nbarts
New member
I was wondering, there are over 6000 members here. How many of you are able to make a living out of this?
gbsmusic
Well-known member
I cant make a living at it but I am able to put myself further in dept!! All the beautiful gear I see here on RT doesn't help my problem at all 
glassjaw7
Well-known member
I did for a couple of years when I lived in Minneapolis, but there were too many obstacles to overcome and too much b.s. to deal with (shady band members, club owners, booking agents, etc.) It's not too difficult if you find the right group of people and spend a lot of time booking shows. A good singer is a MUST! 
Found this out the hard way. We had great original music, good covers, solid drummer, bassist, guitar, and our singer was well...way the hell off pitch all the time.
Got a new singer and went from playing for 50 people to hundreds quickly.
Found this out the hard way. We had great original music, good covers, solid drummer, bassist, guitar, and our singer was well...way the hell off pitch all the time. Got a new singer and went from playing for 50 people to hundreds quickly.
van hellion
New member
lucky enough to do it this far! i dont know how to do anything else 
A Wood
A Wood
glpg80
Well-known member
depends on the tight group of people you can find. thats the problem 90% of the time for me, if the music sounds great people will talk locally, and the music/band practices will be very productive.
half the time you get guys who think they can play but cant, or have different tastes or ideas for the band, have people who are egostatistical, and people who dont care.
with my generation its finding people with commitment - not babysitting the drummer or teaching the bassist yourself.
management is optional, but needed later on for the financial/gas/insurance/traveling/studio/legal/endorsment part of it, then theres the booking agent(s)
its a full time job to do it right, i backed out when i didnt have enough income from my work to afford a decent recording for the band, we couldnt find a decent lead singer and i cant play and sing all the time - i have a deep voice.
it comes down to who you know.
i will work double jobs for a while, get my finances back up, and try again most likely. it definately takes persistance from the beginning thats for sure.
half the time you get guys who think they can play but cant, or have different tastes or ideas for the band, have people who are egostatistical, and people who dont care.
with my generation its finding people with commitment - not babysitting the drummer or teaching the bassist yourself.
management is optional, but needed later on for the financial/gas/insurance/traveling/studio/legal/endorsment part of it, then theres the booking agent(s)
its a full time job to do it right, i backed out when i didnt have enough income from my work to afford a decent recording for the band, we couldnt find a decent lead singer and i cant play and sing all the time - i have a deep voice.
it comes down to who you know.
i will work double jobs for a while, get my finances back up, and try again most likely. it definately takes persistance from the beginning thats for sure.
nbarts
New member
So far one person & that person is A Wood. 
OldSkoolNJ
Active member
I did for 4 years with a cover band..
It allowed me enough money to pay my rent, bills, car payment and put my self through Lincoln tech and still had money for gear.. Booze and chicks were free though...
It allowed me enough money to pay my rent, bills, car payment and put my self through Lincoln tech and still had money for gear.. Booze and chicks were free though...
Primakurtz
New member
I made a living at it for a short while, but man, it was a lousy living.
I enjoy it far more now that I don't have to care about the money, and I can feel free to tell anyone to f*** off if they mistreat me.
But if I could make a decent living from music, and stay free, I would do it in a flash.
I enjoy it far more now that I don't have to care about the money, and I can feel free to tell anyone to f*** off if they mistreat me.
But if I could make a decent living from music, and stay free, I would do it in a flash.
* velcro-fly *
Well-known member
nbarts":1elmtvv4 said:
Brad has never sent me a single fucking check for being here everyday. So, no - I'm not able to make a living doing this. just sayin...
nbarts
New member
So still one person.
Ethn Hayabusa
Member
I'm a full-time self employed guitar instructor. Does that count?
P
petethorn
New member
van hellion":2sc2ilbf said:lucky enough to do it this far! i dont know how to do anything else
A Wood
so funny, that's what I say too. I'd be screwed if I had to do something else!
stephen sawall
SEMI ERECT MEMBER
I'm a painter.
ke2
Active member
I did for a while (when in college)
That was doing acoustic gigs. Me myself and I to worry about.
The whole hassle with flakey members etc, and being economically dependent on it... I`m too old for that now
I still play, but now it`s for fun and extra cash.
That was doing acoustic gigs. Me myself and I to worry about.
The whole hassle with flakey members etc, and being economically dependent on it... I`m too old for that now
I still play, but now it`s for fun and extra cash.
PeteLaramee
Well-known member
My musical endeavors haven't bought me a loaf of bread. 
guitarnoize
New member
Nope I'm a web developer. By the way I'm a freelancer so if anyone needs anything doing give me a shout 
johnnyjellybean
Well-known member
If "this" means making a living playing music, then yes ..........that is what I do for a living, if you can call it that ! I'm 54 and have been doing it since the age of 19. There have been quite a few ups and downs and it got real difficult once children came into the picture but I managed. This coming month I am being inducted into a 2nd hall of fame this one being the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement award as a member of April Wine.
I'm 54 and have been doing it since the age of 19. There have been quite a few ups and downs and it got real difficult once children came into the picture but I managed. This coming month I am being inducted into a 2nd hall of fame this one being the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with a lifetime achievement award as a member of April Wine.
hunter
Active member
I bought my 100B off a guy who did 80 or so gigs a year with a cover band, playing company events, weddings etc.
He told me how much he hated going on stage every time playing music that he doesn't like 80% of and that it's only for the money.
I think he had lost his love for guitar and even music over years and years doing "the job".
Guess unless you're as talented as Andy or Pete, it's better to do a normal day job and play only for fun's sake - at least nothing takes away passion and love for music then.
He told me how much he hated going on stage every time playing music that he doesn't like 80% of and that it's only for the money.
I think he had lost his love for guitar and even music over years and years doing "the job".
Guess unless you're as talented as Andy or Pete, it's better to do a normal day job and play only for fun's sake - at least nothing takes away passion and love for music then.
guitarnoize
New member
Yeah couldn't do the wedding gig thing myself but would like to mix it up so I recently quit my job and now I freelance which means hopefully more time down the line for music. Teaching maybe, cover band, who knows maybe my website will actually make money one day!
Vrad
Active member
I don't and I'm happy for it. It's fun now, but if I had to make a living out of it, it would become work. As everyone knows, they call work "work" because it's NOT "fun".