How much time do you spend working on music?

steadyb · May 8, 2001

How much time, per day do you spend working on music? I'm assuming that many of the people who participate in this forum have some other kind of "day gig". Whether it's music related or not (i.e. music store, manufacturer, etc.) doesn't matter. How much actual time per day are you composing, playing, or songwriting? And, do you feel it's enough time, compared to whatever music related goals you might have?

For myself, after working, spending time with my family until everyone else goes to bed, leaves me, at most, from 10:00pm 'til 1 or 2, which I don't feel is enough time. Anyone else?

steadyb

Steve LeBlanc · May 8, 2001

About the same as you Steadyb but I make a lot more time on Friday and Saturday nights....I never have enough time.

analogman1 · May 8, 2001

Hey Guys,

I'm with you on the timetable - usually about 10 or 10:30 pm till ??? and it just never seems like enough time. Oh, and if I decide to lay down on the couch and watch a little TV for a "few minutes" then I'm cooked for the night!

Tom Bitondo

hiraga · May 8, 2001

Six to seven dayz a week, 10-14 hours, split between arranging/engineering/producing my own stuff, some freelance work (also eng/prod), audio gear engineering (I do custom stuff, modifications and some repairs) consulting for my own clients, loudspeaker designing, dj-ing and working as sales weasel in the same biz...

And I LIKE it!

This message has been edited by hiraga on 05-08-2001 at 03:38 PM

Rod S · May 8, 2001

1-3 hours a day, maybe about 3-4 hrs sats and sundays. Between work (non-music related) and other hobbies, that's what's left. Wouldn't have it any other way though. My current job requires me to do a fair amount of 'homework', ie looking at trade magazines, occasionally bringing work home, etc. My career is more important than music for me, so I have to focus on that, the rest are just hobbies.

As far as music goals I don't have many, other than have fun and improve my technique. I thought about getting back in band, but there just isn't enough time, nor I am willing to give up other things for that.

Things may change though; I just about dropped music between 92 and 94 (no time between college and a full time job), 96 and 98 (other reasons), so who knows what will happen next. I didn't imagine doing half of the stuff I do now(or know half of the stuff I know now) 2 years ago.

kevin stulen · May 9, 2001

I talk with customers all day about musical equipment, but I rarely get time to work on my own music. Suck, suck, suck.

There are not enough hours in the day.

Gus Lozada · May 9, 2001

I had a meeting last Friday with my music publisher at PEER Music, Mexico.

I was showing him my newest material and telling him about how busy my day is, being a Materials Manager for the (supposed to be) number one Denim Manufacturing company in Mexico.

After working hours, I go home, have dinner, enjoy my family (I have not asked them if they enjoy being with me, though...) and I get into my studio by 10 PM... then I go to bed by 1 am.

... and go to the GYM at 7 am... then to the work again by 9 am.

Then, my publisher asked me: "What do you do between 3 and 5 am? Sleep? What a waste of time for such a talented musician..."

Any suggestions ? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

dansouth · May 9, 2001

Originally posted by GusTraX:

Then, my publisher asked me: "What do you do between 3 and 5 am? Sleep? What a waste of time for such a talented musician..."

Any suggestions ? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

Fix your publisher up with a good woman.

dansouth · May 9, 2001

My music time varies widely. I have a demanding job, a long commute, and I'm on call 24 by 7. I also spend two weekends a month out of town visiting family. So...I work on music whenever I can, mostly in the evenings, although the definition of "evening" can become extreme when I'm trying to finish a project. On my free weekends, I get started the minute I wake up and work until I absolutely have to stop, e.g. the bank closes in fifteen minutes, then rush home and work some more. It's nothing short of an obsession. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif

I never go anywhere without some work materials. I'll compose on the train using a laptop or manuscript paper. I never complain about flight delays, because I'm the guy over in the corner with the laptop and the headphones trying to come up with the perfect groove for my next song. I try to practice (bass, not keyboards) as soon as I get home from work, but I find that I have to balance that with my workout time. I keep a bass at my Dad's house, so I don't have to shuttle one back and forth to practice.

If I'm nearing completion of a project, I'll take some time off to work on it around the clock. Sometimes this works. Other days I get bombarded with phone calls.

My TV died a year ago, and I have yet to replace it. That's saved me a whole lot of time. I miss being able to watch the playoffs, but I can catch a game at a sports bar or a friend's house if it's that important - it rarely is. I skipped the Super Bowl to worked on music. Mama, don't let your babies grow up to be composers... http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

DOS · May 9, 2001

I come home after school and practice piano for about 2 hours and find another hour to squeeze in during the day. If I get around to it, I might spend an hour just composing on my computer. That about 4 hours a day dedicated to music. I don't work so I can put my time in, but I still feel that I'm not doing enough.

Mike

DrMarkAndersenexcite.com · May 9, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:
How much time, per day do you spend working on music? I'm assuming that many of the people who participate in this forum have some other kind of "day gig".
steadyb

Well, after reading some of the responses, I don't feel so bad.

I'm in the squeeze-in-some-music-time-after-the-day-job-and-kids

camp myself. About an hour a day or so on weekdays, 2-3 hours

a day on weekends.

cheers,

Mark A.

KidCharlemagne · May 9, 2001

i guess i'm really in the company of my peers here. come home from the yob, deal with kids, keep wife feeling like she's married, put all the family members to bed, set up practice, start practice, play till sleep overtakes and wait for the weekend for somewhat extended practice and playing with my mates.

Right now i'm trying to gin up for a more intense regime to accomplish my goals --more composing, better ear for music i'm just learning, singing in front of others and carrying lead, and learning drum basics (cause i think it'll help my rhythm playing on the keys.)-- I'm just gonna have to strap on the booster rockets here, 'cause the other parts of my day aren't changing. Can i actually add more music practice before work, during lunch, and vocalizing as well during the day. And still keep track of the wife, kids and the Red Sox? i already gave up tv!

I sure would like to be a teenager again!!!

This message has been edited by KidCharlemagne on 05-09-2001 at 12:29 PM

steadyb · May 9, 2001

I think it's good to know there are many of us out there in the same boat and everyone's responses lead me to ask the next question on this topic...

1. Given the limited amount of time available each week, do you think it's possible to compete with those out there who have the freedom to do nothing but music 24/7???

2. Or does it take a full time commitment to be out there not only composing,but also pursuing potential music gigs???

3. Can you responsibly take care of your family and still be able to get your "big break"??? (not necessarily a big "record deal/rock star" gig, but one as a composer, arranger, songwriter, etc.) - i.e. completely supporting your family exclusively through music.

steadyb

KidCharlemagne · May 9, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:
I think it's good to know there are many of us out there in the same boat and everyone's responses lead me to ask the next question on this topic...

3. Can you responsibly take care of your family and still be able to get your "big break"??? (not necessarily a big "record deal/rock star" gig, but one as a composer, arranger, songwriter, etc.) - i.e. completely supporting your family exclusively through music.

steadyb

that's literally my 64K question: what does it take to earn a living in music comparable to the paper pushing career i know have. I am a good teacher, good (not fantastic) player, and decent song writer. But for the life of me can't see how i could make steady enough dough to do do-re-mi all day long!. is that a new thread, boys and girls? anyway, maybe in the next couple of years i'll try to glom on to a public school somewhere, teach and play out on side, and provide for mi familia. in the meantime, any body got a paper clip?

dansouth · May 9, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:

1. Given the limited amount of time available each week, do you think it's possible to compete with those out there who have the freedom to do nothing but music 24/7???

Yes and no. There's no way that I could score a film and hold down my job. I'd have to take a leave of absence. On the other hand, if one person writes five-hundred mediocre songs in the course of a year and another person writes only one, but it's a huge hit, then time would not be much of a factor in that case.

It's not enough to just grind away hour after hour. You have to be selective when choosing projects. You have to know your target audience and play your strengths. The quality of your ideas is more important than the quantity.

Ironically, one of the things that takes up a lot of time is the effort required to become fluent with new equipment and new technologies. Isn't technology supposed to make us more efficient?

steadyb · May 10, 2001

Originally posted by dansouth@yahoo.com:
There's no way that I could score a film and hold down my job. I'd have to take a leave of absence.

But in the limited amount of time available to do everything, how do you find any schmooze time to try and get those kind of cool gigs???
steadyb

steadyb · May 10, 2001

...And when you get a really great side job, what is the first thing to get scaled back while finishing the project...time with the wife (or husband)???,...time with your kid(s)?,...sleep???

steadyb

Jeff Klopmeyer · May 10, 2001

How much time do I have to compose/record/perform? Let's see here...

5:30am: Alarm goes off

6:15am: Play with son while dressing and drinking coffee

6:30am: Quick trip to the store for diapers

6:50am: Leave for work

7:35am: Arrive at TASCAM, work ass off all day

6:15pm: Leave TASCAM

7:00pm: Arrive home, eat something, play with son, talk to wife

9:00pm: Put kid to bed

Now...at that point, I have a choice. I can watch TV with my wife if there's something like "The Sopranos" on that we both dig; I can mess around on the puter looking at forums and newsgroups; or I can pick up a guitar or turn on the synth. That leaves me maybe two hours max before I have to get some sleep so I can wake up when...

5:30am: Alarm goes off.

Weekends can be a little better, but not much, since it's the only time I get to spend a decent amount of time with the son, or catch a sports event, or whatever else I do to pretend my life is well-rounded.

Compare this to me at Berklee in 1985, when I would be studying/practicing/playing for upwards of 14 hours per day, and when I was playing professionally and was gigging three-four times per week and recording on the other days.

We all make choices in life. Mine was to have a steady job with steady pay to support myself and my family. Could I have gone other directions, making music more of a priority? Sure, and sometimes I wistfully lament the fact that I didn't. But for the most part, I consider myself lucky that in some way, I work in an industry that's at least peripheral to music creation. And I'm basically happy, so that's something. But it is a goal of mine to get more serious about playing at some point down the road. Hey! I now have something to look forward to when I retire...in about 30 years.

- Jeff

dansouth · May 10, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:

But in the limited amount of time available to do everything, how do you find any schmooze time to try and get those kind of cool gigs???
steadyb

Well, I have never been offered one of those cool gigs, so I guess schmoozing is not my strong point. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

I'm a firm believer that one's art can speak for itself. If I really want to get a film gig someday, I'll send examples of my work to producers and other movers and shakers. If it strikes a chord with someone, the may give me a shot. That way, I'll be hired for "my sound", so I won't have to beat my head against the wall trying to sound like someone else. Just my theory. I'll have to test it sometime.

sudeep · May 11, 2001

excellent thread guys...one thing i find difficult is the contacts part...there are ALOT of good keyboardists out there and its all about who you know and being in the right place at the right time...but that becomes alot of harder when you work full time (non music)...any suggestions?

steadyb · May 11, 2001

Originally posted by sudeep_rao@hotmail.com:
excellent thread guys...one thing i find difficult is the contacts part...there are ALOT of good keyboardists out there and its all about who you know and being in the right place at the right time...but that becomes alot of harder when you work full time (non music)...any suggestions?

"...one thing i find difficult is the contacts part...there are ALOT of good keyboardists out there and its all about who you know and being in the right place at the right time...but that becomes alot of harder when you work full time..."

I completely agree. That's kinda the reason I started this post...to see who out there was able to balance a non-music gig, family life, and the pursuit of music goals. If anyone who reads this has successfully made it from the boat many of us are in, to a full time music gig, (without losing the family of course), maybe they could share some suggestions with the rest of us. Thanks.

steadyb

dansouth · May 11, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:

That's kinda the reason I started this post...to see who out there was able to balance a non-music gig, family life, and the pursuit of music goals. If anyone who reads this has successfully made it from the boat many of us are in, to a full time music gig, (without losing the family of course), maybe they could share some suggestions with the rest of us. Thanks.
steadyb

I can't help you with that one, because I have no aspirations of leaving my day gig. I enjoy my career, and as long as I can compose my music and produce recordings, I'll be extremely happy. An added benefit is that I'll never have to compromise my music for pay the rent.

Twenty or thirty years ago, this would all have been much different. But today, I can achieve most of my music goals by working part time, alone, and I still have all of the rewards of a solid career.

BUT... if they call me to score 'The Matrix Reloaded', I'm OUTTA HERE! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

steadyb · May 12, 2001

Originally posted by dansouth@yahoo.com:
BUT... if they call me to score 'The Matrix Reloaded', I'm OUTTA HERE! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif[/b]

...What if they call you to do "The Matrix Reloaded again and again" - (starring Jenna Jameson)???

steadyb

steadyb · May 16, 2001

What about you dB???

I know you're always running around, working like a mad man. With everything else you've got cooking, how much time do you spend actually working on music??? (Cool product demo's don't count, that's day gig related)

steadyb

dansouth · May 16, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:

...What if they call you to do "The Matrix Reloaded again and again" - (starring Jenna Jameson)???

That depends on how much time I get to spend with Jenna...

I hear that Jada Pinkett is going to be in Matrix 2 and 3.

Dave Bryce · May 16, 2001

Originally posted by steadyb:
What about you dB???

I know you're always running around, working like a mad man. With everything else you've got cooking, how much time do you spend actually working on music???

Not anywhere near as much as I'd like...

I'm involved in three or four different business things at this point, and it's chewing up a bunch of my time, but I still manage to get some stuff done. When I was at Alesis, almost all of my studio time was spent either doing beta tests, or in writing demos for the gear for ROM plays or live performance. Since leaving the company last August, I have reclaimed my studio for my own music, and I have been working on an album squeezing sessions in whenever I can (I, too, like to work late at night when it's quiet - thank goodness for headphones!). The record will have 17 pieces of music, and all but three of them are done - the five on my MP3 site are part of this record.

However, the way that I've been trying to do most of it is to block days to work on stuff, not a few hours here and there. What I chose to do on this record was to use all sorts of other people, many of whom I've been flying in from other parts of the country (hooray for frequent flyer miles!!!!!), so this makes blocking out two or three days to work on single tunes pretty practical. Luckily, I'm doing independant contracting right now, so I can arrange my schedule to suit this as well. If everything goes well, the record will be ready for mastering at the end of June.

I am also trying to work something out with a local bunch of musicians to get together one night a week to jam, maybe with an eye towards the occasional gig...I miss playing live...

Oh, and I try to play the piano any time that I think about it, even if it is only for a few minutes.

dB

steadyb · May 17, 2001

originally posted by Dave Bryce...

>>>However, the way that I've been trying to do most of it is to block days to work on stuff, not a few hours here and there.

What a great idea!! Rather than getting an hour or two into something, only to have to then stop and get some sleep, working a schedule that allows a full, focused, day of work (instead of a couple sleepy eyed fragments of work, a few days in a row.)

I'm going to give that a try.

Thanks,

steadyb

SFOracle · May 17, 2001

God - I've avoided reading this thread until now because it is so depressing. I play my sax maybe an hour or so a week. As I currently don't have a piano or keyboard, a couple of times a week I sneek into a rehersal room at the UCSF student union building to practice for an hour or until someone who has booked the room kicks me out.

stratman_dup1 · May 17, 2001

Not nearly enough, Damn day job and wife keep interfering !!! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

KidCharlemagne · May 17, 2001

I know what you mean stratman. every night, it's: "sex tonight? or music". hmmmmmm. longer hmmmmmm. "maybe if we do it right now i can practice after. maybe she's going right to sleep anyway. maybe i'll go play something first. umm, think i'll think about sex tomorrow and go make some music right now." that's about my life right now. As one wise man said to someone about to get married who had the naivete to ask what sex is like after your married. ("Whenever you want, right?") Sage reply: "the difference is, once you're married, you pretty much don't do it 'til it hurts anymore." http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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