadie. We had stupid nights nights at my apartment after south by south west, and lots of other good times.

 

First off I want to say I think they're f'n amazing. I believed in their music. Much better then most radio crap you hear. www.edgewaterband.com that website doesn't even work anymore, but you can check em out on myspace.

 

They got signed by windup records, which at the time was brand new. They got a song on the punisher movie soundtrack. (which btw I think is one of their weakest tracks). But it made the rock top 40. They got a tour bus/rv thing. Toured w/3 days grace.

 

I know one guy got a 30 thousand dollar signing bonus, type thing, but it wasn't really a bonus, as it needed to be paid back. I'm not sure what the rest of the band got. But I do know that most of that 30 thousand was spent on new gear. and socks. not kidding.

 

They unfortunately signed with the same label as evanessance , seether and finger 11. Wake me up inside got really popular, and one thing, and a couple other songs, and they were shelved.

 

The label then, for their second album wanted complete control. Of course they balked.

 

They got out of the contact and released a self produced album that is solid, but no where near as good as their older stuff imho. Now they still have a myspace page and the band website is down. They are in their late 20's or at 30. Still stugling to make ends meet and doing solo projects, trying to start a new band, find the next big thing.

They are working day jobs and now paying off debt. My advise is to get something to fall back on, at least. You can be sooooo close and so far away at the same time.

 

 

and this is a really good listen from those guys, if you can drown out their backing tracks, and listen to what they're saying. not the best quality.

 

 

Good luck with all your ambitions man.

[BlueStrat]

Fixed it for ya.

 

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[germs]

amnosis:

 

You've introduced a little-noticed term known as recoupment. Some people can get too caught up in the moment to have an experienced attorney or familymember/friend look over their contract before signing. In some cases (okay, most cases), what you described will happen. Not just financially, but career-wise as well. It's just a risk that most of us are willing to take.

 

I think that most everyone here would sign a deal from a major (or indie) label if it were put in front of them tomorrow. Most of us have worked extremely hard to get where we are, and if the opportunity presented itself to take a chance to proceed to the next level we would take it. Specific contract terms aside, I would rather say that I took the chance, than ask myself why I didn't.

 

In life, chances are always risky. That's why it's called chance. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Nothing is guaranteed. I guess that's about as real as you can get. And having dug myself out of some serious recoupment in the past, I can say that if I could go back, I wouldn't change a thing. I understand that lightning never strikes the same place twice, but having "been there" I can add that the persuit is almost always more satisfactory and exciting than the capture.

 

But yes, have a backup. See my first post as reference. If you want to spend the rest of your life struggling after your "youthful exhuberance" is found lacking, then by all means you should persue music as an only option. Chances are, you'll find that my "nothing is guaranteed" mentality will ring true.

[the-good-way]

 

anyone ever in my shoes?

 

 

I think it's been said on this forum...just about everyone who has picked up an instrument and found they could play with some facility.

 

 

 

Since age 12 ive wanted to be a musician.. for the rest of my life.

 

i dont think i could ever be happy not playing music for the rest of my life.

 

 

Fortunately, that part is easy. Simply keep playing music.

 

You dont have to have music as a vocation to play and enjoy music for the rest of your life.

 

I am not suggesting any particular course of action, but it can be good to look at what you want out of music and why.

Does it need to be your profession or you to be happy?

Does "professional musician", to you mean only stage-performer? (or even more specifically "rock star") or would it include (and would you be happy) with composition, instruction, pit work, and similar types of jobs

 

 

 

Extra text from original poster accidentally removed from quotes

Now that i'm 19... i'm in collegee. going on the second year for IT work.. In a band.. just getting started. But let's face reality the odds of making it "big" or making enough money to make a living off of music are pretty slim. But it is still what I dream of and want to do. Has anyone faced the decision to drop out of college to get a job and to spend time on their instrument and band work rather than going to school? I believe its good to have IT as a back up plan.. but sometimes its all or nothing. Of course if we were going to hit the road and tour and such i would drop out in a heart beat.. but still. i guess there comes a time when ill get older and say "eff it" ive thought about switching majors to something musical.. but its not so much i want to be have a job in music.. just be a musician. plus im scared on wasting all this money because i have a change of heart in majors.

 

[germs]

 

Has anyone faced the decision to drop out of college to get a job and to spend time on their instrument and band work rather than going to school?

 

 

Uhhhhhh...yes. Twice, as a matter of fact.

 

I look at it this way: If I hadn't taken the chances and opportunities that I had, I wouldn't be where I am today. Is that necessarily a better place? Perhaps not...but then again, I'm the type of person that would rather tell my grandkids that I got on the bus, rather than wonder at the end of my life what would have happened if I had...to borrow a phrase.

 

Too many things can happen between the ages of 18-22. Especially if you're in college. There are too many new experiences and variables in life at this point to accurately say "yes, this is what I want to do forever" or "no, I'm not doing this ever again".

 

So, without further ado, here's all advice I think you need at this point:

 

Nothing is guaranteed. Take your life one day at a time, especially at your age. Stay in school, get your degree. NO ONE, repeat, no onegets a record deal at your age and stays with it anymore. That would imply your longevity in the career, not the simply the improbability of it occuring. Set simple, achieveable goals for yourself involving your music career. Achieve them before you move on to the next. Apply this to all aspects of your daily life.

[the-good-way]

Has anyone faced the decision to drop out of college to get a job and to spend time on their instrument and band work rather than going to school?

 

Uhhhhhh...yes. Twice, as a matter of fact. .... So, without further ado, here's all advice I think you need at this point: Nothing is guaranteed. Take your life one day at a time, especially at your age. Stay in school, get your degree.

 

 

Sorry for the confusion, the statement attributed to me was text from the original poster (post #1) that escaped the quote brackets [fixed]

 

I'm a long long....long time out of school