General Music Chat

Just wanted to say that the quality of musicians/people on this site are WAY above the par for most other sites.

I've been debating negative attitudes (older musicians who failed?) on harmony central and I can't believe the difference between the positive "can do" attitudes and support of the folks here vs. the "give up, it's a miserable existence" attitudes over there.

Kudos to all you folks, I'm glad I found these forums

Happy new year!

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems that the quality of the people on this site is due to the fact that it is a paid service, not a freebie. Thus people who are here are serious and passionate about what they do, versus winy losers who just want to rave about their failures.

I am sure many people on this site had their share of bad gigs, bad bands, broken hands and times when their inspiration left them, but they did not give up.

It is worth to get up even if you have to fall.

You get what you pay for, except when you don't...

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems that the quality of the people on this site is due to the fact that it is a paid service, not a freebie. Thus people who are here are serious and passionate about what they do, versus winy losers who just want to rave about their failures.

I am sure many people on this site had their share of bad gigs, bad bands, broken hands and times when their inspiration left them, but they did not give up.

It is worth to get up even if you have to fall.

Personally,I would rather have found a freebie. Either way, I conceive my self as being a quality musician regardless of the money involved. It really isn't that much money to have this site, plus it is tax deductable.

I have indeed experienced some discouraging moments. Any musician who has not had a discouraging moment is in denial. Any musician who allows a discouraging word to derail their music really didn't want to be in music in the first place.

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems that the quality of the people on this site is due to the fact that it is a paid service, not a freebie. Thus people who are here are serious and passionate about what they do, versus winy losers who just want to rave about their failures.

I am sure many people on this site had their share of bad gigs, bad bands, broken hands and times when their inspiration left them, but they did not give up.

It is worth to get up even if you have to fall.

Personally,I would rather have found a freebie. Either way, I conceive my self as being a quality musician regardless of the money involved. It really isn't that much money to have this site, plus it is tax deductable.

I have indeed experienced some discouraging moments. Any musician who has not had a discouraging moment is in denial. Any musician who allows a discouraging word to derail their music really didn't want to be in music in the first place.

As a teenager and young adult, I had constant friction from everyone around me about how music was a stupid pipedream and that trying for any career would be moronic and would be throwing my life away. My parents were not supportive, and did not help with learning, gear, anything. Once in my 20's and having not found any successes, I finally caved to that peer pressure and gave up trying to achieve anything musically.

It wasn't until 15 years later that I realized what I fool I was, and figured out what I wanted and how to obtain it. Actually, I'm still working on the obtaining it part lol, but you would be amazed at how much being surrounded negativity for several years can do to a person's motivation.

But you did not give up.

But you did not give up.

That's the point...if you were meant to be in music...you can't escape it.

But you did not give up.

That's the point...if you were meant to be in music...you can't escape it.

A very astute observation

Kramer,

Im with you as a teenager I got no support from my parents, they did get me guitar lessons but all the teachers wanted to teach was Mary Had A Little Lamb and I wanted to learn Foxey Lady and Heartbreaker.

In junior high and high school my bands were always told how bad we sounded and that we sucked, and you know what WE DID!

In college I actually learned to really play and all my spare time was involved with music. Either playing recording and for a while a booking agent for a local club that wanted live music 7 days a week. When bands cancelled me and a couple of other guys filled in at the last minute.

I got out for 6-7 years to pursue motorcycle racing, late 20s I came back to it. Funny thing is the folks who told us we sucked in school all the sudden started coming to see us, we were playing the same stuff, I guess we just got better.

Mid 30s I decided I had had enough and hung it up and went bike racing again from my late 30s to mid 40s.

Then the bug hit me again for music. My old band has been back together since this past spring and weve done about 25 gigs all over the area. I dont do this for the money. I like attention and entertaining people. Its how I get my yah-yahs out.

But thru all this I never hung up the guitar and said I woould never be back, I just played by myself when the mood struck. I dont for the life of me understand someone saying they are done and will never play again, although I know people who have done this. For me music is a natural part of my life. Lots of folks know me in the area as that guitar player. So even if I take a break again from the live thing I dont think I will ever just give it up.

And yeah I ve had some discouraging remarks from friends, family members and audience members thru the years, but Im still doin it.

Im with you as a teenager I got no support from my parents, they did get me guitar lessons but all the teachers wanted to teach was Mary Had A Little Lamb and I wanted to learn Foxey Lady and Heartbreaker.

Hahahah!
Oh I can so relate to that. Then to top it all off my teacher told me that I have square hands and I will never be able to play.

I got me square strings to match my hands, and here we are!

Her's a question for you folks...it's one that's been weighing very heavily on me lately...let me give ya some background...

Like all of us here (I think), I want to make a career in music. I don't want to be a rock star and all that crap, I just want to pursue the job I love.
At 37 (almost 38), I realize that it's not too late-as many of the fine people on here are a year or so older, and doing just fine. Furthermore, I don't have the usual tie-downs: kids, wife (although I do have a live-in girlfriend- SINNER! ). We are also pretty efficient with our money, and well in the black as far as finances go.
A year and a half ago, I took a job at the local hospital. Decent pay and okay benefits (something I didn't have before). The problem is that it is very time consuming...I was under the impression that I would be working morning shifts, which would give me plenty of time to pursue music. Instead, I work 50-50 morning/evening shifts, and the schedule eats up my time, nevermind trying to get some music in.
While I probably need the benefits (haven't yet, but never say never), the income is nice but more than I need (how often do ya hear someone say that?). Besides, once I get a band going, I can gig and make some extra cash, right.
As I've mentioned before, I just finished up my 2nd solo CD (not meant to be a cheap plug), but for now I have no time to promote it.

So the question is: Should I keep the music a sideline hobby, even though I obsess about it night and day, or should I find another job to supplement my income, make more time for my passion-and sacrifice those precious benefits in the process?

I don't expect any direct answers, I'm just looking for opinions.

Oh, and sorry about the hijack...

Her's a question for you folks...it's one that's been weighing very heavily on me lately...let me give ya some background...

Like all of us here (I think), I want to make a career in music. I don't want to be a rock star and all that crap, I just want to pursue the job I love.
At 37 (almost 38), I realize that it's not too late-as many of the fine people on here are a year or so older, and doing just fine. Furthermore, I don't have the usual tie-downs: kids, wife (although I do have a live-in girlfriend- SINNER! ). We are also pretty efficient with our money, and well in the black as far as finances go.
A year and a half ago, I took a job at the local hospital. Decent pay and okay benefits (something I didn't have before). The problem is that it is very time consuming...I was under the impression that I would be working morning shifts, which would give me plenty of time to pursue music. Instead, I work 50-50 morning/evening shifts, and the schedule eats up my time, nevermind trying to get some music in.
While I probably need the benefits (haven't yet, but never say never), the income is nice but more than I need (how often do ya hear someone say that?). Besides, once I get a band going, I can gig and make some extra cash, right.
As I've mentioned before, I just finished up my 2nd solo CD (not meant to be a cheap plug), but for now I have no time to promote it.

So the question is: Should I keep the music a sideline hobby, even though I obsess about it night and day, or should I find another job to supplement my income, make more time for my passion-and sacrifice those precious benefits in the process?

I don't expect any direct answers, I'm just looking for opinions.

Oh, and sorry about the hijack...

Actually this is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping to see in this thread!

Here's my related- related story to yours, I hope it helps, and I will put my two cents at the end-

My "career" in my early 20's was restaurant management, I wen tto college for hotel/rest mgmt, and found out just how useless in life a liberal arts degree really is, but anyways...

I worked crazy hours, 6 days a week. Any notions I had of music were quickly erased. I couldn't even practice (and back then headphones / gear were the suck!) because of getting home at 1AM or later and not being able to plug into an amp. I soon just started smoking heaps of pot and playing video games all night. This went on for a few years.

I eventually settled down, got married, quit the refer, and got a job in retail (EEK!), and worked even crazier hours. I NEVER stopped toiling over music, I missed it. Then one day about 1.5-2 years ago, I saw an opportunity, to get a 9-5 m-f job, good pay, benefits, etc... I jumped on it. Within months, I started realizing that for the first time in years, I had time for music.

Saved some money, bought some gear, practiced for 9 mo.'s straight, got back to my old level of playing and started looking for a band. The rest was a lot of ups and downs... things changed over 15 years, but I adapted and overcame. Weeding through the posers was probably the least expected of hurdles I've run into.

Anyways...
My suggestion is that you work in the medical profession, right? You were even led to believe that your job was first shift?

I would first try to negotiate with your boss to get first shift, if possible, and then start looking for a similar job, that still offers full time and benefits in the same field. Surely there's more than just one competitive company in your industry that offers a similar job? Take your time and find a good day job that's in your profession where you can command a decent salary and not have to work nights or weekends. Working around those kind of schedules is a major burden for bands and many won't.

I would NOT suggest taking a new job/profession that would stress finances. It takes money to make money, any gear you don';t have to properly gig, you will need to buy, and the added stress on your GF financially would certainly create problems.

I'd just advise you to start humbly, get yourself up to speed if needed, and take things one step at a time. Make smart decisions, and always look ahead at how the decision will affect your home life as well as your band life. Make your own opportunities, network, etc... I'm sure you know that drill, if not from experience, then from reading all of our constant ramblings

Hope that helped!