The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by fep
    I had a guitar teacher that said, "there are more people making a good living playing in the NBA than there are (making a good living) playing jazz guitar".
    How do you make a million dollars at jazz?

    You start out with 5 million.

    I'm here through Thursday. Remember: Tip your waitress, and she may just be 'nice' to you later.

    Cue exit music Aaaaaaand----blackout

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

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    In the 21st Century, limiting one's self to jazz may be self-destructive for those looking to actually pay the bills by playing the guitar. And, if one looks back at the history of, say, the electric guitar in jazz, one will find that most of our finest practitioners (Johnny Smith, Barney Kessel, Jim Hall, etc.) spent a fair amount of time in the recording studios or in television and radio show bands, reading the charts. Many of the less-well-known but very good guitarists rely on teaching as their "base" income.

    For most of my career, I played (and still play) jazz gigs, but the commercial work available, from functions to pit work to recording sessions, along with a limited teaching load, actually funded the jazz forays, since most of those gigs paid remarkably badly. I did manage about a full decade of mostly jazz performing work, but the hustle was intense, and now I play challenging gigs without worrying about the style, within my own personal limits (no metal, country, cover bands, etc.), and I am Music Director for two acts, which involves writing arrangements and running a band. My most stimulating gig was teaching business of music production courses at Berklee; investigating the business end with 75 production students was a real eye-opener, for me as well as them. No question: a little business knowledge can go a long way.