To be or not to be

At what point does someone say (I play music)
vs (Im A musician)? When you get paid? In a band?
What do you think about it?

I think it tends to happen all on it's own - you go from having a day job to your music supporting yourself more by chance than anything else.

Originally posted by Raskolnikov
I think it tends to happen all on it's own - you go from having a day job to your music supporting yourself more by chance than anything else.

So your saying
you gotta play for a living

I'm saying "have a good time with your music, but have a backup plan."

One of the best guitarists I know has no intention of ever turning professional - he loves music, he loves to be in bands, he loves to play in front of people, but he's got a wife and three kids that he wants to spend his time with and a job he really loves too. So as long as he can play out on the weekends, and still be at home with the family he's happy.

Is that right for all of us? Hell no. I hope for my four string to pay my bills some day soon, but I'm not ruling out anything. Especially considering that the money comes slowly at first - you might have to split $100 four ways for a band's first gig.

So if you want to be a pro, go for it. Just remember that you won't succede immediately (if at all), it'll take a lot of hard work, and that you'll have to survive in the meantime, and that means a day job.

[Edited by Raskolnikov on 04-12-2002 at 05:45 PM]

Jack,first dedfine a musician.
What's a musician?The way you define it answers your question

I see myself as a musician.
And I've made about 2$ on my music.
Music is like my work , althoughI dont get paid.
Its like the only thing I do, and its the only thing I want to do, so why should I not call myself
a musician?

You're saying you have to be supported by your music to be a musician??? That doesn't compute with me.
I think it has more to do with your skill/ability than it does whether you get paid or not.

Just my 2cents ;-)
JAz

Personally, I think a musician is someone's who has a deep passion for playing and creating music...I think the difference between a guitarist and a musician is a guitarist will merely play guitar, the licks they've managed to acquire over the years...a musician would try and expand their range through every means possible...
Just my personal take on things...sorry if I didn't manage to explain that too well, hopefully it'll make sense somewhere to someone......

I agree with aiwass here I love to play music but when I'm at work or doing those "honey do" lists that my lovely wife has set out for me I miss it alot but when I finally get the chance I just plugin and play,it's also kind of like a good thing too if you had a bad day,and you just start playin whatever it seems everything goes away and you just get lost in the music which is what you want to do when you play right?

I have changed my mind lately.
I dont think you are a musician "just"
because you play all the time and you are good or whatever.
Because lets remember musician is a profession,
just like a lawyer or fireman etc.
A musician is a person who's job is
to play. Its as simple as that.

Or it means you are a guitar playing bum.........

You dont have to be good to be a musician.
My mailman refuses to deliver newspapers when it rains.
That is not a good mailman, but he still is one.

$100 bucks 4 ways? Hey I'll take my $25 bucks! :D

thats not so bad, you'd need a day job, but hey your still getting paid.