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Is Music your full time occupation, part time or just fun

 
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gnbutt
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Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 259
Location: Thunder Bay, Ont. Canada

PostPosted: Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:21 pm    Post subject: Is Music your full time occupation, part time or just fun Reply with quote

I got into a band in high school in the 1970's many moons ago (I am 61 now) and wound up playing gigs on the weekends in Toronto, Ont., played keyboards at the usual number of old "watering holes" downtown Friday and Saturday nights, which paid for many university years of education. Through the years I was employed by a large corporation but continued to play some gigs for some extra money and upgraded my equipment but I think I spent every dollar I ever made from music.

I have often wondered if there are any forum members who have actually been able to work full time in the music field or industry as studio musicians, sound designers, in a full time band touring, contracted to play as a keyboard player or music director, keyboard technician, programmer or maybe even a full time player at venues like Las Vegas, Broadway, Live Theatre or touring full time for a huge name entertainers touring around the globe. For me now, it's fun to play keyboards now and then in an old timers rock band. Are there forum members out there that have had big success in music ? I would certainly look forward to hearing some stories on how you achieved your success as a keyboard player or in the music industry in general . I know my friend Jeremy (keys) in the forum played in a very successful Canadian band and toured all over the world. Cheers ! Graydon
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CowboyNQ
Full Member


Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 144
Location: Adelaide, Australia

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 12:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Graydon,

I work part-time as a management consultant and part-time as a professional musician. I play in two bands, one does covers in pubs, and another is a large-scale Pink Floyd tribute.

You mentioned you're interested in music industry stories. If you like, feel free to check out this one I wrote about what makes a functioning and profitable tribute act work:

Tribute Band Story

Cheers,

Paul
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gnbutt
Senior Member


Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 259
Location: Thunder Bay, Ont. Canada

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, what a terrific story, congratulations ! Just goes to show you that with a lot of determination and a bit of luck, anything is possible. I think it was Mark Twain who once said "success is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration" or something like that. I have always liked the idea of Tribute Bands who will continue to hold the flag going into the future for those of us who continue to love those great bands, their music and especially the rock anthems when someone mentions a song and the band immediately is associated with it.

For me in my teen years, it was Genesis, Yes, ELP, Pink Floyd and then I loved the songs of Journey, Duran Duran and many more. If a good tribute band was touring up in my neck of the woods (Northern Ontario), I would certainly go to the show and be happy to hear this memorable music. Pink Floyd just stuck out in the music world as such an inventive and inspiring band, the lyrics, the music, the lead solos, Hammond organ and synth, it was music that sent a message to its fans, the Pink Floyd songs will never die but will be heard for generations.

Sounds like there is a great future for your Tribute band and a very positive and proactive approach goes miles. The mindset of the band members and promoters determined to succeed is also hugely important. Good luck. If you manage to tour across Canada, we have a beautiful new 1500 seat auditorium in Thunder Bay and my wife and I will certainly be there in the audience !

I guess the reason for my topic was just to see who in the forum was actually successful enough to have music in some form, as their means of making a full time living. This could have been by teaching, performing, writing music, touring, doing studio session work full time, recording etc. I was curious. I have always been a "wanna be rock star" but really never had much talent, I was much more successful in the business world. Cheers ! Graydon
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M3-73, Roland Fantom X8, Motif ES7, OMNISPHERE VST and my baby, an old Fender Rhodes 73. Hammond SK2 with Neo Mini-Vent for Organ, Korg Krome 61 with Vintage Synth collection + DSKrome, Killer Organ Package
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CowboyNQ
Full Member


Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 144
Location: Adelaide, Australia

PostPosted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 10:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Graydon,

Thanks for your very kind words above.

Your point in relation to the Mark Twain quote is on the money. We've learned that being able to perform well is probably 20% of the job. Getting the other 80% right (after making plenty of mistakes along the way) is what's allowed us a modicum of success.

With regard to your question about full time/part time etc, the band has now gotten "over the hump" and is becoming quite profitable, although we still all need day jobs (and a second band in my case).

Like you, I'm a massive fan of the music too, which makes it a labour of love.

Nice chatting to you mate!
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janke
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Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Posts: 193
Location: Sweden

PostPosted: Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

fun fun and relaxing to play and listening to the sound from the synths
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megamarkd
Platinum Member


Joined: 15 Aug 2017
Posts: 635
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

CowboyNQ wrote:

Your point in relation to the Mark Twain quote is on the money. We've learned that being able to perform well is probably 20% of the job. Getting the other 80% right (after making plenty of mistakes along the way) is what's allowed us a modicum of success.


So true for any business really.

I perform for money occasionally and last gig was for a mate's country and western band some years ago in Murwillumbah. His drummer couldn't make it so I stood-in playing an RY-30 in real-time.
Punters were stand-offish at first but had no issues once they'd heard a song. Some of the blokes were requesting songs it would seem were chosen to try to mess us up, but we killed it.
After the first set the publican said "I want you to leave. When I booked you I was expecting three musicians, I only see two"......
Greg, the band leader mentioned that there are indeed three musicians playing and that by the same token he was expecting three sets not one. Greg talked him into letting us complete the show, pointing out that a hen's night had arrived and it would be best that we keep playing or they will go somewhere else to dance.
After the second set the publican was dead-set on kicking us AND not paying despite that not a single person who had walked in since we started playing had walked out again, so Greg said he's not leaving without the full pay and proceeded to do the restaurant scene from the Blues Brother, saying hello to the patrons in a lecherous fashion. We got our pay. Greg said he'd had to do it many times over the years and it's one of the ways he has paid for his life with music. Damn I jealous of him....
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CowboyNQ
Full Member


Joined: 28 Sep 2014
Posts: 144
Location: Adelaide, Australia

PostPosted: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dealing with BS from bar managers definitely goes with the turf! Glad you guys got your pay though.
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sean121



Joined: 16 Apr 2020
Posts: 6
Location: Denver, Colorado

PostPosted: Wed Apr 22, 2020 9:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right now it is just fun for me but music is sort of my passion and I would love to make it my full-time occupation one day. And I am working hard for it.
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