6 answers
Parker
Student
Holland, Ohio
2
Questions
Asked
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What steps did you take to become successful musician?
My name is parker, i'm in the 11th grade and since middle school i've been trying to become a successful musician i've been on stage and played to people before but im worried ill waste my time or money on something that wont happen for me. My plan was to go to julliards and study there for a few years and ty to make my way back to ohio and pursue my career. do you have any tips for me towards my goal?
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6 answers
Maxwell Lewis
Sound Designer
1
Answer
Denver, Colorado
Updated
Maxwell’s Answer
When it comes to making any type of art, be it musical, visual, analog or digital, there is no realistic guarantee that the things that you produce will be appreciated monetarily in your lifetime. Van Gogh, Dickenson, Bach, Thoreau... all these are names that meant nothing to the general population while they were alive, and even some of the greatest minds didn't see a dime before they died. But the one thing they all have in common was their unwavering resolve to continue to make life beautiful, and often in the face of the status quo, or with the reality of not knowing when their next paycheck will arrive. It is, in many respects, a compromised life. Therefore, it would be short-sighted of me to say anything different, or to promise any aspiring musician that Julliard will help their expectations, or afford them a life of paid performances throughout their lifetime. It's rarely the case, and to say otherwise would be a lie.
When I say 'compromised life', I mean that the lives of artists like Vincent Van Gogh or Nick Drake were prolific at the expense of their relationships with their friends, family, health, and in Edgar Allan Poe's case, an abrupt ending in a gutter, passed by onlookers who would never read a word he'd written in his entire life. So why do it, if this artistic path is such a risky way to live? And what good is a life when it feels like an endless bumpy ride?
While I can't speak for the greats, I do feel that I understand what that way of living entails after almost 40 years of living mine. I should be able to see something for all that hard work by now, shouldn't I? Well, the truth is the road for me hasn't led me to fame or fortune, and more often further from home than I would ordinarily be willing. But even with the bumps along the way, I can still clearly see how far I've made it by doing what I love, and with the only life I’ll have to do it. Sure, I made compromises, but I also made art that I would never consider trading for a smoother ride.
For those who are just starting the path, there’s much to consider. Now that much of the joy of making art is being automated, we are at a precipice where ALL artists have to ask themselves how much control they are willing to let go of for the sake of cutting corners and maximizing productivity with AI. This trend is nothing new, generally speaking. For my generation, many steps to the process were excised before I could even afford time at a recording studio. For example, recording to analog tape became so costly that it became hard to even justify the price for magnetic tape, let alone the time to facilitate using it right. But that process and methodology of using tape dictated the way music was made for decades. Even the extra time to rewind between takes was part of the process. The methodology of how music is recorded is so intrinsic to the result, and with each take made with more intention and less room for error than what the digital equivalent can emulate in a fraction of the time. I have tremendous respect for those days, and though I am thankful for Pro Tools and Ableton to make my life easier, the time it saves can be also insidious for the creative mind. This is because the artistic process should be rewarding enough on its own, and the result is just a bonus for getting things right. If you are finding that your form of expressing yourself isn't in itself what drives you, then it’s time to ask yourself why. To break it down even further, why even practice playing an instrument if you don't enjoy it enough to keep practicing? Why do players develop callouses on their fingers instead of setting their guitars aside? If you don’t feel more inclined to keep practicing your craft and if the basics are too much to bear, then the decision is already decided. And if that’s the answer then that’s alright! After all, there are many artists who could benefit from someone who is better at supporting their efforts, and that can be in its own way a form of artistic expression, too.
So, I suppose my main advice is to ask yourself the bigger questions: How much would you miss the **process**, whatever it is to you? Do you enjoy making art more than making money from it? Would you be able to live as an artist without the assurance of fame? Is this time spent a sunken cost fallacy? Or is the work itself justified?
Are you making art to survive?
Or are you surviving to make art?
One of those is hard to live with, but the other one is harder (and more worth it, too).
To all artists on the precipice:
'Always remember that the reason you initially started working was that there was something inside yourself that, if you could manifest it somehow, you would understand more about how you co-exist with the rest of society.... And always go a little further into the water, and when you don't feel that your feet aren’t quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place for something exciting.' - David Bowie
When I say 'compromised life', I mean that the lives of artists like Vincent Van Gogh or Nick Drake were prolific at the expense of their relationships with their friends, family, health, and in Edgar Allan Poe's case, an abrupt ending in a gutter, passed by onlookers who would never read a word he'd written in his entire life. So why do it, if this artistic path is such a risky way to live? And what good is a life when it feels like an endless bumpy ride?
While I can't speak for the greats, I do feel that I understand what that way of living entails after almost 40 years of living mine. I should be able to see something for all that hard work by now, shouldn't I? Well, the truth is the road for me hasn't led me to fame or fortune, and more often further from home than I would ordinarily be willing. But even with the bumps along the way, I can still clearly see how far I've made it by doing what I love, and with the only life I’ll have to do it. Sure, I made compromises, but I also made art that I would never consider trading for a smoother ride.
For those who are just starting the path, there’s much to consider. Now that much of the joy of making art is being automated, we are at a precipice where ALL artists have to ask themselves how much control they are willing to let go of for the sake of cutting corners and maximizing productivity with AI. This trend is nothing new, generally speaking. For my generation, many steps to the process were excised before I could even afford time at a recording studio. For example, recording to analog tape became so costly that it became hard to even justify the price for magnetic tape, let alone the time to facilitate using it right. But that process and methodology of using tape dictated the way music was made for decades. Even the extra time to rewind between takes was part of the process. The methodology of how music is recorded is so intrinsic to the result, and with each take made with more intention and less room for error than what the digital equivalent can emulate in a fraction of the time. I have tremendous respect for those days, and though I am thankful for Pro Tools and Ableton to make my life easier, the time it saves can be also insidious for the creative mind. This is because the artistic process should be rewarding enough on its own, and the result is just a bonus for getting things right. If you are finding that your form of expressing yourself isn't in itself what drives you, then it’s time to ask yourself why. To break it down even further, why even practice playing an instrument if you don't enjoy it enough to keep practicing? Why do players develop callouses on their fingers instead of setting their guitars aside? If you don’t feel more inclined to keep practicing your craft and if the basics are too much to bear, then the decision is already decided. And if that’s the answer then that’s alright! After all, there are many artists who could benefit from someone who is better at supporting their efforts, and that can be in its own way a form of artistic expression, too.
So, I suppose my main advice is to ask yourself the bigger questions: How much would you miss the **process**, whatever it is to you? Do you enjoy making art more than making money from it? Would you be able to live as an artist without the assurance of fame? Is this time spent a sunken cost fallacy? Or is the work itself justified?
Are you making art to survive?
Or are you surviving to make art?
One of those is hard to live with, but the other one is harder (and more worth it, too).
To all artists on the precipice:
'Always remember that the reason you initially started working was that there was something inside yourself that, if you could manifest it somehow, you would understand more about how you co-exist with the rest of society.... And always go a little further into the water, and when you don't feel that your feet aren’t quite touching the bottom, you're just about in the right place for something exciting.' - David Bowie
Austin Bradley
Live and studio musician
26
Answers
Millington, Tennessee
Updated
Austin’s Answer
Hello and good morning.
I'm going to try to answer your question the way I answered the last question on being a professional musician. Being a professional musician is really a state of mind it has nothing to do with how long you prepare yourself or how long you study it's really something that you know within yourself. Going to all of these places of higher learning and whatever music school you choose to go to is great but that's not going to make your professional musician it really determines all how much you want to be a professional musician and what you're willing to do to maintain to be a professional musician like I said that really depends up on you.God bless.
I'm going to try to answer your question the way I answered the last question on being a professional musician. Being a professional musician is really a state of mind it has nothing to do with how long you prepare yourself or how long you study it's really something that you know within yourself. Going to all of these places of higher learning and whatever music school you choose to go to is great but that's not going to make your professional musician it really determines all how much you want to be a professional musician and what you're willing to do to maintain to be a professional musician like I said that really depends up on you.God bless.
Thomas O'Shea
Music Producer, Composer, Live Sound Engineer, Musician
118
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
I both agree and disagree with what's been said here. There are a lot of different ways to make money in the music industry- you just have to look for them and keep going after each rejection. Here's a few things to keep in mind that I learned during my time in music school studying audio, piano, singing, and music business: it doesn't matter at ALL where you go. The thing that matters are the connections you make, the opportunities you take advantage of, and the memories. I'm finishing up at a tiny, basically unknown school, but have learned production techniques, collaborative techniques, and have worked as a professional in many different scenarios already. I have written pieces of music I never thought I would do, accompanied one of the choirs here on a commissioned piece, played with the orchestra, and even have had praise for my production and mixing work by real professionals who are also my professors. That's point 1. Point 2 is that if money is something you're completely focused on then you won't succeed. The people who go into music just for the money are misinformed and will either burn out fast, or will never find gratifying work. Instead, focus on the ART. Everything you do- whether for free or for money. For school or for fun. Focus on the artistic purpose for what you're doing. You are an ARTIST. You get to show people how you view the world with your work. You get to put your own feelings into music and when the right people find it, they will CONNECT with you. That's way more important and gratifying than how much money you made of this or how many views your last thing you made got. Yes numbers and money are important and yes you do need to find ways to make a sustainable living but you can literally do ANYTHING. Accompany soloists or groups- there's money in that. Perform- there's money in that. Write songs for other artists- there's money in that. Submit music to be in tv shows, movies, or other media- that's a LOT of money in that.
At your age, I would say the best thing to do is practice every day, research schools both small and big that you want to go to, research exactly what you want to do in music, and take opportunities at your school. I had no idea how I was going to make the music thing work when I was your age. Honestly, I was contemplating not even going into music because of the reactions I got when I told people what I wanted to do. None of that matters. If you truly want a music career, you will do the work necessary which will push you in the right direction to where you will eventually be making a full time living in music. Look at "local" collages first because there are amazing professors of music at almost every school. I have well known musicians as professors even at my small school. Finally, when I say take opportunities- I really really really mean it. If there's an opportunity that fits your primary instrument or something you want to do in music- DO IT. If there are performance opportunities- TAKE THEM. If you have a chance to perfect a skill that you might utilize later but you don't know yet, DO THAT SKILL. The only thing more work and taking more opportunities will do is potentially helping your career- and that should be your main focus in school.
Finally, I do want to say that I completely disagree with the "live a compromised life" idea. Yes- it's important to make money but you should never say that music is the hobby if it isn't. You aren't going to be a car salesman who also does music. You're not going to be a barista who also produces pop. Start altering the language. I'm a "rising" producer. I'm an "up and coming" ___________. If you're going to make this music career work, then you are a MUSICIAN. That is your job. The other thing you do is just to pay the bills and it is temporary. There's a lot of realities that you will learn throughout your time in music school. There are ways music school weeds out the "slackers" or "unmotivated" people with really really hard classes. This is not to discourage you- this is to show you the amount of work a career in music is going to take. If you put in the work and you show your professors AND yourself that you can do everything music school throws at you WHILE also holding down a job AND working on your own projects then you're setting yourself up for success. That's all it takes- working. A lot. And not just practicing- also networking, and trying new genres, and joining new ensembles, or adding things to your schedule that will make you a better musician. The more you work and perform and show what you can do, the more support you'll get which will lead to jobs and bigger opportunities.
At your age, I would say the best thing to do is practice every day, research schools both small and big that you want to go to, research exactly what you want to do in music, and take opportunities at your school. I had no idea how I was going to make the music thing work when I was your age. Honestly, I was contemplating not even going into music because of the reactions I got when I told people what I wanted to do. None of that matters. If you truly want a music career, you will do the work necessary which will push you in the right direction to where you will eventually be making a full time living in music. Look at "local" collages first because there are amazing professors of music at almost every school. I have well known musicians as professors even at my small school. Finally, when I say take opportunities- I really really really mean it. If there's an opportunity that fits your primary instrument or something you want to do in music- DO IT. If there are performance opportunities- TAKE THEM. If you have a chance to perfect a skill that you might utilize later but you don't know yet, DO THAT SKILL. The only thing more work and taking more opportunities will do is potentially helping your career- and that should be your main focus in school.
Finally, I do want to say that I completely disagree with the "live a compromised life" idea. Yes- it's important to make money but you should never say that music is the hobby if it isn't. You aren't going to be a car salesman who also does music. You're not going to be a barista who also produces pop. Start altering the language. I'm a "rising" producer. I'm an "up and coming" ___________. If you're going to make this music career work, then you are a MUSICIAN. That is your job. The other thing you do is just to pay the bills and it is temporary. There's a lot of realities that you will learn throughout your time in music school. There are ways music school weeds out the "slackers" or "unmotivated" people with really really hard classes. This is not to discourage you- this is to show you the amount of work a career in music is going to take. If you put in the work and you show your professors AND yourself that you can do everything music school throws at you WHILE also holding down a job AND working on your own projects then you're setting yourself up for success. That's all it takes- working. A lot. And not just practicing- also networking, and trying new genres, and joining new ensembles, or adding things to your schedule that will make you a better musician. The more you work and perform and show what you can do, the more support you'll get which will lead to jobs and bigger opportunities.
Zach Blue
Recreational Therapy
1
Answer
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Zach’s Answer
In this day and age the steps to becoming a professional whatever you want to aspire to be has become more freelanced than the typical traditional routes. One thing that is for certain and almost textbook is the will & want to work toward becoming more assertive in the music field itself. For the more specifics you have to have a set plan. One that is built around you. Becoming a successful musician can be like hitting the lottery depending on what you’re looking to get out of it. If you have a desire to play an instrument, practice and putting yourself in the environment of more musicians as yourself will always be the major step in becoming successful. Being open to learn from all aspects and not turning an opportunity down can also help. Budgets, Algorithms, Talent, Hard-work, Dedication & Proper Preparation are the biggest takeaways to becoming a successful musician.
If you have access to live shows to showcase
Build a core following of people who resonate with you story
Zach recommends the following next steps:
Dorian Cheah
Musician, Sound designer
1
Answer
Santa Monica, California
Updated
Dorian’s Answer
Hey Parker! I went to Juilliard and I play professionally in LA. I think a good step for you (and anybody at any stage of their career, myself included haha) is to actually write down a detailed description of what a "successful musician" looks like to you, even if it may change in the future, which it probably will. Be very specific. Write it down. ("Play on a song with millions of streams" or "Write a song that goes in a movie/tv show" or "Play in front of x number of people" or "Make $x as a musician" are some examples...)
That will help guide your actions. Many people don't know clearly enough what they want to do the right things over and over again that will move them closer to their goal.
Juilliard was a part of my education and the name did open doors for me at times but most of my successes in music came from putting myself out there and not giving up. If you love making music, you will keep showing up for it. Love what you do and stick around long enough, things will happen.
If you get more specific about what success looks like for you, I and many others may be able to offer more specific advice!
That will help guide your actions. Many people don't know clearly enough what they want to do the right things over and over again that will move them closer to their goal.
Juilliard was a part of my education and the name did open doors for me at times but most of my successes in music came from putting myself out there and not giving up. If you love making music, you will keep showing up for it. Love what you do and stick around long enough, things will happen.
If you get more specific about what success looks like for you, I and many others may be able to offer more specific advice!
William Moody
Freelance Musician
6
Answers
Downers Grove, Illinois
Updated
William’s Answer
Join the Facebook group Midwest Musicians if that is your location....if you live elsewhere hook up with musicians for hire via search engine.