Seven Things You Should Know Before Quitting Your Job to Become a Full Time Musician
Things You Should Consider Before Quitting Your Job to be a Full Time Musician
Become a musician. It has been your dream for many years. You started playing your instrument when you were a child and it’s one of the activities you enjoy the most. Your present job is kind of boring, and you are wondering- should you take the plunge? Here are a few things to consider first.
1) Most musicians don’t make their living solely by performing.
Even musicians in major orchestras supplement their orchestra pay check by teaching private lessons and by accepting outside performing gigs. Some other musicians supplement their income by working in a music store, by doing arrangements, and by composing. Today with self-publishing programs like iTunes, it is easier to get your music out there where people can buy it, but that doesn’t mean that they will.
Just as their are plenty of great quality Kindle books available on Amazon.com that never sell more than ten copies, there is lots of music on iTunes that doesn’t sell enough copies to pay even one month’s rent.
2) You may not be good enough.
Sorry, but it had to be said. Your best chance of getting an honest opinion about that is probably to speak with other musicians you have played with.
If you solicit opinions on this subject from fiends and family, they will probably either go easy on you, or simply tell you that you are not good enough. It is hard for most people to imagine members of their own family member up there on stage, starring in a televised musical production. On the other hand, not having much talent is not a barrier to a successful career as a musician in some types of music.
It would be hard to achieve much success as a classical musician without at least some talent, but there are plenty of successful hip hop artists out there who have little musical training and can barely carry a tune. The first time I heard a punk rocker perform on TV, I thought it was some type of parody. He was only using one cord to accompany his song! If your cording skills are that limited, you will need to pick a similar type of music. Whichever type you pick, you want to make sure that it is one that you are happy playing or singing. Even the most untalented hip hop artists, usually like their own music and believe in it.
3) Perhaps you enjoy a variety of styles of music.
There are jobs such as performing at weddings that involve knowing and performing many kinds of different music. The problem here for many musicians is that they will often find themselves uninspired by this music. Will you be happy to play Misty the hundredth time some one asks you, or will it grate on your nerves?
4) Another thing that you must understand is that playing music for a living is a business.
It is not solely about how well you play. For every famous player, there are probably ten others out there, who play just as well, but were not as skillful or as diligent in promoting themselves.
5) Types of musical careers involve irregular hours and a lot of travel.
It is one thing to pack up after a gig that goes until 2 AM. It is another to catch a bus or a plane soon afterwards so you can be at the next day’s gig on time. If you have a spouse or children, think carefully about how this type of life will impact those relationships. In some cases you may have to think about how your body will hold up. If you are a carillon player will your hands take the punishment of a performance every day? If you are playing first trumpet in a circus band will your lip hold up playing all the high ‘C’s that those parts usually entail for three shows a day? Sometimes what is fun to do a little bit will not seem so fun when it is your career and you have to do a lot of it. As an example many people like to take their sailboats out on the sea on a weekend, but most of them would probably not enjoy being professional sailors. If you possibly can, test out your new career, before you give up your present job.
6) You have to put in your time locally.
Build your fan base, love your fan base, your fan base will help you when you decide to travel out further from your roots. That’s what local music is all about.
7) It takes a small army.
Sound, tech, booking, accounts receivables, merchandise, and that’s just the tip of the ice berg. Many musicians decide early on they will not focus anything but their true love, music.
Unfortunately, operating in the music-biz-scene is like owning your own business. So, grab onto all your friends and family and start calling in pinch hitters, because it is going to be a long road, with bumps, and flat tires. But hang in there. If you are doing what you love.. nothing is more rewarding.
