Goodbye Nashville- Musicians please read

After 14 months of trying to make some headway into the Nashville scene I have decided to stop throwing good money after bad and am relocating where I can be a big fish in a small pond.

I used to make a damn good living being a musician. Please take a second to visit my website http://homepage.mac.com/themusicplex

My resume, my gear, and experience meant absolutely NOTHING in this town.

Its a sad time to be a musician. The record industry is quickly evaporating, almost all the major studios have closed their doors, and the generation of people who are growing up in the internet-age think music is supposed to be free. Jingle houses and CD retailers have all but dissapeared and mainstream radio is as expensive to buy into as it is a joke. This forces a lot of us into some creative thinking and re-adapting, re-marketing ourselves and our services to feed the family.

Be warned! Each year, there are over 30,000 musicians who graduate from their college or university with some sort of music degree looking for work.

All of the artists and band members who no longer release product are looking for work, as are the multitude of displaced musicians,engineers, composers, and producers. Newbees work very cheap.

Many of these people moved to Nashville because it IS a music town, relatively cheap to live here, easy commute, and there a lot world-class musicians here and some great studios. Problem is Nashville is small and you have over 100,000 registered musicians and songwriters vying for a few coveted spots of employment. Nashville has an "inner circle" of players, and you could be the Paganini of fiddle and a real live tootin' baptist southerner and NEVER get a gig. This inner circle is tighter than Fort Knox- you aint getting in.

You business acumen means nothing here. The locals are far more interested in what church you belong to, your golf game, and your family life. They work very short days, no weekends and apparently discovered the fountain of youth as they waste so much of your time and theirs by NEVER saying what they mean, or meaning what they say. They have their own language here. e.g. If they say " That John Doe is a nice fellow" that means you've been disregarded, and your chance of ever getting a return call or work will be zero.

All of this spells idiotic arrogance in my book.Idiotic because its foolish to conduct business in this counterproductive way. Arrogant because they are guarding their Nashville "sound" and dont want anyone to {censored} with it.They feel its perfect the way it is and no outsider will ever be allowed to lay their hands on it. Thats why all of the mainstream releases sound exactly the same.

Nashville will be dead in the next 5 years. Studio owners, big and small simply cannot support their operation SOLELY on billable hours.

Neve/ProTools HD3 Rooms with killer outboard and solid acoustical design get about $350 a DAY. If your real lucky you may get booked 2 weeks a month, after operating expenses you'll be LUCKY to walk away with $1k a month.

The hicks that buy these CDs will eventually figure out how they can download off the web and that will be the end of major labels, with the possible exception of the latin markets, American Idols, and catalog music.

I implore you take careful and HONEST stock in yourself, exploiting and marketing yourself and your services. Find a niche, know the business, know the market, and keep your mouth shut and your ears open. It all begins with the relationships you can groom.

this is why I never wanted to make music for money. Free beer sure but not to try to make a living. Takes all the fun out of it.

This is why I've always focused on my current market and resisted the temptation to try and "make it there" in NYC, Nashville, or LA.

Damn, Chroma...sorry to hear. Its been heading that way for a while, the industry in general is resembling a monolithic machine more and more each day

...one reason why I'm currently paid for something other than my forte'.

Why is this not on backstage with the band forum?

this is why is this

I've worked with musicians who tried to make it in Nashville. One ended up making a very good living... as a tour bus driver for Alan Jackson and Tanya Tucker. (He had a CDL driving from fuel rigs around here). Came back with some very interesting stories...

Anyway, there will always be studios and work in Nashville. That city puts out a ton of product every month. But it is so closed.... and those on the inside guard their positions so zealously... you just can't get in. Those country manners and smiles hide perhaps the most cutthroat musicians and producers in the world.

Sorry it didn't work out Chromalord. I just visited your site. You'll find your spot elsewhere.

very sorry to hear that; best of luck in your next endeavor.

Sorry to hear your woes, Chroma.

This is hardly indigenous of Nashville. Any medium-size city has an inner circle, especially one with it's own union local. Every city has a few contractors that have a stronghold on the gigs, and if you arent on their list, you dont get them.

There is an unwritten "7 year rule" that can apply to freelancers relocating. It doesnt mean you wont work for 7 years, I think it means that it will take 7 years for you to be exposed to about every opportunity that will be available to you in that particular market. 14 months really isnt very long.

Realistically, you can discount 99,000 of them. The waitress who fancies herself a songwriter isnt going to affect you.

That's puzzling. If you want to be in a game, you play the game. If you don't want to, there is obviously no reason to be there, or in any music circle. As you already know with your experience, music works a certain way. Who cares if it all sounds the same?? There is no such thing as "artistic integrity" for a freelance musician: you take a gig, do it, and go home.

IMO they are not guarding the "Nashville Sound", they are guarding their JOBS. Everyone does in every market. When the new guy comes in, ultimately that means someone must go. The ones who have success getting in are usually the least threatening on a personal level. I see it all the time, there are new people who want to shake up the status quo, and that just doesnt work. The ones who show up on time, dont ask many questions and don't stick hypothetical knives in other people's backs are usually more successful. You cant blame people for guarding their work, since in many cases they are hanging on to whatever is left.

Good for you. The demise of the record biz is not a death knell for music. Diversity has been the key for me, having my foot in about 20 doors. Smaller markets have lots of opportunities too. Do you have any idea where you are headed??

That's very sad to hear. My wife and I visited Nashville in the summer of '05. She wants us to eventually move there. I was particularly interested in the local music scene there. Luckily enough, I don't have any aspirations of 'making it big' and would be content with keeping the music thing at arms length, such as my current situation.

What's your current market? Don't worry, I'm keeping my day (non-music) job and have no intention of competing...

I have another friend, a singing keyboard player, who found enough work to keep him busy almost as soon as he got there. He was brought up around country music (as we all were in these parts) and absolutely loved it. He had no desire to change anything about it. All he wanted to do was play.

He started getting picked up for tours in backup bands. His deep country music knowledge and great tenor voice used to always impress me.

I lost track of him a few years ago. I wonder if he's still at it.

There is work in Nashville. It all depends on what kind, and where your sights are.

I have to agree.. artistic vision and "versatility" aren't what it takes to succeed in the commercial music biz.

It's about projected profits and returns and that's why they hold onto it so tightly. By controlling the formula they inject stability into the market.

But it just sounds like maybe it's not for you. Don't take it personally. Just relax and let less stressful things come your way

"Video killed the radio star."

The computer killed the musician.

ChromaLord, I'd suggest you take your own advice about taking honest stock in yourself, and I'll add that you have to RESPECT your market.

Perhaps the fact that you consider the folks in your target market "hicks" had something to do with your not making it there.

I dont think so exaclty. I think like anything as the market ages it becomes saturated and it becomes harder to meet the bottom line for various reasons.

People start taking shortcuts and less chances. And yes sadly a moderately expensive orchestra library is preferable to hiring an actual orchestra and having to record them..

Thanks for the kind words from all.

Yeah, sure If I wanted to play live in a band on the weekends I could do that- but its hardly enough to make a living on with a family. The touring guys I know are out of town like 40 weeks a year and make about $700 a week plus expenses and per diems. Thats not even remotely enough for me unless I file for bankruptcy and start all over. At age 46 that isn't a real option.

CYGNUS: I truly appreciate your time with your line-item comments but there is little I agree with and little that is applicable to me:

Unions? Are you kidding me? The AF of M is the least powerful union in this country.They can only enforce contracts for pit players and orchestral sessions. More on that later..

I found no problem getting work in NYC the 1st week I moved there. Why? Because there you are meritted MORE on your abilites than what your golf score is.Your " seven year rule" was never a factor in my profession and even if it where at 46, I'd be like 53- too friggin old!I saw the writing on the wall and decided to stop wasting time $ money.

Most of Nashville is in fact "semi-pro" meaning musicians who at one time or other made some $ doing whatever, the rest of the time is "would you like some cream with that coffee"?

What does integrity have to do with the entertainment biz? I certainly never implied that.I used to get paid in stacks of $10 bills from the gangsta rappers- didnt matter to me- green is green. I could care less what the Nashville "sound" is personally, but if you submit a song demo it better be spot-on or in the trash it goes.

There arent a lot of "new" guys getting in as you suggest. The amount of real sessions have greatly decreased to the point the "elite" guys are recording demos now. Standard rate for a demo: $75 per song for lead vocalist, $100 per song for an instrumentalist.

Too many musicians against an eroding job base- that's the fact.

On a larger scale, publishing is the money stop for now. But as soon as

Radio and the labels tank, and the web completely rules, publishing will lose its strong hold with the PRO's, and the PRO's will have to seriously readjust to stay in business. The AF of M is already restructuring to stay alive. They normally received 20 million a year in dues, last year it was only 3! If you were a union player in the past make sure you are vested so you can retrieve your pension at age 55, otherwise its hasta la vista baby.

I say NONE of this out of anger or even frustration. I'm just your humble musician imparting my experiences to this forum. It would never be my intent to disuade anyone from persuing their dreams.

ChromaLord,

Why did you leave NYC for Nashville? Just curious.

I know a musician whose career was not killed by the computer. He specializes in church organ (yep, one of those guys who can play Bach with hands and feet at the same time) and choir direction and thus has had steady work for churches for years.

I didnt suggest there were a "lot" of new guys. However, to suggest that there are none is simply inaccurate. There are, you just aint one of em, for whatever reason that may be. Even I've done sessions in Nashville and I didnt even live there.

This is so off, I can't even begin to comment on it. It's not even remotely close to anything resembling reality.:confused:

Chroma, at this point all I can do is wish you a sincere and heart-felt "Good Luck" and best wishes in any future endeavors. You have quite an accomplished background and I feel for ya, I do not like seeing any talented musician go without enough work. We can simply agree to disagree, my outlook on the music biz is quite different than yours, as is my current situation where I have to turn down gigs due to overbooking. If you truly believe that people are picking players because of their golf game, there is nothing anyone here can say to convince you otherwise. Good Luck.

PS. If I felt that truly was the case, I would personally be practicing my golf game......

Thank you for all that ChromaLord, it was a magnificent and heartfelt statement. Good luck and God speed.

Took the liberty to abbreviate it:

Centuries ago, this particular method of doing business was called a "guild".

not true at all.

Good luck ChromaLord.

In my book, anyone who's worked with Sting rocks, so more power to ya !!

On a side note....my sister lives in Nashville (well, Franklin) and I visited her once.....possibly the most BORING place I have ever been in my life. Biggest excitement was going to Krogers and looking at all the different types of low fat food that we don't have over in oz.