Are you a pro or a hobbyist?

[TLR]

It's a hobby. When I was about 16 to17 my job was kind of an apprenticeship in all but name which meant I wasn't making much money. I played some restaurant and covers gigs for a while and that money was quite good. But eventually my day job started to pay well enough and I stopped gigging. Since then it's been a hobby, and a fun, interesting and even fulfilling one.

[ccroft]

I'm a Problyist. I was a pro and now I'm a hobbyist. It's really not as sad as it sounds.

[christianm77]

Yeah? Well I’m a ho.

[jads57]

Pro Musician for 45years, unfortunately,lol!

[TommyBrooklyn]

I would object to someone telling me playing jazz music is a hobby. It's not my day job and to-date i've earned a total of $12 from playing jazz (the restaurant owner felt bad for me and stuffed my tip jar at a solo gig.) So I'm certainly not a professional.
But it takes so much more dedication and commitment to execution than a mere hobby, a term that implies a low bar to entry to the endeavor and a more or less easily attainable skill set. There are exceptions, of course, and one could take any hobby to the Nth level in terms of money, time and effort spent.
But my goal isn't to entertain myself or provide a distraction from daily life. My goal is to "speak" to others the music that speaks to me in very spiritual and moving way. Personally, it's closer to a monk's meditation, study and search for transcendence.* Would you call that a hobby?

*Certainly in terms of pay!

[fep]

I would object to someone telling me playing jazz music is a hobby. It's not my day job and to-date i've earned a total of $12 from playing jazz (the restaurant owner felt bad for me and stuffed my tip jar at a solo gig.) So I'm certainly not a professional.
But it takes so much more dedication and commitment to execution than a mere hobby, a term that implies a low bar to entry to the endeavor and a more or less easily attainable skill set. There are exceptions, of course, and one could take any hobby to the Nth level in terms of money, time and effort spent.
But my goal isn't to entertain myself or provide a distraction from daily life. My goal is to "speak" to others the music that speaks to me in very spiritual and moving way. Personally, it's closer to a monk's meditation, study and search for transcendence.* Would you call that a hobby?

*Certainly in terms of pay!

If your two choices are job or hobby... Yes, I'd call that a hobby. When you do something not for money but for pleasure, that's a hobby, right?

Amature is probably a better word. The root of that word "for the love of". And remember when olympic athletes had to be amateurs, extremely skilled amateurs.

[rpjazzguitar]

Now that the pros aren't working much either, I guess I've attained pro status.

[Clint 55]

Music is a friggin difficult profession. Hats off to you guys who do it as your career. My goal is just to be able to play and record jazz guitar at a standard that I'm happy with.