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Thread: Careers in Music

  1. #1

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    Well, I'm a sophomore in high school, so I think it's time I start thinking about what I'm going to (probably) do for the rest of my life.
    So I'm reviewing some options and paths for different careers, but one that interests me is a career in music. I'm thinking of majoring in something of the sort.
    I love audio related stuff, and I find it very interesting. But one of my main concerns is getting a job, and making a good amount at the job.
    I heard of people getting becoming an audio engineer and not making a lot, or even finding a job. I'm interested in innovation, and working for music or audio related companies because that stuff really fascinates me.
    What was your experience in this field? I know the field is broad, but what are the better ones?
    Thanks!
    -DrumRookie

    -Gear-
    Birch Tama Starclassic 22", 14", 12", 10" - 14"x5" Black Panther Steel Snare - Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand - Zildjian 20" A Vintage ride - Sabian HH 16" Crash - Sabian AAX 18" Studio Crash - Agazarian 10" Splash - Sabian XS20 14" Medium Hats - ProMark Shira Kashi Oak 5A - Various sticks & percussion - CP Bongos

  2. #2

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    I don't know about the audio world but I can tell you this: You can go after money or you can go after your passion. If you're one of the lucky ones, the two will come together and you'll make decent money off of something you love to do. Just remember, there are no guarantees in this life. You can only give it your best shot. Here's a couple of tips:

    1. Set the bar "extremely" high. Usually if you miss that goal, you'll still fall into a real good place.
    2. Work harder than anyone you know. You'll find that as a result, you'll have more "luck" come your way.

  3. #3

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    I'll detail my story out as quickly as I can.

    When I was in HS all I wanted to do was play trumpet and I made up my mind that I was going to have some kind of career in music - at the time I was thinking HS Band director, but I kind of stumbled into an opportunity to audition for the US Army Band program. I was accepted, I enlisted to be an Army trumpet player, went to Basic Training, the Armed Forces School of Music, and then my first assignment - the First US Army Band at Fort Meade, MD. This was a great way at the time to make a living - I was playing good music with a lot of fine musicians and life was pretty swell for a 19 year old kid fresh out of HS. (It should be noted that the First US Army Band at Meade was one of the better working bands in the Army - MUCH better than getting assigned to a division band or a band at training base like Ft. Benning or Ft. Jackson)

    Then I met the girl who would later become my wife and mother of my children. I took an audition for the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, was accepted as a bugler, and I did that for 7 years. All that glitters is not gold - I wound up questioning my desire to be in "music" and I got out to be a computer guy, which is what I still do for a living.

    To me, while at times I'm frustrated because I can't put in the amount of time playing and making music that I want to, I think it's a better life. I make a solid living as a database guy, and that pays the bills, and I get to have fun with music in some pretty serious groups on the side.

    Based on the observations I've made over the years, being full-time employed in the music industry is a lot of work - you have to make the right connections and know the right people, and you have to really know your stuff. I can tell you that while I did quite well in the Army music program, had I tried to make it in music outside of the Army, I probably wasn't good enough - I've seen a lot of people much better than me truly struggling to make it by, and aside from the military and the world of academia - i.e., teaching music or some music related aspect, it's not a career I'd want to try to get into right now.

    I might sound a little pessimistic. I'm not trying to be, but the reality is that it is a highly competitive field and you have to have a combination of a few things to really make it:

    1.) You have to really know your stuff and be really good
    2.) You have to develop a good network of contacts
    3.) You have to develop a reputation for sterling quality work and reliability

    I'm certainly not saying it can't be done, but on the excellent survive, and only the very best thrive.

    That's my take on it.
    Your = possessive - your stuff, your dog, your car, etc
    You're = you are - a contraction.

    Learn it. Love it.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    I don't know about the audio world but I can tell you this: You can go after money or you can go after your passion. If you're one of the lucky ones, the two will come together and you'll make decent money off of something you love to do. Just remember, there are no guarantees in this life. You can only give it your best shot. Here's a couple of tips:

    1. Set the bar "extremely" high. Usually if you miss that goal, you'll still fall into a real good place.
    2. Work harder than anyone you know. You'll find that as a result, you'll have more "luck" come your way.
    I think drummer said it best! Get all the college education and degrees you can toward your goals of doing what you'd love to do. Life may have a tendancy to side track some of these but keep determined and I'm sure it will reward you.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Olimpass View Post
    I think drummer said it best! Get all the college education and degrees you can toward your goals of doing what you'd love to do. Life may have a tendancy to side track some of these but keep determined and I'm sure it will reward you.
    Oh, life will most certainly side track you. Part of why I left the Army was due to having a family, and that not being the best lifestyle for a family. In the Fife and Drum, most of the time I never knew from one day to the next just what I was going to be doing, what time I needed to be there or when the day would end until usually the day before. Add to that the number of weekends and holidays I worked and it was tough not being there for my family on those occasions.

    It also made things very difficult for trying to get a degree. I wanted to go back to school to get a degree in music education, but I needed to continue to work to support my family, and Music Ed. degrees aren't offered any other time than as a full-time course of study during the days, so I was never able to go back and get that degree. Water under the bridge now, but when I was still in my late 20s and early 30s, that was pretty rough for me.
    Your = possessive - your stuff, your dog, your car, etc
    You're = you are - a contraction.

    Learn it. Love it.

  6. #6

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    See if you can get a job laboring for an AV company in the area. You'll spend most of the time lugging cable, assembling truss, and taping cables down. But show up, be reliable, and you might be able to make something of yourself. Hang out with the engineers, and do what they do. You might not be music, but hey, you might be able to learn some audio engineering. LEARN THE DIGITAL BOARDS!!! Everything is going that way.
    "The chances of being attacked and killed by a terrorist are less than the chances of being attacked and killed by your own heart"
    Carrying the message to Garcia. Today and everyday.
    Temple Beth Snare Buzz-Head Rabbi

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by trickg View Post
    Oh, life will most certainly side track you. Part of why I left the Army was due to having a family, and that not being the best lifestyle for a family. In the Fife and Drum, most of the time I never knew from one day to the next just what I was going to be doing, what time I needed to be there or when the day would end until usually the day before. Add to that the number of weekends and holidays I worked and it was tough not being there for my family on those occasions.

    It also made things very difficult for trying to get a degree. I wanted to go back to school to get a degree in music education, but I needed to continue to work to support my family, and Music Ed. degrees aren't offered any other time than as a full-time course of study during the days, so I was never able to go back and get that degree. Water under the bridge now, but when I was still in my late 20s and early 30s, that was pretty rough for me.
    Oh yes, I understand the side tracking...lol. Family is the most important thing to be responsible for as you have done and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. You did what was right and what you needed to do.

    This is not the case right now for DrumRookie. (at least I don't think so...lol)

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Olimpass View Post
    Oh yes, I understand the side tracking...lol. Family is the most important thing to be responsible for as you have done and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. You did what was right and what you needed to do.

    This is not the case right now for DrumRookie. (at least I don't think so...lol)
    Oh umm *cough cough*, I forgot to mention that umm.. *cough*.... lol! just kidding

    Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate your feedback, I can't wait to hear some more.
    -DrumRookie

    -Gear-
    Birch Tama Starclassic 22", 14", 12", 10" - 14"x5" Black Panther Steel Snare - Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand - Zildjian 20" A Vintage ride - Sabian HH 16" Crash - Sabian AAX 18" Studio Crash - Agazarian 10" Splash - Sabian XS20 14" Medium Hats - ProMark Shira Kashi Oak 5A - Various sticks & percussion - CP Bongos

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by trickg View Post
    I'll detail my story out as quickly as I can.

    When I was in HS all I wanted to do was play trumpet and I made up my mind that I was going to have some kind of career in music - at the time I was thinking HS Band director, but I kind of stumbled into an opportunity to audition for the US Army Band program. I was accepted, I enlisted to be an Army trumpet player, went to Basic Training, the Armed Forces School of Music, and then my first assignment - the First US Army Band at Fort Meade, MD. This was a great way at the time to make a living - I was playing good music with a lot of fine musicians and life was pretty swell for a 19 year old kid fresh out of HS. (It should be noted that the First US Army Band at Meade was one of the better working bands in the Army - MUCH better than getting assigned to a division band or a band at training base like Ft. Benning or Ft. Jackson)

    Then I met the girl who would later become my wife and mother of my children. I took an audition for the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, was accepted as a bugler, and I did that for 7 years. All that glitters is not gold - I wound up questioning my desire to be in "music" and I got out to be a computer guy, which is what I still do for a living.

    To me, while at times I'm frustrated because I can't put in the amount of time playing and making music that I want to, I think it's a better life. I make a solid living as a database guy, and that pays the bills, and I get to have fun with music in some pretty serious groups on the side.

    Based on the observations I've made over the years, being full-time employed in the music industry is a lot of work - you have to make the right connections and know the right people, and you have to really know your stuff. I can tell you that while I did quite well in the Army music program, had I tried to make it in music outside of the Army, I probably wasn't good enough - I've seen a lot of people much better than me truly struggling to make it by, and aside from the military and the world of academia - i.e., teaching music or some music related aspect, it's not a career I'd want to try to get into right now.

    I might sound a little pessimistic. I'm not trying to be, but the reality is that it is a highly competitive field and you have to have a combination of a few things to really make it:

    1.) You have to really know your stuff and be really good
    2.) You have to develop a good network of contacts
    3.) You have to develop a reputation for sterling quality work and reliability

    I'm certainly not saying it can't be done, but on the excellent survive, and only the very best thrive.

    That's my take on it.
    Great post Trick. Glad things worked out for you in the end.

  10. #10

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    I say go for it. Don't let anything or anyone stop you. But understand, you will have to pay dues along the way.

    I went for money vs. following my dream. And by the way, my dream was not to play drums for a living. But, it really doesn't matter what it is. Today, I have regrets about not sticking to my original plans. A company that I was working for in college kept promoting me and giving me more money. So, I kept riding that train until I got so far along in life, that I couldn't go backwards to start over.

    In short, get on your pony and whip the snot out of it. Keep your nose to the ground and your hiney in the air. One day you will look up and have your dream sitting in front of you.

    Randy

  11. #11

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    Here you go: http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/...g-to-make-cash

    This guy "just graduated from Oberlin College with a double major in jazz studies and percussion".
    He made $7 today in the park.


  12. #12

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    Study mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and/or computer science.

    You can make the things everyone else gets to use, and you'll make enough money to afford playing on the side.
    "Life is backwards. Happiness isn't something you seek, it's something that finds you when you are doing the right thing." - Zone47

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Here you go: http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/...g-to-make-cash

    This guy "just graduated from Oberlin College with a double major in jazz studies and percussion".
    He made $7 today in the park.

    Yaaay! Now I know what NOT to double major in

    Interesting read though!

    @quikstang2

    Thanks, I'll look into those! Electrical engineering sounds cool, but software design might be a bit difficult for me.
    -DrumRookie

    -Gear-
    Birch Tama Starclassic 22", 14", 12", 10" - 14"x5" Black Panther Steel Snare - Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand - Zildjian 20" A Vintage ride - Sabian HH 16" Crash - Sabian AAX 18" Studio Crash - Agazarian 10" Splash - Sabian XS20 14" Medium Hats - ProMark Shira Kashi Oak 5A - Various sticks & percussion - CP Bongos

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by DrumRookie View Post
    Well, I'm a sophomore in high school, so I think it's time I start thinking about what I'm going to (probably) do for the rest of my life.
    So I'm reviewing some options and paths for different careers, but one that interests me is a career in music. I'm thinking of majoring in something of the sort.
    I love audio related stuff, and I find it very interesting. But one of my main concerns is getting a job, and making a good amount at the job.
    I heard of people getting becoming an audio engineer and not making a lot, or even finding a job. I'm interested in innovation, and working for music or audio related companies because that stuff really fascinates me.
    What was your experience in this field? I know the field is broad, but what are the better ones?
    Thanks!



    I've been thinking about this alot lately. My parents want me to be a carpenter but I want to play music for the rest of my life. I would be able to but the problem is how would I support myself if I'm only getting a couple of gigs a week. I was thinking about applying for a scholarship and traveling to Sydney to the Australian institute of music. But I'm only 14 I still have time.
    CURRENT SETUP-
    Sonic Drive 7 piece kit.
    2 up 2 down

    - Sabian AA Holy China 17"
    - Meinl classics custom extreme metal crash 18"
    - Sabian AA 16" crash
    - Zildjian Z custom 20" ride
    - Evans G2 heads
    - Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal
    -Joey Jordison signature snare drum.

    Drummer For: *BAND HAS NO NAME YET*
    Genre:Metal/Screamo

  15. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Here you go: http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/...g-to-make-cash

    This guy "just graduated from Oberlin College with a double major in jazz studies and percussion".
    He made $7 today in the park.

    Ah, to be young, idealistic and TOTALLY CLUELESS again............(snaps out of daydream, grabs clicker and turns on 105" big screen to watch a movie).

  16. #16

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    I've seen it quite a bit in the area where I live where really talented, fantastic musicians, some with impeccable pedigrees, just aren't getting the work. Even with what I do - part-time playing in an upscale wedding band, I get paid better than most other trumpet players I know, simply due to the fact that I knew someone who knew someone, who set me up to sub one night. That was 10 years ago and at a time where the bandleader was looking for a permanent hire for the trumpet job. As it turned out, he liked the way I played, my look was right for the band (youngish and energetic) and I had the added plus of being able to sing and read vocal charts. On top of being responsible and reliable, even though I'm not the best trumpet player he has worked with, the combination of things worked in my favor.

    I forgot to mention how timing can also play a big role in whether or not a person can land a gig. Almost every gig I have ever gotten has come from knowing someone, and being available at the right time. Even my first audition for Army band was a good timing thing - the US Army Jazz Ambassadors were on a Midwest tour and going to be playing near my home, so I was able to set up an audition with the bandmaster of that group. Later, when I auditioned for the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, it was a matter of them needing to fill multiple slots fast, I was set to get out of the Army in just a few months time, so my initial contract was running out, and I was right down the road - easily accessible. I literally called them one day, and drove down for an audition a couple of days later. I wanted the gig, played and marched well enough, and they needed bodies in the slots - done.

    These days getting into that group is not nearly so easy. The amount of work available for the number of players has drastically decreased, so while back then they were scrambling for people to try to get to audition to fill the open slots, now they get up to 60+ applicants for a single opening, and many of those candidates have masters degrees in performance and some are even working on doctorates. There is no way I could land a slot in that group now - I'm simply not good enough.
    Your = possessive - your stuff, your dog, your car, etc
    You're = you are - a contraction.

    Learn it. Love it.

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by trickg View Post
    I've seen it quite a bit in the area where I live where really talented, fantastic musicians, some with impeccable pedigrees, just aren't getting the work. Even with what I do - part-time playing in an upscale wedding band, I get paid better than most other trumpet players I know, simply due to the fact that I knew someone who knew someone, who set me up to sub one night. That was 10 years ago and at a time where the bandleader was looking for a permanent hire for the trumpet job. As it turned out, he liked the way I played, my look was right for the band (youngish and energetic) and I had the added plus of being able to sing and read vocal charts. On top of being responsible and reliable, even though I'm not the best trumpet player he has worked with, the combination of things worked in my favor.

    I forgot to mention how timing can also play a big role in whether or not a person can land a gig. Almost every gig I have ever gotten has come from knowing someone, and being available at the right time. Even my first audition for Army band was a good timing thing - the US Army Jazz Ambassadors were on a Midwest tour and going to be playing near my home, so I was able to set up an audition with the bandmaster of that group. Later, when I auditioned for the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps, it was a matter of them needing to fill multiple slots fast, I was set to get out of the Army in just a few months time, so my initial contract was running out, and I was right down the road - easily accessible. I literally called them one day, and drove down for an audition a couple of days later. I wanted the gig, played and marched well enough, and they needed bodies in the slots - done.

    These days getting into that group is not nearly so easy. The amount of work available for the number of players has drastically decreased, so while back then they were scrambling for people to try to get to audition to fill the open slots, now they get up to 60+ applicants for a single opening, and many of those candidates have masters degrees in performance and some are even working on doctorates. There is no way I could land a slot in that group now - I'm simply not good enough.
    I'm reminded of the old saying..."it's not what you know, but who you know."

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lucius-Borich-JR View Post
    I've been thinking about this alot lately. My parents want me to be a carpenter but I want to play music for the rest of my life. I would be able to but the problem is how would I support myself if I'm only getting a couple of gigs a week. I was thinking about applying for a scholarship and traveling to Sydney to the Australian institute of music. But I'm only 14 I still have time.
    Take it from someone who's been on the Sydney scene for a lil' over two decades. It's hard. Lucky I learned to read and studied (and am still studying theory, nowadays privately from jazz musician friends of mine). Sure, you can go to AIM, get all the tuition you'll definitely need, but the most important assets you'll need to survive as a drummer, particularly in Australia, are your attitude, your versatility and flexibility, and having the skills to do so. And if you can write music (not just with drums, but with other instruments) it will mean that you can have your name on album credits, particularly when it comes to royalties being paid by APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association), who do not in general consider a drummer's performance on a recorded track as something you can claim royalties on, unless the band considers the drum track a major part of the composition. Two gigs a week in Sydney with a covers band (and a well paid one at that) may be profitable, two gigs a week with an originals band (if the chances of that happening will happen) will mean you'll have maybe enough fuel in your car.

    Look, I'm not trying to be cynical or pessimistic, but that can be the hard facts. There are quite a number of music scenes in Sydney, and it pays to be mates with musicians from all of them. If you only stick to one being your favourite, then people will think of you as being a 'one trick pony' and you may rarely if at all get called to do anything outside of what you can already do.....and more importantly, be paid for it. Years ago when I started gigging after school with God knows how many original bands, I was given the chance to play some blues and early rock n' roll songs.....stuff that, if I still staying blinkered and was saying "Nup, not for me, I'm a grunge and punk drummer" (it was the 90's after all!) then I would have never been able to slowly build up a network of contacts of bands and musicians looking for a well-rounded drummer....after that I had been in or subbed in a few cover bands going around that time. To this day, wherever I go I can never go too far before I bump into someone at a gig or rehearsal studio, who'd then do a double-take and say "Jeez! Ain't seen you for a while! What you been doing?" before grabbing my number and I'll get an SMS or Facebook message asking me to do some stuff for them (if the money is right, of course). In fact, first day that I started my Cert III in Contemporary Music, not only one of my muso friends was on the staff (he ended up being a MIDI music lecturer of mine) but there were three of the staff that either knew me by face or name already, and more importantly, knew what a hard worker I am in bands. (Incidentally, we had a good drummer who came into the course after he left AIM, but because what he learned there was only focussed on drum performance and drum notation and that end of music theory, when he came into our course at Nirimba TAFE College, which at that time had it's music theory taught along the lines of the Berklee method ie: all drummers had to pass tuned percussion and melodic theory, that guy unfortunately got cold feet midway through that diploma year, ran off and left his performance band without a drummer.....of course, the staff then turned, looked at me and asked for me to perform for two bands, knowing how I can run band rehearsals and learn songs on the fly).

    After the course? Well, I established my business name (as a drum tutor...thing was I was already tutoring a few before I was in the course), played in more bands, people over time have also got me doing stuff like percussion overdubs (once they learned that I play and teach percussion as well as drumkit) or sometimes I'll get a call here and there to do some programming, sitting in with them on a variety of systems, watching what they do, then do some drum programming corrections or complete rewrites. But even so, not every week you can be filling up with work....really to survive here you need to do the gig-teach-record routine to get anywhere. But if you are prepared to work a lot on your skills as an all round player (and more importantly, really really know what you're doing and do it better than the next guy) then eventually to work will come to you. But there is no hard and fast rule, some are very lucky and achieve success quickly with a fluke, others have to have a day job and just play the music they like (I've done that too, I worked for a language service unit for a number of years). Those though who get their success without having the skills to back it up? Well, frankly it can happen and the problem is that once the hype and the dollars go...well, just read the tabloids, lol.

    Nowadays, more than at any time, you need to have your fingers in as many musical pies as you can, and never ever think that playing songs or with a band in a style that you're not particularly enamoured with (for that moment) is a waste of time, because not only will you be learning a new skill or style that you can use in your future, but you will then be networking with people in or outside of that band who will see you and hopefully will see how well you played your instrument, who in turn will recommend you for their own band or someone else's. And if you went to do a music course at a tertiary institution, that is definitely one thing they hammer into you, that as a well rounded musician you'd have to be prepared to play anything to get anywhere.

    Thanks for letting me have my two cent's worth!
    Last edited by Drumbledore; 09-21-2011 at 11:17 AM.
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  19. #19

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    my single regret in life is that i didnt make a serious go of it in a band when i was younger (I had opportunity but joined the military instead; the guys i jammed with back then, as a guitarist i'm sorry to add; went on to be pretty big in the London scene before i lost touch with them all together). If i could turn the clock back that's the only thing i would change. Follow your passion; you don't know where it will lead; and if you don't you will always be wondering if you could have pulled it off. The advice above is spot on; luck certainly does come through hard work; all i'll say is that everytime i watch a notable gig i get that pang of nostalgia and the opportunity in the music business is definately more available to the young. Good luck!
    If you are going through hell...keep going!

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Drumbledore View Post
    Take it from someone who's been on the Sydney scene for a lil' over two decades. It's hard. Lucky I learned to read and studied (and am still studying theory, nowadays privately from jazz musician friends of mine). Sure, you can go to AIM, get all the tuition you'll definitely need, but the most important assets you'll need to survive as a drummer, particularly in Australia, are your attitude, your versatility and flexibility, and having the skills to do so. And if you can write music (not just with drums, but with other instruments) it will mean that you can have your name on album credits, particularly when it comes to royalties being paid by APRA (Australasian Performing Rights Association), who do not in general consider a drummer's performance on a recorded track as something you can claim royalties on, unless the band considers the drum track a major part of the composition. Two gigs a week in Sydney with a covers band (and a well paid one at that) may be profitable, two gigs a week with an originals band (if the chances of that happening will happen) will mean you'll have maybe enough fuel in your car.

    Look, I'm not trying to be cynical or pessimistic, but that can be the hard facts. There are quite a number of music scenes in Sydney, and it pays to be mates with musicians from all of them. If you only stick to one being your favourite, then people will think of you as being a 'one trick pony' and you may rarely if at all get called to do anything outside of what you can already do.....and more importantly, be paid for it. Years ago when I started gigging after school with God knows how many original bands, I was given the chance to play some blues and early rock n' roll songs.....stuff that, if I still staying blinkered and was saying "Nup, not for me, I'm a grunge and punk drummer" (it was the 90's after all!) then I would have never been able to slowly build up a network of contacts of bands and musicians looking for a well-rounded drummer....after that I had been in or subbed in a few cover bands going around that time. To this day, wherever I go I can never go too far before I bump into someone at a gig or rehearsal studio, who'd then do a double-take and say "Jeez! Ain't seen you for a while! What you been doing?" before grabbing my number and I'll get an SMS or Facebook message asking me to do some stuff for them (if the money is right, of course). In fact, first day that I started my Cert III in Contemporary Music, not only one of my muso friends was on the staff (he ended up being a MIDI music lecturer of mine) but there were three of the staff that either knew me by face or name already, and more importantly, knew what a hard worker I am in bands. (Incidentally, we had a good drummer who came into the course after he left AIM, but because what he learned there was only focussed on drum performance and drum notation and that end of music theory, when he came into our course at Nirimba TAFE College, which at that time had it's music theory taught along the lines of the Berklee method ie: all drummers had to pass tuned percussion and melodic theory, that guy unfortunately got cold feet midway through that diploma year, ran off and left his performance band without a drummer.....of course, the staff then turned, looked at me and asked for me to perform for two bands, knowing how I can run band rehearsals and learn songs on the fly).

    After the course? Well, I established my business name (as a drum tutor...thing was I was already tutoring a few before I was in the course), played in more bands, people over time have also got me doing stuff like percussion overdubs (once they learned that I play and teach percussion as well as drumkit) or sometimes I'll get a call here and there to do some programming, sitting in with them on a variety of systems, watching what they do, then do some drum programming corrections or complete rewrites. But even so, not every week you can be filling up with work....really to survive here you need to do the gig-teach-record routine to get anywhere. But if you are prepared to work a lot on your skills as an all round player (and more importantly, really really know what you're doing and do it better than the next guy) then eventually to work will come to you. But there is no hard and fast rule, some are very lucky and achieve success quickly with a fluke, others have to have a day job and just play the music they like (I've done that too, I worked for a language service unit for a number of years). Those though who get their success without having the skills to back it up? Well, frankly it can happen and the problem is that once the hype and the dollars go...well, just read the tabloids, lol.

    Nowadays, more than at any time, you need to have your fingers in as many musical pies as you can, and never ever think that playing songs or with a band in a style that you're not particularly enamoured with (for that moment) is a waste of time, because not only will you be learning a new skill or style that you can use in your future, but you will then be networking with people in or outside of that band who will see you and hopefully will see how well you played your instrument, who in turn will recommend you for their own band or someone else's. And if you went to do a music course at a tertiary institution, that is definitely one thing they hammer into you, that as a well rounded musician you'd have to be prepared to play anything to get anywhere.

    Thanks for letting me have my two cent's worth!
    More like a 20,000 dollars worth!
    Excellent advice, I really learned something from that.
    -DrumRookie

    -Gear-
    Birch Tama Starclassic 22", 14", 12", 10" - 14"x5" Black Panther Steel Snare - Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand - Zildjian 20" A Vintage ride - Sabian HH 16" Crash - Sabian AAX 18" Studio Crash - Agazarian 10" Splash - Sabian XS20 14" Medium Hats - ProMark Shira Kashi Oak 5A - Various sticks & percussion - CP Bongos

  21. #21

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    Default Re: Careers in Music

    Theres nothing wrong with following your passion and looking for a career in music but as stated in the past it is a tough way to earn a living at times.

    You may want to make sure you also go to college for something else as a back up plan in case you dont succeed in the music industry as you originally planned.
    slot # 1

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    RIP Frank.............thanks for being part of my journey

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