Comments on: Best and Worst Day Jobs for Musicians http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/ The Community for Working Musicians Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:18:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Just me http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-2/#comment-17794 Just me Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:17:20 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17794 I am a college dropout in my mid-twenties who has been working random minimum wage jobs for several years. I have been considering returning to school to become a scientific illustrator. I am only considering this because I have a natural talent for realistic drawing, which I discovered as a small child and developed throughout my teenage years. I can definitely say objectively that I have a talent for it, and if I didn't I wouldn't even consider such a specialization. The field is small, and competitive, but a good for those who have the ability and you can make good money freelancing if you have the business savvy. I would have to return to school to finish my bachelors and then move on to grad school for two years (into a very small, competitive program!). My point is, do you think such a path could mesh ok with being a musician? I am very passionate about music, I love to write and play, and it will be a lifelong pursuit. However, I feel I must have some way to support myself...and either continually working dead-end minimum wage jobs and never having enough money, or just picking something like business or accounting purely for money purposes, would be a path I regret. I am a college dropout in my mid-twenties who has been working random minimum wage jobs for several years. I have been considering returning to school to become a scientific illustrator. I am only considering this because I have a natural talent for realistic drawing, which I discovered as a small child and developed throughout my teenage years. I can definitely say objectively that I have a talent for it, and if I didn’t I wouldn’t even consider such a specialization. The field is small, and competitive, but a good for those who have the ability and you can make good money freelancing if you have the business savvy. I would have to return to school to finish my bachelors and then move on to grad school for two years (into a very small, competitive program!). My point is, do you think such a path could mesh ok with being a musician? I am very passionate about music, I love to write and play, and it will be a lifelong pursuit. However, I feel I must have some way to support myself…and either continually working dead-end minimum wage jobs and never having enough money, or just picking something like business or accounting purely for money purposes, would be a path I regret.

]]> By: part-time music/full time white collar http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-2/#comment-17610 part-time music/full time white collar Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:33 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17610 This article is great and I'll like to add that it was written in 2009 and lots have changed since. the current economy is tanking (tanked), and job outlooks are terrible. You have to consider what you want in life (property, car, independence) and look for work accordingly. You have to make ends meet and the quality of life you desire will dictate whither you choose to be a musician or not. The toughest part is getting work as a musician, sure you can always teach but what about playing? recording? writing? How much time and money it will take before the work is sustainable? This article is great and I’ll like to add that it was written in 2009 and lots have changed since. the current economy is tanking (tanked), and job outlooks are terrible.

You have to consider what you want in life (property, car, independence) and look for work accordingly. You have to make ends meet and the quality of life you desire will dictate whither you choose to be a musician or not.

The toughest part is getting work as a musician, sure you can always teach but what about playing? recording? writing?

How much time and money it will take before the work is sustainable?

]]> By: web design http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-17563 web design Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:26:53 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17563 Thank you for any other wonderful article. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such a perfect way of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I'm on the search for such information. Thank you for any other wonderful article. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such a perfect way of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I’m on the search for such information.

]]> By: David J. Hahn http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-17495 David J. Hahn Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:17:35 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17495 Dude, that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. Read the article and get a job. Dude, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Read the article and get a job.

]]> By: shadow http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-17491 shadow Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:17:24 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17491 i have to do crime for living. Because i cant make music and also do full time or even part time job. Music is my love, can sit in prison for it. i have to do crime for living. Because i cant make music and also do full time or even part time job. Music is my love, can sit in prison for it.

]]> By: pete hammond http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-17439 pete hammond Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:02:03 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-17439 Nice Ed! Welcome back! Nice Ed! Welcome back!

]]> By: Andy Sharkey http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-16702 Andy Sharkey Fri, 23 Dec 2011 02:13:58 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-16702 Hey everyone, Thanks for sharing all of your stories. It means a lot to know that there are others who can't fully enjoy life without music having a major part. I will soon be diving into the make-or-break industry and hustle that is professional music. I came to the city to earn my Masters in Music and have been able to network and have been fortunate and sometimes lucky to work with great people and gain many opportunities outside of performance (music advising, contracting, etc.). The irony of being in a city hub for music is that most musicians - in this economy, particularly - will be forced to leave the places where music culture grows in order to secure work in a less elite and highly competitive environment. And the lack of community support, alone, can seriously alter someone's ambitions to "keep on." So I think its necessary and essential for white-collar professionals and full-time musicians to connect with one another and play together. That way a support system exists in both worlds. As I near my last semester of graduate school, I am quite terrified of work prospects. The only advice I can give myself is research like crazy! Don't stop until you find the right work with the right people. Its an axiom for life, not just in this context. I welcome and appreciate anyone's two cents. Thanks for starting this discussion, David! Hey everyone,

Thanks for sharing all of your stories. It means a lot to know that there are others who can’t fully enjoy life without music having a major part. I will soon be diving into the make-or-break industry and hustle that is professional music. I came to the city to earn my Masters in Music and have been able to network and have been fortunate and sometimes lucky to work with great people and gain many opportunities outside of performance (music advising, contracting, etc.).

The irony of being in a city hub for music is that most musicians – in this economy, particularly – will be forced to leave the places where music culture grows in order to secure work in a less elite and highly competitive environment. And the lack of community support, alone, can seriously alter someone’s ambitions to “keep on.”

So I think its necessary and essential for white-collar professionals and full-time musicians to connect with one another and play together. That way a support system exists in both worlds. As I near my last semester of graduate school, I am quite terrified of work prospects. The only advice I can give myself is research like crazy! Don’t stop until you find the right work with the right people. Its an axiom for life, not just in this context.

I welcome and appreciate anyone’s two cents.

Thanks for starting this discussion, David!

]]> By: pete hammond http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-16382 pete hammond Sun, 20 Nov 2011 19:14:02 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-16382 Tough call man. These are the times when you need to get away and find a quiet place where you can really think and feel in your guts what you want to do. I have also found that sometimes the decisions we make seem to all make sense in the end. This is a pretty big one because it is a one time thing (G.I. Bill) Talk to people you trust and keep doing gut checks. I know how you feel, lots of us do! In the end, you will make music regardless, it is just deciding in what capacity you want to do it in.Good luck! Tough call man. These are the times when you need to get away and find a quiet place where you can really think and feel in your guts what you want to do. I have also found that sometimes the decisions we make seem to all make sense in the end. This is a pretty big one because it is a one time thing (G.I. Bill) Talk to people you trust and keep doing gut checks. I know how you feel, lots of us do! In the end, you will make music regardless, it is just deciding in what capacity you want to do it in.Good luck!

]]> By: Richard Sweat http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-16381 Richard Sweat Sun, 20 Nov 2011 15:50:40 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-16381 Oh boy! I never reply to blogs but this one deserves it. I feel each and every one of you posters! I dont need to tell my story because all of you know it already. You're living it too. Anyway, I have a serious struggle inside. After years of unsatisfying job hopping and career changes, I've decided to use my GI bill for a degree. Not because I finally figured out what to do with my life, but because time is running out. I don't want to sound like musician number 5,456,346,009 and say that music is my life...But it is the ONLY thing I can stand to do for hours upon hours with my time. Sometimes I forget to eat while making music. I'm 34 and I act like a 6 year old playing with toys when my wife says it's time to eat dinner. Sends chills down my back and I yell back "I'm busy! in a minute!" I promise I am a good husband, on the outside. On the inside, I'm still thinking about what I'm working on. Back to my dillema.. Some days I feel like I'm too old and I need to give up already and just go for engineering and be done with it. I can still make music in my spare time and maybe pass on dreams to a child and hope he or she makes it big. Other days I feel like I just need to jump into one of those 80 grand tuition production schools like Full Sail or something. I know the job market is weak for music.. but somebody out there is still doing it and why can't it be me? The reason I haven't picked a school is because you only get one chance at the GI Bill and if I blow it on a Glamour school like Full sail and still have to work boring old technical/factory jobs then I'll feel really really bad. The safe thing to do is get a regular degree in engineering or my latest idea was the broadcasting and communitations arts which has a little bit of audio production invovled and could land a job i think. Has anyone else tailored their education or career goals to fit their music passion? If so what did you do? I'm not talking about any old day jobs. I can get those easy. I'm talking about methodicly planning out a career that you can do that enhances or supports your creativity for your own music. I'm just tired of job hopping because of frustration and boredom. Oh boy! I never reply to blogs but this one deserves it. I feel each and every one of you posters! I dont need to tell my story because all of you know it already. You’re living it too. Anyway, I have a serious struggle inside. After years of unsatisfying job hopping and career changes, I’ve decided to use my GI bill for a degree. Not because I finally figured out what to do with my life, but because time is running out. I don’t want to sound like musician number 5,456,346,009 and say that music is my life…But it is the ONLY thing I can stand to do for hours upon hours with my time. Sometimes I forget to eat while making music. I’m 34 and I act like a 6 year old playing with toys when my wife says it’s time to eat dinner. Sends chills down my back and I yell back “I’m busy! in a minute!” I promise I am a good husband, on the outside. On the inside, I’m still thinking about what I’m working on.
Back to my dillema.. Some days I feel like I’m too old and I need to give up already and just go for engineering and be done with it. I can still make music in my spare time and maybe pass on dreams to a child and hope he or she makes it big. Other days I feel like I just need to jump into one of those 80 grand tuition production schools like Full Sail or something. I know the job market is weak for music.. but somebody out there is still doing it and why can’t it be me? The reason I haven’t picked a school is because you only get one chance at the GI Bill and if I blow it on a Glamour school like Full sail and still have to work boring old technical/factory jobs then I’ll feel really really bad. The safe thing to do is get a regular degree in engineering or my latest idea was the broadcasting and communitations arts which has a little bit of audio production invovled and could land a job i think.
Has anyone else tailored their education or career goals to fit their music passion? If so what did you do? I’m not talking about any old day jobs. I can get those easy. I’m talking about methodicly planning out a career that you can do that enhances or supports your creativity for your own music. I’m just tired of job hopping because of frustration and boredom.

]]> By: mark http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/best-and-worst-day-jobs-for-musicians/comment-page-1/#comment-15294 mark Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:39:33 +0000 http://www.musicianwages.com/?p=2114#comment-15294 During the nineties I was in a very good band that played metal with hardcore punk overtones, not what the industry was looking for. What I did to make ends meet was I learned how to be a hairstylist, it was the perfect day job. I was able to work the best hours in my mind 11-7 not to early not to late, my clientele actually didn't mind that my looks were a little odd ( most companies wouldn't hire me on my looks alone! ) most clients thought it was very cool that I was a musician also, not to mention they were a captive audience for at least an half hour! Self promotion was as simple as going to work, plus the added bonus of most young guys I know want to play in a band to meet women, but when you play the heavy stuff you don't seem to attract as many as you would like to see. We never had a shortage of female fans, so much so that at times I thought why play in a band my day job pays better and I have better luck with women as a hairstylist than a musician. Keep in mind though to be great you have to put in your all. While I was young both were great gigs to juggle but eventually I had to pick one over the other due to an unrelated injury so these days I'm happy to be a poor musician, sad to say though I miss my day job! During the nineties I was in a very good band that played metal with hardcore punk overtones, not what the industry was looking for. What I did to make ends meet was I learned how to be a hairstylist, it was the perfect day job. I was able to work the best hours in my mind 11-7 not to early not to late, my clientele actually didn’t mind that my looks were a little odd ( most companies wouldn’t hire me on my looks alone! ) most clients thought it was very cool that I was a musician also, not to mention they were a captive audience for at least an half hour! Self promotion was as simple as going to work, plus the added bonus of most young guys I know want to play in a band to meet women, but when you play the heavy stuff you don’t seem to attract as many as you would like to see. We never had a shortage of female fans, so much so that at times I thought why play in a band my day job pays better and I have better luck with women as a hairstylist than a musician. Keep in mind though to be great you have to put in your all. While I was young both were great gigs to juggle but eventually I had to pick one over the other due to an unrelated injury so these days I’m happy to be a poor musician, sad to say though I miss my day job!

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