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. Continue reading →