How many of you make a living in music?

[Geoff Grace]

I'm a full-timer too. I think that developing a wide set of skills helps, as does making sure the client is satisfied. In other words, most of my work is repeat business. Some people know me as a composer, while others know me as an arranger, or a producer, or a keyboardist, or an orchestrator, or a programmer, etc. I've kept going by making sure I know how to do whatever kind of work comes my way.

 

There are always ups and downs. I've had long stretches in which I struggled to make room for a personal life and stretches in which I've struggled to keep working. Successfully negotiating for money on the back-end helps financial stability as does setting aside a little money for a rainy day. Finding someone to love who understands and accepts what you do helps aid personal stability.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[The Soundsmith]

I was in an Air Farce Band in Biloxi MI in 1963, went to a show band, got to Miami, started playing full-time soul music and jazz - piano (first instrument) then electric bass, then B3. Later sarod, synthesizer - but did nothing but music until I discovered the synthesizer-that got me into computers, which fed my GAS for the next 25 years while I continued playing music 2-4 nights a week and most other nights in my studio. Now I've retired from the day gig (programmer/analyst) and immediately back to 5-6 nights a week. Plus days in the studio.

[yannis D]

I play piano/prgan/keys in several bands. My own one (happy dog project) and others too, both in Greece and abroad (lately, i play keys with world music maestro Omar Faruk Tekbilek in his european appereances). Music as diverse as rock jazz, dub, funk, reggae, oriental stuff, pretty much anything. But, as it is hard to make a living only from music, I also mantain a day job as a world music DJ and radio producer for a station in my hometown (kosmos 93,6 FM) Athens. My income comes from both.

I'm 36 now and always wondering how long this dual life can go on - two parallel jobs, almost all day long... Dont' get my wrong, i like it much, but I don't know how this will affect any future family life! (Women, toy know...)

The think i like most in most of you guys, is that you have a very strong perception about your position in music regardless age/economic situation/family situation etc. It's helpfull to see people in their mid 50's, even 60's, playin' gigs twice, or more, a week, and be happy about it! Most guys i know over 40 seem to lose enthousiasm about performing music and they start behaving like public servants (in a bad, bad, way).Finally they give up...

Keep on the good work - music is a state of mind, anyway

Yannis

[Dave Horne]

I going to make a generalization here and I'm willing to bet that those part time musicians in that other thread are making more money than we, considerably more.

 

I have three good friends (two of those three started out in music) in the US and the poorest of those three now makes just over $100,000 per year. We worked together for my first three years in a military band back in the middle 1970's; he played tenor sax. He left after three or four years, went back to school and earned a PhD in psychology. He does research for a well known institute outside of Boston. I know his days are long and he spends more time than he would like trying to get grant money. He's a busy guy.

 

My two other friends make even more than he and I'm willing to bet they all envy my life style. (I also envy the money they make, I should add, but not hours they keep.) They do not have the free time to work out every day to keep in shape or take a bike ride if the weather's good. One takes high blood pressure medication and all three are not in excellent physical shape - they work all day and lead busy lives at home as well.

 

While I may not be as financially rich as they, I really am doing what I always wanted to do - make music.

 

I have a few images in my mind that I will never forget. I was about 16 or so, waiting in the parking lot of a very large catering outfit for my father to pick me and my equipment up. While I was waiting for him, I saw older musicians drive off. They were all wearing tuxes and had obviously just finished a job. I remember looking at them and thinking, I'm one of you guys - a working musician. I can still see that image.

 

When you do exactly what you want to do, there is no greater feeling.

[resigned]

Originally posted by shniggens:

How does one get into the jingle biz?

Two ways - get a job with an established production

company (search Monster.com for those) or setup your own studio and hit the streets. I did the latter in the 80's - I formed a group of investors and we leased a former radio station (it had soundproof rooms in place), bought recording equipment and opened for business. At first we approached ad agencies and worked through them but eventually we worked directly with clients mostly. We did this for about eight years but we disbanded because the company was not making a profit.

 

The biggest pitfalls of the jingle business are the customers themselves. We were always getting bad checks, and when we called the clients they would offer to send yet another check which would also be bad. Clients were hard to please and worse to collect from... I spent more time chasing money than making jingles.

 

The day I knew I was in the wrong business: I had been hired by a technical college to come up with a marketing concept and jingle for their upcoming year, so we came up with a killer: "Think Big!" with a hot jingle to go with it. It was one of our best ideas ever. When we took it to the school's marketing people they told us "that's great, but we've already come up with a slogan for this year: 'have it your way'...". We told them that was the old Burger King slogan and they said "yeah, isn't it great?". Pride amongst thieves. They would only buy our "Think Big" jingle if we included the line "have it your way" somewhere in the body - so we rerecorded the jingle and sold it. The school never aired our jingle even though they bought it, so I used some credit at a radio station and aired our jingle at the end of the year to qualify it for an ad award. It won gold. I started playing Holiday Inns after that.

[RABid]

Short version I spend a few years playing full time in a successful cover band. Got tired of dealing with musicians, went back to school, and got a day job to support my GAS attacks. But still, I am glad I did it. If you want to try it, go for it.

 

Long version - I started out with garage bands in a small town and within two years I had played drums, guitar, bass and trumpet in bands but was most comfortable on drums and thought that would be my ticket to the big time. One thing I learned early on is good musicians attract good musicians. Good musicians also have to learn to work with each other. That can be hard for some because good musicians are also passionate about their music. When a band from a neighboring town needed a keyboardist I went to check them out. As soon as I heard the guitarist play I was willing to sacrifice my drums and play keys. I already had a MiniMoog, but the piano and organ in my living room was not going to suffice. That week I picked up an Arp Omni 2 to go with the Moog and joined a new band. I became an official keyboardist.

 

During that time I had no idea how good we were as a band and I was never really confident as a keyboardist. Not like I was on drums. Roger (the guitarist) pushed me like no one has pushed me since. I knew he was the best musician in the area and my synth style was developed to keep from being blown off of the stage. The band made enough money to live on but I never gave up my day job working at a coal company. When it finally broke up as most cover bands do, the guitarist and I kept meeting up in other bands. There was some connection in our playing. I think our since of timing really matched up well, plus I accepted the fact that Roger could dominate any song and he always gave me my chance to shine.

 

Some friends from Louisville talked me into moving there and finding a band. I left my full time job, bought a big keyboard rig, and moved from a town of 1000 to a town of 700,000. During the first week I scored a job with one of the top cover bands in the city. At first I thought it was great. It seemed that everyone knew the band, and suddenly I was somebody. But over time things began to wear me down. The singer (Sheila) in the band did not want me to talk on stage because my accent was not conducive to the image. Her and the guitarist wanted me to play in a two-fisted piano style even though we were doing modern synth based music and I had a stack of synthesizers. Worst of all, they just had a superior attitude that really began to get on my nerves. They were very professional and that is what made the band successful, but they were not in the same league musically as people I had left behind. After a few years the guitarist and singer had it out and the band was going to split. I invited Roger up to see the band, hoping he might slide in and take over guitar duties. When the Sheila saw him she had no interest in hearing him play because his look did not fit the image of the band.

 

That did it for me. I was tired of bands and tired of dealing with musicians. After that I played a few cover bands while going back to college but once I got my degree I never went back. My new goal is a retirement fund, not fame. Roger ended up going to Nashville and I later found out that Sheila also moved to Nashville. She is a struggling writer that never made it. Roger ended up playing lead guitar for Barbra Mandrel for quite a few years. If you ever see her retirement concert video he is the one playing the double neck guitar in the last song. Actually, he and Barbra Mandrel are playing his double neck guitar at the same time. It was pretty cool. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Sheila had worried more about talent and less about personnel appearance.

 

Robert

[JeffLearman]

I can't really imagine having a regular job.

I think that's one of the most important criteria!

 

Seriously, I envy you pros your talent, experience, and ability to spend more time practicing. But I don't envy the lifestyle.

 

And, maybe I'm in the minority here, but "making it big" would be even worse. I'd hate to be famous, and I think the downside there is obvious. Rich would be OK ... a struggle but I think I might be able to cope. I'd defintely have to develop more self-discipline! As it is, reality keeps me in check. As filthy rich, only my own control would keep me from a downward spiral. Oddly enough, I'm not even talking about substance abuse or partying. For me, the most likely demon would be sleeping too much and getting depressed as a result. To each their own demons.

[synthdogg]

Full time musician here. Just recently decided to stop touring, leave Nasville and do church music, believe it or not. I've been very lucky to work with some major artists and carve out a nice living for myself....but the secret to the success? Start with a lifestyle that requires little to no money....and be really nice to everyone you meet, and hopefully karma and luck will take over!

 

Seriously, I consider myself very lucky...it really is about meeting certain people and making the right connections, and being likeable enough where people want to help you out and recommend you for different auditions. I wish I could say there was some step by step route, there's not. The best advice I ever got was to treat everyone you work with...every gopher, every intern EVERYBODY like they're going to get you your next gig....you never know what they'll end up doing.

[mike g]

Music used to be my only means of income for a while. I played in Cover bands gigging all over Ontario and Quebec Canada. Then I got sick of playing small town nowhere, got a gig on a cruise ship for a bit in the jazz big band...realized "hey I can't play Jazz!!" Got canned form that went back to school because I needed a back up plan. Oh, I was Single back then too so life was easier...now long term relationship ...yada yada...now a self employed massage therapist thinking of being a Paramedic, but if I had the chance to do music full time...lord by I would. It will never leave me. I thought I'd be happier making more money at a day job...but when it comes down to it... Music is still the most rewarding and best job you can have. Money is great but Money form music is....well you know.