Very OT: Life-changing decision.

[Anonymous]

Bob is giving you the best advice you could ever imagine. Listen to him.

Steve

 

[Buckeyedog]

If your big dream is to own a studio or venue, skip a music college and get a degree in Business Administration. This is something that you can use for both the music biz AND for a Plan B.

+1

I was going to say that as well.

+2

Had a buddy who was a great guitar player, had a really good job with vox/korg doing demo's and such, but didn't have a degree and his credit rating was lousy. Couldn't get a credit card for his traveling so as much as it appeared vox/korg wanted to move him up, they just couldn't and he did have the skills. I think he's like living in a trailer somewhere downtown after he disappeared for a few years. Get that business degree.

 

[vchizzle]

ahh, the age old question of the musician.

well, I didn't go to college after high school cause I didn't want to do anything besides play music. I got a decent paying job and soon made enough money to be stuck there. I've tried to cut and run a few times since(luthiery school, move to a bigger city for larger musician pool, start at an entry level position @ PRS, etc.). thought the band would take off - but as you well know, it takes more than yourself to stick with it for the long haul and make a band last. I'm very happy with my life outside of my job/music part. I dislike my job alot, I won't say hate, cause it could be worse for alot less money. I've been there 11 years. when I got hired full time someone said, "oh, your a lifer now, before ya know it, it'll be 10 years."
my response was, "I'll off myself before I'm here 10 years" --- and here I sit.
I couldn't afford to go to school after working for awhile...before ya know it you're buying more PRS's, Diezel's, Bogner's, Bad Cat's, VHT's

Bob's Bus. Admin. is a good call, cause you're probably gonna need it either way. do whatever is going to set you up to be happy in the long run man. its a bad feeling to be stuck and feel like you could be doing something more worthwhile with your life 8-12 hours out of your day. do something you care about that will keep you out poverty, I guess is the point. its too easy to get caught in a job that pays ok/well that you don't give 2 shits about.

 

[Jordon]

No matter what I do, I AM going back to school, and business is a must for me anyway. I came to the realization that I want to start something up myself, and business degrees are the only way. It's just what do I do alongside that that I'm having issues with.

 

[fearhk213]

I definately agree with the education route. Like someone said above, approach it from the long-term perspective. Think of it as providing an opportunity for you to do everything else (i.e. music) you want, not something you begrudgingly have to do instead. Business Admin can be really good, you just need to make sure you're driven to really use it to start your own thing. I say that because there are probably more Business Admin majors doing nothing with their degrees than those with other degrees. However, it could provide you with the opportunity to make more money than many other degrees. You just have to make sure you have your own idea(s) of what you want to use it for and go for it.

 

[Oblivion DC]

No matter what I do, I AM going back to school, and business is a must for me anyway. I came to the realization that I want to start something up myself, and business degrees are the only way. It's just what do I do alongside that that I'm having issues with.

I wish I had advice for you but I don't. I didn't even finish Jr College fer Christ's sake. But I was lucky, in music and in "real life" after music. With my band I traveled around a lot of the country, definitely did my share of driving there, and lived exactly how I wanted to and for as long as I wanted to. Played in a couple of cool scenes and worked some lame jobs when I needed to. Afterwards, I managed to learn about computers and information security and landed a job at UUNet/WorldCom and here I sit. I wish I was still playing music "for a living" but reality sets in when you start getting older and you still haven't struck gold with your band. Like I said, I'm pretty lucky, I could be stuck putting up billboards or cleaning toilets at McDonalds. I don't know what I'd do in your situation, the world is different today than it was 20 years ago. I only know that I wouldn't trade my musical years for all the financial security in the world.
Good luck to you in whatever you decide to do.

 

[gravfed]

I'm not really saying anything that hasn't been said, but going to take a bit different angle on it. IMO, if you can swing it in anyway, go to school now. Find a community college and talk with financial aid----since you didn't go to college right after high school you would be considered a non-traditional student (at least where I'm from). There is a lot of money available right now for people who have worked a few years and want to come back to school. If you are looking at a bachelors degree consider a small, cheap 4-year, IMO, you get what you make out of college, the institution itself has little to do with it most of the time. I have friends who have went to big, academically focused schools (Havard, MIT, Cal Tech) where as I went to a very small cheap school and when I need to find a job next year (gulp-----I'm with ya here bro), I can gaurentee you that in the eyes of most businesses (yes, there will be a few that will bite on a Ivy League degree), its much more about the person than the degree. I think that there are a lot small colleges who have financial aid available for you and can give you a great education and keep you out of debt. Good luck man, all the best!

 

[* velcro-fly *]

It all depends on your location. If someone is in the middle of Idaho, 40k is most likely very good.

The middle of Idaho would put you in Ketchum / Sun Valley...$40k there buys you Top Ramen

But yeah, you're basically right.

+1 on the follow your dream but get the education along with it.

Steve E

 

[Odin]

Take the good paying job. If you have the determination to make it in music you'll still make it with the truck driving job. If you can't make the truck driving and music both work then you probably don't have the determination to make it in music alone either, as music is a very hard business to earn a living in. Take the job, the rest is up to you. Don't use the job as an excuse to quit music, just make it all happen and earn some cash while you're doing it.

 

[daver101]

Have you ever considered a CDL job that keeps you home every night and gives you most weekends off? That would help you with getting back to school quicker, and having a semblance of a life.

 

[j666]

as a 33 year old working minimum wage...take the job. i never went to school or developed any real skill other than being in a band. now it's biting me in the ass. i've had some sweet adventures and love playing music but it is the easiest trade to fail at (depending on your view of success)...i never had a plan b. i was going to be a rockstar for sure and now...at times...i feel like i've wasted alot of my life chasing a pipe dream. take the job...you can always quit and go back to pursuing music.

 

[Variable]

The party pooper has arrived!!!

In my opinion, your Plan B (Plan A being something to do with music) should include a college education. You're only 21 years old, which is very young. If things don't pan out for you with the music stuff, unless you want to drive trucks as a career (nothing wrong with that, although your salary is somewhat limited), not having a college degree 10, 20 or 30 years from now is going to be a serious disadvantage for you from a career advancement perspective. Even if you were to eventually want into a lower management position within the trucking industry, you'll be limited without a degree.

Oh, and at 22 years old, it's time to get a move on. You don't want to start college when you're 30, IMO.

+1 to Bob's suggestion. Even if you go to school for a degree that's not going to land you a lot of cash, the experience alone is worth it. Hell, I majored in English and I'm an I.T. guy now. Would I have done anything differently if I could go back? I can think of a few things (like studying a lot harder), but I still would've majored in English. Even with such an (arguably) useless major, having a Bachelor's in Letters and Science has only helped my resume. You just have to be committed and stay the hell away from the party scene in college.

When I was 21 I had no bloody clue what I wanted out of life. I'm 26 now and I'm just starting to get an idea. Some people figure it out sooner, others later. If you have an idea of what you want and the conviction to pursue it, then there is nothing that'll stop you. The key is following through to the end.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

i'll try this again.


guess since we're on this board understanding the music dream is a given, and imagine most of the old fats like me would agree that if you got it in your veins it's not going to go away. though odds are the dream might not manifest as we'd like.


now onto my education rant. i'm not so much anti education, but more of anti getting a degree for the sake of getting a degree. America is so engrained with this gotta have an education to fall back BS, that isn't necessarily supported in the workplace anymore. there's so many jobs requiring degrees getting farmed out to former/borderline 3rd world countries, could easily get a degree for a job that might a 4 or 5 year life span. then what do you do? good chance of becoming the over qualified guy?

if you know what you want to do, and that happens to require a degree, then go for. just be aware there's plenty of careers that aren't going to have a very long shelf life, because somebody in china or india whatever bassackwards nation happens to be the flavor of the day will do it cheaper.

as for the guys i've seen that have gotten the degrees that get you the sit on your ass 40 hours a week jobs because you went to the same school as your asshole boss, i don't really see that as panning out any better than the guys went the working man route out of highschool and get the sit on your ass working man union jobs.

if you don't know what you want to do, then work on figuring out what you do want to do. keep your dreams alive and set goals and try to attain them.

if you really wanna make your band work or try for another band, then keep that going and set goals for an occupation that will keep your ambitions from bothering and start working towards that.


maybe you find a place that's got a great music scene, do some research and find out what the high paying jobs are that will allow you time for your music.


hell i don't know much. just know i like money! dead end jobs suck! and even great jobs suck if you do them long enough!


damned i had some great times in my 20's, but now that i'm 40 something i sure wish i'd have started making some bank a little earlier in life than i did.

 

[soc_monki]

i dont know what you should do man, but i can tell you what im going to do...im working in a restaurant and it SUCKS! i went to school and got a computer programming degree and havent been able to find a job in the years ive been out of school and ive tried my ass off and just gave up. finally got to the point where i cant stand it anymore and a buddy of mine (who is a Radiologist) visited me at work the other day and told me "go back to school. when i ran out of money i went to the WIN Job Center and they paid for me, as long as i would work in Mississippi and generate taxes!" that kicked the wheels in gear for me and im going back to finish what i started the first time i went to college...Medical Laboratory Tech, which as a start makes around 40K, give or take, but you can advance and make more over time.

i had a scholarship when i went back in 99 as well, and had my way paid for me, but i gave it up to go to Mississippi State and Business Information Systems, then went back to the community college after a car wreck and did Programming. mistake i think, but you live and learn. but i can honestly tell you that i wish i would have tried and had a band and traveled a bit back then, where as now im almost 27 (the 15th of this month!) and am kicking myself for working for nothing and being broke all the time.

well anyways...i guess that probably didnt help, but im having similar feelings as you...go to school, work more, move and have a band...i decided that i want to get in school, get my degree, get a job and do music on the side i guess LOL im getting closer to 30...maybe im just getting old LOL

 

[Oblivion DC]

It's funny to think about but if you're gonna be broke all the time anyway, you might as well be doing something you like to do.
Oh yeah, by the way, watch Fight Club and understand that it is the most true movie ever made. Don't give up on your dreams, just learn to make them work in the real world.

 

[Jordon]

Words of wisdom, from you all, and trust me, I take them all to heart. Thank you very much, every one.



And Variable, GIMME THAT DAMNED JMP-1!!!!

 

[ke2]

...Also 40k right now sounds nice to someone who is 22 but not to most 40 yr olds

40k/year in a small midwestern town is the most a majority of people can hope for... It all depends on your location. If someone is in the middle of Idaho, 40k is most likely very good.

Yep, and it is the net income that counts anyway. If you pay through the nose for a place to live, and need two cars to make the family go round etc.. You may need 70-80k to make it. If you live somewhere you can get the same standards for your house and other needs, you need less income. I make decent cash on the paper, but a lot of it goes to the mortgage on the house, daycare and general living expenses. If I was to live in my old home town, I`d get a bigger house for half the money I paid for mine, and thus need less income to make it go round.

 

[NoodleFace]

Dude I am in the same position you are now, except I'm 23. I went to college after HS but dropped out (Computer Engineering) because at 18 my mind was on other things. I thought that working a job and making money instantly was the way to go. 5 years later, I'm still making the same shitty amount of money and living in my parent's basement. The other day I decided to finally apply to colleges.. it's just not worth it to not go. I mean, my friend just graduated and already bought his first house.. yet here I am still.

One thing I've learned is it's really tough to make it in music. A lot of luck is involved, a lot of being in the right place at the right time, and if you're in a band relying on other people to pull their weight. I would never suggest anyone to not go after their dreams, but you need to think realistically about your future. I'll +1 the getting a business degree. If you think about it, if all else fails and you can't start up your own studio/shop, you still have that degree to fall back on and get a great job somewhere else.

Also about truck driving. My stepfather is a truck driver for Exxon Mobile. He absolutely hates his job and works the longest hours I've ever seen someone work. He leaves here at 3:30am and usually comes home around 6pm.. I could never do that. I'd suggest going back to school first and foremost man. I too am in debt and have bad credit, but you can make it work if you try. Apply for FAFSA, have your parents co-sign loans, and just stick with the schooling.

 

[amiller]

See, here's the thing, at 22 you have time to make career mistakes, try new things and chase your dreams...and if you fail, start over again. As you get older your choices will start to become more limited...finance will DICTATE what you do.

SO, CHASE THE DREAM WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!

 

[Jordon]

See, here's the thing, at 22 you have time to make career mistakes, try new things and chase your dreams...and if you fail, start over again. As you get older your choices will start to become more limited...finance will DICTATE what you do.

SO, CHASE THE DREAM WHILE YOU STILL CAN!!!

That's what a lot of people (friends, family, employers) tell me, but I just feel so damn old. I had to grow up VERY fast. I started working 30-40 hour weeks in my uncles restauraunt at 12 to help my ma support us after the divorce. I'm sure there are others who have gone through the same thing, and can kinda see where I'm coming from. I've been working steady or semi-steady jobs for almost 10 years now, and I feel like I've wasted it all. I know I haven't and I know at my age there are people who are just getting out of college. At worst, I'm only 4 years behind. It's just very hard telling myself that I'm still ok where I'm at. I have a plan now, after consulting with my family, and with my inner self. I'm going to Columbia Chicago starting next fall. That's a definate. Business classes are a definate. Major-wise, is still up in the air, but I have almost a year to figure that out and get on my feet financially, and clear up as much debt as I can. I was offered a local home-every-night driving job, so I might take that. I was also offered (after some persistance on my part) a job at U.S. Music Corp in Mundelien. Hopefully that pans out, cause that would rock. I'm going to keep my dream of doing SOMETHING in music alive, and I'll take the next year or 2 working in bands to see if I can push and make something work. If not, that's ok though. I've recorded CD's, thousands of people have heard my music, and it has helped some people along. I even had a kid come up to me at a show and tell me he's been at every all ages we've played, and that I'm an inspiration to him. Even if I dont "Make it" professionally, I figure if I can touch even one person like that, then I really have made it. Everyone's words on here have really pumped me up when I needed it, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. If anyone here ever needs a kick in the ass, I'm your man!

Ok, I'm getting all emotional now (not kidding ), so I'm going to actually get some work done today. Thank you, everyone. This truly is a family. Big thanks to Vaughan, Variable, Soc_Monki, Thump and Bob, especially. I've "known" you guys the longest, and your words impact me the most. Thanks again.