View Poll Results: Do you play as a job or as a hobby?
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Incidentally, I actually invented Jazz and get a huge royalty check every week. But I mostly do smooth jazz jingles and music for restaurants on my casio but give all the profits to Invisible Children. So I don't know where that puts me in this poll...
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03-20-2012 10:35 AM
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The fact is, though, that to get sensitive about what is or is not "pro" seems to me to mostly just be an issue of ego. Sorry if that's a point already made - this thread is damn long.
Going back to the original post, I suppose the whole side discussion could have been avoided had he asked "musicians: how do you make your living and are you starving and if not do you have kids" or something
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I'm an amateur guitarist who is striving every day to become a professional. Of course, after reading the responses here, it seems like everyone has their own definition of what professional means. To me, a professional guitar player is someone who has multiple qualities that mark skill, dedication, discipline, and experience.
Does a professional always get paid? Not necessarily.
Can someone be a professional archer? Yes, but that doesn't mean that there is a "market" of customers that will pay archers to shoot arrows into targets and whatnot. Same goes for any professional that isn't as lucrative.
It's all about what's in it for the consumer and consequent they put their own value on a product. So to me being a professional is more about having certain qualities rather than getting paid lots of money, if any at all.
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We've all decided that there are many acceptable definitions and interpretations for the use of the words . . "professional" and even for the word . . "semantics". However, if the term is to be understood in its truest sense, there needs to be some form of compensation, somewhere along the way. Otherwise, I see it as "very skilled hobbyist guitarist capable of performing at a professional level".
(not trying to stir the pot here .. . just seeing if I've got this multi-quote procedure correctly understood)Last edited by Patrick2; 03-25-2012 at 07:03 PM.
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I'm a twelve year old, but I had to put down get paid occasional/not full time.
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Originally Posted by Theza101
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Now I'm beginning to understand why folks think getting a degree from places like Berklee will make them a pro. Because a piece of paper says so! No career needed. I bought a diploma somewhere online for $5 at the same place that sold me a dentists license.
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Lot`s of nit-picking on this thread..
Back to the original question:
I make most of my income playing music playing around 200 days a year (or so)besides Jazz I also play bluegrass (flatpicking) and acoustic blues. I told myself years ago that I would rather grind it out playing music for money than anything else I can think of. I feel pretty lucky to be able to make money with a guitar. I started out as a band nerd in school (trombone) and playing guitar when I was 13 (I`m 49).
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Don't know, or care what a couple of members here deem a pro.
I have made a living, albeit sometimes a poor one, for the last 40 years, playing music.
I currently teach full time, yes, by choice.
I gave up gigging some time ago and therefore relinquished my status as a "professional". At least, that is what I've deemed from this thread.
So be it.
This place is getting tiresome.
The preceding message was sponsored by E&J Gallo.
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I'm a jazz studies major in college student, but all my money comes from doing local country, blues, and rock gigs. I don't consider myself a great jazz guitarist, but I would like to get there. There are a lot of cons to music like odd hours, but a pro is typically musicians make more money per hour while working than the typical joe smoe, but musicians don't get as many hours at work. It is not un common for a musician to charge from 40 - 75 bucks an hour teaching private lessons or making $200 for a 4 hour gig, but if you only get 2 gigs a week you end up with a lot less money than someone working full time.
Last edited by S_R_S5; 04-24-2012 at 03:40 AM.
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Hobbyist here. While I love to play out and will gig as much as possible, I harbor no delusions about making my living playing guitar.
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Originally Posted by pantz
As such, you are now officially inducted into the "semi-pro" league . . . . with no interested in ever "going to the show". (Tim Robbins . . . Bull Durham)
Can't believe this old thread is resurrected.
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The profession of musician has changed a great deal in my lifetime and will change more still. I don't know that the role of performing jazz musician is still viable.
I'm almost at the level of hobby jazz guitar.Last edited by Spook410; 09-17-2012 at 10:57 PM.
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I play as a career. And have for many years. Supporting a family of five. In music I've done many things to pay the rent. Most enumerated here...
Pro Guitar Secrets: Making a living as a guitar player...
Love to hear about music related jobs you all have done to keep the lights on.
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I'm definitely on the 'semi' side of 'semi-pro'. I have a serious/secure very well paying day gig in software R&D and play occasional jazz guitar-related gigs. That said, I have studied music formally for many years and still seriously 'shed' an average of 15 hours per week for most of the year. My aspiration is to be as "complete" of a guitarist/musician as possible and hopefully by the time I retire from my day-gig (in 12 years or so) I'll have the depth and breadth of ability/repertoire to be considered a true artist. Fortunately I can buy world-class custom guitars and great gear without having to make a dime from music. I can also focus on only playing music that I love because making money from it is not an issue. The only down side is that my professional commitments along with consistent jazz guitar practice means that I don't have much of a social life and only a few friends. Thankfully my wonderful wife is very understanding in all of this and totally supports my musical endeavors!
Last edited by SevenStringJazz; 10-03-2012 at 11:16 PM.
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Originally Posted by SevenStringJazz
Is there a certain number in the repertoire catagory that one must achieve to be considered a "true artist"?? "Gimme a break" . . . (Warner Wolf, ABC News). You've already achieved the "true artist" level stature as far as I can see. You just might need to increase your repertoire. No one knows all the tunes!! If you have the ability to learn the tunes . . . you're already there. No one ever stops learning.
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Originally Posted by Patrick2
Trenier Excel 7 takes:
Four-2-the-bar Bop
Stomp the Into
Walkups
Alice Low
Alice High
Ballad Intro
Chords High-to-Low
Trenier Mofif take:
Motif. Brouwer's Estudio 6.Last edited by SevenStringJazz; 10-04-2012 at 07:29 AM.
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Originally Posted by SevenStringJazz
MAN - I love your comping sound clips. Right now, comping this kind of stuff (four to the bar!) is my main interest. I do it on acoustic archtop. Could you tell me where you learned these? Are they yours, or are they from a book? There's a great comping book you probably know of -- Jim Ferguson's "All Blues Comping Styles and Grooves" -- or something like that. Great book.
Let me know - super playing you're doing there!
KJ
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Originally Posted by Kojo27
FWIW - my Trenier Excel 7-String was strung with bronze strings and recorded completely acoustically for that take. I played with a heavy gauge Cool Pick brand plectrum and recorded in our tiled bathroom with a ribbon mic to get as natural as sound as possible. I believe that I muted out the low A (i.e. 7-th string) on all of the four-to-the-bar stuff.Last edited by SevenStringJazz; 10-04-2012 at 08:13 PM.
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making music usually money is made as something off to the side.Like your family is rich or you have a business that the males can relate to while in the band.
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Originally Posted by tstrahle
Very good point on your webpage. At 18, I seriously considered going to college for music, but in the end, the financial part scared me off. I am a little anxious by nature and would not have coped well with financial uncertainty and/or financial stress. I think it would have taken away from my enjoyment of playing music. I also didn't think I would enjoy teaching guitar that much. So instead I got another career, took tons of private lessons, and have always practiced a lot within the confines of having a "day job" (2 hours per day of practice on average). At 45, I am not unhappy with how it all turned out. I'd love to have 3 or 4 hours per day to practice, but I still play in a quartet and do play gigs fairly regularly now. I do have a lot of financial security that I probably would not have had with a music career. It hasn't been a bad tradeoff for me. But again, your point is a great one. I think that in addition to talent, it takes a certain type of personality to do music as a career.
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Originally Posted by Rick5
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Kojo27,
I am sure that's true for many people. I can only speak for myself. I personally know I would not function well emotionally with financial uncertainty or financial stress. It's just part of my psychological makeup. I'm not a risk taker. I'd have sleepless nights all the time. I'm quite sure of that.
I respect the people who can make it work though!
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Originally Posted by Sandor
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Originally Posted by Kojo27
Telecaster: Single coil or Humbucker?
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