Rick did I come off harsh?
I was just kidding around. I think most of the 35+ers on here feel just like you. I guess I should have said take your guitar to some island and play in a Tiki bar.
The problem at this stage of your life is that you are probably accustomed to a certain standard of living. If you throw your career away how are you going to eat? The most money that I see guys in local bands making is 50-100 dollars per night. Acoustic duos and trios make around 300 dollars total. So they may make up to 150 per night. These are people that are good and know how to perform and do it for a living. How many gigs can you realistically expect to get in a year, 1 a week at 150 bucks is only $7800 dollars in a year. These days the music entertainment area of the economy is suffering. So if you get out there you have to entertain people. Ive said this in other post, dont go out half way ready. You may only get one shot with people so dont blow it the first time, be prepared.
If I were you I would maintain whatever income source I had and practice my music and start recording whatever you are doing so you truelly know what you sound like and what you have to work with. I have no idea what level of a player you are and I dont guess it matters to me, but whatever level you are at I would think you should try to constantly be improving your craft. Ive been playing since I was 12, Im almost 46 now, and Im still taking lessons and courses on being a better player. And I guess I should add that I still feel like I suck.
I played heavily from 1988 to 2000, logged in around 500 paying gigs during that period. I quit cause I had a new daughter and a son who I really hadnt spent enough time with. My son got into racing dirtbikes so I spent about 5 yrs going all over the country with him racing. In a lot of ways it was like being in a working band, leaving on friday evening and coming back home on sunday night, sometimes monday morning taking him straight to school. Hes now driving and taking a lot more care of himselve these days so Ive gotten back in music whole hog again. Ive spent the last 3 nights in a guys studio recording some cover stuff for a new demo cd for gigs, Im in another group that practices every sunday night and is shopping for gigs, I also write a lot of original stuff and record it at home for myself to just have a musical journal of my life.
My daughter is an aspiring singer and is getting pretty good so I envision she and I doing music together over the next few years. Which is good cause I love music.
So in response to JazzGtr, I know exactly what you are talking about. I wish you luck, but my best advice is an old Zappa tune "Shut Up And Play Guitar"
When I got on this site a couple of years ago I thought Wow a way to meet musicians by just sitting behind my keyboard. Well it doesnt work that way, this is a good place for advice and entertainment. But its not going to move your musical career anywhere. The only way to do that is get out there and do it. If you are acoustic most citys have open mic nights that you can participate in and get your feet wet in front of people. Belive me if you suck someone will tell you. Then you know what you need to work on, back to what I said before its a constant learning process.
Rick I guess I should say welcome to the club, but I wouldnt quit my day job. Do the math and look at things realistically before you make some huge change in your life.
"A winks as good as nod to a blind man"
