Re: serious career question


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Posted by joe exley on February 09, 2004 at 11:17:21:

In Reply to: serious career question posted by Tracy Bedgood on February 08, 2004 at 15:58:10:

Wow! Another great topic – bravo!

This is a tough one – there has been some good advice in this thread, and an equal amount of crap. I am going to chime in like a bigmouth -- as this is an exact situation I have been thru.

First of all, decide what you TRULY want, and do that. The DMA situation is the track for someone who wants the main part of their carreer to be college teaching. For some strange reason, the recent trend is that many universities (not conservatories neccesarily) prefer people with tons of degrees, versus real world performing experience.
If state university-type teaching is NOT your goal, then dont bother with the DMA. It is just an expensive way to delay getting into the real world.

Decide what type of music you TRULY want to perform, and what you really want to be (not what is appropriate, fashionable, or academically correct) Go with your gut/heart -- and forget what you "should" do.

Some of my best advice was (from a wonderful teacher who shall remain unnamed) "Get the hell out of school. You are not going to learn anything in school."

Realize that it IS possible to survive doing music -- but you dont learn how to do it in school.

I certainly don’t know all the answers, and everyone’s path is different, but here are some tidbits I have learned [many, the very hard way]

(also titled "Stuff I Wish I Would Have Learned in a Very Expensive 7 Years of Music School):

...if you ask me again in 10 years, my answers may be different....

- Live for your Art. To do so, you have to "live the life". (and figure out how to survive in the meantime)

- Priorities are a big issue – keep playing/art your TOP priority, regardless of anything. It needs to be up there with relationships and basic survival – anything else is probably detracting from your quest.

- If your immediate priorities are the typical white-collar, corporate, Amuricun dream: a huge house in the burbs and 2 SUVs, you are in the wrong business. If this is part of your plan, you can earn these things eventually, but it may take you a while, and probably quite a bit longer than Bob the mid-level manager.

- Be careful with day jobs, the security can be deadly. If you have something to fall back upon, more than likely you will. You dont have to starve, but dont get *too much* into creature comforts and nesting instincts.

- You absolutely MUST live in an environment that is conducive of what your goals are. If your neighbors and colleagues are all white-collar corporate folks, you will find it hard to find support. Seek out people who are trying to do similar things that you are -- and live there.

Seek out an environment, people, and things that constantly inspire you. Keep those things close at all times.

- Do many things -- Develop musical skills in addition to playing that can help you generate survival $$, promote yourself, barter with others etc -- without selling your soul. Such as:

+Learn music business skills: Learn how to write a proposal, a contract, and press materials.
+Learn how to network – and ALWAYS do this.
+Learn great computer skills. These are invaluable.
+Learn how to create a studio of students (there are many ways to make some $$ working with schools, without being a band director)
+Learn how to record yourself and piece together recordings
+Learn how to book a gig
+Learn how to contract musicians
+Learn how to lead a band
(this list can go on and on... I wont go into all of it)

Having many musical things going at one time can help with security. Have your hands in various things, as if one thing is pending or slow, there are other things to keep you going. Be a multi-tasking dynamo -- but all within the confines of your original goal.

- The student loan situation can be a complete bitch. Dont let the anxiety from them kill your ambitions and make you lose sight of your goals.

- Avoid talking to naysayers. Naysayers to artistic lives/careers are everywhere in this country. People here have a ruthless sense of entitlement -- and the arts are most commonly seen by the American public as extra-curricular and as a something to only be done as a hobby -- rather than something that is a craft, and something that is essential to human existence. Live somewhere where the people are liberal-minded.

- Be creative with how you manage and plan your life and goals. Realize that there are NOT any rules and no right or wrong path. What works for one person, may not work for you, and vise versa.

- Don’t give in, and work very very hard. Get a tough skin and get used to people [outside of the music world] telling you that it is not possible. Be friggin’ persistent and don’t be afraid of failing. Be ruthless in your approach.


peace





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