Looking for advice on going pro.

**jmstritt** · 10-10-2011, 06:20 PM

I am sure that this will turn heated, so I want to outline very clearly what I hope to accomplish from this posting.

What I would like is advice from people who play music as their full time job on how to make the transition from working during the day and gigging at night to being a full time musician.

Here is my situation. I work in a mid level sales position for a financial company. Due to industry regulations I can give no more information about my current job than that. Please respect that. Things have slown down a ton and my income has pretty consistantly gone down over the past two years. I had basically quit gigging, but about a year ago I started getting back in the swing to try and make some extra bucks to help with the bills and such. Well I am at a point now where I gig about 4 times a week and play with a few different groups. (Two jazz groups (a duo with a pianist, and a 5 piece), a country band, and an R&B/ Top 40 group). It is getting to be tough to burn the candle at both ends. For instance last week I had a Thursday night gig, woke up and worked an 8 hour day Friday, then went to a gig from 9-1 that night, woke up Saturday worked the day job from 9-3 and then gigged from 10-2.

I am getting calls for more and more gigs, but I can't really fit any more in, because it will start conflicting with my day job.

The other thought is that I have taught private lessons at a guitar shop here in town and still have a good relationship with the owner. I could pretty easily get on there and have 20-30 students within a month or so. (I know that sounds extreme but I am more sure of that then anything at this point, I taught there before and I know what the traffic and demand for lessons is like.)

So between teaching a pretty hefty lesson load and gigging say 5 times a night, I should be able to make a pretty decent living.

The reason that I am posting this here, is because I know that there are plenty of, "Full time pros," here and I know that at this point I don't know what it is I don't know. I would like some advice from folks a little further along to let me know what all I need to consider before making the switch. I know that there are questions that I should be asking that I haven't at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

**fep** · 10-10-2011, 07:30 PM

I'm not a pro but I am married with a wife that works normal day time hours. I know for my personal situation, playing as a pro would be hard on the marriage.

Just throwing that out as something to consider if it applies to you. However, perhaps it couldn't be worse than your current work hours.

**m78w** · 10-10-2011, 08:17 PM

The only thing I would say is that playing full time is great, I make a living playing concerts, giving workshops with about 5-6 regular students a week in my house, but there is no security.

I've had house gigs for years, 3-4 nights a week, then one day they're gone, and so is the paycheck. So that's something to think about. If you can get the students that will provide some normalcy with your paycheck if a gig gets canceled or a band breaks up.

Also, gigging full time is great for paying the bills, but there's no health care and no retirement fund. Which are two very important things. I am playing full time now and can do it for a while, but I do see a day when I return to a university gig, one because I love teaching, and two because of the benefits.

Just a few things to think about. Ideally you would find a day job related to music that provided those benefits and a decent salary, which would leave you free to play as many gigs as you want each week at night. But those are hard to come by these days.

I say follow your heart. If it's what you want to do go for it. But just be aware of the risks involved, that's all. I mean, I walked away from a professorship at a big university to live in Brazil and play full time, and haven't looked back since, but I definitely knew the risks when I left my job. And health care is free here, so that's another plus. Just food for thought.

**Sailor** · 10-10-2011, 10:13 PM

Marry a doctor...I did. Now I can practice as much as I like...as long as the house is clean and laundry done

Sailor

**M-ster** · 10-10-2011, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Sailor

Marry a doctor...I did. Now I can practice as much as I like...as long as the house is clean and laundry done

Sailor

Winner!

**Stevebol** · 10-10-2011, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by Sailor

Marry a doctor...I did. Now I can practice as much as I like...as long as the house is clean and laundry done

Sailor

LOL. Smart move...

**cosmic gumbo** · 10-11-2011, 04:42 AM

Being a pro usually means being a small businessman first, and a musician second. If you can't generate enough income to legitimately cover all the tax, soc.sec., and other gov't obligations that go along with running your own business, I wouldn't advise it. Too little security in the long haul. It's takes a lot of work to keep your calender full year after year, and you'll find you don't really make a lot $ for all the hours required, at least the way you describe. 30 students and gigs till 2AM. That's really doing battle in the trenches. I couldn't put my wife and kids through that any more, it was too selfish. I wouldn't really ever consider it again unless I could go to the next level of being a pro, and that means the hustle of being on the road. That's even harder to sustain with consistency and sanity. In the end, it will always involve some kind of sacrifice, and only you can decide if it's right for you and your loved ones.

**Jabberwocky** · 10-11-2011, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo

Being a pro usually means being a small businessman first, and a musician second. If you can't generate enough income to legitimately cover all the tax, soc.sec., and other gov't obligations that go along with running your own business, I wouldn't advise it. Too little security in the long haul. It's takes a lot of work to keep your calender full year after year, and you'll find you don't really make a lot $ for all the hours required, at least the way you describe. 30 students and gigs till 2AM. That's really doing battle in the trenches. I couldn't put my wife and kids through that any more, it was too selfish. I wouldn't really ever consider it again unless I could go to the next level of being a pro, and that means the hustle of being on the road. That's even harder to sustain with consistency and sanity. In the end, it will always involve some kind of sacrifice, and only you can decide if it's right for you and your loved ones.

These are some of the wisest words I have heard to date. Props to you, cosmic gumbo. It is a business, first and foremost.

**jmstritt** · 10-11-2011, 10:49 AM

That is kind of what I am looking for advice on the business end. What all do I need to plan for if I want to do this?

**FatJeff** · 10-11-2011, 10:58 AM

This is an interesting thread. I have this fantasy of changing careers, but reality tempers that dream (esp with kids) ... let us all know what happens, how you proceed!

**Jabberwocky** · 10-11-2011, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by jmstritt

That is kind of what I am looking for advice on the business end. What all do I need to plan for if I want to do this?

You got to research what it entails being a small business owner or as a freelance creative professional. The business issues involved are similar to each other for anyone working for himself. You got to ask yourself how much money you expect to make a week or a month, how many days a year you could reasonably expect to work, medical insurance, home insurance, professional insurance, depreciation of equipment, replacement of equipment, the amount to set aside as savings, mortgage or rental, loans repayment and other overheads, etc. You got to talk with a tax consultant on what is tax deductible or not and know what portion of your earnings you have to pay Uncle Sam. These figures have to be realistic. Based on these figures, you have to price each assignment to reflect the returns that you expect. Are you pricing yourself too high or too low? You got to watch your cash flow. What about when you fall sick and are unable to work? What happens if the gigs or teaching assignments dry up? What is your contingency plan?

There are other issues involved. These are some of the issues you should be thinking about. The life of a freelancer or creative professional is marked by uncertainty. There isn't a forty-hour work week to look forward to, week in and week out, year in and year out, regular paychecks and then you retire. Sometimes you go for days and weeks or even months with no calls. What do you do then? Sometimes they follow one after the other till you drop and can't handle them at all. What do you do then?

I have a close friend who is a wedding photographer. He has been in business for himself long enough to have achieved a certain level of quality that he can charge for and knows that clients will pay for. He knows that there is a certain number of wedding shoots he can look forward to every year. He knows how much he wishes to make every year to keep himself and his family at a certain comfort level. And he makes plans every year to try to reach that target, adjusting for inflation, his reputation and burgeoning competition in the area.

Your best friend in self-employment is a good tax consultant.

It is going to be an uncertain life for the rest of your life. Be ready to embrace that uncertainty if that is what you want. Of all the creative professions, not to put too fine a point on it, I feel that being a musician, and a jazz musician at that, is right at the bottom of it. The unique selling proposition of a musician is not as readily apparent as a good photographer, for example. That said, I have a friend who is a jazz drummer who lives a pretty good life doing it. He gigs nights and runs a music school, holds workshops, runs a music events company with his wife that produces events for conferences, etc. He is a businessman, first and foremost, and has survived and done well because he sees it all as a business.

I am not at all comfortable with the starving artist ideal giving it all up for the art that he loves because, let's face it, you don't know what it is like until you have been starving for a while. It sure ain't fun. We all need to eat and well, hopefully.

And business communication skills (how to reach out to and talk to clients and drum up business, how to write a business proposal, negotiation skills, promotional skills, etc.) are very important and not to be neglected. Get a good promo CD made of your playing; that's your portfolio and calling card.

Good luck.

**jmstritt** · 10-13-2011, 12:51 PM

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have looked into a few different things and I think that some of the start up things I need to look at expense wise are... 1.) A Basic CD, if for nothing else then just promotional use for press kits, etc. 2.) A website, we are a digital people after all. That can be a powerful way to market to new students, and potential gigs, etc. 3.) I want to write and publish my own teaching materials. A daunting task I know. 4.) I want to teach lessons privately and not at the guitar shop. I have some connections with some of the colleges around here where I could basically be like a tutor for some of the students. That is going to be more stimulating then teaching Green Day and Metallica. Also if I teach from home I can keep all of what I earn and not have to split with the shop. I have a couple other ideas, but those are some big takeaways for me.

So here is what I am going to do. I am going to try and save my gig money (Opened an online savings account, so I won't be able to just go to the bank and get it ;-) ) Once, I have enough funds saved up to cover my start up costs as well as a year of expenses I am going to make a run at it. My target is 2 to 3 years.

Thanks everyone for some very good insights.

**eddy b.** · 11-08-2011, 03:02 PM

There is a lot of really good business advice in this thread. I just wanted to encourage you to follow your heart and your dream. It can be done, I'm living proof...Go For It!!!!

**cosmic gumbo** · 11-08-2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by eddy b.

There is a lot of really good business advice in this thread. I just wanted to encourage you to follow your heart and your dream. It can be done, I'm living proof...Go For It!!!!

We'd all be happy to know what living proof you have. Share.

**eddy b.** · 11-09-2011, 08:45 AM

Hey Hey Cosmic Gumbo and all y'all my living proof is at edbarrettjazzguitar.com, check it out. I am making a humble living out of this but I'm doing it. I am not the most gifted or talented or anything like that and I have much to learn, however I have found the Universe to respond to my desire to be a player with a yes...and I think it's because I love it with all my heart and work at it non-stop and I live in the best Jazz City in the world New Orleans. I'm lucky and I remind myself of that everyday..